Written by Ranjana Chopra
Birsa Munda’s rebellion was not a solitary act of defiance. Across India, long before 1857, tribal communities had risen in protest against injustice. Tilka Manjhi’s armed resistance in 1784, the Santhal Rebellion led by Sidho and Kanho Murmu, the Bhil uprisings, and the heroic acts of Alluri Sitarama Raju, Tirot Sing, Veer Narayan Singh and Rani Gaidinliu — each was a chapter in India’s unfinished story of freedom. For too long, their sacrifices remained underacknowledged; their legacy, unsung.
These were not mere local revolts. They were moral declarations — that freedom without justice, and progress without inclusion, would remain hollow. Yet, for decades, their names stayed buried in regional memory, absent from mainstream history.
To this day, Birsa Munda remains Dharti Aaba, the “Father of the Earth,” embodying an ecological wisdom that feels prophetic in our climate-challenged world.
In 2021, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Government of India declared November 15, Birsa Munda’s birth anniversary, as Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas — a national observance to honour the contributions of tribal freedom fighters.
To commemorate 150 years of Bhagwan Birsa Munda, the government announced Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh (from November 15, 2024, to November 15, 2025) — a year-long celebration of India’s 10-crore-strong tribal community, representing over 700 tribes, whose cultures, languages, and knowledge systems are integral to the Indian civilisational mosaic.
Over the past year, commemoration has taken the form of concrete action. The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has focused on thematic programmes spanning education, health, livelihoods, infrastructure, and the promotion of art, culture, and heritage. Initiatives such as the Dharti Aaba Janbhagidari Abhiyan, Adi Karmayogi Abhiyan, and SCD Awareness Drives have deepened grassroots participation and local leadership.
This model — linking pride with progress — reflects the Prime Minister’s guiding philosophy: “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, aur Sabka Prayas.”
The new Ulgulan is not fought with arms, but with ideas —with education, technology, and opportunity. Schemes such as Eklavya Model Residential Schools, PM-JANMAN Mission, National Sickle Cell Elimination Mission, Adi Vaani, and Venture Capital Fund for tribal entrepreneurs are empowering communities to stand tall in a rapidly changing India.
Tribal empowerment today is not about isolation — it is about integration with pride. The journey for Jal, Jungle, Jameen continues, redefined as a movement for sustainable development and environmental stewardship.
As Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh draws to a close, the story of Birsa Munda and countless unsung tribal heroes reminds us that the soul of India lies not in its moral imagination — in the idea that every community has a rightful place in the nation’s growth.
Their legacy calls us to ensure that India’s march toward modernity does not leave behind those who have been its earliest protectors of nature and culture.
In honouring 150 years of Birsa Munda, we are not merely looking back — we are looking forward to a nation where empowerment replaces exclusion, and where pride in our roots fuel our shared destiny.
The writer is Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs
