Bhubaneswar: Pandit Gopabandhu Das, affectionately known as Utkalmani, epitomised selfless service, dedicating his life to the welfare of others. He believed that serving humanity was the truest form of worship and adhered to the principle that one’s duty extends beyond personal interests. Emphasising these ideals, Deepak Kumar Raut, Kshetra Seva Pramukh of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Poorva Kshetra, urged everyone to draw inspiration from Pandit Gopabandhu Das’s life and philosophy and to pursue a path of service and compassion.
As the chief speaker at a blood donation camp organised by the Utkal Bipanna Sahayata Samiti (UBSS) to commemorate the birth anniversary of Pandit Gopabandhu Das, Raut highlighted that the great social reformer’s life was characterised not just by service but also by a profound sense of kartavya (duty). He described blood donation as a “symbol of enlightened service” and appealed to the youth to step forward and contribute selflessly to society.
As in previous years, October 9 was celebrated as ‘Seva Diwas’ (Day of Service) by UBSS to honour the birth anniversary of Utkalmani. On this occasion, the organisation hosted a blood donation camp at its headquarters, Seva Parisar, located in Mancheswar, Bhubaneswar.
The inaugural ceremony of the event was attended by Dr. Prabhat Kumar Das, Director and Cardiologist at Capital Hospital, as the Chief Guest, Dr. Debasish Mishra, Blood Bank Officer, as the Guest of Honour, and Abhay Samantaray, President of UBSS, who presided over the programme.
In his address, Dr Prabhat Kumar Das commended the samiti’s long-standing commitment to humanitarian service, noting that the organisation has been organising blood donation camps on this day for more than two decades. “Hosting such noble initiatives consistently for over twenty years reflects the Samiti’s unwavering dedication to public welfare,” he remarked.
Guest of Honour Dr Debasish Mishra expressed his delight at being part of the initiative year after year, describing it as a shining example of collective social responsibility and compassion.
In his presidential address, Abhay Samantaray paid heartfelt tribute to Pandit Gopabandhu Das, recalling his selfless devotion and tireless efforts towards societal upliftment. He also highlighted various service activities being undertaken by the Samiti in line with Utkalmani’s ideals.
The event saw enthusiastic participation from numerous RSS and Rashtriya Seva Bharati officials and swayamsevaks, who gathered in large numbers to honour the spirit of service.
The camp was coordinated by Rudranarayan Mahapatra, Sushruta Prant Sanyojak, while Narayan Choudhury, Treasurer of UBSS, proposed the vote of thanks.
A total of 118 units of blood were collected during the camp and subsequently handed over to Capital Hospital for medical use, marking yet another successful chapter in UBSS’s long-standing commitment to humanitarian service.
