1857 heroes forgotten Sunday February 10 2008 KENDRAPARA (Orissa): Though State Government organised a grand function in Bhubaneswar yesterday to commemorate 150th anniversary of the 1857 Sepoy Mutiny, also known as First War of Independence, supreme sacrifice of many martyrs are forgotten. Sacrifice of revolutionaries like Chakhi Khuntia of Puri and Ramakrushna Samatasinghar of Balia zamindar family in Jajpur district and others was completely ignored by the government, said noted historian Bijaya Mohanty. Chakhi happened to be the family priest of king of Jhanshi Meropanth, father of Manubai who was renamed as Laxmibai after her marriage to Gangadhar Rao. Even after marriage of Laxmibai, Chakhi used to pay visit to the royal family at the time of religious trips. During that period the Britishers were trying to expand their empire in India and the missionaries were preaching Christianity through various means. Chakhi with others strongly opposed such acts, said Mohanty. ''When British rulers took away all the powers of Laxmibai, she revolted and sought the assistance of Chakhi. He extended all possible help to her,'' added Mohanty. ''Chakhi played a very crucial role by fomenting resentment among the Indian soldiers called 'sepoys' and organised a mutiny which subsequently took violent shape. Due to his involvement in the first freedom struggle, Chakhi was arrested many times,'' said Mohanty. Despite his supreme sacrifices, his ancestral house lies neglected in Harachandi Sahi of Puri. Samantsinghar had also revolted against the British after the government impounded his zamindari. He was imprisoned by the British government and all his immovable and movable properties were auctioned by the government, said Mohanty. ``It gives me pain that the Government has forgotten the fighters of 1857 revolt on the occasion of its 150th anniversary,'' said Purosottam Nayak, secretary of State Freedom Fighters' Association. http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEQ20080210025558&Page=Q&Title=ORISSA&Topic=0 ----- Harshawardhan_Bosham Nimkhedkar Nagpur, India