Baji Rout

Shaheed Baji Rout , also known as Bajia
ବାଜି ରାଉତ
This Portrait of Hutatma Baji Rout created by AIDSO, Odisha state council on the eve of all odisha students conference held at Angul in the year 2002.
Portrait of Shaheed Baji Rout
Born(1926-10-05)5 October 1926
Nilakanthapur, Dhenkanal, Odisha
Died11 October 1938(1938-10-11) (aged 12)
Nilakanthapur, Dhenkanal
Cause of deathGunshot wounds
NationalityIndian
Other namesBajia
Baji Rout Junction

Baji Rout (5 October 1926 – 11 October 1938) ( Odia:‌ ସହିଦ୍ ବାଜି ରାଉତ) was an Indian boy best known for his role in the Indian independence movement.[1] Rout, who worked as a boatman, was shot by the Indian Imperial Police when he refused to ferry them across the Brahmani River on the night of 11 October 1938 at Nilakanthapur Ghat, Bhuban, Dhenkanal district.[2]

Baji Rout was the youngest son of a boatman on the Brahmani river.[3] As an active member of the Banar Sena of Prajamandal (Party of People),[4] he had volunteered to keep watch by the river at night. The police ordered him to cross the river by his boat which he denied. The police then shot and killed Baji Rout.[5] A large procession was held for him in Cuttack. His mortal remains were taken to 9, Pithapur (the then HQ of Legendary Shri. Bhagawati Charan Panigrahi) and then his cremation was held at Satichaura in Cuttack.


He was born on 5 October 1926 as the youngest son of Hari Rout and Rania Devi in the village Nilakanthapur in the then state of Dhenkanal. He lost his father in his childhood. His mother who was earning a living by grinding and husking paddy at a quern in the neighborhood was unable to spend anything on his education. He had two elder brothers who also earned very little to support the family.

  1. ^ "Odisha Government Portal". Archived from the original on 2 January 2020. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
  2. ^ "Baji Rout; The Youngest Freedom Fighter of Dhenkal district, Odisha". eOdisha. Archived from the original on 22 March 2015. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
  3. ^ Mr, Reginald Massey (3 January 2014). Shaheed Bhagat Singh and the Forgotten Indian Martyrs. Abhinav Publications. pp. 192–. GGKEY:HCZLGL7521K.
  4. ^ Bhagaban Sahu, State Level Vyasakabi Fakir Mohan Smruti Samsad (2002). Cultural Heritage of [Orissa]: Dhenkanal. State Level Vyasakabi Fakir Mohan Smruti Samsad. ISBN 9788190276153.
  5. ^ "List of some Freedom Fighters". Dhenkanal Administration. Archived from the original on 13 August 2015. Retrieved 15 August 2015.