Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik attended the premiere of a short film on the youngest martyr of the freedom struggle from Odisha, Baji Rout, at the State Secretariat here on Thursday.
The 25-min-long film ‘Baji – the Immortal Boat Boy’, has been directed by Chinmoy Das and produced by Satyabrata Ratho. It tells the story of the 12-year-old boy, who was shot dead by the British police for standing up against them and refusing to ferry them across the Brahmani river in 1938. The film has been scripted by Chinmoy and shot at scenic locations across Odisha.
The Chief Minister congratulated the producer and the director for the film and suggested that it should shown in schools to help students understand the great history of Odisha. It will also inspire them to be patriotic, he added.
The youngest martyr in the history of the freedom movement of India, Baji Rout was born on October 5, 1926, at Nilakanthapur village in Dhenkanal district of Odisha. He created history by defying the British and his life has been an inspiring tale of courage and valour.
The film will be released this month.
