| Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati | |
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Stamp on Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati |
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| Born | 26 April 1892 Paralakhemundi, Orissa |
| Died | 25 May 1974 (aged 82) Paralakhemundi |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Ethnicity | Oriya |
| Occupation | King of Paralakhemundi, Social Activist, Philanthropist |
| Known for | Founder of Orissa state |
| Title | first Prime Minister of the state of Orissa |
| Political movement | Formation of Independent Orissa state |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Parents | Shri Goura Chandra Gajapati Smt. Radhamani Devi |
Krushna Chandra Gajapati (Oriya: ମହାରାଜା କୃଷ୍ଣଚନ୍ଦ୍ର ଗଜପତି ନାରାୟଣ ଦେବ) (26 April 1892 - 25 May 1974), popularly known as Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati Narayana Dev, was the key personality in the formation of Independent Orissa state. He is regarded as the architect of modern Orissa state. The present Gajapati District of Orissa has been named after him. He was the Honorary Captain in the First World War.
He had great interest in Oriya literature, art, music, culture, sports, games and horse-riding (in which sport he himself excelled).
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Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati Narayan Dev, the scion of the great Ganga Dynasty of Paralakhemundi was born on 26 April 1892 to the king of Paralakhemundi Shri Goura Chandra Gajapati and Smt. Radhamani Devi.
Shri Gajapathi had his elememtary education at the local Maharaja High School of Paralakhemundi and then entered the exclusive Newington College in Madras for higher studies. During his studies in Madras, he lost his father Shri Goura Chandra Gajapati. After completing his studies at Madras he returned to Paralakhemundi and in the year 1913 married to princess of Kharasuan State. In the same year he held the reign of the State on 26 April 1913.
Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati was the pivot of the Oriya movement for the formation of Independent Orissa state on the basis of Language and homogeneity. He spent extensively from his royal treasury to materialize this effort. Utkal Gourav Madhusudan Das, Utkalamani Gopabandhu Das, Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati, Fakir Mohan Senapati and other eminent members of Utkal Sammilani decided to demand a separate Orissa state with an amalgamation of Oriya speaking areas in the then Orissa-Bihar-Bengal province. This proposal was approved In the Bihar-Orissa Legislative Assembly. As a member of the Utkal Sammilani, he put forward the proposal of a separate Orissa state in the first Round table conference held in London on 16 November 1930.
Finally, after the undying effort of Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati and Utkal Sammilani, the separate state of United Orissa was formed on 1 April 1936. From that day, 1 April is being celebrated by the Oriya people as Utkal Divas. In 1937, the first Governor of Orissa, Sir John Austin Hubbak invited Krushna Chandra Gajapati Dev to form the cabinet. Shri Gajapati was the first Prime Minister of the Orissa state from 1 April 1937 to 18 July 1937. Later on he was the Prime Minister of Orissa for the second time from 24 November 1941 to 30 June 1944.
He was instrumental in the establishment of the Utkal University, the SCB Medical College and also the famous Central Rice Research Institute in Bidyadharpur, Cuttack, which is one of the biggest of its kind in Asia. He set up many hospitals, schools, colleges, industrial institutions, modern agricultural farms and provided a record number of 1281 irrigation sagars or water-tanks in his agriculturally dominant native taluk. It is the reason, the undivided Ganjam District got the title 'the rice-bowl of Orissa'. Scholarships were awarded to thousands of poor and meritorious students for pursuing studies in humanities, science, agriculture, medicine, engineering etc.
Shri Krushna Chandra Gajapati was an Honorary Captain in the First World War. He received a rare Sanad in 1920 from the then Viceroy and Governor General of India, in recognition of his services rendered to the Indian Army during the Great War and as a mark of commendation. He was the Member of the Royal Commission on Agriculture, under the Chairmanship of Lord Linlithgow. He was also the Member of the Madras Legislative Council.
Honorary Doctorates by the Utkal University and the Berhampur University were awarded to him. The prestigious Knighthood of K.C.I.E. was also conferred on him by the King of England. He was one among the founding fathers of the Indian Constitution, being a Member of the Constituent Assembly of India as well. His contribution to horse-racing and his encouragement for horsebreeding in India are notable.
The worthy son of Orissa, Sri Krushna Chandra Gajapathi passed away very peacefully on the 25 May 1974 at the age of 82, leaving behind numerous relatives, friends, admirers and wellwishers to mourn his irreparable loss. He was accorded a state funeral by the Government of Orissa and was cremated with full honours at Paralakhemundi.