Important Facts For Prelims
Alluri Sitarama Raju
- 05 Jul 2023
- 3 min read
Why in News?
Recently, the President of India attended the closing ceremony of the 125th Birth Anniversary of Alluri Sitarama Raju in Hyderabad.
- The 125th ceremony of Alluri Sitha Rama Raju was a year-long celebration of the birth anniversary of the legendary freedom fighter. The ceremony was launched by the Prime Minister on July 4, 2022.
Who was Alluri Sitarama Raju?
- About:
- Alluri Sitarama Raju was an Indian revolutionary who fought against the British colonial rule in India.
- He led a guerrilla campaign in the Eastern Ghats region of present-day Andhra Pradesh, mobilizing the tribal people against the oppressive forest laws and policies of the British government.
- He is widely regarded as a hero of the jungle or Manyam Veerudu by the local people for his bravery and sacrifice.
- Early Life and Background:
- He was born on 4 July 1897 or 1898 in Pandrangi village, Visakhapatnam district, Andhra Pradesh.
- He belonged to a Telugu-speaking Kshatriya family.
- Rampa Rebellion (or Manyam Rebellion) of 1922-1924:
- Alluri Sitarama Raju joined the Non-cooperation movement led by Mahatma Gandhi and witnessed the exploitation of tribal people in the Eastern Ghats region by British authorities.
- The tribal people practiced podu or shifting cultivation, which involved clearing patches of forest land for agriculture and moving to another area after a few years. This was their traditional and sustainable way of life, which also ensured their food security and cultural identity.
- The Madras Forest Act of 1882 imposed restrictions on the tribal people's movement and prohibited their collection of minor forest produce, forcing them into low-wage labor for the forest department or contractors.
- Alluri Sitarama Raju formed a guerrilla army and used Guerrilla warfare to launch attacks on British police stations and outposts.
- Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare in which small groups of combatants use military tactics including ambushes, sabotage, raids, petty warfare, hit-and-run tactics, and mobility, to fight a larger and less-mobile traditional military.
- He aimed to liberate the tribal people and drive the British out of the Eastern Ghats.
- Death and Legacy:
- Alluri Sitarama Raju was captured and killed by British forces in Koyyuru village on 7 May 1924, marking the end of the Rampa Rebellion.
- Alluri Sitarama Raju's life exemplified the unity of society without discrimination based on caste and class.
- A postal stamp issued by the Government of India in 1986 featuring Alluri Sitarama Raju.
- A biographical film titled Alluri Seetharama Raju was released in 1974.
