Great-Grandson Remembers Odisha’s Freedom Fighter Bhagabati Charan On His 78th Martyrdom Day

Bhubaneswar: Well-known columnist and great-grandson of freedom fighter Bhagabati Charan Panigrahi and grandson of Late Chief Minister Nandini Satpathy, Suparno Satpathy on Saturday paid tributes to the legendary freedom fighter on his 78th martyrdom day.

Recalling pages from Indian history, Suparno said in a tweet that Bhagabati Charan Panigrahi had died in the custody of British police on October 23, 1943 which remains a mystery till this day like the death of his friend Netaji Subash Chandra Bose.

Born on February 1, 1908, Bhagabati was a renowned Odia author who propagated nationalist ideas in his writings. His story ‘Shikar’ exposed the exploitation of tribal communities by the Britishers to suppress their revolt. Panigrahi formed Navayuga Sahitya Sansad, a literary forum. His nationalism was not confined to literary activities alone. He was influenced by Mahatma Gandhi’s ideology and soon joined the Congress Socialist Party. Subsequently, he formed the Communist Party of Odessa on April 1, 1936. Three years later he joined Subash Bose’s Forward Block.

The British police picked up Bhagabati on September 12, 1943 and interrogated him about Netaji’s plan for India. Panigrahi who was among Nataji’s close confidantes, did not divulge anything about Natajis’s plan for Ajad Hind Sarkar which he had formed on October 21, 1943. Panigrahi had to travel to Singapore to join Subash Bose and Ras Behari Bose.

But the British police took him to cutody and tortured him till his death on October 23, 1943. Although there were several injury marks on his body, his autopsy report stated that he died due to food poisoning and an unknown disease. His finger nails had been plucked out during torture. The body was handed over to his family and he was a martyr at the age of 35.