Bhubaneswar: The Madhu Babu Memorial Museum will be established on the campus of Shailabala Women’s Autonomous College, Cuttack. The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Higher Education, Sports & Youth Services, Odia Language, Literature & Culture Minister Suryabanshi Suraj. The museum will be developed by the Odia Language, Literature, and Culture Department.
The museum will be located at a historically significant site within the college premises, where Utkal Gourav Madhusudan Das’s conference hall and residential office once operated. The initiative aims to preserve and showcase the life, ideals, and contributions of Madhu Babu.
In 1952, Shailabala Das, daughter of Madhusudan Das, donated her father’s residence to promote women’s education in Odisha, leading to the establishment of Shailabala Women’s College. She also donated her own residence, Madhumandir, to support the institution.
Speaking on the occasion, the Higher Education Minister said that Madhusudan Das and Shailabala Das played pioneering roles in strengthening women’s education in the state. He added that the proposed memorial museum would inspire future generations by keeping Madhu Babu’s legacy and vision alive.
Aravind Agrawal, Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the Higher Education Department; Dr. Bijay Ketan Upadhyaya, Secretary of the Odia Language, Literature and Culture Department; Kali Prasanna Mahapatra, Director of the Higher Education Department; Bijay Kumar Nayak, Additional Press Secretary to the President; and Jiban Ballav Jena, Principal of Shailabala Women’s Autonomous College, were present at the meeting.
