Question

Discuss the movement in Orissa for the formation of the state on a linguistic basis.

Answer 1

The movement for a separate Oriya-speaking state began in the early 20th century. Oriya speakers were spread across different provinces under British rule, such as Bengal, Bihar, and the Central Provinces. They felt neglected and feared the loss of their language and culture. Leaders like Madhusudan Das and Gopabandhu Das demanded the unification of Oriya-speaking areas into a single province. Their persistent efforts and petitions convinced the British government of the need to respect linguistic identity. As a result, Orissa (now Odisha) was created as the first state on a linguistic basis in 1936.