The Samaja and Lok Sevak Mandal organise a mega blood donation drive in Bhubaneswar to mark Utkalamani Pandit Gopabandhu Das’s 98th death anniversary
OdishaPlus Bureau
Some tributes are remembered for a day. Others live on through the lives they touch. To commemorate the 98th death anniversary of Utkalamani Pandit Gopabandhu Das, Bhubaneswar witnessed one such tribute as hundreds came together to donate blood and carry forward his enduring message of service to humanity.
Upholding Utkalamani Gopabandhu Das’ timeless ideal of “Manab Seva Hi Madhab Seva”—service to humanity is service to God—a mega blood donation camp was organised in Bhubaneswar as part of the “Seva O Sevak” campaign. The initiative was jointly organised by the Lok Sevak Mandal and leading Odia daily “Samaja”, founded by Gopabandhu Das himself, in collaboration with “We for Bhubaneswar”.
The camp was held at the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Ward No. 45 office premises at Kalpana Square. The Rotary Club of Bhubaneswar Neeladri, Mission Raktadan, Odisha Abhibhabak Mahasangha (OAM), along with several other social and voluntary organisations, extended their support.
Odisha Assembly Speaker Surama Padhy inaugurated the camp and said that remembering Gopabandhu through an act as noble as blood donation was a meaningful way of paying tribute to the legendary social reformer. The occasion also saw guests encourage blood donors and participate in a tree plantation drive at a nearby park.
The event brought together people from different walks of life, including Bhubaneswar Mayor Sulochana Das, MLA Babu Singh, Banki MLA Debi Ranjan Tripathy, former MLA Priyadarshi Mishra, BMC Commissioner Chanchal Rana, Lok Sevak Mandal National Treasurer and Samaja Printer and Publisher Rajendra Kumar Jena, senior social worker Niranjan Mishra, Jagannath Pradhan, Amaresh Jena, Samaja Chief Manager Gopinath Barik, Editor Tapan Mishra and News Editor Anupam Praharaj, among others.
A large number of members of social and voluntary organisations, along with local residents, participated voluntarily in the drive. In doing so, they gave living expression to the values that defined Gopabandhu Das—selflessness, compassion and an unwavering commitment to the welfare of others.
Naren Sahu and Umakant Mishra from “We for Bhubaneswar”, along with others, extended their support to the initiative, while the entire team of the Bhubaneswar edition of “Samaja” coordinated the programme.
For many donors who rolled up their sleeves and gave a part of themselves, the act was more than a routine blood donation. Each unit of blood represented a gesture of compassion—an anonymous gift that could mean another heartbeat, another family reunited, or another life saved.
Gopabandhu’s life was built around the belief that serving people was the highest form of devotion. Decades after his passing, that philosophy continues to find meaning in simple acts of kindness. A blood donation, a helping hand, a tree planted for the future—each becomes a small but powerful reminder of the society he envisioned.
The mega blood donation drive, therefore, was not merely an event to mark a death anniversary. It was a reminder that the best way to remember a life dedicated to humanity is to serve humanity ourselves.