Bhubaneswar: Statues of eminent personalities will be installed at various locations across the state, Odia Language, Literature and Culture (OLL&C) Minister Suryabanshi Suraj said Wednesday. A meeting chaired by the OLL&C Minister discussed the proposals received from various public representatives, distinguished individuals and district administrations. “Accordingly, a list was prepared for the construction and installation of the statues in different parts of the state and it will be formally taken up by the department,” the minister said.
According to the plan, statue of Bhajan Samrat Bhikari Bal will be installed in Kendrapara, Dharam Singh Mandhata Majhi in Bolangir, Kuntala Kumari Sabat and Kabi Sekhar Chintamani Mohanty in Bhubaneswar, Kabi Samrat Upendra Bhanja in Berhampur and Gokulananda Mohanty in Bhadrak. “While Ratna Nayak’s statue will be installed in Keonjhar, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Veer Surendra Sai’s statues will be installed in Sambalpur. Cuttack will have statues of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Madhusudan Das and Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Similarly, statue of Gangadhar Meher will be installed in Bargarh, Fakir Mohan Senapati and BaghaJatin in Balasore, Buddhist scholar Diganaga in Puri’s Delang, Tama Dora in Malkangiri and Baji Rout in Bhuban,” an official of OLL&C department said. Moreover, statues of Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati and first Odia Shankaracharya Sridhara Swami will also be installed. “These great personalities have played a pivotal role in shaping our independence and identity. Through their writings, they have enriched the Odia language and literature, while also upholding the values of Odisha’s culture and heritage. Their contributions, whether in the fight for independence or the preservation of language and culture, are invaluable and a source of perpetual respect. These personalities are an enduring inspiration for the youth,” Suraj said. “The state government has thus prioritised the construction and installation of these statues in various places across the state, ensuring their legacy remains alive for future generations,” added the Minister.