Nabakrushna Choudhury was born on 23rd November 1901 at Cuttack. His father Gokulananda Choudhury was a great advocate. Noticing Naba krushna’s interest in games and sports, his father arranged him a private tutor. He passed his matriculation from Peary Mohan Academy. Then he went to Ravenshaw College, Cuttack for higher studies. But influenced by the independent struggle in Russia, he left the college and joined in the freedom struggle of India. He went to Sabarmati Ashram and learned the whole process of making Khadi from Gandhiji. Then he came back to Odisha and organized Gandhian Constructive Programmes. In 1925, he went to Shantiniketan to meet and study under Rabindranath Tagore.
During Salt Satyagraha, Naba babu was the frontline leader, for which he was sent behind bar for four months. This was his first imprisonment. When Odisha became a separate province in 1st April 1936, Naba babu contested in elections of Odisha Legislative Assembly and won. He worked hard to make Odia official language of Odisha. He also made efforts and succeeded to stop Naxalites in Koraput. Naba babu died from a massive heart attack on 24th June 1984 but his work and contribution to the state is still on the lips of people.
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