Odisha CM felicitates four freedom fighters selected to attend ‘At Home’

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Aug 6:

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today felicitated four freedom fighters who are among the special invitees to be honoured by President Pranab Mukherjee at the ‘At Home’ ceremony in New Delhi on August 9.

At a special programme organized here at the secretariat, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik felicitated the eminent freedom fighters Bhabani Charan Patnaik, Dolagobinda Pradhan, Nilamani Samal and Rabindranath Ray. Patnaik presented a bouquet and a shawl to each of them.

“Felicitated freedom fighters visiting @RashtrapatiBhavn; their spirit & sacrifice continues to inspire many #JaiHind,” Patnaik tweeted.

President Pranab Mukherjee would felicitate Bhabani Charan Patnaik, Dolagobinda Pradhan, Nilamani Samal, Deshabandhu Das and Rabindranath Ray at Rashtrapati Bhawan.

The 95-year-old Freedom Fighter Samiti State president Bhabani Charan Patnaik is among the last of the generation of freedom fighters, who were the witness not only to the momentous developments during the freedom movement but also to those that took place when Odisha became an independent province. He hails from Nimapada in Puri district and actively participated in the Quit India Movement during 1942. He was behind bars from 1942-46 in Nimapada jail. He dedicated his life to the service of mankind after his release from jail.

The 90-year-old Dolagobinda Pradhan is from Biribati area in Cuttack district. He has also served jail terms in Berhampur and Cuttack prisons. Similarly, 87-year-old Nilamani Samal is from Balichandrapur village in the Badachana area in Jajpur district and has served three years in Cuttack jail for participating in the movement. On the other hand, 95-year-old Rabindranath Ray hails from Nuagaon in Jagatsinghpur district. He was also imprisoned in Berhampur and Cuttack jails during the freedom struggle.

Notably, the President hosts an ‘At Home’ reception for freedom fighters to mark the anniversary of the Quit India Movement or Kranti Divas each year on August 9.