Category : Odisha History

Creation of Odisha Province

On 1^st April, 1936, a separate Province of Odisha was formed.

Prominent Leaders - Fakir Mohan Senapati, K.C Gajapati, Madhusudan Das, Gangadhar Meher, Rajendra Narayana Bhaja Dev, Lingaraj Panigrahi. 

The Struggle –

British occupied Odisha in1803 and Odisha was then divided into various Provinces like

• Sambalpur was in Central Province
• Midnapore was in Bengal Presidency
• Odia speaking areas of Singbhumi was with Bihar
• Paralakhemundi was with Madras Presidency

The trigger moment – Kantilal Bhattacharya said “ Odia is not a separate language” which Fakir Mohan Senapati vehemently opposed along with Radhanath Ray and Gouri Shankar Ray.

The Odia Identity Movement –

• Utkal Sabha was established in 1882.
• Utkal Sammilani formed in 1903.
• Amalgamation of Sambalpur –

• In 1862 Sambalpur was included in Central Province and by 1896 Hindi was made official language of Sambalpur.
• Leaders like Dharanidhar Mishra, Madan Mohan Mishra, Brajamohan Patnaik among others opposed the move and consequently by Lord Curson’s order Risley Resolution was passed which restored Odia as official language of Sambalpur.
• On 19^th July, 1905 Sambalpur became a part of Odisha.

• Between 1903-1920 , Utkal Sammilani under the leadership of Madhusudan Das passed many resolution for making Unified Odia Speaking Province. However the Montagu-Chelmsford Act 1919 disappointed Odias.
• Sinha Resolution passed by Sachidananda Sinha by which Khariar Zamidari was transferred by Central Province.
• Philip – Duff Committee recommended Madras Presidency to cede Ganjam to Odisha.
• Sir John Simon, Chairman of Simon Commission on the request of Rajendra Naarayan Bhanja Dev constituted Atlee Commission which recommended the formation of a separate Odisha Province.
• Krushna Chandra Gajapati attended the First Round Table Conference, 1931 and convinced the Secretary of the State for India, Sir Samuel Hoare, who on 3^rd December, 1932 declared Odisha as a separate Province.
• The White Paper was published in 1933, however Paralakhemundi & Jeypore was not a part of Odisha.
• With combined efforts of K.C.Gajapati and other leaders finally Paralakhemundi & Jeypore was included in Odisha.
• The Government of India (Constitution of Odisha) Order, 1936 was passed where Odisha was created with 6 districts - Cutack, Puri, Sambalpur, Balasore, Ganjam & Koraput and the order came into force on 1^st April, 1936.