Sadbhavana Samiti Celebrates Gopabandhu Jayanti, Pays Tribute to the Friend of the Poor“The Most Marginalised Sections of Society Must Rise”

Baripada, October 9: History occasionally produces individuals who dedicate their entire lives to the welfare of others, demonstrating through their actions, rather than words, the true meaning of selfless service. Social service may take only a second to read about and a minute to contemplate, but practising it sincerely can demand a lifetime of sacrifice and dedication. With the message that a servant must never become an exploiter, the Sadbhavana Samiti celebrated the 149th birth anniversary of Utkalmani Pandit Gopabandhu Das at Gopabandhu Bhawan in Baripada. The programme was presided over by Samiti Treasurer Sandeep Kumar Chand. Baripada Municipality Chairperson Krishnananda Mohanty inaugurated the programme. In his address, he observed that those whose actions uphold the dignity of their work deserve genuine respect and admiration. Maharaja Praveen Chandra Bhanjdeo attended the event as the chief guest and emphasised that social service should be a passion rather than a profession. Additional Sub-Collector Rakhal Chandra Parida, the chief speaker, highlighted Gopabandhu Das’s compassion for the suffering and underprivileged, remarking that Gopabandhu was truly a friend of the poor whose pen reflected the pain of the distressed. Veteran journalist Dr. Bijay Kumar Agarwala, the guest of honour, also spoke about Gopabandhu Das’s ideals and his lifelong commitment to humanity and social welfare. The founder of the Sadbhavana Samiti, Dharmaratna Purnachandra Bugudei, known for his dedication to humanitarian values, stressed that society could progress only when its most disadvantaged members were uplifted. He observed that unless the people at the lowest rung of society were empowered, the future would not be better than the present, and neglecting them would be a grave mistake. On the occasion, the Samiti felicitated social worker Ramachandra Sakunia in recognition of his contribution to society. The Samiti also proposed the renovation of Gopabandhu Bhawan. Responding positively to the proposal, the municipal chairperson agreed to facilitate the initiative and asked that a Detailed Project Report (DPR) be prepared. Samiti member Manoj Kumar Panda delivered the vote of thanks, bringing the programme to a close.