| Conventional Long Name: | Orissa Province |
| Common Name: | Odisha |
| Nation: | British India |
| Subdivision: | Province |
| Year Start: | 1936 |
| Event Start: | Bifurcation of Bihar and Orissa Province and transfer of regions from Madras Presidency and Central Provinces and Berar |
| Year End: | 1947 |
| Event End: | Independence of India |
| P1: | Bihar and Orissa Province |
| P2: | Madras Presidency |
| P3: | Central Provinces and Berar |
| Flag P1: | British Raj Red Ensign.svg |
| Flag P2: | British Raj Red Ensign.svg |
| Flag P3: | British Raj Red Ensign.svg |
| S1: | Odisha |
| Flag S1: | Flag of India.svg |
| Image Map Caption: | Orissa with Orissa Tributary States in British India before the creation of the province |
| Stat Area1: | 83392 |
| Stat Year1: | 1936 |
| Capital: | Cuttack |
| Today: | Odisha |
Orissa Province was a province of British India created in April 1936 by the partitioning of the Bihar and Orissa Province and adding parts of Madras Presidency and Central Provinces. Its territory corresponds with the modern-day State of Odisha.
On 22 March 1912, both Bihar and Orissa divisions were separated from the Bengal Presidency as Bihar and Orissa Province. On 1 April 1936, Bihar and Orissa Province was split to form Bihar Province and Orissa Province. Parts of the Ganjam district and the Vizagapatam district of Madras Presidency were transferred to Orissa Province along with portions of the Vizagapatam Hill Tracts Agency and Ganjam Hill Tracts Agency and Khariar region of Central Provinces and Berar.[1]
In 1803 Orissa was occupied by forces of the British East India Company during the Second Anglo-Maratha War, coming in 1858 under direct administration by the British government along with the Company's other territories. Under the British Raj, it was a division of the Bengal Presidency with its capital in Cuttack. It had an area of 35,664 km² and 5,003,121 inhabitants in 1901.[2] The province included the Orissa Tributary States. On 1 April 1912, the province of Bihar and Orissa was detached from Bengal, and the Orissa Tributary States were placed under the authority of the governor of Bihar and Orissa. In 1936, Orissa became a separate province with five districts,[3] comprising an area of 83,392 km².[4]
The Government of India Act provided for the election of a provincial legislative assembly and a responsible government. Elections were held in 1937, and the Indian National Congress took a majority of the seats but declined to form the government. A minority provisional government was formed under Krushna Chandra Gajapati, the Maharaja of Paralakhemundi.[5]
| Minister | Portfolio | |
|---|---|---|
| Krushna Chandra Gajapati | Home, Finance, Law and Commerce | |
| Mandhata Gorachand Patnaik | Revenue, Education and Commerce | |
| Moulavi Latifur Rahman | Public Works, Local Self-Government and Forests |
The Congress reversed its decision and resolved to accept office in July 1937. Therefore, the Governor invited Bishwanath Das to form the government.
| Minister | Portfolio | |
|---|---|---|
| Bishwanath Das | Premier, Home, Finance and Education | |
| Nityanand Kanungo | Revenue and Public Works Departments | |
| Bodhram Dubey | Local Self-government, Health, Law and Commerce |
In November 1939, along with Congress ministries in other provinces, Das resigned in protest of the Governor-General's declaration of war on Germany without consulting with Indian leaders, and Orissa came under Governor's Rule till 1941 when Krushna Chandra Gajapati was again made the Premier.[6] This government lasted till 1944.
| Minister | Portfolio | |
|---|---|---|
| Krushna Chandra Gajapati | Premier | |
| Godabarish Mishra | Finance and Education | |
| Maulvi Abdus Sobhan Khan |
Another round of elections were held in 1946, yielding another Congress majority, and a government was formed under Harekrushna Mahatab.[6]
| Minister | Portfolio | |
|---|---|---|
| Harekrushna Mahatab | Premier | |
| Nabakrushna Choudhuri | ||
| Nityanand Kanungo | ||
| Lingaraj Misra | ||
| R. K. Biswasray |
See main article: Prime Minister of Orissa.