Country must know sacrifice of our heroes, says Min Dharmendra Pradhan
KUDOPALI: Union Education minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday paid glowing tributes to freedom fighters of Sambalpur and said the country must know the sacrifices of heroes like Udanth Sai and Chhabila Sai who have been neglected in the pages of history.
During the tribute meeting and Tiranga padayatra organised in memory of Veer Chhabila Sai and 57 others who attained martyrdom while fighting the British at Kudopali ghat on this day in 1857, the union minister said Sambalpur is a land of struggle and sacrifice and the historic Kudopali is a symbol of its sacrifice and heroism.
“We are not working to change history but to make history bigger. This country should know the sacrifices of heroes like Udanth Sai, Chhabila Sai who have been neglected in the pages of history,” he said.
The Tiranga Padayatra which started from VSS Kudopali school and culminated at Veer Chhabila Sai Smarakiya saw a huge turnout.
Earlier on Sunday, the union minister unveiled the book ‘The Saga of Kudopali: The Unsung Story of 1857’, which he said is an effort to bring the history of Kudopali to the national and international level. “As a grateful society, it is our duty to pay our respects to the martyrs. We will continue our efforts to bring unsung heroes to the limelight,” he added.
Pradhan said Hirakud is an identity of Odisha. As a witness of history in its surrounding area, Debrigarh sanctuary holds immense potential for tourism, he said.
The union minister praised the exhibition organised by the youth of Veer Chhabila Sai Memorial Committee to bring the history of Kudopali, including revolutionary Surendra Sai, to the new generation. He thanked the villagers for keeping the glorious memory of Kudopali alive.
