Patnaik pays tribute to Birsa Munda

His struggle for protection of tribal interest and rights will always remain as a source of inspiration. Indias largest hockey stadium, which is coming up at Rourkela in Odishas Sundargarh district, has been named after the tribal hero Birsa Munda, who is also referred as Dharti Aaba God on earth.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Monday paid rich tribute to prominent tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda on the occasion of the legendary leader’s birthday.

Taking to Twitter, Patnaik said: ''My tribute to brave freedom fighter and tribal leader Saheed Birsa Munda on his birth anniversary. His bravery and courage were exemplary in the history of the freedom struggle of India. His struggle for the protection of tribal interest and rights will always remain as a source of inspiration.'' India's largest hockey stadium, which is coming up at Rourkela in Odisha's Sundargarh district, has been named after the tribal hero Birsa Munda, who is also referred to as 'Dharti Aaba' (God on earth). The stadium will host the 2023 Men’s FIH Hockey World Cup.

Birsa Munda united the tribals against the British and forced the colonial rulers to introduce laws protecting the land rights of the tribals. He spearheaded the tribal Millenarian movement that arose in the erstwhile Bengal Presidency comprising western districts of Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha.

Munda was born on November 15, 1875, in the Chhotanagpur plateau of present-day Jharkhand. He had organized his first protest march for the remission of forest dues during the great famine of 1895.

The prominent tribal leader was arrested on March 3, 1900, while sleeping with his guerrilla army at Jamkopai forest in Chakradharpur. He died in Ranchi jail on June 9 that year aged 25.

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