Bhubaneswar: Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan has written to Union culture minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, requesting a national-level programme in New Delhi to mark the birth centenary of martyr Baji Rout.Pradhan stated that Baji Rout, who was born on Oct 5, 1926, in Dhenkanal’s Nilakanthapur village, was martyred at the age of 12 after refusing to ferry British forces across the river. His supreme sacrifice at Nilakanthapur ghat on Oct 11, 1938, gave a new direction to the Garjat movement and further strengthened the freedom struggle. “Baji Rout’s sacrifice remains a unique symbol of patriotism and moral courage. He is not merely a regional hero of Odisha, but an immortal symbol of youthful patriotism and a national icon for the entire country,” Pradhan wrote.Rout’s birth centenary celebrations commenced in the state on Oct 5, 2025, and will continue till Oct 5 this year. CM Mohan Charan Majhi also announced that the centenary will be formally celebrated in collaboration with the Baji Rout Memorial Foundation.To mark the occasion, Pradhan proposed a national-level students and youth conference titled, ‘The Immortal Saga of Shaheed Baji Rout: Inspiring Youth Power for Nation-Building’. He also suggested organising seminars, panel discussions, exhibitions, debates, essay competitions and cultural programmes in schools, colleges and universities.
