Alluri Sitaram Raju

Facts for Prelims

Alluri Sitaram Raju

News: Recently, the President of India attended the closing ceremony of the 125th Birth Anniversary of Alluri Sitarama Raju in Hyderabad.

Who was Alluri Sitaram Raju?
• Alluri Sitaram Raju was an Indian revolutionary who fought against the British colonial rule in India in the early 20th century.
• He was born on 4 July 1897 or 1898 in Pandrangi, Madras Presidency, British India (present-day Andhra Pradesh, India).

Which rebellion was he part of?
• He led the Rampa Rebellion of 1922-1924, an armed campaign against the British authorities who imposed oppressive laws on the forest dwellers and exploited them.
• He was known as Manyam Veerudu (Hero of the Jungle) by the local people for his bravery and leadership. He was captured and executed by the British on 7 May 1924 at Koyyuru village in Chintapalle forests.
• He was inspired by the Non-Cooperation Movement and persuaded people to wear khadi and give up drinking. He also asserted that India could be liberated only by the use of force, not non-violence.
• He used guerrilla tactics to attack police stations, kill British officials and acquire firearms. He also spread Gandhiji’s ideas of swaraj and self-reliance among the rebels.
• He sacrificed his life for the cause of freedom and became a symbol of courage and resistance for the people.