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'Reviving stories of sacrifice for youth to fill in new resolutions': PM at release of ‘Odisha Itihaas’
'Odisha Itihaas', available in Odia and English so far, has been translated into Hindi by Shankarlal Purohit.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday released the Hindi translation of the book ‘Odisha Itihaas’. The book is written by 'Utkal Keshari' Dr Harekrushna Mahtab. He said, "Today we are reviving the stories of sacrifice and sacrifice of freedom fighters so that our youth do not only know it, but experience it, fill in with new confidence and move forward with new resolutions to do something."
Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP and son of Harekrushna Mahtab, Bhartruhari Mahtab were also present at the event.
The Prime Minister said it is very necessary that the comprehensive and diverse history of Odisha reached the people of the country. "About a year and a half ago, we celebrated the 120th birth anniversary of 'Utkal Kesari' Harekrushna Mahtab ji. Today we are launching the Hindi version of his famous book 'Odisha History'. It is very necessary that the comprehensive and diverse history of Odisha reached the people of the country," he said.
"Utkal Keshari Harekrushna Mahtab is remembered for his great contributions to Odisha’s progress and India’s freedom struggle. He was passionate about Odisha’s culture," PM Modi said.
He said Mahtab was such a person who made history, saw it and wrote it. "In fact, such historical personalities are very rare. Such great men themselves are important chapters in history," he added.
PM Modi further said that Mahtab took big decisions as the chief minister of Odisha. "Even after reaching power, he considered himself to be a freedom fighter and he was a freedom fighter all his life," he asserted.
He added that Mahtab dedicated his life to the freedom struggle, and even served sentence in jail. "But the important thing is that along with the freedom fight, he also fought for society," he said.
PM Modi said the book has been published in the year when the nation is celebrating Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav. "This year also marks 100 years of the incident when Harekrushna Mahtab left college and joined in the freedom struggle. When Gandhi ji started Dandi Yatra, he led the movement in Odisha," he added.
'Odisha Itihaas', available in Odia and English so far, has been translated into Hindi by Shankarlal Purohit.
Dr Harekrushna Mahtab is a notable figure in the Indian Independence Movement. He also served as Odisha chief minister from 1946 to 1950 and from 1956 to 1961.
