21/11/2025
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ଡ଼ଃ ହରେକୃଷ୍ଣ ମହତାବଙ୍କ ସହ ମୋର ସ୍ମୃତି
21 ନଭେମ୍ବର, 2025
ମୋ କଲେଜ୍ ଦିନରେ ନବଓଡ଼ିଶାର ନିର୍ମାତା ଡ଼ଃ ହରେକୃଷ୍ଣ ମହତାବଙ୍କ ସହ ପ୍ରଥମ ସମ୍ପର୍କ ହୋଇଥିଲା। ସାହିତ୍ୟ ଓ ସାହିତ୍ୟ ସଂଗଠନ ନେଇ ମୋର ଆଗ୍ରହ ଥିବାରୁ ମୁଁ ସେହି ସମୟରେ ପ୍ରଜାତନ୍ତ୍ର ଭବନରେ ଆୟୋଜିତ ବିଷୁବ ମିଳନ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟକ୍ରମକୁ ଯାଇଥାଏ। ସେହି ଦିନରୁ ସେ ମତେ ସମ୍ବଲପୁରର ଯୁବକ ଭାବେ ଜାଣି ରଖିଥିଲେ। ମୁଁ କଟକ ଯେବେ ଯାଉଥିଲି, ସେ ସେମାନଙ୍କ ମ୍ୟାନେଜର୍କୁ ଡାକି ମୋର ରହିବା ଓ ଖାଇବା ବ୍ୟବସ୍ଥା କରିବାକୁ ନିର୍ଦ୍ଦେଶ ଦେଉଥିଲେ।
ପୁରୀରେ ମୋର ଏକ ଅମ୍ଳାନ ସ୍ମୃତି ଅଛି। ୧ ଜାନୁଆରୀ ୧୯୭୮, ନୂତନ ବର୍ଷର ଦିନ ସେ ମୋ ଡାୟାରିରେ ଲେଖିଥିଲେ—
“କର୍ମଧିକାରସ୍ତେ ମା ଫଳେଷୁ କଦାଚନ।”
– “କର୍ମରେ ଆମର ଅଧିକାର, ଫଳରେ ନୁହେଁ।”
ଏହି ଉପଦେଶଟି ସେ ଯୁବପିଢ଼ୀଙ୍କୁ ନିଷ୍ଠା ଓ ନିର୍ଲୋଭ ସେବାର ପଥରେ ଆଗେଇ ଯିବାକୁ ଦେଉଥିବା ମହାନ ପଥଦର୍ଶନ ଥିଲା।
ମୁଁ କୁହୁକ ଦୀପ ନାମରେ ଶିଶୁ ପତ୍ରିକା ପ୍ରକାଶନ ଉଦଯୋଗ ରେ ଥିବା ବେଳେ ସେ ଏକ ଶୁଭେଚ୍ଛା ବାର୍ତ୍ତା ପଠେଇ ଥିଲେ। ଫାଲଗୁନୀ ସାମାଜିକ ସାଂସ୍କୃତିକ ଅନୁଷ୍ଠାନ ଆରମ୍ଭ କଲା ବେଳେ ସେ କଟକରେ ମାତ୍ର ଗୋଟିଏ ଦିନରେ ଏହାର ପଞ୍ଜିକରଣ କରିବା ବ୍ୟବସ୍ଥା କରିଥିଲେ, ଯେତେବେଳେ କି ଏଭଳି ସଂଘ ପଞ୍ଜିକରଣ ମାସ ମାସ ଲାଗି ଯାଉଥିଲା।
ସେ ଯେତେବେଳେ ହୀରାଖଣ୍ଡ ସମ୍ବାଦପତ୍ର ଆରମ୍ଭ କଲେ, ମୋତେ ସବ୍-ଏଡିଟର୍ ପଦବୀ ପାଇଁ ପ୍ରସ୍ତାବ ଦେଲେ। ତାଙ୍କ କୃପା ଓ ପ୍ରେରଣାରେ ମୁଁ ସମ୍ବାଦ ଜଗତରେ ପ୍ରବେଶ କଲି। ପରେ ମୁଁ ହୀରାଖଣ୍ଡ ଛାଡ଼ି ଦେଇଥିଲି, କିନ୍ତୁ ସେ ଯେବେ ଯେବେ ମୋତେ ଦେଖୁଥିଲେ, ସ୍ନେହର ସହିତ ପଚାରୁଥିଲେ—ମୋ ବ୍ୟବସାୟ ଭଲ ଚାଲୁଛି କି? କାରଣ କେହି ତାଙ୍କୁ କହିଥିଲେ ଯେ ମୁଁ ହୀରାଖଣ୍ଡ ପରେ ବ୍ୟବସାୟ କରୁଛି।
ଆଜି ତାଙ୍କ ଜନ୍ମଦିନରେ, ଏହି ମହାନ ରାଜନେତା, ସାମ୍ବାଦିକ, ଚିନ୍ତକ ଓ ଦେଶନିର୍ମାଣର ଅଗ୍ରଦୂତଙ୍କୁ ମୋର ଶ୍ରଦ୍ଧାଞ୍ଜଳି ଜଣାଉଛି।
My Memories with Dr. Harekrushna Mahtab
My first association with Dr. Harekrushna Mahtab, the architect of Nava Odisha, began during my college days. As I was deeply interested in literature and literary organisations, I regularly attended the Bishuba Milan programmes held at Prajatantra Bhavan. From those early days he knew me as a youth from Sambalpur. Whenever I visited Cuttack, he would call his manager and arrange my lodging and food with great affection.
I cherish an unforgettable memory from Puri. On 1st January 1978, New Year’s Day, he wrote in my diary:
“Karmadhikaraste Ma Phaleshu Kadachana.”
— “Our right lies only in our work, not in the fruits.”
This timeless message was his way of guiding the youth towards dedication, selfless service, and commitment to duty.
During the days when I was preparing to publish a children’s magazine named Kuhuka Deepa, he sent me a warm message of blessings. When I started the socio-cultural organisation Falguni, he took the initiative to ensure its registration in Cuttack within a single day—at a time when such registrations usually took months. Such was his goodwill and influence.
When he started the newspaper Hirakhanda, he offered me the post of Sub-Editor. It was because of his inspiration and support that I entered the field of journalism. Even after I left Hirakhanda, whenever he met me, he would affectionately ask whether my business was running well—because someone had told him that I had taken up business after leaving the newspaper.
Today, on his birth anniversary, I pay my humble tribute to this great statesman, journalist, thinker, and pioneer of nation-building.
Dr. Harekrushna Mahtab, was a towering personality in Indian history and is often called the "Architect of Modern Odisha" (formerly Orissa) and is affectionately known as "Utkal Keshari" (Lion of Utkal/Odisha).
Here is a breakdown of his life and immense contributions:
🌟 Utkal Keshari Dr. Harekrushna Mahtab (1899–1987)
🇮🇳 Role in the Freedom Movement
* Early Activist: Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, he left his studies in 1921 to join the non-cooperation movement.
* National Movements: He was an active participant in all major national campaigns, including the Salt Satyagraha (1930) and the Quit India Movement (1942), leading to multiple imprisonments.
* Constituent Assembly: He was an elected member of the Constituent Assembly that drafted the Constitution of India.
🏛️ Architect of Modern Odisha
He is most famous for his roles in shaping the modern state of Odisha:
* First Chief Minister: He served as the first Chief Minister (then Premier) of Odisha from 1946–1950 and again from 1956–1961.
* Integration of Princely States: His most significant contribution was orchestrating the merger of 24 Odia-speaking Princely States (Garhjat) into the state of Odisha, a crucial step for the political unification of the region.
* New Capital: He was instrumental in shifting the capital from Cuttack to the newly planned city of Bhubaneswar.
* Major Projects: His tenure saw the initiation and completion of landmark projects, including:
* The Hirakud Dam (one of India's earliest multi-purpose river valley projects).
* The Rourkela Steel Plant.
* Establishment of the Utkal University and the Odisha High Court.
💼 National and Administrative Roles
Beyond Odisha, he held several significant national posts:
* Union Minister: Union Minister for Commerce and Industry (1950–1952).
* Governor of Bombay: Served as the Governor of the erstwhile Bombay Province (1955–1956).
* Lok Sabha MP: Elected to the Lok Sabha (Indian Parliament) in 1962.
✍️ Literary and Journalistic Legacy
Dr. Mahtab was a prolific writer, historian, and journalist, dedicating himself to Odia literature and culture:
* Newspapers & Magazines:
* Founded the weekly magazine 'Prajatantra' in 1923, which later became a major Odia daily newspaper.
* Founded the literary monthly magazine 'Jhankar'.
* Awards: He won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1983 for his work 'Gaon Majlis'.
* Historian: He wrote authentic histories, including 'History of Orissa' in English and Odia.
In short, Dr. Harekrushna Mahtab was a multifaceted leader whose political acumen and literary contributions laid the foundation for the contemporary state of Odisha.
Birendra Kumar Panigrahi, editor, janamukha
