Prez pays tribute to Gopabandhu Das on his death anniversary

Bhubaneswar: President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday said “it doesn’t matter how long a person lives, rather, what is important is the kind of life he or she lives”, while addressing a programme to observe the 96th death anniversary of Utkalamani Pandit Gopabandhu Das here on Saturday.
“The reputation of a person is evaluated based only on his/her contribution to society and country.It is amazing to think about the number of good deeds Pandit Gopabandhu Das did in his short lifespan. His contribution to the fields of social service, literature, education and journalism is memorable,” said Murmu.
The President said that Das knew very well that no society or nation can progress without proper education. “That is why he established an open-air school, also known as Van Vidyalaya, at Satyabadi in Puri district. His approach of introducing students to nature right from the beginning is very important. Das emphasised on holistic development of students through Van Vidyalaya. In his view, education does not mean only bookish knowledge but it should also develop students physically, mentally, intellectually and spiritually as well,” she pointed out.
“In 1919, Das started the publication of Samaj newspaper. Through this publication, he spread the message of freedom in Odisha. He also raised the problems of the people through the newspaper. His editorials in Samaj have enriched Odia literature,” Murmu said.
The President said that Das believed in nationalism and democratic values. “His poetry and prose writings give the message of patriotism and global welfare. He was dedicated to Odia pride as well as nationalism. He wrote ‘wherever I am in India, I should believe that I am at home’. We should take inspiration from this pan-India thinking of Gopabandhu ji,” she said.
President Murmu will stay at Raj Bhavan on Saturday night and attend the Puri Rath Yatra on Sunday.
The President is scheduled to attend several functions in Bhubaneswar and nearby areas over the next two days before flying back to New Delhi.