Cuttack: In a significant move to honour the legacy of Utkal Gourav Madhusudan Das, fondly known as Madhu Babu, the Odisha government has announced to establish a dedicated memorial museum on the campus of Shailabala Women’s Autonomous College in Cuttack.
According to sources, this initiative aims to preserve and showcase the life, ideals, and monumental contributions of the architect of modern Odisha, who played a pivotal role in the state’s formation and social reforms. The decision was finalised during a high-level meeting chaired by Higher Education and Odia Language, Literature & Culture Minister Suryabanshi Suraj on Saturday.
The museum will be developed by the Odia Language, Literature, and Culture Department and will be located at a historically significant site within the college premises, where Madhusudan Das’s conference hall and residential office once operated.
Madhusudan Das, a pioneering freedom fighter, lawyer, and social reformer, along with his daughter Shailabala Das, made invaluable contributions to women’s education in Odisha. In 1952, Shailabala Das donated her father’s residence to promote women’s education, leading to the founding of Shailabala Women’s College. She further supported the institution by donating her own residence, Madhumandir.
Speaking at the meeting, Minister Suraj emphasised the inspirational value of the project: “Madhusudan Das and Shailabala Das played pioneering roles in strengthening women’s education in the state. The proposed memorial museum would inspire future generations by keeping Madhu Babu’s legacy and vision alive.”
This new museum builds upon existing efforts to commemorate Madhu Babu at the site, which has housed a smaller Sangrahalaya since 2007, previously slated for renovations in 2018. While details on the timeline, funding, and specific exhibits are yet to be disclosed, the announcement has been welcomed as a step toward cultural preservation in Odisha.
The meeting was attended by key officials, including Commissioner-cum-Secretary of Higher Education Department Aravind Agrawal, Secretary of the Odia Language, Literature and Culture Department Bijay Ketan Upadhyaya, Director of the Higher Education Department Kali Prasanna Mahapatra, Additional Press Secretary to the President Bijay Kumar Nayak, and Principal of Shailabala Women’s Autonomous College Jiban Ballav Jena.
