Bhubaneswar: Odisha is celebrating the 89th foundation day of the state today, also known as ‘Utkal Divas’. On this day in the year 1936, Odisha became an independent state.
Utkal Divas, also known as Odisha Day and Utkala Dibasa, is celebrated on April 1 every year in memory of all the struggle that went into gaining a separate identity for the state that was once part of Kalinga ruled by emperor Ashok, and later by Kharavela.
Odisha became the first independent state on language basis in India on this day 88 years ago.
The state became a separate province, after a long struggle of over three centuries. The state was carved out of the combined Bengal-Bihar-Orissa province, marked the beginning of a new journey for the state.
Usually people of Odisha celebrate this day with several meetings and public events to observe the Utkal Divas. The capital city Bhubaneswar already wore a glittering look on the eve of Utkal Divas, where all major government buildings such as the State Assembly, Secretariat, Police Commissionerate, and many others dazzled with colorful lights.
Ms Kalinga