34 Facts About Gopabandhu Das

Gopabandhu Das, popularly known as Pandit Utkalamani Gopabandhu Das, was a social worker, reformer, political activist, journalist, poet and essayist.

Gopabandhu Das was born on 9 October 1877 in Suando village, near Puri, Odisha in a Brahmin family.

Gopabandhu Das's father was a Mukhtiar and the family were reasonably well-off.

Gopabandhu Das had basic schooling in the village before progressing to a middle school nearby.

Gopabandhu Das became a regular contributor to local literary magazines called Indradhanu and Bijuli, where he argued that any modern literary movement, just like any modern nation, could not be a clean break with the old but rather had to acknowledge and base itself on its past.

In one instance, he submitted a satirical poem that so enraged the Inspector of Schools that Gopabandhu Das was punished when he refused to apologise for it.

Gopabandhu Das progressed to Calcutta University, where he obtained an MA and LL.

Gopabandhu Das's wife died on the day he heard that he had passed his law examinations.

Gopabandhu Das arrived at his first job as a teacher in Nilagiri in Balasore district of Odisha.

Gopabandhu Das then became a lawyer, variously described as being based in Puri and in Cuttack.

In 1909, Madhusudan Gopabandhu Das appointed him to be State Pleader for the princely state of Mayurbhanj.

In 1909, Gopabandhu Das established a school at Sakhigopal, near Puri.

Popularly known as Satyabadi Bana Bidyalaya but called the Universal Education League by Gopabandhu Das, it was inspired by the Deccan Education Society, operated in the gurukula tradition and aimed to impart a liberal education on a non-sectarian basis, despite opposition from orthodox Brahmins.

Gopabandhu Das believed education was necessary if people were to become aware of their both of their innate freedom and their duty to their country.

Gopabandhu Das thought that education could help the child to grow mentally, physically and spiritually.

Gopabandhu Das's system allowed children of all castes and backgrounds to sit together, dine together and study together.

Gopabandhu Das laid emphasis on co-curricular activities and wanted to generate nationalistic feelings in students through education and teach them the value of service to mankind.

Gopabandhu Das had not taught much at the school due to pressures on his time elsewhere but he did act unofficially as its manager.

Gopabandhu Das attempted to raise funds for it, guide its curriculum and attract pupils.

Madhusudan Das encouraged Gopabandhu Das to stand for election to the Legislative Council that had been created in 1909 under the terms of the Morley-Minto Reforms.

Gopabandhu Das eventually overcame his reluctance, stood and was elected in 1917.

Gopabandhu Das ceased to be a member of the Legislative Council in 1919 or 1920.

Gopabandhu Das had been a member of Utkal Sammilani from 1903 and was its president in 1919.

Gopabandhu Das became the first president of Utkal Pradesh Congress Committee in 1920, holding the post until 1928, and he welcomed Gandhi to the province in 1921.

Gopabandhu Das was arrested in 1921 for reporting the alleged molestation of a woman by police but was acquitted due to lack of evidence.

Gopabandhu Das was arrested again in 1922, when he received a two-year prison sentence.

Gopabandhu Das was released from Hazaribagh jail on 26 June 1924.

In 1913 or 1915, Gopabandhu Das launched and acted as editor for a short-lived monthly literary magazine titled Satyabadi from the campus of his school.

Gopabandhu Das saw journalism as a means to educate the masses even though they were illiterate.

Gopabandhu Das initially accepted a role editing Asha, a newspaper published in Berhampur, but found it to be too constraining.

Gopabandhu Das had been persuaded to join the Lok Sevak Mandal some time after meeting Lala Lajpat Rai at a session of Congress in 1920 and the newspaper became a means of promoting it, although operated independently.

Gopabandhu Das served as editor until his death, at which time he bequeathed it to the Society.

Gopabandhu Das became All India Vice-president of the Lok Sevak Mandal in April 1928.

Gopabandhu Das became ill while attending a society meeting in Lahore and died on 17 June 1928.