Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday, 24 June 2026, paid floral tributes to former Chief Minister and freedom fighter Nabakrushna Choudhury on his death anniversary, garlanding the statue installed in the premises of the Odisha Vidhan Sabha in Bhubaneswar.

Posting in Odia on X, CM Majhi wrote: 'ଜନସାଧାରଣଙ୍କ କଲ୍ୟାଣ ତଥା ପ୍ରଗତି ପାଇଁ ତାଙ୍କର ସେବା ଓ ନିଷ୍ଠା ସଦାସର୍ବଦା ଅବିସ୍ମରଣୀୟ' — ['His service and dedication to public welfare and progress will always be unforgettable']. He described Choudhury as 'a unique symbol of simple living, clean governance, and high thinking,' adding that his ideals, principles, and values would continue to inspire efforts toward building 'a prosperous, developed, and self-respecting Odisha.'

Context

Nabakrushna Choudhury served as the first elected Chief Minister of Odisha from 1950 to 1956, a formative period in the state's post-independence governance. He was closely associated with the freedom movement and was known for his austere personal life and commitment to public service. His death anniversary is observed annually as an occasion to recall his contributions to Odisha's early state-building.

The statue at the Odisha Vidhan Sabha premises serves as the focal point for official tributes, and successive chief ministers across party lines have maintained the practice of garlanding it on significant dates connected to Choudhury's life and legacy.

Policy Backdrop

Choudhury's tenure as Chief Minister coincided with the consolidation of Odisha as a state and the implementation of early land and welfare measures in the immediate post-independence era. His governance philosophy — centred on simplicity, transparency, and people-first administration — has been invoked by leaders of different political persuasions over the decades.

CM Majhi, who assumed office in 2024 following the BJP's victory in the state assembly elections, has framed his administration's goals around development and good governance — themes that resonate with Choudhury's own political legacy. The tribute aligns with a broader pattern in Odisha's political culture of drawing continuity from figures who embodied clean and inclusive administration.

Stakeholders and Impact

For Odia citizens and state legislators, annual observances such as this reinforce institutional memory of leaders who shaped the state's democratic foundations. Choudhury's legacy holds particular resonance for communities that associate his tenure with grassroots welfare and integrity in public life.

The tribute also carries symbolic weight for the current government, which has positioned clean governance and state pride as central to its agenda. By publicly invoking Choudhury's ideals, CM Majhi signals an intent to anchor contemporary policy goals in a historically respected framework of public service.

What's Next

Subsequent Odisha Vidhan Sabha sessions may see references to Choudhury's legacy in debates around governance and welfare policy. State programmes framed around clean administration or historical continuity could draw further on the ideals highlighted in CM Majhi's tribute. The annual observance is expected to remain a fixture in the state's official calendar, reinforcing cross-party acknowledgment of Odisha's founding-era leaders.