In 1921 he left the Ravenshaw College along with few of his classmates, e.g. Nityananda Kanungo, Loknath Patnaik, Jadumani Mangaraj and Harekrushna Mahtab to join non-cooperation movement and to work in social service.

[5][6] He lost his father around this time so he came under his elder brother Gopabandhu Choudhury's guardianship.

In 1922, Nabakrushna Choudhury went to Gandhiji's Sabarmati Ashram, Ahmedabad to learn all about Khadi – the principles and philosophy of spinning and weaving.

Nabababu got the opportunity of meeting fellow freedom fighters Minoo Masani, Ashok Mehta, Yusuf Mehrali and Jayaprakash Narayan .

He created a small group within the Congress and began editing and publishing a journal named ‘Sarathi’.

In 1935 Bhagabati Charan Panigrahi in collaboration with Ananta Patnaik set up Nabajuga Sahitya Sansad to create progressive literature in Odisha.

At the inaugural session of Nabajuga Sahitya Sansad, Malati Choudhury sang "Nabeena Jugara Taruna Jagare" written by Ananta Patnaik.

Nabababu stood for election against Rai Bahadur Chintamani Acharya from the Tirtal-Ersama constituency.

established another journal titled ‘Krusak’ about news and features on the problems of the farmers, laborer and those of the Praja Andolan movement in the princely States.

The Congress Party and Mahatma Gandhi specifically had a policy of non-interference in the internal matters of the princely States.

He was joined by Harmohan Patnaik, the President of Dhenkanal Prajamandal, the first Praja Mandal in India to fight against rulers of Princely States, Gouranga Charan Das, Ananta Patnaik, Baidyanath Rath, Sachi Routray, Manmohan Mishra, Surendranath Dwivedy etc.

[18][citation needed] One of the turning point of the Prajamandal movement was the sacrifice of 12-year-old Baji Raut along with Hurushi, Nata, Raghu, Guri and Lakshman succumbed to the bullets of Dhenkanal forces.

Eventually the matter was reported to a District British Executive, who came to the Jail for inspection, and at his orders the prisoners were mercilessly beaten resulting in injuries.

[citation needed] In the 1946 Indian provincial elections Nabababu won the Kendrapara Constituency, and became a Cabinet Minister in the Harekrushna Mahatab led Indian National Congress Government having the Revenue, Supplies and Forest Departments portfolio.

However a series of letters exchanged between Nehru and Malati Devi suggests that ultimately he was persuaded through to become the Chief Minister of Odisha in 1950.

The Odia speaking princely states merged with the Province of Odisha (then called Orissa) and elections were held for a common legislature.

Congress became the single largest party but short of majority.However, with support of six independent MLAs he assumed the post of Chief minister.

This was the precursor to the Community Development Programme launched in Odisha on the Gandhi Jayanti Day of 1952.

Acharya Vinoba Bhave had launched the Bhoodan and Gramdan movement when Nabababu was the Chief Minister.

[22] Nabababu had realised for quite sometime that a people-oriented government has to use Oriya as its language for communication and administration.

Prime Minister Nehru persuaded him again not to leave the Chiefministership, but Nabababu was determined in his decision.

In 1952 elections, Congress couldn't get majority, so it formed alliance with independents and Nabababu carried on.

Just prior to the 1957 elections, in 1956 floods occurred in Orissa and he quit politics to serve the society.

Through the establishment of an institution named Peace Centre at Mokakchung, they talked with the people to appreciate their problems.

In the name of religion, some persons of doubtful character were torturing the Hindus, who were migrating to India.

On hearing this, Nabababu and Malati Devi went there and organised meetings at different places to find out the truth.

[25] Facing criticism at home and from many world leaders, Indira Gandhi withdrew the Emergency Rule paving the way for another general election .

He used to read extensively books, even the latest ones, and journals on politics, education, Marxism, Gandhian philosophy and development.

In addition to this, his anguish over the mounting selfishness of the educated few and the poverty of the common people made him more restless and sick.

The Nabakrushna Choudhury Centre for Development Studies at Bhubaneswar, a think-tank of the Government of Odisha, is named in his memory.