Indore Tribal Pride Day: Saluting The Unwritten Chapters Of India’s Freedom Struggle

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): On 15 November, the nation celebrates Tribal Pride Day. For Madhya Pradesh—home to India’s largest tribal population—this day holds special significance. It is an occasion to honour the courage, sacrifice, and resistance of countless tribal freedom fighters who were denied due recognition in mainstream history.

Birsa Munda: A Revolutionary Ahead of His Time

Long before Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekhar Azad, or Mahatma Gandhi emerged on the national scene, Birsa Munda had already ignited a fierce struggle against British oppression. Operating in the remote forests and hills of Jharkhand—regions with almost no communication—he united tribal communities and inspired them with the call, “Abua raj ete jana, Maharani raj tundu jana” (Let our rule prevail, let the Queen’s rule end). Revered as “Dharti Aaba,” he became the symbol of tribal self-rule.

In 1900, British forces fired upon a gathering at Dombivadi Hill, killing nearly 400 supporters of Birsa Munda—an atrocity comparable to the Jallianwala Bagh massacre that occurred 19 years later but never received similar attention. After his arrest, he was paraded in chains, kept in solitary confinement for three months, allegedly poisoned, and martyred at the young age of 25.

Tribal Heroes Whom History Forgot

British exploitation of forests and natural resources pushed them into frequent conflict with tribal communities. Nearly 25 years before the 1857 revolt, Budhu Bhagat led the Lakra Rebellion in Chotanagpur against British seizure of land, water, and forests. His uprising was so fierce that a reward of ?1000 was announced for his capture.

In 1855–56, Sidu and Kanhu Murmu sparked the Santhal Rebellion, with 50,000 Santhals from 400 villages assembling in Bhognadih and declaring, “Do or die… British, leave our land.” Karl Marx later described this revolt as India’s first organised people’s revolution.

In Madhya Pradesh’s Nimar region, Tantia Bhil—known as the “Lion of Nimar” and “India’s Robin Hood”—redistributed seized British wealth to the poor. Standing nearly seven feet tall, he became a legend feared so widely that British cantonments warned, “Tantia might arrive.” Captured deceitfully and hanged in Jabalpur, his body was displayed at Patalpani. His arrest was even reported by the New York Times in November 1889.

Raja Shankar Shah and Kunwar Raghunath Shah, royals from Jabalpur, were executed by being tied to cannons—“blown from a gun”—for refusing to renounce their beliefs during the suppression of the 1857 revolt.

Bhima Nayak of Barwani, a Bhil warrior, fought across Barwani and Khandesh, assisted Tatya Tope, and is believed to be the first tribal freedom fighter executed at the Kala Pani penal settlement.

Raja Bhabhut Singh of Pachmarhi, known as the Shivaji of Narmadanchal, challenged the British for nearly three years using guerrilla tactics and even beehive attacks. He assisted Tatya Tope and built weapons in his forest workshops, remains of which survive today.

Restoring Honour in Modern India

From the Kol Revolution and Ulgulan to the Santhal Rebellion, tribal communities shaped India’s freedom struggle, yet their contributions were reduced to mere lines in textbooks. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the principle of “Development with Heritage” has revived long-neglected tribal narratives. Birsa Munda Jayanti was declared Tribal Pride Day, and PM Modi became the first Prime Minister to visit Birsa’s birthplace, Ulihatu. The election of President Droupadi Murmu further strengthened tribal representation.

Madhya Pradesh: Honouring Tribal Icons

Madhya Pradesh has taken significant steps to honour tribal heroes: renaming Chhindwara University after Shankar Shah, Bhopal Railway Station after Rani Kamlapati, and announcing the renaming of Pachmarhi Wildlife Sanctuary and Patalpani Station after Raja Bhabhut Singh and Tantia Bhil. Cabinet meetings held in Singrampur and Pachmarhi further reflect this commitment.

These efforts ensure tribal communities receive the honour they rightfully deserve.

(The author is the Minister for Urban Development & Housing and Parliamentary Affairs, Government of Madhya Pradesh.)