Nishamani Khuntia fought against social injustices, led movements for Harijana inclusion in temples and opposed animal sacrifices, advocating for equality and reform
Bhaskar Parichha
Nishamani Khuntia was a distinguished individual from Odisha, India, celebrated for his role as a freedom fighter and political leader. He actively participated in India’s independence movement and is recognized among the notable freedom fighters from Jagatsinghpur, Odisha, alongside prominent figures such as Sarala Devi and Gopabandhu Choudhury.
His activism also included serving as the secretary of the United Socialist Party of Orissa. In 1964, he was apprehended during a time of civil unrest in Odisha, characterized by student protests and confrontations with law enforcement in locations like Cuttack and Berhampur.
Nishamani Khuntia was born on March 1, 1925, in the village of Sahasa Sasan in Tirtol, Jagatsinghpur, to Mandardhar Khuntia and Sushila Devi. Coming from a farming family, Nishamani completed his initial education in Cuttack and gradually became engaged in the freedom struggle during his high school years at Ravenshaw Collegiate School in Cuttack. While pursuing his Intermediate Arts at Ravenshaw College, the Second World War commenced.
During this period, Nishamani encountered Surendra Nath Dwivedy, a young Socialist leader of Congress in 1940, who served as the Secretary of the United Press of India. When Dwivedy was clandestinely organizing a group for the Quit India Movement in Cuttack in 1942, Nishamani assumed the role of his chief coordinator.
He participated in the arson of the Saanra Kothi and Erasama Police station under Dwivedy’s direction, which led to his arrest and a four-year imprisonment. However, his time in prison proved beneficial for his intellectual development. He engaged in debates on the theory of Socialism with fellow inmates. Consequently, he remained committed to socialist ideals throughout his life following his release in 1946.
When Ramanandan Mishra arrived in Odisha and founded the Odisha branch of the Congress Socialist Party, Nishamani became an engaged member of the organization. He also served as the president of the Hindu Kishan Panchayat of the Odisha Division, which was established by the Congress Socialist Party in 1948.
Additionally, he was involved in numerous movements aimed at combating various social injustices and forms of exploitation. He took a prominent role in the campaign against Manapur Matha Mahanta, advocating for the inclusion of Harijanas in the temple and the cessation of animal sacrifices.
In 1952, he was elected to the Odisha Legislative Assembly representing Tirol and assumed the position of chief of the Socialist Party. In this capacity, he demonstrated his effectiveness as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA).
Furthermore, he was instrumental in the formation of the labour union at Paradeep port, which eventually became one of the most influential and militant labour unions in Odisha. Tragically, he passed away in a car accident on 6 August 1982 at the relatively young age of 57. Nishamani Khuntia remains a torchbearer of social thought in Odisha.
