Philanthropist, motivational speaker, trainer and social activist, Madhusudan Das has shown
leadership skills time and again
A self-made man and true visionary, Madhusudan Das is a multifaceted personality. Reputed youth leader, philanthropist, motivational speaker, trainer and social activist — he is a force to reckon with not just because of the success he has achieved but also because of his charismatic personality. He is deeply committed to the promotion of national integration, peace and harmony, skill development, voluntarism and leadership across the globe. For over three decades, he has been actively engaged in promoting Gandhian values and youth leadership based on the principles of nonviolence, truth and humanitarianism by conducting peace and harmony camps and seminars. In a candid conversation with Orissa POST, he talks about his journey so far.
He is a namesake of the great patriot and maker of modern Odisha, Madhusudan Das. There is an interesting story behind how he got his name. “A few days before my birth, my mother’s condition deteriorated. Doctors were left with no option: they could either save me or my mother. My uncle asked them to save my mother. So, the doctors disconnected the pipe through which a baby gets food from his mother. They said that my mother would give birth to a stillborn baby after a few days. To everyone’s surprise, I was born alive. That day my grandfather declared that I had taken birth for some noble cause. And he christened me after Madhubabu. He used to always tell me: “Be like Madhubabu. Else, you won’t have a place in our home.”
Madhusudan continues: “Inspired by a song based on Madhubabu,which reads ‘Tuma Pari Chhota Plia Tie…,’ I started working for the development of my village when I was hardly eight. I called upon my friends to lay roads at a time whencommunication facilities were a distant dream. My voluntarism and leadership qualities made me a known face in my village as well as in neighbouring villages. Despite belonging toa poor family, I used to share my meal and books with underprivileged kids. After matriculation, I joined Sahaspur College where I became the first vice-president of the college. I was the best NCC volunteer of the college. It was then that I started holding blood donation and tree plantation camps. That apart, I formed a special camp to repair damaged roads in villages. In 1983, I was felicitated with the Sachidananda Yuva Samaja Sevi award.”
Madhusudan joined the Samaj Relief Fund when he moved to Cuttack to pursue graduation. During his tenure in Cuttack, he showed his leadership quality at the International Youth Meet, held at Barabati Stadium on the occasion of the International Youth Year in 1985,organised by Loksevak Mandal and National Youth Project. He drew the attention of Salem Nanjundaiah SubbaRao, a Gandhian and founder of the National Youth Project (NYP).
“Influenced by SN Subbarao, we formed a state-level organisation, Loksevak Yuva Mandal, in Cuttack to work for social development. Once when a fire engulfed the Bhuban village in Dhenkanal causing loss of lives and property, I spent a month there to help rehabilitate the locals residing there. I developed a close bonding with NSS at that time. I was among the 128 students from three universities of Orissa who attended an inter-college camp at Paradip under the guidance of Jagadananda, then NSS coordinator of VaniVihar. We planted as many as 100 saplings of casuarinas. And it is believed that the casuarina trees planted by us saved Paradip from the 1999 super cyclone that devastated the state,” he says. “In 1991, when an earthquake devastated Uttarkashi, I led a camp of volunteers working for the rehabilitation of the victims. I also got the opportunity to work with Chipko movement leader Sunderlal Bahuguna.”
Madhusudan regularly visits the SCB Medical College and Hospital to provide hot water and medicines to the needy. That apart, he sometimes serves as an attendant to destitute patients. “Inspired by Vivekananda’s quote,‘This life is short, the vanities of the world are transient, but they alone live who live for others, the rest are more dead than alive,’ I joined SN Subbarao’s NYP in 1992 as a full-time volunteer. Later, I became a member of the Centre for Youth and Social Development and worked for slum development,” he recalls.
In 1994, Madhusudan joined other volunteers of NYP to launch the Sadbhawana Rail Yatra to bring back normalcy in the aftermath of Babri Masjid demolition incident. “Our daily schedule was to visit various educational institutions on 250 bicycles to spread the message of peace and harmony. I was project-in-charge of the train named Goodwill on Wheel. In 1993-94, we covered 21 states in the first phase and in 1995 we covered 11 states. In 1996, we formed another state-level organisation called Abhiyan to promote leadership qualities among the youth.”
During1996-1998, Madhusudan toured the US,UK, and Canada as a close associate of Subbarao to conduct youth camps and promote Gandhian philosophy. “In 1999, when the super cyclone struck the state, I spent a year in Ersama, which was most affected by the cyclone,to help rehabilitate people,” he says. “I was on the executive body of the Orissa Disaster Mitigation Mission led by Jagadananda. I oversaw relief distribution and other developmental work. When the state witnessed floods in 2000 and 2001, I worked in the flood-hit areas.”
He also played a key role to bring back normalcy after the Kandhamal riots, helping to rehabilitate 450 families and construct 387 houses.
In 2003, Madhusudan became a youth ambassador for the Commonwealth, South Asia, and he toured Thailand, Malaysia and Nepal to chalk out strategies for the well-being of young people. “We came up with many ideas to sustain the health of youth and keep them away from drug and alcohol abuse.
“In between, I became a motivational trainer. I used to visit educational institutions to deliver talks on peace, harmony, and promotion of voluntarism. I feel our role is just to ignite the great potential in the youth. Bridges and walls are made of the same material. A wall divides people while a bridge joins them. I act like a bridge among youth of different castes and creeds.”
Madhusudan has composed more than 100 patriotic songs. One song ‘Biswabijayee Najawan’ is played in many colleges in India whereas another song ‘Ama Gaon Mote BhalaLagere’ is very famous across the state.
“I was once invited by the Oriya Samaj of England. There I recited the song ‘Ama Gaon Mote Bhala Lagere’ to evoke the memoriesof Oriya people who had left their motherland years ago. Many members of the audience started crying after hearing my song.”
After the Right to Information Act came into being in 2005, Madhusudan became an RTI activist. Besides, he is the state advisor of NSS Utkal University. As a national trustee of NYP and convener of its Orissa chapter, Madhusudan holds rallies and seminars for the cause of making India violence free, drug free, unemployment free and corruption free. His campaign ‘Ek ghanta desh ko, ek ghanta deh ko’ focuses on this theme.
“In 18 years, Odisha will complete 100 years of its formation,” says Madhusudan. “But, Odisha has not changed over the years. I would like call upon the youth to use apps like Whatsapp and Facebook for a good cause. Youth can bring change through these social networking sites. Besides, the youth should spontaneously participate in governance which is not happening at all. What I find is that today’s youth are not questioning.”
Madhusudan, who is also convenor of the Gandhi Bichar Abhiyan, feels that people have forgotten Gandhi’s philosophy. “Youth should have the qualities of reflection, felicitation and network building through voluntarism. Youth should have passion. Besides, promotion of young entrepreneurship is the need of the hour,” he says. “Our scientists have predicted that the third world war will be for water. Now-a-days, girls and boys go to beauty salons once a month. The day will come when they will have to visit oxygen parlours. If young people become conscious and concerned about issues, we may avoid such a day.”
Rashmi Rekha Das, OP
Feathers in his cap
Lifetime Achievement Odisha Youth award
Odisha Youth icon award
Seva Award by NSS
Yuva Sathi Samman
Nyaya Jyoti award
Gandhi Peace award
Spirit of Dr SN Subbarao national award
Gopabandhu Jyoti Samman
Nanda Kishore Yuba Sathi
Prasant Mohanty Smruti Samman
Utkal Prativa Samman
