A new comic book on freedom fighters who share their origins with President Murmu 

Do you love reading comic books, especially the ones on India’s freedom movement? Well then, there’s good news for you. Recently, the Ministry of Culture, in collaboration with Amar Chitra Katha (ACK), has released a comic book on stories of 20 tribal freedom fighters at the Tiranga Utsav celebration in New Delhi: Tribal Leaders of the Freedom Struggle. The celebration is part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, a government initiative to commemorate 75 years of India independence. The latest release, which is the third in the series of comic books on freedom fighters, is a collection of stories that recalls some of the bravest men and women who inspired their tribes and sacrificed their lives for the cause of India’s independence. What’s most interesting is that two of the tribal freedom fighters featured in the comic book share their origins with our recently elected President Droupadi Murmu.  

The two other books in this series are: India’s Women Unsung Heroes, The Brave Women of our Freedom Struggle and Women In Power Elected to the Constituent Assembly. The aim is to create awareness among kids and youth of the nation about the struggle, sacrifice and patriotism of the unsung heroes of India’s freedom struggle.  

Sidhu and Kanhu Murmu: The ilk of President Murmu 
Out of 20 tribal freedom fighters whose stories were featured in the third and latest comic book by Amar Chitra Katha, two individuals, named Sidhu Murmu and Kanhu Murmu are incidentally President Murmu’s ancestors and belong to the same Santhal tribe. It also turns out that this Murmu duo not only revolted against the British and their dupes, but also led the Santhals in the Hul rebellion. Not only that, they were also betrayed, caught, imprisoned and later hanged to death.  

Apart from Sidhu and Kanhu Murmu, many others find mention in this book: Tilka Majhi of the Pahadia tribe, Thalakkal Chanthu of the Kurichiyar tribe, Budhu Bhagat of the Oraon tribe, Tirot Singh who was a Khasi Chief, Raghoji Bhangre of the Mahadeo Koli tribe, Rendo Manjhi and Chakra Bisoi of the Khond tribe, Nilambar and Pitamber of the Bhogta clan (Kharwar tribe), Ramji Gond of the Gond tribe, Telanga Kharia of the Kharia tribe, Tantiya Bhil of the Bhil tribe (known as Robin Hood of the Central Provinces), Major Paona Brajabasi of Manipur kingdom, Birsa Munda of the Munda tribe, Matmur Jamoh of the Adi tribe, Tana Bhagat of the Oraon tribe, Malati Mem of the Tea-Garden Community, Laxman Naik of the Bhuyan tribe, Helen Lepcha of the Lepcha tribe and Pulimaya Devi Podar. 

The famous Hul rebellion 
Hul Rebellion, better known as the Santhal rebellion, was an armed resistance organised by the Santhal tribe against the British East India Company and the zamindari system in present day Jharkhand, and parts of West Bengal. It spans between June and November 1855. It was led by Sidhu and Kanhu Murmu along with two others named Chand and Bhairav. For the unversed, Santhal is the largest tribe in eastern India in terms of population. They belong to the Munda ethnic group and are perhaps the largest ethnic minority in the country spread across Nepal, Bhutan, and parts of Odisha, Bihar and Assam.