NEWS – Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch a commemorative stamp and coin . This event honors the 150th birth anniversary of Birsa Munda, a tribal icon and freedom fighter.

HIGHLIGHTS

• The Centre designated November 15 as Janjatiya Gaurav Divas in 2021.
• The day commemorates Birsa Munda’s birth anniversary and celebrates the contributions of India’s tribal communities.
• Initiatives for Tribal Welfare
  • Prime Minister Modi is set to inaugurate and lay the foundation for multiple tribal welfare projects.
  • The total value of these initiatives is estimated at over ₹6,640 crore, targeting development and support for tribal communities.

JANJATIYA GAURAV DIVAS

• Purpose of the Celebration
  • Janjatiya Gaurav Divas is a tribute to the tribals’ role in preserving cultural heritage and promoting Indian values such as pride, bravery, and hospitality.
• Tribals’ Contribution to Indian Freedom Movements
  • Numerous tribal communities led movements against British colonial rule.
  • Notable tribal communities include the Tamars, Santhals, Khasis, Bhils, Mizos, and Kols, among others.

BIRSA MUNDA

• Birsa Munda was born on November 15, 1875, into the Munda Tribe in the Chhota Nagpur Plateau region.
• He emerged as a freedom fighter, religious leader, and cultural icon for the tribal communities.
• Birsa observed the Sardari Larai movement in the 1880s, which aimed to restore tribal land rights through peaceful petitions.
• British authorities largely dismissed these efforts, worsening exploitation under the zamindari system.
• The deteriorating conditions inspired Birsa to champion Adivasi rights, advocating against unjust land policies.
• This resistance ultimately contributed to the Chotanagpur Tenancy Act of 1908, which restricted the transfer of tribal lands to non-tribals.
• Birsa founded Birsait, a new religious movement promoting monotheism and a return to traditional beliefs. He gained a reputation as a healer and preacher, revered by Oraon and Munda people who called him ‘Dharti Abba’ (Father of the Earth).
• Birsa led a revolt, later known as Ulgulan or the Munda rebellion, to oppose the British-imposed feudal system. Through this rebellion, he inspired mass resistance against exploitation by landlords and colonial powers, igniting a powerful tribal movement.