Who is Alluri Sitarama Raju, whose 30-ft bronze statue PM Modi unveiled?

The legend of Manyam Veerudu

Born on 4 July, 1897, Alluri Sitarama Raju was a sage-turned-freedom fighter who stood up for the rights of tribal communities in the Eastern Ghats region of Andhra Pradesh during British colonial rule.

Sitarama Raju was famously referred to as “Manyam Veerudu” (Hero of the uplands) after his opposition to the 1882 Madras Forest Act by the British government, which secured forest land for their use, calling it “reserved forest”.

The Act restricted the free movement of the local tribes in the forest and prevented them from practising “podu” — a traditional method of cultivation where the forest land is cleared by burning the trees.

Alluri Sitarama Raju (@VPSecretariat)

Sitarama Raju led the “Rampa rebellion” launched in 1922. He was known to terrorise the police by raiding local police stations in broad daylight to loot firearms for his followers.

After every attack, he would leave behind a note declaring his next place of attack. He would also give a detailed account of the weaponry looted at every police station he raided.

The British government managed to capture Alluri after two years of relentless efforts. On 7 May, 1924, the police tied him to a tree and shot him dead in a public execution.

Kin felicitated

As part of the statue unveiling celebrations, Modi felicitated Alluri Srirama Raju, Sitarama Raju’s nephew, and Bodi Dora, son of Sitarama Raju’s close lieutenant Mallu Dora.

Andhra Pradesh Governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, Union Minister for Tourism and Culture G Kishan Reddy, former Union Minister and film star K Chiranjeevi and others were present on occasion.

Telugu actor Ram Charan recently played a role inspired by Alluri Raju in S.S. Rajamouli’s latest film, RRR, a pre-Independence fictional story that became one of the highest-grossing films.