Why in news?
Commemorations in July 2025 marked the 100th anniversary of the martyrdom of Alluri Sitarama Raju, a revolutionary who led the tribal rebellion against British rule in the early 1920s. He remains a symbol of resistance in Andhra Pradesh.
Early life
- Born in 1897 in present‑day Andhra Pradesh, Alluri was influenced by both tribal traditions and nationalist ideas. He visited Varanasi and Kolkata, where he read works by Mahatma Gandhi and other leaders.
- Disturbed by the exploitation of tribal communities by colonial forest laws, he decided to organise resistance.
Rampa Rebellion (1922–24)
- Trigger: The British introduced the 1882 Madras Forest Act, restricting tribal access to forests and forcing them to do compulsory labor. Discontent boiled over when forest guards confiscated cattle and tools.
- Guerrilla warfare: Alluri mobilised Adivasis in the Rampa and Gudem hills, launched surprise attacks on police stations, and captured weapons. His intimate knowledge of the terrain frustrated colonial forces.
- Martyrdom: After two years of skirmishes, Alluri was captured and executed by the British on 7 July 1924. Folk songs remember him as “Manyam Veerudu” (Hero of the Forest).
Legacy
- Alluri’s revolt inspired later tribal and peasant movements. The government erected a statue and memorial park at his birthplace, and his birth anniversary (4 July) is celebrated annually in Andhra Pradesh.
- In 2022 the Indian government released a special coin and postage stamp to mark his 125th birth anniversary. Films and books continue to popularise his story.