Alluri Sitarama Raju (1897–1924)

Syllabus: Modern History (UPSC Prelims)

Who He Was

• Alluri Sitarama Raju was a fearless revolutionary who led a tribal uprising against British colonial rule in the Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh¹.
• Though not a tribal himself, he became a symbol of tribal rights and justice.
• Born: 4 July 1897, Mogallu village, near Bhimavaram, Andhra Pradesh.
• Operated mainly in the Agency areas of the Eastern Ghats, especially Rampa (present-day Alluri district).

Early Life and Inspiration

• Educated in Mogallu and Visakhapatnam.
• At 18, renounced worldly life to become a sanyasi, traveling through forests and bonding with tribal communities.
• Influenced by Mahatma Gandhi’s Non-Cooperation Movement, he initially promoted peaceful resistance.
• When reforms failed, he turned to armed struggle against the British.

Major Contributions

1. Rampa Rebellion (1922–1924)

• Led the Rampa Rebellion in response to the Madras Forest Act, 1882, which curtailed Podu (shifting) cultivation and displaced tribals.
• The tribals were also forced into unpaid labour for colonial road and rail projects, intensifying unrest.

2. Guerrilla Warfare

• Raju mobilized tribal youth into a guerrilla army that launched raids on British police stations, seizing arms and killing officers.
• His leadership and strategy made him one of the most feared revolutionaries of his time.

Martyrdom and Legacy

• The British announced a ₹10,000 bounty on his head.
• He was captured deceitfully and executed on 7 May 1924, tied to a tree and shot dead.
• Remembered as “Manyam Veerudu” (Hero of the Jungle).
• 4 July, his birth anniversary, is celebrated as a state festival in Andhra Pradesh.
• He remains a symbol of courage, tribal resistance, and sacrifice in India’s freedom struggle.

UPSC Quick Facts

1. Question Reference
   (HPAS PYQ 2025) ↩︎