125th birth anniversary of Alluri Sitarama Raju

July 4, 2022

On July 4, 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled a 30-ft bronze statue of freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju.

Key Facts

The statue was unveiled to mark the 125th birth anniversary of Alluri Sitarama Raju.
It is a 15-tonne statue and was carved out at the cost of Rs 3 crore.
It has been installed by Kshatriya Seva Samiti in Municipal Park at ASR Nagar in Bhimavaram.
Statue was installed as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations.

Who was Alluri Sitarama Raju?

Alluri Sitarama Raju was popularly known as ‘Manyam Veerdu’ (Hero of the Forest). He also referred to by his surname Alluri. He was born at Pandrangi village of then Visakhapatnam district, on July 4, 1897. Regular patriotic discourse during the freedom struggle had highly influenced him. After the death of his father, his schooling got disrupted. He went on a pilgrimage and toured the western, north, north-western, and north-eastern India during his teens. The socio-economic conditions of India under the British regime, especially in the tribal areas, moved him deeply.

Rampa Rebellion

During his tourney to almost entire India, he met revolutionaries in Chittagong (now in Bangladesh). Following this, he decided to build a movement against the British. He organised local Adivasis in forest areas of Visakhapatnam and East Godavari districts into a potent force, for launching a frontal attack. Thus, ‘Rampa Rebellion’ or ‘Manyam Uprising’ born, in the Rampachodavaram forest area of East Godavari district. This force was using the traditional weapons of Adivasis’ like bows and arrows and spears. However, he later realised that traditional weaponry was no match to heavily armed British forces. Thus, he planned to snatch weapons of the British. in 1924, he got trapped and captured by the British at Koyyuru village in Chintapalle forests. He was tied to a tree and executed by a firing squad. His resting place lies in Krishnadevipeta village

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