Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati

Krushna Chandra Gajapati Narayan Dev, Maharaja of Paralakhemundi was the direct descendant of the historic dynasty of the Gajapati kings who ruled Orissa for more than seven centuries.

Personal life

Shri Krushna Chandra Gajapati Narayan Dev was born On 26 April 1892 at Paralakhemundi, the headquarters of present Gajapati District. He was the son of Shri Goura Chandra Gajapati Narayan Dev and Smt. Radhamani Devi. At the age of 12 he lost his father when he was continuing his studies in Madras. After returning from Madras he held the rein of the state. Mr. N. Macmichale, ICS agent to the Court of Wards handed over the charge to him in Ganjam on April 26, 1913. In 1913 he married to the princess of Kharasuan State.

He was blessed with two sons and two daughters, all of whom alas, are no more. His eldest son, late Rama Chandra Gajapati, the former Yuvaraj of Paralakhemundi was a keen sportsman and an ace marksman with his rifles and shot-gun. His younger son, late Madhav Sundar Gajapati, the former RajKumar of Paralakhemundi, a graduate from Madras University, was a reputed sportsman and had the distinction of representing India in the game of golf.

Ultimately, death snatched away the worthy son of Orissa and Sri Krushna Chandra Gajapati passed away very peacefully on the 25 May, 1974 at the age of 82, leaving behind numerous relatives, friends, admirers and wellwishers to mourn his irreparable loss. He was accorded a state funeral by the Government of Orissa and was cremated with full honours at Paralakhemundi, popularly referred to as the "Palace Town". In accordance with the Law of Primogeniture, he was succeeded by his eldest grandson, Shri Gopinath Gajapati, a Chemical Engineer and a former Member of Parliament from the Berhampur Constituency for two consecutive terms of the Lok Sabha, between the years 1989 and 1996.

Education

At the young age, Krushna Chandra Gajapati completed his elementary education in the local Maharaja High School. Then, he entered the Newington residential College at Madras and returned home in 1912. In the college, his mentor and guardian tutor Mr. Cameron Morrison, had an intense influence on his life.

Social Life

Politics

He was appointed as the first Prime Minister of Orissa from 1 April 1937 to 18 July 1937. Later on he assumed the Prime Ministership of Orissa for the second time from 24 November 1941 to 30 June 1944. Sri Gajapati is known as an Architect of modern Orissa. He was a member of old Madras Legislative Council, a member of royal commission of Agriculture and a member of Orissa Legislative Assembly.

Contribution in the formation of separate Odisha Provine

He represented the state in the 1st and 2nd Round Table Conferences for the demand of formation of the Swatantra Utkal Pradesh (separate Orissa Province). He conducted the 10th Utkal Sameelani at Paralakhemundi in 1912 with all responsibilities. He made a fervent appeal for creating a separate province of Orissa on the basis of Language and homogeneity and presented the memorandum in the 1st Round Table Conference on January 16, 1931 at England and argued for the same in the 2nd Round Table Conference on September 7, 1931. It is only the undying efforts of Utkal Gourav Madhusudan Das along with Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati, Pandit Nilakantha Das, Bhubanananda Das and many more, that resulted into the formation of the separate Orissa state. The people of Orissa will ever remain grateful to Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati's stellar role in the formation of Orissa state.

Contribution in Education System

Sri Gajapati is known as an Architect of modern Orissa. He was the key person in the establishment of the Utkal University, the Medical College and also The Famous Central Rice Research Institute, which is one of the biggest of its kind in Asia. He set up many schools, colleges, industrial institutions, modern agricultural farms and provided a record number of 1281 irrigation sagars or water-tanks in his agriculturally dominant native taluk. Scholarships were awarded to thousands of poor and meritorious students for pursuing studies in humanities, science, agriculture, medicine, engineering, etc.

Social Welfare

With regard to social service, Shri Krushna Chandra Gajapati constructed roads, built choultries, hospitals, medical sub-centres and public shelters for the needy and the poor in his home-town of Paralakhemundi. His patronage to Oriya literature, art, music, culture, sports, games and horse-riding (in which sport he himself excelled) are exemplary. He extended the Narrow Gauge Railway Line from Paralakhemundi to Gunupur, for providing basic travel service to the Orissa-Andhra Pradesh border areas, predominated by adivasis, harijans and the downtrodden. His widely-acclaimed historical Gajapathi Palace, constructed in 1843 by the British Architect, Robert Fellowes Chisholm, stands tall as a heritage EDIFICE in the heart of the picturesque Paralakhemundi town. The morerecent summer palace named Basant Niwas Palace (now the property of the Government of Orissa) designed by German experts, is another architectural marvel and is situated on the tranquil banks of River Mahendra Tanaya flowing nearby.

To recall precisely the philanthropic DEEDS of Shri Krushna Chandra Gajapati is no easy task. He made liberal donations to the Pasteur Research Institute at Coonoor, the Coimbatore Agricultural University, The INDIAN Red Cross Society and also made generous contributions to a few industries in Orissa State founded by the political colossus of Orissa, late Biju Patnaik.

The name of Shri Krushna Chandra Gajapati adorned several Boards of corporate institutions in the country. He was the hereditary trustee of many religious temples and institutions, for whose management and maintenance he exercised special care.

Shri Gajapati and Biju Patnaik

When Biju Babu (Former Chief Minister of Orissa) was interned in the Cuttack jail as an Indian Independence revolutionary during British Rule, Shri Krushna Chandra Gajapathi is on record to have negotiated with H.E. Lord Wavell for his close family friend's speedy release. The indebted Biju Babu graciously returned the compliments later on, by declaring in the year 1992 the formation of the new Gajapati District in memory of his mentor the Maharaja, who in fact, had nurtured Biju Babu since childhood.

Honours and Recognitions

Shri Krushna Chandra Gajapati was the Honorary Captain in the First World War. He was Recipient of a rare Sanad in 1920 from the then Viceroy and Governor General of India, in recognition of his services rendered to the Indian Army during the Great War and as a mark of approbation. The title of 'Maharaja' was awarded to him, as a personal distinction by H.E. Lord Willington, Viceroy and Governor General of India in the year 1936. He was Member of the Royal Commission on Agriculture, under the Chairmanship of His Excellency Lord Linlithgow. Furthermore, he was also Member of the Madras Legislative Council. Honorary Doctorates by the Utkal University and the Berhampur University were awarded to him. The prestigious Knighthood of K.C.I.E. was also conferred on him by His Majesty the King of England. He was one among the founding fathers of the Indian Constitution, being a Member of the Constituent Assembly of India as well. His contribution to horse-racing and his encouragement for horse breeding in India are notable. He was the proud owner of the celebrated and champion English race-horse, Rock of Gibraltar and the famed Indian-bred, Balchand, the winner of the Indian Derby in 1957, to name just a few. He was a senior member of the leading Race Clubs as well as Social Clubs in the country.

In his honour, the new district of Gajapati was named after him in the year 1992. His birth anniversary is celebrated on the 26th April every year throughout Orissa State, with much devotion and traditional fervour. As the pinnacle of posthumous glory, he was befittingly honoured by the Government of India, when his commemorative postage stamp was issued during his birth centenary year in 1992.