HAVE YOU HEARD OF THE GANJAM CONFERENCE OF 1903 WHERE THE BUILDING BLOCK OF A SEPARATE STATE OF ODISHA ON LINGUISTIC BASIS WAS FIRST LAID? CAN YOU RECOGNIZE ANY OF THESE EMINENT PERSONALITIES?

The Ganjam Jatiya Samiti was established in 1903 at Rambha, with its inaugural session held in Brahmapur. Attended by notable figures like Utkal Gourab Madhusudan Das and Vyasa Kabi Fakir Mohan Senapati, the session focused on fostering patriotism and Oriya nationalism. This initiative laid the groundwork for the Ganjam National Committee, inspired by King Harihar Mardaraja Dev of Khallikot. The subsequent formation of Utkal Sammilani and Utkal Union Conference in 1903, spearheaded by Madhusudan Das, marked significant strides in advocating for the socio-economic development and political autonomy of Odisha

The Ganjam Conference of 1903, which gave birth to the Utkal Conference, was to form a separate Odisha province with all the Oriya speakers. The separate Utkal Rajya was formed on April 1, 1936. Since then, every year on April 1, we celebrate Utah Day. Bande Utkal Janani