Freedom fighter, veteran parliamentarian is known to his countless fans and followers as a multi ascated personality who has left his foot print on various fields. A versatile generous as he was his contribution to various fields like freedom struggle, politics, journalism, trade unionism and above all to literature is remarkable.
Born in a small hamlet named Khandasahi in the undivided district of Cuttack on 11th February 1913. Surendranath on his early schooling at Asureswar. Later on he joined Ravenshaw Collegiate School for higher education. During his schooling days at Cuttack he was influenced by the teaching of Rmakrushna Paramhansh later on the Gandhian impact on him strengthened his conviction to lead an honest, truthful and transparent life.
In 1930 he left his study to join a Civil Disobedience Movement and became a full-fledged Satyagrahi. For his participation in Salt Satyagraha he was imprisoned in the Hazaribag jail and on his release from the jail he did not rejoin the school and became an vowed freedom fighter and social activist. He threw off his sacred thread symbolizing his brahmical identity and took a vow not to marry till India becomes independent. He sticked to his vow and got married to Gayatri Devi, a product of Gurukul Aryakanya Vidyalaya at Kangra without priest and sacred thread. His married life however was short and his wife breathed his last in September 1950.Therefafter he never thought of remarriage and was married rather to politics and social services. An analysis of his works and achievements in various fields will be a befitting tribute to the immortal soul of this late lamented leader.
SURENDRANATH DWIVEDY AN INDIAN STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM
Right from childhood Sj Dwivedy was known for his love for liberty. The recitation of hymns from Saptasati Chandi by his maternal uncle Pandit Akul Mishra, the founder of Cuttack Trading company on the occasion of Durgapuja had deeply Influenced the young mind of Surendranath to be courgeous, honest and to fight outThe evils like Goddess Durga. He joined the Civil Disobedience Movement in 1930 And continued to be a bonafide member of the Indian National Congress from 1930 to 1948. During this long 18 years he has left indelible mark on various phases of Indian Struggle for freedom. For his active participation in the Salt Satyagraha, he was arrested and imprisoned in the Patna Camp jail from 1930 to 1933.As a disciplined Congress activist he participated in various movements and programmes launched by the Indian National Congress.
Sri Dwivedy chiefly remembered for his role in the Quit India Movement 1942.Vertually he was the Hero on August Revolution in Odisha. On 8th August 1942 when Gandhi gave clarion call for Quit India from the Gowalier Tank Maidan of Bomby, Sj Dwivedy was present there. The next day of the Khdiclad congress workers were arrested and inturned in the Ahmmednagr Fort.But Sri Dwivedy managed to escape arrest in the disguise of a cooli and reached Bhubaneswar with Malati Choudhury via Vijag Nagar.He stayed the night at Bhubaneswar in the disguise of a Bengali piligrim and the next day in the dead of night crossed the overflowing river Kathajodi in a small boat, He went underground and stayed in the home of Nandi Sahoo of Alisa Bazar. From this underground hide out, he orgninised August Revolution in Odisha on a mssive scale.His messege to different parts of Odisha were circulated through Cigarrarte packets by young group of students volunteers.Ultimately he was arrested and various criminal charges framed against himconvinced many that he would be hanged. But the Irish. Judge sentenced him to 6 years of rigorous imprisonment.He however was released after the end of Second World War when Congress Ministry was formed In 1946. He acted as the General Secretary of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee in 1946-47.In view of his major role in freedom struggle, he was taken as a member of Congress Centenary Committee and the Convenor of 125th Birthday Celebration Committee of Mahatma Gandhi. During freedom struggle he had come in close contact with great leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Netaji Subash Bose.
PARLIAMENTARY EXPERIENCE
Sri Dwivedy entered into the Parliament in 1952 as the member of the Rajya Sabha and continued in the capacity till 1956.In 1957 he was elected to the Lok Sabha where he continued for the successive terms till 1970.As Crusader against political corruption he made his mark as a great parliamentarian. Even Pt, Jawaharlal Nehru , the Prime Minister of India had a great regards for Sri Dwivedy and had deputed him to various foreign countries in the delegation with the parliamentarians. It was because of his bevement opposition and criticism during SINO Indian War, Christomenon was forced to resign. He was the leader of the Praja Socialist Party in the Parliament from 1962 to 1970. Even after the death of Pt. Nehru he enjoyed the said status and respect as stalwart parliamentarian during the resume of Lal Bahadur Shastri and Mrs Indira Gandhi. His drive against corruption also forced the State Ministry of Odisha headed by Biren Mitra to resign. As a parliamentarian he enjoyed the confidence of all front line leaders like Moraraji Desai, Prof.Madhu Dandavate, Nath Pai, Ram Monohr Lohia, Ashok Mehta, Aruna Saif Ali and many others. His fame as a Parliamentarian was perhaps the prime consideration for which Sri Chandrasekhar, the Prime Minister of India was obliged to recommend for his appointment as the Governor of Arunachal Pradesh in 1991.His speeches in the Parliamentary Debates recorded in the proceedings both the houses of Parliament bear evident testimony to his repute as a strong Parliamentarian.
PEASANT MOVEMENT.
Sri Dwivedy was one of the pioneers of peasant movement in Odisha. After the formation of Congress socialist Party in Odisha in 1933, he paid more attention to the pitiable plights of the farmers both in the Mogal bandi and gadjat area. He was the main organisor of Krushak Sangha and was involved in the Praja Mandal Movement or States people movement in gadjat states of Dhenkanal, Talcher and Bonai. It was under his inspiration that the Praja Mandal Organisation was formed in the State of Bonai in 1939. Krushak the mouth piece of Odisha Krushak Sangha was edited by him and his innumerable articles on the problems of the agriculture and agriculturist in Odisha were published in the Journal.
Even after independence he did not saver his connection with Peasant Movement and Odisha Krushak Sangha. The first meeting of the provincial Peasant Organisation held at Tangi near Choudwar in the District of Cuttack on 21st September 1947 was basically the brain work of Sri Dwivedy. This meeting organized under the chairmanship of his comrade Gourang Chandra Das demanded for abolition Zamidary, fixation ceiling distribution of Anabadi land to the landless people. Like wise the first meeting of Odisha Socialist Party held under his leadership at Balasore on 13th April 1948 demanded for consolidation of land, supply of seed and fertilizer to the farmers at subsidized rates, fixation of the share of the share croppers at the rate 2/3rd of the harvest and grant agriculture loans with marginal rate of interest to the farmers. In 1949 Sri Dwivedy along with Sri Banka Bihari Das and Sri Nishamani Khuntia organized a conference of farmers at Bhubaneswar which was attended by 3000 farmers from different parts of Odisha. This conference demanded for a land reforms, fixation of the price of the agricultural products, employment of unemployed rural labours. Sj. Nabakrushna Choudhury the then Chief Minister of Odisha and Sj. Radhanath Rath Finance Minister assured Sri Dwivedy to consider these demands sympathetically.
Under the leadership of Sri Dwivedy another organization of the Jute cultivators was formed and the Annual conference of this organization were organized at places like Kendrapara in 1953 and 1957, at Marsaghai in 1961, at Chandole 1964-65 and Kendupatana. Jhota Chasi Sangha as this organization was named demanded for the supply of Fertilizer to the Jute cultivators at subsidized rates, establishment of Jute Mills in Odisha, fixation of reasonable price for the jute products and formation of Jute trading corporation. He voiced the problems of the Odisha farmers in floor of Parliament and it was because of his consistent demand jute mills were established at Kendupatana and Dhanmandal. In this way he invigourated Peasant Movement in Odisha.
