BHUBANESWAR: Union Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan has urged the Ministry of Culture to organise a grand national-level programme in New Delhi to commemorate the birth centenary of India’s youngest martyr Baji Rout.
In a letter to Union Culture minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Pradhan proposed a year-long commemoration up to October 5, 2026, marking 100 years since the birth of the 12-year-old freedom fighter from Dhenkanal.
He emphasised that Rout’s extraordinary courage and supreme sacrifice should be remembered not only as a chapter of Odisha’s history but as a source of inspiration for the entire nation, particularly its youth.
Born on October 5, 1926 in Nilakanthapur village of Dhenkanal district, Rout was shot dead on October 11, 1938, at the river ghat of his village after he refused to ferry British forces across the river.
His martyrdom during the Prajamandal movement in the erstwhile princely state of Dhenkanal became a defining moment in the region’s resistance against colonial rule and strengthened the broader national freedom struggle.
Describing Rout as an enduring symbol of “youth patriotism” and moral courage, Pradhan said he was not merely a regional hero but a national icon whose story deserves wider recognition. He proposed organising a ‘National Students and Youth Conference’ in Delhi under the theme, “The Immortal Saga of Shaheed Baji Rout: Inspiring Youth Power for Nation-Building”.
Pradhan suggested that the Ministry of Culture anchor the celebrations at the national level to ensure broad participation. He also recommended seminars, exhibitions, interactive discussions, debates, essay competitions, cultural events and programmes highlighting lesser-known freedom fighters, at schools, colleges and universities. “The objective is to instil a sense of patriotism and civic responsibility among students and young citizens,” he said.