Alluri Sitarama Raju (1897-1924)

Why in News? : Defence Minister Rajnath Singh paid tribute to Alluri Sitarama Raju on his 128th birth anniversary.
Introduction : Alluri Sitarama Raju was a great Indian revolutionary who fought against British rule in Andhra Pradesh.
Born : 4 July 1897, Pandrandi (East Godavari), Andhra Pradesh.
Major Contributions : He led the Rampa Rebellion in 1922. This rebellion was against the forest laws enacted by the British government. He had usurped the traditional forest rights of the tribals. He used guerrilla warfare tactics against the British army, making them difficult to capture. Due to his fighting skills he was called Manyam Veerudu (Hero of the Forests). Initially, he was inspired by Gandhiji’s non-violent movement, but due to local conditions, he adopted the path of armed rebellion and organized the tribals to fight against British exploitation.
Martyrdom : On 7 May, 1924, he was captured by the British and shot dead.