BRIEF HISTORY OF ORISSA
The history of Orissa dates back to antiquity, its most famous old names being Kalinga, Utkal
and Odra, when its boundary extended far beyond the present one. By the time of the Mahabharata
Kalinga, Utkal and Odra had entered into Aryan polity as powerful kingdoms. Frequent reference is
made to Kalinga in the Mahabharata and infrequent references to Odra and Utkal. By the time of
Mahavir and Buddha, the Kalinga-Utkal region on the entire east coast of India acquired recognition
and fame.
The political history of Orissa opens with the rule of Nanda, Emperor of Magadha. The Hathigumpha
inscription of Emperor Kharavela at Udaygiri refers to a Nanda king twice. When Chandragupta Maurya
succeeded to the throne of Nanda, Kalinga did not form part of his empire. Asokas invasion of Kalinga
was an epoch-making event of ancient times of far-reaching consequences. The battle was described
by Asoka himself in his thirteenth Rock Edict which records : One hundred and fifty thousand men
were carried away captive from that country, as many as one hundred thousand were killed there in
action and many times that number perished. Kalinga was conquered but the conquest changed the
heart of the conqueror. This change in Asoka changed the course of religion and cultural history not
only of India but also of the whole of Asia.
The next great epoch of Orissan history was the time of Kharavela who ruled in the first half of the
second century B.C. He defeated the Satakarni in the west, the Musikas on the bank of the Krishna as
also the Rashtrikas and the Bhojakas, the rulers of Rajagriha and King Brihaspati Mitra of Magadha. In
the thirteenth year of his rule he retired to Khandagiri near Bhubaneswar. He was a Jain.
The history of Orissa for several centuries after Kharavela is dark. From Hiuen Tsangs account
it is evident that Harsha Siladityas political sway extended to Orissa. Ptolemy, the famous Greek
Geographer of the 2nd century A. D., testified to the existence of flourishing trade marts on the Orissa
coast. In the 8th century A. D. Orissas overseas activities were at their peak when the Sailendra
Empire in present day Malayasia was estabilshed. According to Arab sources, the empire extended its
power even into Cambodia and Assam. The prosperity of the Sailendra Empire continued through the
10th century A. D.
From the 8th to the 10th centuries A. D. the Bhauma-Kara dynasty ruled over Utkal. Oriya language
was just beginning to take shape during this age. This Bhauma-Kara were followed by the
Somas and the Kesharis. The famous Lingaraj Temple at Bhubaneswar was built by Yajati Keshari and
completed by his successors.
By the end of the 12th Century A. D. Anantavarma Chodagangadeva (1078-1191) of the Ganga
dynasty is credited with having ruled over the region extending from the Ganga to the Godavari. He
shifted his capital from Kalinganagar in Parlakhemundi to Cuttack.Vaishnavism received royal patronage
and Vaishnavite temples were built at Mukhlingam, Shrikurmam, Simachalam and Puri.The temple
at Puri was completed by Anangabhimadeva. In the 13th century the Ganga empire had the power
to thwart a Muslim invasion.
In the 13th century when Hindu architecture in the north faced its worst days of ravage and
destruction, Orissan architecture reached its zenith with the construction of the famous Sun Temple of
Konark by Narasimhadeva I (A. D. 1238-1264). It is recognised as the crowning glory of Hindu architecture.
Then came the Surya dynasty. The first Surya King, Gajapati Kapilendradeva (1435-1466).
defeated the Muslim ruler of Bengal, the Hindu ruler of Vijayanagar and Kanchi, and the Bahamani
Sultan. Kapilendra in fact himself advanced to Bidar, the capital of the Bahamani Empire. His empire
extended from the Ganga in the north to the Kaveri in the South. His grandson, Prataparudradeva,
became a devout disciple and with his death Surya rule declined. Mukundadeva the last independent
king of Orissa, was killed in 1568 while fighting Afghans of Bengal. With his death Orissa lost its
independece and thus became almost the last Hindu Kingdom of India to fall to the Muslims.
The Moghuls ruled Orissa for a little over a century. During Aurangzebs rule, however, a revolt
was started under the leadership of Raja Krishna Chandra Bhanj of Mayurbhanj, but it was suppressed,
though with great difficulty. After Aurangzebs death, when the Moghul Empire declined, Orissa passed
under the rule of the independent Nawabs of Bengal.
In 1741 the Bhonsala Raja of Nagpur invaded Orissa under the leadership of Bhaskar Ram
(Bhaskar Pandit). Alivardi Khan, the Nawab of Bengal, was compelled to code Orissa to the Marathas
whose rule lasted until the British conquered it in 1803.
Within two decades of Vasco-da-Gamas discovery of the sea-route to India the Portuguese had
established a flourishing trade mart at Pipli, at the mouth of the Subarnarekha. The English had established
trade settlements at Hariharpur and Balasore by 1633. In subsequent years, the Dutch, the
Danes and the French appeared at Balasore and established their respective footholds. In 1757 when
the Battle of Plassey was fought and won, the legal title of Nawab of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa passed
on to the English. In 1765, Shah Alam granted the East India Company the Dewani of Bengal, Bihar
and Orissa. But this Orissa was only a small territory to the north of the Subarnarekha. Lord Wellesley
(17981805) asked the Bhonsala Raja of Nagpur to enter into a Subsidiary Alliance, but the Raja
refused. The Anglo-Maratha war resulted in the British conquest of Orissa in 1803. Owing to misrule of
the British, the Paika Rebellion was started under the leadership of Bakshi Jagabandhu Bidyadhar, the
millitary chief of the Raja of Khurda. In April 1817 Puri fell to him and the British retreated to Cuttack.
In the end, however, the rebellion was crushed. In 1857 Sambalpur played a leading role in the great
Indian revolt. The worst evil of the British administration was witnessed in 1865-66 during the NaAnka
famine in which more than ten lakhs of people, comprising about a quarter of Orissas population, died
of starvation.
The social reformers of Orissa like Fakir Mohan Senapati, Bhagban Chandra Das, Radhanath
Ray, Madhusudan Rao and Madhusudan Das, shaped the destiny of Orissa in various significant
ways. During the First World War a forceful movement was organised and led by Pandit Gopabandhu
Das. As a result, Orissa was separated from Bengal, Madras and Central Provinces. It came into
existence on 1st April, 1936. Soon after this, the Gadajat Revolt of the princes of the States was
suppressed in 1938. Orissa took full part in the 1942 movement when more than 3,000 persons were
thrown behind the bars and about 100 persons were killed as a result of machine-gun firing. After the
attainment of Independence the princely States merged with the major unit in 1948 and the new State
of Orissa was formed.
An administrative reorganisation of the State was taken in hand and thirteen districts were formed.
Out of the former princely States the districts of Mayurbhanj, Sundargarh, Keonjhar, Dhenkanal, Phulbani,
Bolangir and Kalahandi were carved out.
As a result of the work of the States Reorganisation Commission, the princely States of Saraikela
and Kharasuan were merged with Bihar. Earlier, they were parts of the Mayurbhanj district.
and Odra, when its boundary extended far beyond the present one. By the time of the Mahabharata
Kalinga, Utkal and Odra had entered into Aryan polity as powerful kingdoms. Frequent reference is
made to Kalinga in the Mahabharata and infrequent references to Odra and Utkal. By the time of
Mahavir and Buddha, the Kalinga-Utkal region on the entire east coast of India acquired recognition
and fame.
The political history of Orissa opens with the rule of Nanda, Emperor of Magadha. The Hathigumpha
inscription of Emperor Kharavela at Udaygiri refers to a Nanda king twice. When Chandragupta Maurya
succeeded to the throne of Nanda, Kalinga did not form part of his empire. Asokas invasion of Kalinga
was an epoch-making event of ancient times of far-reaching consequences. The battle was described
by Asoka himself in his thirteenth Rock Edict which records : One hundred and fifty thousand men
were carried away captive from that country, as many as one hundred thousand were killed there in
action and many times that number perished. Kalinga was conquered but the conquest changed the
heart of the conqueror. This change in Asoka changed the course of religion and cultural history not
only of India but also of the whole of Asia.
The next great epoch of Orissan history was the time of Kharavela who ruled in the first half of the
second century B.C. He defeated the Satakarni in the west, the Musikas on the bank of the Krishna as
also the Rashtrikas and the Bhojakas, the rulers of Rajagriha and King Brihaspati Mitra of Magadha. In
the thirteenth year of his rule he retired to Khandagiri near Bhubaneswar. He was a Jain.
The history of Orissa for several centuries after Kharavela is dark. From Hiuen Tsangs account
it is evident that Harsha Siladityas political sway extended to Orissa. Ptolemy, the famous Greek
Geographer of the 2nd century A. D., testified to the existence of flourishing trade marts on the Orissa
coast. In the 8th century A. D. Orissas overseas activities were at their peak when the Sailendra
Empire in present day Malayasia was estabilshed. According to Arab sources, the empire extended its
power even into Cambodia and Assam. The prosperity of the Sailendra Empire continued through the
10th century A. D.
From the 8th to the 10th centuries A. D. the Bhauma-Kara dynasty ruled over Utkal. Oriya language
was just beginning to take shape during this age. This Bhauma-Kara were followed by the
Somas and the Kesharis. The famous Lingaraj Temple at Bhubaneswar was built by Yajati Keshari and
completed by his successors.
By the end of the 12th Century A. D. Anantavarma Chodagangadeva (1078-1191) of the Ganga
dynasty is credited with having ruled over the region extending from the Ganga to the Godavari. He
shifted his capital from Kalinganagar in Parlakhemundi to Cuttack.Vaishnavism received royal patronage
and Vaishnavite temples were built at Mukhlingam, Shrikurmam, Simachalam and Puri.The temple
at Puri was completed by Anangabhimadeva. In the 13th century the Ganga empire had the power
to thwart a Muslim invasion.
In the 13th century when Hindu architecture in the north faced its worst days of ravage and
destruction, Orissan architecture reached its zenith with the construction of the famous Sun Temple of
Konark by Narasimhadeva I (A. D. 1238-1264). It is recognised as the crowning glory of Hindu architecture.
Then came the Surya dynasty. The first Surya King, Gajapati Kapilendradeva (1435-1466).
defeated the Muslim ruler of Bengal, the Hindu ruler of Vijayanagar and Kanchi, and the Bahamani
Sultan. Kapilendra in fact himself advanced to Bidar, the capital of the Bahamani Empire. His empire
extended from the Ganga in the north to the Kaveri in the South. His grandson, Prataparudradeva,
became a devout disciple and with his death Surya rule declined. Mukundadeva the last independent
king of Orissa, was killed in 1568 while fighting Afghans of Bengal. With his death Orissa lost its
independece and thus became almost the last Hindu Kingdom of India to fall to the Muslims.
The Moghuls ruled Orissa for a little over a century. During Aurangzebs rule, however, a revolt
was started under the leadership of Raja Krishna Chandra Bhanj of Mayurbhanj, but it was suppressed,
though with great difficulty. After Aurangzebs death, when the Moghul Empire declined, Orissa passed
under the rule of the independent Nawabs of Bengal.
In 1741 the Bhonsala Raja of Nagpur invaded Orissa under the leadership of Bhaskar Ram
(Bhaskar Pandit). Alivardi Khan, the Nawab of Bengal, was compelled to code Orissa to the Marathas
whose rule lasted until the British conquered it in 1803.
Within two decades of Vasco-da-Gamas discovery of the sea-route to India the Portuguese had
established a flourishing trade mart at Pipli, at the mouth of the Subarnarekha. The English had established
trade settlements at Hariharpur and Balasore by 1633. In subsequent years, the Dutch, the
Danes and the French appeared at Balasore and established their respective footholds. In 1757 when
the Battle of Plassey was fought and won, the legal title of Nawab of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa passed
on to the English. In 1765, Shah Alam granted the East India Company the Dewani of Bengal, Bihar
and Orissa. But this Orissa was only a small territory to the north of the Subarnarekha. Lord Wellesley
(17981805) asked the Bhonsala Raja of Nagpur to enter into a Subsidiary Alliance, but the Raja
refused. The Anglo-Maratha war resulted in the British conquest of Orissa in 1803. Owing to misrule of
the British, the Paika Rebellion was started under the leadership of Bakshi Jagabandhu Bidyadhar, the
millitary chief of the Raja of Khurda. In April 1817 Puri fell to him and the British retreated to Cuttack.
In the end, however, the rebellion was crushed. In 1857 Sambalpur played a leading role in the great
Indian revolt. The worst evil of the British administration was witnessed in 1865-66 during the NaAnka
famine in which more than ten lakhs of people, comprising about a quarter of Orissas population, died
of starvation.
The social reformers of Orissa like Fakir Mohan Senapati, Bhagban Chandra Das, Radhanath
Ray, Madhusudan Rao and Madhusudan Das, shaped the destiny of Orissa in various significant
ways. During the First World War a forceful movement was organised and led by Pandit Gopabandhu
Das. As a result, Orissa was separated from Bengal, Madras and Central Provinces. It came into
existence on 1st April, 1936. Soon after this, the Gadajat Revolt of the princes of the States was
suppressed in 1938. Orissa took full part in the 1942 movement when more than 3,000 persons were
thrown behind the bars and about 100 persons were killed as a result of machine-gun firing. After the
attainment of Independence the princely States merged with the major unit in 1948 and the new State
of Orissa was formed.
An administrative reorganisation of the State was taken in hand and thirteen districts were formed.
Out of the former princely States the districts of Mayurbhanj, Sundargarh, Keonjhar, Dhenkanal, Phulbani,
Bolangir and Kalahandi were carved out.
As a result of the work of the States Reorganisation Commission, the princely States of Saraikela
and Kharasuan were merged with Bihar. Earlier, they were parts of the Mayurbhanj district.
CHRONOLOGICAL ACCOUNTS OF
ORISSAN HISTORY
261 B.C. - The Great Kalinga War took place
177 B.C. - Coronation of King Kharavela
600 A.D. - Sasanka, King of Gauda Desa conquered Utkal
639 - Huen-Tsang visited Kalinga, Kangoda, Kosala and Odra
736 - Kshemankara Deva established the kingdom of Tosali in Udra country with
capital at Guhesvara Pataka (Jajpur)
885 - Mahabhavagupta Janmejaya-I established the Somavamsi rule in Western
Orissa with the capital at Suvarnapura (Sonepur)
1078 - Choda Ganga Dev, the Founder of Ganga Dynasty in Kalinga, became the
king of Utkala by defeating the last Somavamsi king Karnadeva.
1115 - Construction of Sri Jagannath Temple began at Puri
1147-1156 - Kamarnava VII ruled Kalinga
1156 1170 - Raghav Dev ruled Kalinga
1170 1194 - Raj Raj Dev-II ruled Kalinga
1190 1198 - Ananga Bhima Dev-II ruled Kalinga
1198 1211 - Raj Raj Dev-III ruled Kalinga
1211-1238 - Ananga Bhima Dev-III ruled Kalinga
1234 1245 - Langula Narasingh Dev built Sun Temple at Konark
1264 1278 - Bhanu Dev-I ruled Kalinga
1278 - Chandrika Devi, daughter of Ananga Bhima Dev-III built
Ananta Basudev Temple at Bhubaneswar.
1278 1305 - Narasingh Dev-II ruled Kalinga
1306 1328 - Bhanu Dev-II ruled Kalinga
1328 1352 - Narasingh Dev-III ruled Kalinga
1352 1378 - Bhanu Dev-III ruled Kalinga
1378 1414 - Narasingh Dev-IV ruled Kalinga
1414 1434 - Bhanu Dev-IV ruled Kalinga
1435 1467 - Kapilendra Dev, Founder of Orissan Empire
- The era Kapilabda started from the day of his coronation- Founder of Suryavamsi Dynasty
- Sarala Das wrote Oriya Mahabharat during this period
1464 - Kapilendra Dev conquered from Ganges in North to Trichinapalli in South
and hold the title Gajapati Gaudeshwar Nabakoti Karnat
Kalabargeshwar.
1467 1497 - Purushottam Dev ruled Kalinga
1497 1540 - Prataprudra Dev ruled Kalinga
- Sri Chaitanya Dev came to Kalinga
1542 1549 - Govinda Bidyadhar ruled Kalinga
- Founded the Bhoi Dynasty in Kalinga
1560 1568 - Mukunda Dev established Chalukya dynasty
- Kalapahad, the terror destroyed temples of Kalinga
1568 - Suleiman Karrani conquered Orissa
- End of Independence of Orissa
1590 - Mughals started conquering Orissa
1592 - First battle between Mughals and Afghans near Subarnarekha
- Fall of Sarangagarh Fort
1593 - King of Khurda surrendered before Mansingh
1611 1617 - Raja Todarmal divided Orissa as Moghulbandi and Garhjat
1617 - Subedar Mukarram Khan invaded Khurda
1625 - Dutch founded their first settlement at Pipli of Balasore District
1633 - East India Company established their first factory at Haripur in
Bay of Bengal Coast.
1660 1667 - Khan-i-Dauran took over Subahdarship of Orissa
1671 - East India Company granted free trade in Orissa during
the reign of Aurangzeb.
1751 - Maratha Rule began in Orissa
1766 - East India Company occupied Ganjam
1803 - Barabati Fort occupied by East India Company from Marathas
- Northern Orissa conquered by East India Company
1817 - Paika rebellion in Khurda
1835 - Ghumusar rebellion
1862 - Surendra Sai surrendered before Major Imphey
1866 - Orissa famine called Naonka Durvikshya occurred and took away major
lives
1882 - Utkal Sabha formed as Gourishankar Ray its Secretary
1895 - Meeting held at Cuttack under Chairmanship of Madhubabu and
resolution passed for amalgamation of Oriya speaking tracts.
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1898 - Madhubabu elected to Bengal Legislative Assembly
1903 - Union Conference began
1907 - Representation made to Royal Commission for a Union of Oriya speaking
tracks.
1909 - Satyabadi Bana Bidyalaya established (12th August)
1911 - Bihar-Orissa separated from Bengal province
1912 - Sitting of Jatiya Sammelan was held at Balasore for discussion about
creation of a separate province.
1913 - Orissa Tenancy Act passed
1914 - Monthly magazine Satyabadi was published from Satyabadi, Sakhigopal
being edited by Utkalmani Gopabandhu Das, and printed in Asha Press,
Berhampur.
1915 - Bagha Jatin died
1916 - Bamanda Suratarangini Saraswata Samiti conferred Saraswati title on
Fakir Mohan Senapati on 7th February.
1917 - Newspaper The Oriya started under editorship of Madhubabu for unification
of Oriya speaking tracts.
1918 - Satyabadi Press established at Sakhigopal
1919 - Weekly Samaj appeared from Satyabadi, Sakhigopal on 4th October.
1920 - Baripada-Bangiriposi railway line covering 37.20 kms was opened to traffic.
1921 - (24th March) Mahatma Gandhi came to Orissa
1922 - H.K. Mahatab was sentenced to one year Rigorous Imprisonment on
18th July on the charges of instigating the Kanika Rebellion.
1923 - Madhubabu resigned from the Ministership of Bihar Orissa Government
on 9th March.
1924 - Oriya Womens Association was formed at Berhampur along with the
First All Orissa Womens Conference at Cuttack.
1925 - (9th August) Gandhi came to Orissa
1926 - Gopabandhu Das opened an Widows Home called Jagannath Widows
Home at Puri to provided education to the helpless widows and train them
to earn their livelihood. Acharya Harihar Das remained in charge of the
Ashram
1927 - Gandhi came to Orissa
- Devastated flood in Balasore District
1927 - Kalicharan Patnaik was conferred with Kavichandra title by Gajapati
Ramachandra Dev, IV, Raja of Puri.
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ORISSA REFERENCE ANNUAL - 2009
1928 - Gandhi came to Sambalpur
- Utkalmani Gopabandhu Das passed away
1929 - Meeting of Utkal Provincial Congress Committee held at Cuttack
1930 - Volunteers prepared salt in connection with Salt Satyagraha at Inchudi in
Balasore district.
- (20th June) Meeting of Utkal Provincial Congress Committee held at
Balasore
1931 - Krushna Chandra Narayan Gajapati attended the First Round Table
Conference in London on 16th January and demanded for the formation
of a separate province of Orissa.
1932 - In the Second Round Table Conference on 7th September it was
decided that Orissa would be a separate province.
1933 - The first English Daily New Orissa was published by Sashibhusan Rath
from Asha Press, Berhampur by the help of Lingaraj Panigrahi.
1934 - (5th May) Gandhi came to Orissa
1935 - The Sikh Gurudwara at Kaliaboda in Cuttack town was constructed by the
active interest of Sardar Kartar Singh, a Professor in Chemistry, Revenshaw
College. It is believed the Guru Nanak halted here while on his way to
Puri.
1936 - (1st April) Orissa became a separate province
1937 - First Orissan Ministry formed
1938 - (25th March) Gandhi came to Orissa
- Gandhi attended Gandhi Sevasangh Annual Session at Berboi, Delang
in Puri district.
- Baji Rout died in police firing
1939 - (5th August) Subash Chandra Bose visited Cuttack
- Jaiprakash Narayan visited Cuttack
- (4th November) Congress Ministry in Orissa resigned
- Major General Bezelgate attacked and killed at Ranpur of the then Puri
district
- Netaji visited Orissa
- Endowment Commission started functioning
- Rabindranath Tagore visited Puri
1940 - Orissa Theatre founded by Kali Charan Patnaik at Cuttack
- Madala Panji edited by Prof. Artaballav Mohanty
1941 - Raghu Dibakar hanged in connection with Bezelgate murder
1942 - Lunia killing, nine people died in police firing
- 29 people died at Eram in police firing
1943 - Oriya songs transmitted for the first time from Calcutta Radio Station
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- Eminent Communist leader Bhagabati Charan Panigrahi died
- Utkal University started functioning at Cuttack
1944 - K.C.Narayan Gajapati, the Prime Minister of Orissa resigned on 30th June.
1945 - 50 British Air Force aeroplanes bombed over village Mayagaon near
Rengoon on 12th February on a Azad Hind Fauz Camp, killing Oriya soldiers,
mostly hailing from Ganjam area.
- From July new colleges at Balasore, Sambalpur and Puri were started.
Rajendra College, Bolangir was started by R.N. Singhdeo, the Maharaja
of Bolangir with Intermediate Arts Classes.
1946 - (29th January) Gandhi came to Orissa
- Foundation stone of Hirakud Dam laid by Sir Hawthrone Lewis, Governor
of Orissa.
- Central Rice Research Institute established at Cuttack
1947 - Biju Patnaik made a daring flight to Indonesia to bring Indonesian Leaders
- Princely States merged with Orissa
1948 - Foundation stone for New Capital of Orissa laid at Bhubaneswar
- All India Radio, Cuttack founded
- High Court at Cuttack founded
1949 - Capital of Orissa shifted from Cuttack to Bhubaneswar
- Bolangir district formed
1950 - Orissa Territorial map with 13 districts published
1951 - Jawaharlal Nehru, the Prime Minister of India reached Jharsuguda on 13th
December on visit to Orissa.
1952 - Biju Patnaik donated an amount of 1,000 pound to UNESCO to institute
the Kalinga Prize.
- Both Oriya and English language introduced in Orissa Government
transactions
1953 - Rourkela Steel Plant founded
1954 - Agriculture College established at Bhubaneswar
- Official Language Act passed in Orissa Assembly to introduce Oriya in
official work.
1955 - Bhoodan lands distributed among the landless people of Orissa
1956 - Burla Engineering College established
- Prajamandal leader Sarangadhar Das died
- Construction of Rourkela Steel Plant began
1957 - Hirakud Dam inaugurated by Jawaharlal Nehru
- Orissa Sahitya Academy established
- Similipal Forest declared as National Park
- President of India Dr. Rajendra Prasad laid the foundation stone of
Museum building at Bhubaneswar.
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1958 - Mihir Sen of Cuttack crossed the English Channel
- Dandakaranya Development Project constituted
1959 - Orissa State Government established Lalitkala Academy
- Veer Surendra Sai Medical College at Burla started
1960 - Orissa State Archieves established at Bhubaneswar
- Nandankanan Zoological Park established
- Blind school established at Bhubaneswar
- First volume of Gyanamandal under the editorialship of Shri Binod
Kanungo published.
1961 - Orissa State Legislative Assembly building inaugurated
- Rourkela Engineering College started
1962 - Jawaharlal Nehru laid the foundation stone of Paradeep Port
- Sainik School at Bhubaneswar established
- Construction of Express Highway connecting from Daitari to Paradeep
began
- Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology established
1963 - Russian Cosmonauts Valentina Terescova visited Orissa
- Utkal University building inaugurated
1964 - Jawaharlal Nehru laid foundation stone of Thermal Power Station at
Talcher
1965 - Village Chaukidari System abolished.
1966 - Biswanath Das became President of Bharat Loksevak Mandal after the
death of Lal Bahadur Sastry, the Prime Minister of India.
1967 - Berhampur & Sambalpur University established
- Pandit Nilakantha Das died
1968 - Sambalpur University was inaugurated by the President of India on 5th
January. Freedom Fighter and Litereteur Radhanath Rath was honoured
with the Padmabhusan title.
1969 - V.V.Giri became President of India on 24th August.
1970 - A regional party named Utkal Congress was formed by Biju Patnaik.
1971 - Sri Jagannath Sanskrit University established at Puri
- Acharya Harihar Das passed away
- Lance Naik Albert Ekka posthumously awarded highest Gallantry Award
Param Veer Chakra for his heroic deeds in Bangaladesh War.
1972 - Severe cyclonic storm hit Orissa Coast
1973 - Cuttack-Paradeep Railway line opened for Traffic
- Foundation stone laid for Naval Training Centre at Chilika
1974 - Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati Narayan Dev passed away
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1975 - Dr. J. V. Bolton felicitated by Orissa Sahitya Academy for his thesis on
Vyas Kabi Fakir Mohan Senapati.
- Salt Water Crocodile Research Centre established at Dangamal of
Bhitarkanika
1976 - The State Government made an Act called The Bonded Labour (Abolition)
Act-1976" to free bonded labourers.
1977 - Foundation stone laid for Fishery Research Centre at Kausalyaganga
1978 - Terrible Tornado hit Bandhagoda village of Keonjhar district
- Foundation stone laid for Upper Indravati Project
1979 - Sarala Puraskar founded by IMFA Public Charitable Trust
1980 - Prince Charles of England visited Orissa
- Biju Patnaik conferred as Bhoomi Putra title by Indonesian Government
1981 - NALCO established at Angul
1982 - Annual Conference of the Indian Road Congress was held at Bhubaneswar
on 23rd December.
1983 - Dr. H.K.Mahatab received the Kendriya Sahitya Academy Award for his
essay collection Gaan Mazjlis.
1984 - Foundation stone laid by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi for Ordnance
Factory at Saintala in Balangir district.
- OREDA set up at Bhubaneswar
- Ex-Chief Minister of Orissa Shri Nabakrushna Choudhury died
- Ex-Chief Minister of Orissa Shri Biswanath Das died
- Foundation stone laid for Talcher-Sambalpur Railway line
- Ex-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi addressed her last public meeting at
Bhubaneswar.
- Orissa Science Academy established
1985 - Eminent Sarvodaya leader & Bhoodan leader Rama Devi passed away
- First State level Lok Adalat held at Cuttack
1986 - Noted Editor of Gyanamandal Vinod Kanungo received Padmashree
Award
- Foundation stone laid for Pathani Samant Planetarium at Bhubaneswar
1987 - Ex-Chief Minister of Orissa Dr. Harekrushna Mahatab passed away
- Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium at Cuttack inaugurated
1987 - Harekrushna Mahatab State Library at Bhubaneswar inaugurated
- Sachidananda Routray received Gyanapitha Award
1988 - His Holiness Dalailama visited Orissa
- Cuttack Door Darshan Kendra started newscast in Oriya
1989 - Bhubaneswar Stock Exchange started functioning
- Foundation stone laid for IB-Thermal Electrical Project
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- Millennium Ceremony of Cuttack City inaugurated
- Rabi Ray elected as Speaker of Lok Sabha
- First test of Ballistic Missile Agni test-fired from Chandipur
1990 - Justice Ranganath Mishra sworn in as Chief Justice of Supreme Court of
India
1991 - Eminent litterateur Kalindi Charan Panigrahi passed away
- Mahila Vikas Samabaya Nigam constituted by Government of Orissa
1992 - Freedom Fighter Rajkrishna Bose passed away
1993 - Eminent Singer Balkrishna Das passed away
- Thirteen districts of Orissa re-organised and number increased to thirty
1994 - Similipal Reserve Forest declared Biosphere by Government of India
- Justice G.T. Nanavati sworn in as Chief Justice of Orissa High Court
1995 - Indonesia awarded their highest National title BINTANG JASUTTAM to
Biju Patnaik.
1996 - Navakalevara Festival of Lord Jagannath was celebrated at Puri.
1997 - Ex-Chief Minister Biju Patnaik passed away
- Eminent Archaeologist Dr. Satya Narayan Rajguru died
- Eminent Oddissi Dancer Sanjukta Panigrahi died
1998 - Radhanath Rath, Editor of Samaj passed away
- Social worker Malati Choudhury passed away
- Kalinga Stadium at Bhubaneswar inaugurated
- Talcher-Sambalpur Railway opened for Traffic
- 3rd SAARC Jamboree held at Khurda
1999 - Ballistic Missile Agni-II test-fired from Chandipur
- Fakir Mohan University at Balasore and Uttar Orissa University at Baripada
started functioning.
- Severe super cyclone devastated the Orissa Coast in the month of October
- Kujanga Gandhi Narayan Birabar Samanta died
- M. M. Rajendran sworn in as Governor of Orissa
2000 - Naveen Patnaik sworn in as the Chief Minister of Orissa on 5th March
- Utkal University of Culture inaugurated
2001 - Severe flood in Orissa
ORISSA REFERENCE ANNUAL - 2009
47
2002 - Severe drought in Orissa
2003 - Justice Sujit Burman Roy became the Chief Justice of Orissa High Court
- Severe flood in Orissa.
- Renowned poet Binod Nayak passed away on 15.11.2003
2004 - Padmashree award to Indian hockey defender Dilip Tirkey, Nrutya Guru
Maguni Charan Das & Dramatist Manoranjan Das.
- Dr. Prafulla Mohanty nominated for Kendra Sahitya Academy Award.
- Doyen of Odissi Dance Kelucharan Mahapatra passed away on 7.4.2004.
- Rupa Mishra an Oriya lady became the I.A.S. topper on 7.5.2004.
- Naveen Patnaik sworn in as the Chief Minister of Orissa for the second
term on 16.5.2004.
- Pioneer of Modern Oriya literature Padmashree Sachi Routray passed
away on 21.8.2004.
- Poet Guru Prasad Mohanty passed away on 26.8.2004.
- Eminent poet Purnananda Dani passed away.
- Short-story writer, novelist and essayist Kishori Charan Das passed away.
- Dr. Subas Pani joined as Chief Secretary of Orissa on 1.9.2004.
- Ex-Chief Minister of Orissa Sri Nilamani Routray passed away on
4.10.2004.
- Shri Rameshwar Thakur sworn in as the new Governor of Orissa on
17.11.2004.
2005 - BJD, MLA & Dy. Chief Whip Shri Sankarsan Naik passed away in a road
accident.
- Mining Cess Policy introduced.
- Renowned litterateur, essayist and critic of Oriya literature Chintamani
Behera passed away on 7.3.2005.
- Retired Judge and well cultured personality Justice Naba Kumar Das
passed away on 11.3.2005.
- Financial Accountability bill passed by Orissa Legislative Assembly.
- Introduction of VAT.
- Right to Information Act implemented in the State alongwith constitution of
State Information Commission on 20.10.2005
- Edu-Sat project inaugurated.
- Hon'ble President of India's two day visit to Orissa (26th & 27th December).
2006 - Government of Orissa enters into an MOU with Creative Ports Pvt. Ltd. for
setting up a port at Kirtania in Balasore district
- Vedanta Foundation signs agreement to set up Vedanta University in Puri
district.
- Foundation stone of Sports Academy laid by Chief Minister
- Portrait of legendary leader Biju Patnaik unveiled in the Central Hall of
Parliament.
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ORISSA REFERENCE ANNUAL - 2009
- President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam lays foundation stone of International
Institute of Information Technology at Gothapatna near Bhubaneswar.
- Gopabandhu Gramin Yojana inaugurated.
- Biju KBK Yojana initiated
- Former Chief Minister Smt. Nandini Satpathy passed away.
- Three-tier Panchayt Elections held.
- Mittal-Arcelor signs MOU to set up a steel plant in Orissa.
2007 - The Orissa Tableau exhibited at the Republic Day - 2007 at New Delhi
adjudged as the best in the whole country.
- Ashok Ganguly became Hon'ble Chief Justice of Orissa High Court.
- Prabodh Trikey selected as the Captain of Indian Hockey Team.
- Murlidhar Chandrakant Bhandare sworn in as Governor of Orissa.
- Commemoration of 150th year anniversary of 1st war of Indian Independence
at Sardar Ballabh Bhai Patel Hall, Old Assembly.
2008 - Police Commissionerate in twin city of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack
commenced.
- Kalpana Das brought glory to the State by climbing Everest mountain.
- Saheed Pramod Satapathy posthumously conferred with country's
prestigious gallantry award 'Ashok Chakra'
- New Agriculture Policy - 2008 introduced in the State.
2009 - Shri Naveen Patnaik took over charge as Chief Minister of Orissa for the 3rd consecutive term.
- Ms. Padmini Rout (Chess Player) selected for Ekalavya Award.
- Eminent Historian Dr. M.N. Das passed away.
- Janaki Ballav Pattnaik received 'Atibadi Jagannath' award.
- Ignace Tirkey conferred with prestigious Arjun award.
- 'Prince Dance Group' from Ganjam adjudged best in India's Got Talent.
177 B.C. - Coronation of King Kharavela
600 A.D. - Sasanka, King of Gauda Desa conquered Utkal
639 - Huen-Tsang visited Kalinga, Kangoda, Kosala and Odra
736 - Kshemankara Deva established the kingdom of Tosali in Udra country with
capital at Guhesvara Pataka (Jajpur)
885 - Mahabhavagupta Janmejaya-I established the Somavamsi rule in Western
Orissa with the capital at Suvarnapura (Sonepur)
1078 - Choda Ganga Dev, the Founder of Ganga Dynasty in Kalinga, became the
king of Utkala by defeating the last Somavamsi king Karnadeva.
1115 - Construction of Sri Jagannath Temple began at Puri
1147-1156 - Kamarnava VII ruled Kalinga
1156 1170 - Raghav Dev ruled Kalinga
1170 1194 - Raj Raj Dev-II ruled Kalinga
1190 1198 - Ananga Bhima Dev-II ruled Kalinga
1198 1211 - Raj Raj Dev-III ruled Kalinga
1211-1238 - Ananga Bhima Dev-III ruled Kalinga
1234 1245 - Langula Narasingh Dev built Sun Temple at Konark
1264 1278 - Bhanu Dev-I ruled Kalinga
1278 - Chandrika Devi, daughter of Ananga Bhima Dev-III built
Ananta Basudev Temple at Bhubaneswar.
1278 1305 - Narasingh Dev-II ruled Kalinga
1306 1328 - Bhanu Dev-II ruled Kalinga
1328 1352 - Narasingh Dev-III ruled Kalinga
1352 1378 - Bhanu Dev-III ruled Kalinga
1378 1414 - Narasingh Dev-IV ruled Kalinga
1414 1434 - Bhanu Dev-IV ruled Kalinga
1435 1467 - Kapilendra Dev, Founder of Orissan Empire
- The era Kapilabda started from the day of his coronation- Founder of Suryavamsi Dynasty
- Sarala Das wrote Oriya Mahabharat during this period
1464 - Kapilendra Dev conquered from Ganges in North to Trichinapalli in South
and hold the title Gajapati Gaudeshwar Nabakoti Karnat
Kalabargeshwar.
1467 1497 - Purushottam Dev ruled Kalinga
1497 1540 - Prataprudra Dev ruled Kalinga
- Sri Chaitanya Dev came to Kalinga
1542 1549 - Govinda Bidyadhar ruled Kalinga
- Founded the Bhoi Dynasty in Kalinga
1560 1568 - Mukunda Dev established Chalukya dynasty
- Kalapahad, the terror destroyed temples of Kalinga
1568 - Suleiman Karrani conquered Orissa
- End of Independence of Orissa
1590 - Mughals started conquering Orissa
1592 - First battle between Mughals and Afghans near Subarnarekha
- Fall of Sarangagarh Fort
1593 - King of Khurda surrendered before Mansingh
1611 1617 - Raja Todarmal divided Orissa as Moghulbandi and Garhjat
1617 - Subedar Mukarram Khan invaded Khurda
1625 - Dutch founded their first settlement at Pipli of Balasore District
1633 - East India Company established their first factory at Haripur in
Bay of Bengal Coast.
1660 1667 - Khan-i-Dauran took over Subahdarship of Orissa
1671 - East India Company granted free trade in Orissa during
the reign of Aurangzeb.
1751 - Maratha Rule began in Orissa
1766 - East India Company occupied Ganjam
1803 - Barabati Fort occupied by East India Company from Marathas
- Northern Orissa conquered by East India Company
1817 - Paika rebellion in Khurda
1835 - Ghumusar rebellion
1862 - Surendra Sai surrendered before Major Imphey
1866 - Orissa famine called Naonka Durvikshya occurred and took away major
lives
1882 - Utkal Sabha formed as Gourishankar Ray its Secretary
1895 - Meeting held at Cuttack under Chairmanship of Madhubabu and
resolution passed for amalgamation of Oriya speaking tracts.
ORISSA REFERENCE ANNUAL - 2009
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1898 - Madhubabu elected to Bengal Legislative Assembly
1903 - Union Conference began
1907 - Representation made to Royal Commission for a Union of Oriya speaking
tracks.
1909 - Satyabadi Bana Bidyalaya established (12th August)
1911 - Bihar-Orissa separated from Bengal province
1912 - Sitting of Jatiya Sammelan was held at Balasore for discussion about
creation of a separate province.
1913 - Orissa Tenancy Act passed
1914 - Monthly magazine Satyabadi was published from Satyabadi, Sakhigopal
being edited by Utkalmani Gopabandhu Das, and printed in Asha Press,
Berhampur.
1915 - Bagha Jatin died
1916 - Bamanda Suratarangini Saraswata Samiti conferred Saraswati title on
Fakir Mohan Senapati on 7th February.
1917 - Newspaper The Oriya started under editorship of Madhubabu for unification
of Oriya speaking tracts.
1918 - Satyabadi Press established at Sakhigopal
1919 - Weekly Samaj appeared from Satyabadi, Sakhigopal on 4th October.
1920 - Baripada-Bangiriposi railway line covering 37.20 kms was opened to traffic.
1921 - (24th March) Mahatma Gandhi came to Orissa
1922 - H.K. Mahatab was sentenced to one year Rigorous Imprisonment on
18th July on the charges of instigating the Kanika Rebellion.
1923 - Madhubabu resigned from the Ministership of Bihar Orissa Government
on 9th March.
1924 - Oriya Womens Association was formed at Berhampur along with the
First All Orissa Womens Conference at Cuttack.
1925 - (9th August) Gandhi came to Orissa
1926 - Gopabandhu Das opened an Widows Home called Jagannath Widows
Home at Puri to provided education to the helpless widows and train them
to earn their livelihood. Acharya Harihar Das remained in charge of the
Ashram
1927 - Gandhi came to Orissa
- Devastated flood in Balasore District
1927 - Kalicharan Patnaik was conferred with Kavichandra title by Gajapati
Ramachandra Dev, IV, Raja of Puri.
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ORISSA REFERENCE ANNUAL - 2009
1928 - Gandhi came to Sambalpur
- Utkalmani Gopabandhu Das passed away
1929 - Meeting of Utkal Provincial Congress Committee held at Cuttack
1930 - Volunteers prepared salt in connection with Salt Satyagraha at Inchudi in
Balasore district.
- (20th June) Meeting of Utkal Provincial Congress Committee held at
Balasore
1931 - Krushna Chandra Narayan Gajapati attended the First Round Table
Conference in London on 16th January and demanded for the formation
of a separate province of Orissa.
1932 - In the Second Round Table Conference on 7th September it was
decided that Orissa would be a separate province.
1933 - The first English Daily New Orissa was published by Sashibhusan Rath
from Asha Press, Berhampur by the help of Lingaraj Panigrahi.
1934 - (5th May) Gandhi came to Orissa
1935 - The Sikh Gurudwara at Kaliaboda in Cuttack town was constructed by the
active interest of Sardar Kartar Singh, a Professor in Chemistry, Revenshaw
College. It is believed the Guru Nanak halted here while on his way to
Puri.
1936 - (1st April) Orissa became a separate province
1937 - First Orissan Ministry formed
1938 - (25th March) Gandhi came to Orissa
- Gandhi attended Gandhi Sevasangh Annual Session at Berboi, Delang
in Puri district.
- Baji Rout died in police firing
1939 - (5th August) Subash Chandra Bose visited Cuttack
- Jaiprakash Narayan visited Cuttack
- (4th November) Congress Ministry in Orissa resigned
- Major General Bezelgate attacked and killed at Ranpur of the then Puri
district
- Netaji visited Orissa
- Endowment Commission started functioning
- Rabindranath Tagore visited Puri
1940 - Orissa Theatre founded by Kali Charan Patnaik at Cuttack
- Madala Panji edited by Prof. Artaballav Mohanty
1941 - Raghu Dibakar hanged in connection with Bezelgate murder
1942 - Lunia killing, nine people died in police firing
- 29 people died at Eram in police firing
1943 - Oriya songs transmitted for the first time from Calcutta Radio Station
ORISSA REFERENCE ANNUAL - 2009
43
- Eminent Communist leader Bhagabati Charan Panigrahi died
- Utkal University started functioning at Cuttack
1944 - K.C.Narayan Gajapati, the Prime Minister of Orissa resigned on 30th June.
1945 - 50 British Air Force aeroplanes bombed over village Mayagaon near
Rengoon on 12th February on a Azad Hind Fauz Camp, killing Oriya soldiers,
mostly hailing from Ganjam area.
- From July new colleges at Balasore, Sambalpur and Puri were started.
Rajendra College, Bolangir was started by R.N. Singhdeo, the Maharaja
of Bolangir with Intermediate Arts Classes.
1946 - (29th January) Gandhi came to Orissa
- Foundation stone of Hirakud Dam laid by Sir Hawthrone Lewis, Governor
of Orissa.
- Central Rice Research Institute established at Cuttack
1947 - Biju Patnaik made a daring flight to Indonesia to bring Indonesian Leaders
- Princely States merged with Orissa
1948 - Foundation stone for New Capital of Orissa laid at Bhubaneswar
- All India Radio, Cuttack founded
- High Court at Cuttack founded
1949 - Capital of Orissa shifted from Cuttack to Bhubaneswar
- Bolangir district formed
1950 - Orissa Territorial map with 13 districts published
1951 - Jawaharlal Nehru, the Prime Minister of India reached Jharsuguda on 13th
December on visit to Orissa.
1952 - Biju Patnaik donated an amount of 1,000 pound to UNESCO to institute
the Kalinga Prize.
- Both Oriya and English language introduced in Orissa Government
transactions
1953 - Rourkela Steel Plant founded
1954 - Agriculture College established at Bhubaneswar
- Official Language Act passed in Orissa Assembly to introduce Oriya in
official work.
1955 - Bhoodan lands distributed among the landless people of Orissa
1956 - Burla Engineering College established
- Prajamandal leader Sarangadhar Das died
- Construction of Rourkela Steel Plant began
1957 - Hirakud Dam inaugurated by Jawaharlal Nehru
- Orissa Sahitya Academy established
- Similipal Forest declared as National Park
- President of India Dr. Rajendra Prasad laid the foundation stone of
Museum building at Bhubaneswar.
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ORISSA REFERENCE ANNUAL - 2009
1958 - Mihir Sen of Cuttack crossed the English Channel
- Dandakaranya Development Project constituted
1959 - Orissa State Government established Lalitkala Academy
- Veer Surendra Sai Medical College at Burla started
1960 - Orissa State Archieves established at Bhubaneswar
- Nandankanan Zoological Park established
- Blind school established at Bhubaneswar
- First volume of Gyanamandal under the editorialship of Shri Binod
Kanungo published.
1961 - Orissa State Legislative Assembly building inaugurated
- Rourkela Engineering College started
1962 - Jawaharlal Nehru laid the foundation stone of Paradeep Port
- Sainik School at Bhubaneswar established
- Construction of Express Highway connecting from Daitari to Paradeep
began
- Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology established
1963 - Russian Cosmonauts Valentina Terescova visited Orissa
- Utkal University building inaugurated
1964 - Jawaharlal Nehru laid foundation stone of Thermal Power Station at
Talcher
1965 - Village Chaukidari System abolished.
1966 - Biswanath Das became President of Bharat Loksevak Mandal after the
death of Lal Bahadur Sastry, the Prime Minister of India.
1967 - Berhampur & Sambalpur University established
- Pandit Nilakantha Das died
1968 - Sambalpur University was inaugurated by the President of India on 5th
January. Freedom Fighter and Litereteur Radhanath Rath was honoured
with the Padmabhusan title.
1969 - V.V.Giri became President of India on 24th August.
1970 - A regional party named Utkal Congress was formed by Biju Patnaik.
1971 - Sri Jagannath Sanskrit University established at Puri
- Acharya Harihar Das passed away
- Lance Naik Albert Ekka posthumously awarded highest Gallantry Award
Param Veer Chakra for his heroic deeds in Bangaladesh War.
1972 - Severe cyclonic storm hit Orissa Coast
1973 - Cuttack-Paradeep Railway line opened for Traffic
- Foundation stone laid for Naval Training Centre at Chilika
1974 - Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati Narayan Dev passed away
ORISSA REFERENCE ANNUAL - 2009
45
1975 - Dr. J. V. Bolton felicitated by Orissa Sahitya Academy for his thesis on
Vyas Kabi Fakir Mohan Senapati.
- Salt Water Crocodile Research Centre established at Dangamal of
Bhitarkanika
1976 - The State Government made an Act called The Bonded Labour (Abolition)
Act-1976" to free bonded labourers.
1977 - Foundation stone laid for Fishery Research Centre at Kausalyaganga
1978 - Terrible Tornado hit Bandhagoda village of Keonjhar district
- Foundation stone laid for Upper Indravati Project
1979 - Sarala Puraskar founded by IMFA Public Charitable Trust
1980 - Prince Charles of England visited Orissa
- Biju Patnaik conferred as Bhoomi Putra title by Indonesian Government
1981 - NALCO established at Angul
1982 - Annual Conference of the Indian Road Congress was held at Bhubaneswar
on 23rd December.
1983 - Dr. H.K.Mahatab received the Kendriya Sahitya Academy Award for his
essay collection Gaan Mazjlis.
1984 - Foundation stone laid by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi for Ordnance
Factory at Saintala in Balangir district.
- OREDA set up at Bhubaneswar
- Ex-Chief Minister of Orissa Shri Nabakrushna Choudhury died
- Ex-Chief Minister of Orissa Shri Biswanath Das died
- Foundation stone laid for Talcher-Sambalpur Railway line
- Ex-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi addressed her last public meeting at
Bhubaneswar.
- Orissa Science Academy established
1985 - Eminent Sarvodaya leader & Bhoodan leader Rama Devi passed away
- First State level Lok Adalat held at Cuttack
1986 - Noted Editor of Gyanamandal Vinod Kanungo received Padmashree
Award
- Foundation stone laid for Pathani Samant Planetarium at Bhubaneswar
1987 - Ex-Chief Minister of Orissa Dr. Harekrushna Mahatab passed away
- Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium at Cuttack inaugurated
1987 - Harekrushna Mahatab State Library at Bhubaneswar inaugurated
- Sachidananda Routray received Gyanapitha Award
1988 - His Holiness Dalailama visited Orissa
- Cuttack Door Darshan Kendra started newscast in Oriya
1989 - Bhubaneswar Stock Exchange started functioning
- Foundation stone laid for IB-Thermal Electrical Project
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ORISSA REFERENCE ANNUAL - 2009
- Millennium Ceremony of Cuttack City inaugurated
- Rabi Ray elected as Speaker of Lok Sabha
- First test of Ballistic Missile Agni test-fired from Chandipur
1990 - Justice Ranganath Mishra sworn in as Chief Justice of Supreme Court of
India
1991 - Eminent litterateur Kalindi Charan Panigrahi passed away
- Mahila Vikas Samabaya Nigam constituted by Government of Orissa
1992 - Freedom Fighter Rajkrishna Bose passed away
1993 - Eminent Singer Balkrishna Das passed away
- Thirteen districts of Orissa re-organised and number increased to thirty
1994 - Similipal Reserve Forest declared Biosphere by Government of India
- Justice G.T. Nanavati sworn in as Chief Justice of Orissa High Court
1995 - Indonesia awarded their highest National title BINTANG JASUTTAM to
Biju Patnaik.
1996 - Navakalevara Festival of Lord Jagannath was celebrated at Puri.
1997 - Ex-Chief Minister Biju Patnaik passed away
- Eminent Archaeologist Dr. Satya Narayan Rajguru died
- Eminent Oddissi Dancer Sanjukta Panigrahi died
1998 - Radhanath Rath, Editor of Samaj passed away
- Social worker Malati Choudhury passed away
- Kalinga Stadium at Bhubaneswar inaugurated
- Talcher-Sambalpur Railway opened for Traffic
- 3rd SAARC Jamboree held at Khurda
1999 - Ballistic Missile Agni-II test-fired from Chandipur
- Fakir Mohan University at Balasore and Uttar Orissa University at Baripada
started functioning.
- Severe super cyclone devastated the Orissa Coast in the month of October
- Kujanga Gandhi Narayan Birabar Samanta died
- M. M. Rajendran sworn in as Governor of Orissa
2000 - Naveen Patnaik sworn in as the Chief Minister of Orissa on 5th March
- Utkal University of Culture inaugurated
2001 - Severe flood in Orissa
ORISSA REFERENCE ANNUAL - 2009
47
2002 - Severe drought in Orissa
2003 - Justice Sujit Burman Roy became the Chief Justice of Orissa High Court
- Severe flood in Orissa.
- Renowned poet Binod Nayak passed away on 15.11.2003
2004 - Padmashree award to Indian hockey defender Dilip Tirkey, Nrutya Guru
Maguni Charan Das & Dramatist Manoranjan Das.
- Dr. Prafulla Mohanty nominated for Kendra Sahitya Academy Award.
- Doyen of Odissi Dance Kelucharan Mahapatra passed away on 7.4.2004.
- Rupa Mishra an Oriya lady became the I.A.S. topper on 7.5.2004.
- Naveen Patnaik sworn in as the Chief Minister of Orissa for the second
term on 16.5.2004.
- Pioneer of Modern Oriya literature Padmashree Sachi Routray passed
away on 21.8.2004.
- Poet Guru Prasad Mohanty passed away on 26.8.2004.
- Eminent poet Purnananda Dani passed away.
- Short-story writer, novelist and essayist Kishori Charan Das passed away.
- Dr. Subas Pani joined as Chief Secretary of Orissa on 1.9.2004.
- Ex-Chief Minister of Orissa Sri Nilamani Routray passed away on
4.10.2004.
- Shri Rameshwar Thakur sworn in as the new Governor of Orissa on
17.11.2004.
2005 - BJD, MLA & Dy. Chief Whip Shri Sankarsan Naik passed away in a road
accident.
- Mining Cess Policy introduced.
- Renowned litterateur, essayist and critic of Oriya literature Chintamani
Behera passed away on 7.3.2005.
- Retired Judge and well cultured personality Justice Naba Kumar Das
passed away on 11.3.2005.
- Financial Accountability bill passed by Orissa Legislative Assembly.
- Introduction of VAT.
- Right to Information Act implemented in the State alongwith constitution of
State Information Commission on 20.10.2005
- Edu-Sat project inaugurated.
- Hon'ble President of India's two day visit to Orissa (26th & 27th December).
2006 - Government of Orissa enters into an MOU with Creative Ports Pvt. Ltd. for
setting up a port at Kirtania in Balasore district
- Vedanta Foundation signs agreement to set up Vedanta University in Puri
district.
- Foundation stone of Sports Academy laid by Chief Minister
- Portrait of legendary leader Biju Patnaik unveiled in the Central Hall of
Parliament.
48
ORISSA REFERENCE ANNUAL - 2009
- President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam lays foundation stone of International
Institute of Information Technology at Gothapatna near Bhubaneswar.
- Gopabandhu Gramin Yojana inaugurated.
- Biju KBK Yojana initiated
- Former Chief Minister Smt. Nandini Satpathy passed away.
- Three-tier Panchayt Elections held.
- Mittal-Arcelor signs MOU to set up a steel plant in Orissa.
2007 - The Orissa Tableau exhibited at the Republic Day - 2007 at New Delhi
adjudged as the best in the whole country.
- Ashok Ganguly became Hon'ble Chief Justice of Orissa High Court.
- Prabodh Trikey selected as the Captain of Indian Hockey Team.
- Murlidhar Chandrakant Bhandare sworn in as Governor of Orissa.
- Commemoration of 150th year anniversary of 1st war of Indian Independence
at Sardar Ballabh Bhai Patel Hall, Old Assembly.
2008 - Police Commissionerate in twin city of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack
commenced.
- Kalpana Das brought glory to the State by climbing Everest mountain.
- Saheed Pramod Satapathy posthumously conferred with country's
prestigious gallantry award 'Ashok Chakra'
- New Agriculture Policy - 2008 introduced in the State.
2009 - Shri Naveen Patnaik took over charge as Chief Minister of Orissa for the 3rd consecutive term.
- Ms. Padmini Rout (Chess Player) selected for Ekalavya Award.
- Eminent Historian Dr. M.N. Das passed away.
- Janaki Ballav Pattnaik received 'Atibadi Jagannath' award.
- Ignace Tirkey conferred with prestigious Arjun award.
- 'Prince Dance Group' from Ganjam adjudged best in India's Got Talent.