Bhubaneswar, 27 June (H.S.): Odisha will commemorate the 591st Coronation Anniversary of Gajapati Kapilendra Deba, the founder of the Suryavanshi Gajapati dynasty, with a grand event titled Gajapati Divas @ 591 on June 29 at the M.K.C.G. Auditorium, Utkal University, Bhubaneswar.
The event is being jointly organised by Beyond Heritage Trust, Utkal University, and the Odisha Sahitya Academy to honour one of Odisha's most illustrious rulers and to revive public awareness of his extraordinary legacy.
Gajapati Kapilendra Deba was crowned on June 29, 1435, at Kruttibasa Kataka. Under his leadership, the Gajapati Empire expanded from Kashi to Rameswaram, making it one of the most powerful kingdoms in medieval India.
Odisha's Minister for Odia Language, Literature and Culture, Suryabanshi Suraj, will attend the programme as the chief guest. Distinguished historian and Vice-Chairman of the Haryana Sahitya Akademi, Prof. Kuldip Chand Agnihotri, will grace the occasion as the distinguished guest, while former Vice-Chancellor of North Orissa University, Prof. Prafulla Kumar Mishra, will deliver the keynote address.
Among the guests of honour will be Cuttack MP Bhartruhari Mahtab, former Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India and Odisha Research Centre trustee Prof. Kishore Kumar Basa, and Padma Shri awardee and Director General of KIIT Art Academy, Adwaita Charan Gadanayak. Utkal University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Chandiprasad Nanda, Odisha Sahitya Academy Secretary Dr. Chandrashekhar Hota, and Beyond Heritage Trust Chairman and noted architect Subhaja Mohanty will also attend the event.
The three-hour programme will begin with the inauguration of a special exhibition titled Samara, Samrata, o Sanatana: Gajapati Kapilendra Deba, showcasing the emperor's military achievements and imperial expansion through maps, inscriptions, and replica artefacts.
A special animated short film, Lakhe Rajara Maudamani: Gajapatinka Gaurabamaya Gatha, based on the life and achievements of Kapilendra Deba, will also be launched. Organisers said the film has been developed to promote Odisha's rich historical legacy among audiences across the country.
The event will also feature two panel discussions. The first, titled Research and Education Renaissance in the Context of Odisha's Glorious History, will include independent researcher Deepak Kumar Nayak, former Chief Secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena, and Prof. Kishore Kumar Basa. The second discussion, From Regional Hero to National Icon, will feature FIHCR Programme Manager Satyajit Ojha, National Award-winning filmmaker Anupam Patnaik, and eminent poet and columnist Haraprasad Das.
Organisers said the celebration is intended to become an annual observance to institutionalise Gajapati Divas as a permanent cultural event. They also announced plans to institute an annual research award to recognise outstanding contributions in the fields of Odia epigraphy and history.
Describing Kapilendra Deba as one of medieval India's greatest yet under-recognised rulers, the organisers said the initiative aims to bring his remarkable legacy of military excellence, administrative reforms, and unwavering devotion to Mahaprabhu Jagannath to wider national and international attention.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda
