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Nilakantha Das
Pandit Nilakantha Das (5 August 1884 – 6 November 1967) was one of the most illustrious sons of Odisha, who appeared both in its political and literary arena at the most crucial period of its history, when Odisha had no political identity in the map of India, and Odia as a language was about to be extinct. He worked relentlessly for Odisha's recognition both politically and linguistically, and helped bring to fruition the dreams of Utkala Gaurab Madhusudan Das, Utkalamani Gopabandhu Das and all other Odia loving people.
As a colleague of Mahatma Gandhi, Motilal Nehru and Dr. Rajendra Prasad, among others, Nilakantha played a key role in the Indian Independence movement. He was a polymath who was an eminent teacher, exceptional leader, erudite scholar, renowned writer, great orator, and a powerful legislator. Pandit Nilakantha was renowned as the headmaster of Satyabadi Bana Bidyalaya, the brainchild of Utkalamani Gopabandhu. He was a prime architect in creating the independent Odisha Province in 1936, who worked untiringly as the right-hand man of Madhusudan Das to achieve this goal. Because of his legislative efforts in Delhi Central Assembly, Odisha became the first Province in India to be formed on a linguistic basis.
His in-depth research on the evolution of Odia language revealed a number of facts that helped establish Odia as the sixth Indian classical language. Odia is also the only language from the Indo-Aryan group of languages aside from Sanskrit to have the classical tag as of 2024.
Because of his unfathomable knowledge in many important fields, Nilakantha Das is also revered as Utkala Guru.
Nilakantha Das was born in a respected Brahmin family in the village of Sri RamachandraPur, a Brahmin Shasan, near Puri, Odisha on 5 August 1884. He was the only surviving son of his parents, born to them late in life. His grandfather was a well-to-do landowner and the chief of his village, but died young at the age of 28.The family then lost all their property due to British Government imposed ‘Sunset laws’ for tax collection from the people of Odisha. Consequently, Nilakantha's father Ananda Das could not pursue higher education, but he was a man of firm character and progressive ideas, and was a strong supporter of all Nilakantha's social reforms and other activities at a big social cost to himself.
After completing the middle school education in his village, Nilakantha studied at Puri Zilla School, and also briefly in Ravenshaw Collegiate school. He completed his bachelor's degree from Ravenshaw College, Cuttack in Chemistry and Philosophy. Later, Nilakantha went to Calcutta to earn his MA in Literature/Philosophy. He also studied Law simultaneously, but did not complete the degree. His education was supported by scholarships all through. He was also a voracious reader with an impeccable memory, and educated himself on both eastern and western cultures, literature, religions and folklore. He was equally eloquent in Odia, English and Sanskrit.
During his high school days, Nilakantha came under the strong influence of Pandit Gopabandhu Das, whom he always respected deeply and regarded as his mentor. Along with Acharya Harihara and another friend, he took a vow with Gopabandhu on the banks of river Bhargavi near Puri, not to accept any jobs under the British Government, and to dedicate their lives for the service of their motherland. They worked together on relief efforts in several flood and cholera-devastated areas, both in Nilakantha's student days and afterwards. Throughout Gopabandhu's lifetime, Nilakantha sought his advice before taking any major step, and worked as his right-hand man - trying to translate Gopabandhu's visions into reality.
Gopabandhu's initiative for the Satyabadi Bana Bidyalaya started in 1909, and Nilakantha went to Calcutta to study M.A. to better prepare himself to take the helm of this school. It was a “grove school,” in a beautiful forest like setting patterned after ancient gurukula. The school started in 1911 with 19 students and some old furniture, with 27-year old Nilakantha as its strict headmaster or kulapati. Acharya Harihara Das and Krupasindhu Mishra became his co-workers. Other patriotic young men also served as teachers, and later Godabarish Mishra also joined the group.
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Nilakantha Das
Pandit Nilakantha Das (5 August 1884 – 6 November 1967) was one of the most illustrious sons of Odisha, who appeared both in its political and literary arena at the most crucial period of its history, when Odisha had no political identity in the map of India, and Odia as a language was about to be extinct. He worked relentlessly for Odisha's recognition both politically and linguistically, and helped bring to fruition the dreams of Utkala Gaurab Madhusudan Das, Utkalamani Gopabandhu Das and all other Odia loving people.
As a colleague of Mahatma Gandhi, Motilal Nehru and Dr. Rajendra Prasad, among others, Nilakantha played a key role in the Indian Independence movement. He was a polymath who was an eminent teacher, exceptional leader, erudite scholar, renowned writer, great orator, and a powerful legislator. Pandit Nilakantha was renowned as the headmaster of Satyabadi Bana Bidyalaya, the brainchild of Utkalamani Gopabandhu. He was a prime architect in creating the independent Odisha Province in 1936, who worked untiringly as the right-hand man of Madhusudan Das to achieve this goal. Because of his legislative efforts in Delhi Central Assembly, Odisha became the first Province in India to be formed on a linguistic basis.
His in-depth research on the evolution of Odia language revealed a number of facts that helped establish Odia as the sixth Indian classical language. Odia is also the only language from the Indo-Aryan group of languages aside from Sanskrit to have the classical tag as of 2024.
Because of his unfathomable knowledge in many important fields, Nilakantha Das is also revered as Utkala Guru.
Nilakantha Das was born in a respected Brahmin family in the village of Sri RamachandraPur, a Brahmin Shasan, near Puri, Odisha on 5 August 1884. He was the only surviving son of his parents, born to them late in life. His grandfather was a well-to-do landowner and the chief of his village, but died young at the age of 28.The family then lost all their property due to British Government imposed ‘Sunset laws’ for tax collection from the people of Odisha. Consequently, Nilakantha's father Ananda Das could not pursue higher education, but he was a man of firm character and progressive ideas, and was a strong supporter of all Nilakantha's social reforms and other activities at a big social cost to himself.
After completing the middle school education in his village, Nilakantha studied at Puri Zilla School, and also briefly in Ravenshaw Collegiate school. He completed his bachelor's degree from Ravenshaw College, Cuttack in Chemistry and Philosophy. Later, Nilakantha went to Calcutta to earn his MA in Literature/Philosophy. He also studied Law simultaneously, but did not complete the degree. His education was supported by scholarships all through. He was also a voracious reader with an impeccable memory, and educated himself on both eastern and western cultures, literature, religions and folklore. He was equally eloquent in Odia, English and Sanskrit.
During his high school days, Nilakantha came under the strong influence of Pandit Gopabandhu Das, whom he always respected deeply and regarded as his mentor. Along with Acharya Harihara and another friend, he took a vow with Gopabandhu on the banks of river Bhargavi near Puri, not to accept any jobs under the British Government, and to dedicate their lives for the service of their motherland. They worked together on relief efforts in several flood and cholera-devastated areas, both in Nilakantha's student days and afterwards. Throughout Gopabandhu's lifetime, Nilakantha sought his advice before taking any major step, and worked as his right-hand man - trying to translate Gopabandhu's visions into reality.
Gopabandhu's initiative for the Satyabadi Bana Bidyalaya started in 1909, and Nilakantha went to Calcutta to study M.A. to better prepare himself to take the helm of this school. It was a “grove school,” in a beautiful forest like setting patterned after ancient gurukula. The school started in 1911 with 19 students and some old furniture, with 27-year old Nilakantha as its strict headmaster or kulapati. Acharya Harihara Das and Krupasindhu Mishra became his co-workers. Other patriotic young men also served as teachers, and later Godabarish Mishra also joined the group.