Orissa Day (Oriya: ଓଡ଼ିଶା ଦିବସ) (also Odisha Day or Utkal Dibasa) is celebrated on 1 April in Orissa in the memory of the formation of the state as a separate province on 1 April 1936. After losing its complete political identity in 1568 following the defeat and demise of the last Hindu king Mukunda Deba, efforts resulted into the formation of a politically separate state under British rule on linguistic basis on 1 April 1936.[1]
The main revolution for the separate state was continued for three decades from the very day of formation of Utkal Sammilani that lead the foundation of a separate Orissa Province. The movement was more intensed with the leadership of Utkala Gouraba Madhusudan Das, Utkala mani Gopabandhu Das, Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati, Pandita Nilakantha Das, Fakir Mohan Senapati, Gangadhar Meher, Sir Basudeba Sudhaladeba, Radhanath Ray, Bhubanananda Das, A. P. Patro and many others with the support of the public. The newly formed Orissa consisted of six districts namely Cutack, Puri, Baleswar, Sambalpur, Koraput and Ganjam having its capital at Cuttack. Sir John Austin Hubbak took oath of office and became the first Governor of Orissa Province.[1][2][3]