Pandit Nilakantha Das (Aged 83) was born on 5 August 1884 in the Puri district of Sriramchandrapur Sasan, near Sakhigopal in Odisha, India. His father, Ananda Das, was an orthodox Brahmin, and his mother, Heera Devi, was a deeply pious lady.
In January 1921, Pandit Nilakantha Das joined the Non-Cooperation Movement and was jailed four times between 1922 and 1933. Towards the end of 1923, he was elected to the Central Legislative Assembly from Odisha. Initially, he joined the Swaraj Party of Desabandhu Chitaranjan Das as a “pro-changer” after coming out of his first jail term. Then, in 1927, he was elected as a Congress M.L.A. and he resigned in 1930 under the mandate of the Lahore Congress.
Later, he joined Madan Mohan Malaviya’s Independent Party, got elected but resigned and left the Assembly after only 12 days. He then joined the salt campaign in the Puri district and was arrested in January 1931. In 1934, he was elected President of the Utkal Congress and remained its uncontested head for the next five years.
After India’s independence, he held the position of the Speaker of the Odisha Legislative Assembly from 1957 to 1961 and was also the Pro-Chancellor of Utkal University from 1955 to 1962. After retiring from active politics, he devoted his time to literary pursuits. He passed away on 6 November 1967.
Nilakantha Das
(1884 – 1967) – (Odisha)
Pandit Nilakantha Das (Aged 83) was born on 5 August 1884 in the Puri district of Sriramchandrapur Sasan, near Sakhigopal in Odisha, India. His father, Ananda Das, was an orthodox Brahmin, and his mother, Heera Devi, was a deeply pious lady.
In January 1921, Pandit Nilakantha Das joined the Non-Cooperation Movement and was jailed four times between 1922 and 1933. Towards the end of 1923, he was elected to the Central Legislative Assembly from Odisha. Initially, he joined the Swaraj Party of Desabandhu Chitaranjan Das as a “pro-changer” after coming out of his first jail term. Then, in 1927, he was elected as a Congress M.L.A. and he resigned in 1930 under the mandate of the Lahore Congress.
Later, he joined Madan Mohan Malaviya’s Independent Party, got elected but resigned and left the Assembly after only 12 days. He then joined the salt campaign in the Puri district and was arrested in January 1931. In 1934, he was elected President of the Utkal Congress and remained its uncontested head for the next five years.
After India’s independence, he held the position of the Speaker of the Odisha Legislative Assembly from 1957 to 1961 and was also the Pro-Chancellor of Utkal University from 1955 to 1962. After retiring from active politics, he devoted his time to literary pursuits. He passed away on 6 November 1967.
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