Utkala Divas is celebrated to establish the founder's day of our state Orissa on 1st April 1936. This happened due to the pioneering efforts of Jatiya Gaurav Madhusudan Das, Utkalamani Gopabandhu Das, Maharaja Shri Ramachandra Bhanjadeo, Raja Baikunthanath Dey and Gourishankar Ray. Later on the State was divided into 13 districts and then 30 districts. The day is celebrated as State Holiday in Odissa and cultural evenings, seminars and various competitive activities are organised in various parts of the State. Oriya communities all over the world also celebrate wherever they are.