Bhubaneswar: Odisha is set to pay tribute to its icons of history, culture, and social reform with an ambitious state-wide project to install statues of 75 eminent personalities. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has directed the Department of Odia Language, Literature, and Culture to take up the initiative, with a budgetary allocation of nearly ₹14 crore. The project is scheduled for completion by the end of next year.
The statues will represent a wide spectrum of leaders—ranging from freedom fighters and reformers to poets, writers, and national figures. The move aims not only to celebrate Odisha’s rich legacy but also to inspire future generations by highlighting the contributions of those who shaped the state’s identity and played key roles in the country’s history.
Among the honourees are legendary figures like Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Veer Surendra Sai, Utkalmani Gopabandhu Das, and Shaheed Baji Rout. Literary stalwarts including Gangadhar Meher, Upendra Bhanja, and Sacchidananda Rautray will also find their place, alongside national leaders such as Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Swami Vivekananda, and B.R. Ambedkar.
The project covers almost every corner of Odisha, with installations planned in districts such as Khordha, Puri, Balasore, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Ganjam, Mayurbhanj, Sambalpur, Balangir, and several others. Each district’s selection reflects local connections and contributions, ensuring that the personalities remembered have deep resonance with the people of the region.
Officials said the statues would serve as cultural landmarks and as reminders of Odisha’s long-standing traditions of courage, creativity, and reform. “This is more than a beautification project—it is about keeping alive the values and sacrifices of those who shaped our society,” a senior culture department official noted.
When completed, the 75 statues will stand across Odisha as enduring monuments to the state’s shared history and heritage.
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