He was the founder of Utkal Sammilani, architect of Oriya movement, & was a hope for all Oriyas. He was a great legislator & journalist. He was the first oriya to be a member of legislative council and was also the first to sail overseas. He has the distinction to be the first Indian Minister. He was also the first Oriya scholar to get the degree of M.A B.L. from Calcutta University. He took for unification of scattered Oriya tracts. He was the first oriya to sail overseas.

In the early nineteenth century he organized Utkal Union Conference, with the help of then provincial rulers of Ganjam Rajendra Narayan Bhanjadeo of Kanika, Shreeram Chandra Bhanjadeo of Mayurbhanj, & Raja of Khallikote. From 1903 to 1920 this this conference served as a unified platform for Oriya speaking tracts in erstwhile Bengal, Bihar and Madras Presidencies, to express the legitimate concerns of Oriyas. This conference became Utkal Sammilani in later days. Pandit Gopabandhu played a key role in the merger of the activities of Utkal Sammilani with National Congress in 1919, to form a united front against the British Rule. Utkalamani presided the Chakradharpur session, where the resolution of this historic unification with Natinal Congress was carried out.

More details can be had from:

http://164.100.24.230/Webdata/datalshom001/synopsis/260705.htm
http://orissagov.nic.in/eminent/eminent.htm