Late Nrusingha Guru was born on the day of Dola Purnima in 1902 in a remote village named Gurupali under Sason police station of Sambalpur district. He was an excellent student and own scholarship. He evinced keen interest in the Indian National Movement being inspired by Mahatma Gandhi when he was a student of Class IX in Sambalpur Zilla School in 1921. In response to the call of Mahatma Gandhi he left Zilla school and joined the National School at Sambalpur. Shri Guru came in personal contact of Mahatma Gandhi and Smt. Kasturaba Gandhi when they visited Sambalpur in 1928. He was deeply inspired by the simplicity of Gandhiji and Gandhi's way of living and his principles. Since then until his death Shri Guru put on a Khadi dhoti, which never descended beyond his knees and put on a Khadi Chadar. Shri Guru walked and worked bare foot. He even used a bamboo umbrella. He was a true Gandhian.
Sri Guru did not eat sugar as this was prepared from molasses by using British Machines. He ate molasses. He joined the Salt Satyagraha, the Civil Disobedience Movement and went to jail in 1930. In 1942 he courted arrest and went to jail during Quit India Movement. He organized many meetings, processions and spread the message of independence even in remote villages of western part of Orissa. He was a true patriot and freedom fighter.
Although he was born to a conservative Brahmin family, and was deeply influenced by the spirituality of his parents, but took up constructive programmes for the upliftment of Harijans. He never believed in caste and spent considerable time and money in managing a hostel for the Harijan students in Sambalpur and always looked for their welfare. He spread the message on the demerits of drinking liquor and always thought that a self respecting man can not prefer to remain outside the prison under an unjust British Government. He believed in social reconstruction and worked for good communal relation between different castes and people of different religions. He was one of the leading lights in the annals of freedom fighters of Sambalpur zone. After independence he preferred to keep himself away from political activities and took up journalism as his profession. He was fearless and an investigating journalist who always wrote impartial and true information to 'Samaj' the leading Oriya daily. He made extensive tours of villages and always sent most authentic news.
He was a man of faith and was a link between the society, social reconstruction and the Government. He was a humanist, practical idealist, a social reformer and also made his mark as a journalist. He was rightly addressed by people of western part of Orissa with love as "Gandhi of Western Orissa'. He breathed his last on 2nd January, 1984 away from Sambalpur in the house of his father in law in Sarangad, Madhyapradesh.
Although it is not a policy of the University to publish biographies yet the Publication committee of the University made an exception considering the eminence of late Shri Guru and for his signal contributions in different fields. I wish to record our appreciation of Prof. Chittaranjan Mishra for writing the biography of this eminent personality with a historical touch and bringing many new facts of his personality. I also hope that this publication will provide motivation to the future generation to work the cause of Indian values and for the Motherland.
This handy volume Nrusingha Guru is a portrayal concise and clear of the role the commanding personality played in the struggle for National Independence. It presents also his ideas on the socio-political system and on the National order. The reader is introduced directly to the contributions, rich and direct, in the particular field. The presentation has not been wedged by unnecessary details, descriptions and comments. The effort has been to pick up the grain without getting lost in the chaff. Observations emphasizing particular aspects have been of course made here and there.
Since Nrusingha Guru has been dealt indepen-dently, repeated reference to some of the common events, in relation to him, obviously were unavoidable. Also reference to the events had to be segmented due to the nature of work. To indicate the proper co-relation of events during the Non Co-operation Movement and Civil Disobedience Movement covering the national events indicating the impact on the freedom struggle has been provided for better understanding and clarity. It adds to narration a distinct comprehensiveness.
The Introduction, provides the reader a peep into the manner in which the political ideas were adopted in. Sambalpur from time to time by different freedom fighters. Their impact on the general people has been specially emphasized.
Nrusingha Guru is based on the authentic material. The works I have drawn upon are by close associates having clear insight and understanding. I express my grateful thanks to them for the ideas and inspirations I derived from their works.
I am profoundly indebted to Prof. D.R. Naik, the then Vice-Chancellor, Sambalpur University for his active and united efforts, keen interest and constant endeavour. But for his encouraging words this handy volume would not have taken its present shape. I record my deep gratitude to Prof. M.C. Dash, Vice-Chancellor, Sambalpur University for his invaluable help. I am also thankful to esteemed Hemanta Kumar Mohapatra, Journalist New Indian Express and Bhagabat Prasad Nanda, erudite social worker for their ungrudging help to me. Among the well wisher and friend who encouraged me all along is Sri Durga Prasad Padhi, the Senator. I am grateful to him. I am confident that the reader will find this presentation useful and rewarding.
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