Fearless Spirit
At 16, she was at the forefront of the Quit India Movement, fearlessly confronting British authority.
When lawyers at Bargarh Court refused to boycott proceedings, Parbati Giri offered them bangles as a symbol of their cowardice. In her most audacious act, she invaded the Sub-Divisional Officer's chamber, sat in his chair, and began "prosecuting" him as an anti-national when he entered.
Arrested multiple times but released due to being a minor, she was finally sentenced to two years' rigorous imprisonment at Sambalpur Jail for distributing anti-British placards.
Lifelong Service
After independence, she became a true Gandhian social worker. During the 1975 drought that ravaged Western Odisha, she established foster homes for orphaned children. The Kasturba Gandhi Matru Niketan at Paikmal became her life's mission—an abode for the destitute, orphans, and widows.
For her selfless dedication, former Chief Minister Biju Patnaik aptly called her "The Mother Teresa of Odisha".
