Nityananda Kanungo ● Former Union Minister and former Governo | UTKARSH in ENGLISH

Nityananda Kanungo
● Former Union Minister and former Governor of Gujarat and Bihar Nityananda Kanungo was born on May 4, 1900 in Cuttack, Odisha.
● He was educated at Ravenshaw College and University College (Calcutta).
● At Ravenshaw College, he came in contact with nationalist leaders like Harekrishna Mahtab, Navakrishna Chowdhary, Nikunj Kishore Das and Bhagirathi Mohapatra, who inspired him to join the freedom struggle.
● These students formed an organization called 'Bharti Mandir' to perform various cultural programs directly, but it was working like a nationalist organization to liberate the nation.
● After completing his law degree in the year 1920, he joined the Odisha State Bar Council as a junior to Janakinath Bose, father of Subhash Chandra Bose.
● During the Salt Satyagraha Movement in the year 1930, he was targeted by the British Government for inciting the Satyagrahis, but could not be arrested due to lack of evidence.
● When the British government was all set to confiscate the 'Swaraj Ashram' in Cuttack for non-payment of tax, Nityananda Kanungo himself paid the tax, increasing his involvement with the Satyagrahis and getting him arrested.
● His bar license was cancelled and he was jailed for six months for promoting the freedom struggle.
● After his release, he became a dedicated member of the Congress and the freedom struggle.
● He was also elected to the Odisha Legislative Assembly in the year 1937 elections and became a minister.
● After independence, he was elected to the Lok Sabha from the year 1952 and served three times as a cabinet minister in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Civil Aviation.
● He was also a member of the working committee of the Kendriya Sangeet Natak Akademi from 1952 to 1961.
● He died on July 21, 1988 after a prolonged illness.