Bhubaneswar,Jan 19: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has appealed to Madhya Pradesh government to install a statue of Veer Surendra Sai at the Asirgarh fort, among other freedom fighters.
At the same time he has urged the CM of Madya Pradesh to set up a memorial of Odisha’s legendary freedom fighter Veer Surendra Sai at the historical fort.
In a letter to Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Friday, Pradhan wrote, valiant freedom fighter of Odisha's Sambalpur region, Veer Surendra Sai holds a special place in Odisha history for his contribution and sacrifice during the freedom struggle.
Tribal communities led by Surendra Sai had raised an indomitable revolt against the British rule in 1849. They fought against the Britishers through guerrilla warfare from 1857 to 1862 and panicked the British troops.
Apart from Sai, his son Mitrabhanu and three brothers, Udanta, Dhrub and Medini, were lodged at the Asirgarh Fort after the 1957 revolt.
Sai spent at least 37 years in the prison and was martyred on February 28, 1884. Similarly Sai’s brother Udanta spent around 47 years in the jail and he died in 1894 in the prison.
Worth mentioning, based on the requests of Surendra Sai Statue Installation Committee and Odisha Sanskrutika Samaj, Sambalpur, Pradhan has requested the CM to install a statue of Surendra Sai riding a horse at the Asirgarh Fort.
