Madhusudan Das (28 April 1848 – 4 February 1934) was an Indian lawyer and social reformer who founded the Utkal Sammelan in 1903 to campaign for the social and industrial development of Odisha and its integration. He was one of the key figures who helped form the state of Odisha (present-day Odisha, India), which was established on 1 April 1936. He was also the first graduate and lawyer of Odisha. He was also known as Kulbruddha (the great elder), Madhu Babu and Utkal Gaurav (the pride of Utkal). In Odisha, his birthday, 28 April, is celebrated as Lawyers’ Day.
Madhusudan Das, whose original name was Govinda Ballabh, was born to Chaudhuri Raghunath Das and Parvati Devi in a landlord family. He started his education at a local school, transferred to Cuttack High School and later graduated from the University of Calcutta in 1870, becoming the first Odia to obtain a BA degree. Das continued his educational journey, obtaining MA and BL degrees, a first for an Odia.
In 1881, he started practicing law in his home state. Madhu Babu, as he was affectionately called, was also a renowned journalist, social worker and legislator.
