President Droupadi Murmu praised Harekrushna Mahtab's enduring legacy at his 125th birth anniversary event at Vigyan Bhawan, highlighting his contributions as a freedom fighter and writer.

President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday hailed freedom fighter and former Odisha chief minister Harekrushna Mahtab and said he was an inspirational leader whose legacy will continue to inspire people in the future.

In her address at an event held at Vigyan Bhawan to mark the 125th birth anniversary of Mahtab, she also recalled the literary works produced by him even while he was imprisoned during the freedon struggle.

Mahtab, popularly known in the state as 'Utkal Keshari', was imprisoned for taking part in the Salt Satyagraha launched at the call of Mahatma Gandhi, the president said.

Along with other nationalist leaders, he was once more imprisoned in 1942 during the Quit India movement. Mahtab and other leaders "turned the jail into a learning center" at Ahmednagar Fort Jail, where he spent a lot of time, according to Murmu.