Bhubaneswar, Feb 24: Marking the birth centenary of India’s youngest martyr, Baji Rout, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has urged Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat to organize a grand national-level commemoration in New Delhi.

In a letter to the Ministry of Culture, Pradhan emphasized the need to honour the unparalleled courage and supreme sacrifice of the young freedom fighter through a befitting tribute at the national capital.

Pradhan highlighted that Baji Rout was born on October 5, 1926, in Nilakanthapur village of Dhenkanal district in Odisha. At the tender age of just 12, he displayed unmatched bravery by refusing to ferry British forces across a river. On October 11, 1938, at the Nilakanthapur ghat, he was shot dead for his defiance.

His martyrdom gave a decisive turn to the Garjat movement and strengthened the broader Indian freedom struggle. His supreme sacrifice remains a timeless symbol of patriotism and moral courage.

Emphasizing that Baji Rout is not merely a regional hero of Odisha but a national icon representing youthful patriotism, Pradhan noted that the birth centenary year began on October 5, 2025, and will be observed through October 5, 2026, with year-long commemorative programs.

The Chief Minister of Odisha has also announced that the centenary will be formally celebrated at the state level in collaboration with the Shaheed Baji Rout Memorial Foundation.

To mark this historic occasion in a memorable way, Pradhan has proposed organizing a “National Students and Youth Conference” titled “The Immortal Saga of Shaheed Baji Rout: Inspiring Youth Power for Nation-Building.”

The conference would aim to inspire young minds by recounting the heroic legacy of the young martyr and encouraging a sense of responsibility toward the nation.

The proposal includes organizing seminars, interactive discussions, exhibitions, lectures, essay-writing competitions, cultural performances, and contests focused on lesser-known freedom fighters at school, college, and university levels. The core objective is to create awareness among students and youth about Baji Rout’s patriotism and to instill in them a deeper sense of duty toward the motherland.

If organized under the aegis of the Ministry of Culture at the national level, the program would provide a platform to bring together students and young people from across the country, fostering unity and renewed commitment to the ideals of sacrifice, courage, and nation-building that Baji Rout so powerfully embodied.