Image source: Heritage of Orissa website
Baji Rout is the youngest martyr of India. This 12 yr old boat boy was shot dead by British police when he courageously denied to ferry them across the Brahmani River on the night of 11th October 1938 at Nilakanthapur Ghat, Bhuban, Dhenkanal district.
Baji Rout was the youngest son of a boatman on the Brahmani river. As an active member of the Banar Sena of Prajamandal (Party of People), He had volunteered to keep watch by the river at night. The British Police force ordered him to cross the river by his Boat which he denied. The police force became revengeful and fired Baji Rout along with Laxman Mallik and Fagu Sahoo.
Baji Raut, was born in 1925 in the Village of Nilakanthapur in Dhenkanal, His father Hari Raut, had passed away when he was a tiny tot. He was brought up by his mother who was thriving on wages earned by rice-husking in the neighborhood. He had watched how mercilessly the King of Dhenkanal, Shankar Pratap Singhdeo was fleecing the poor villagers including his mother of their earnings by using armed forces. So, when Baishnav Charan Pattanayak of Dhenkanal town, later famous as Veer Baisnav, raised a banner of revolt against the King and founded Prajamandal, Baji joined it despite tender age.
Read the full story of this young martyr
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