[1] Rout, who worked as a boatman, was shot by the Indian Imperial Police when he refused to ferry them across the Brahmani River on the night of 11 October 1938 at Nilakanthapur Ghat, Bhuban, Dhenkanal district.

[3] As an active member of the Banar Sena of Prajamandal (Party of People),[4] he had volunteered to keep watch by the river at night.

He was born on 5 October 1926 as the youngest son of Hari Rout and Rania Devi in the village Nilakanthapur in the then state of Dhenkanal.

His mother who was earning a living by grinding and husking paddy at a quern in the neighborhood was unable to spend anything on his education.

On 3 November 2022, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurated a national level football tournament in honour of Baji Rout,[6][7][8] which was won by Rajasthan United.