DALIT CLUB

  Mahabiri Devi Mahabiri Devi, also revered as a "Virangana" (heroic woman warrior) in Dalit and Bahujan narratives, was a Dalit freedom fighter from the Bhangi (Valmiki) community during India's First War of Independence in 1857. Born into one of the most marginalized castes, traditionally associated with manual scavenging and severe untouchability, she emerged as a symbol of resistance against both British colonial oppression and entrenched caste-based exploitation. In her early twenties at the time of the revolt, Mahabiri is celebrated in subaltern histories for mobilizing and leading an all-women militia—comprising 22 untrained village women from diverse backgrounds—against British forces in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh. Her story, drawn from oral traditions, Dalit literature, and local accounts, challenges mainstream historiography by highlighting the pivotal role of Dalit women in the uprising, reframing 1857 as a people's revolt inclusive of the most disenfranc...

  Matadin Bhangi Matadin Bhangi, also known as Matadin Valmiki or Matadeen Bhangi, was a Dalit freedom fighter from the Bhangi (Valmiki) community, a caste traditionally associated with sanitation work and deemed "untouchable" in the rigid Hindu social hierarchy of 19th-century India. He is revered in Dalit narratives as the unsung "father" (janak) of the Indian Rebellion of 1857, often credited with igniting the spark that led to the widespread uprising against British colonial rule. While mainstream histories spotlight figures like Mangal Pandey, Dalit oral traditions, literature, and popular accounts position Matadin as the true initiator, emphasizing his role in exposing both British exploitation and caste-based hypocrisies among Indian soldiers. Background Born into a marginalized Dalit family in colonial India, Matadin worked as a low-ranking sepoy (laborer) in the British East India Company's cartridge manufacturing unit at the Barrackpore cantonment ne...

S aheed Telanga Khadiya S aheed Telanga Khadiya (also spelled Telanga Kharia, 2 February 1806 – 21 February 1880) was a revered tribal freedom fighter from the Chotanagpur region (now Jharkhand, India), celebrated for leading a decades-long armed rebellion against British colonial rule, exploitative zamindars, and moneylenders from 1850 to 1880. Born into the Kharia tribe, a Scheduled Tribe (Adivasi) community, Telanga was a Pahan (traditional priest-shaman) who galvanized his people to resist land alienation, forced labor, and cultural erosion under British policies. His guerrilla warfare in the dense forests of Chotanagpur, particularly around Gumla and Simdega, made him a formidable adversary to colonial forces, earning him the title "Shaheed" (martyr) after his execution. Unlike mainstream nationalist movements, Telanga’s struggle was a subaltern uprising rooted in Adivasi identity, focusing on reclaiming tribal autonomy and land rights. His legacy endures through folk so...

Biswambhar Parida Biswambhar Parida (8 February 1921 – 25 November 1999) was a distinguished Indian freedom fighter, Gandhian activist, and social reformer from Jagatsinghpur district, Odisha. Renowned for his unwavering commitment to India’s independence struggle, he played a pivotal role in mobilizing rural communities during the Non-Cooperation Movement (1920–1922), Civil Disobedience Movement (1930–1934), and Quit India Movement (1942). A devoted follower of Mahatma Gandhi, Parida endured nearly two years of imprisonment for his anti-British activities, earning him a revered place in Odisha’s freedom struggle history. Beyond his nationalist efforts, he was a champion of social reform, advocating for women’s education, widow remarriage, and the eradication of untouchability, particularly among Odisha’s marginalized communities. His legacy as a freedom fighter is commemorated through the Biswambhar Parida Memorial Trust and annual tributes in Odisha, where he is celebrated as a symb...

  Kushal Konwar Kushal Konwar (21 March 1905 – 15 June 1943) was an Assamese freedom fighter and the only martyr of the 1942 Quit India Movement to be executed by the British in India. A staunch Gandhian from the Tai-Ahom community of Assam, he is celebrated for his unwavering commitment to non-violence and his ultimate sacrifice in the fight against colonial rule. Konwar led a daring sabotage attempt by derailing a British military train in Sarupathar, Assam, during the Quit India Movement, embodying the spirit of resistance against British oppression. Hailing from a region where the independence struggle often took a backseat in mainstream narratives, his martyrdom at age 38 galvanized Assam’s role in India’s freedom movement. Revered as a symbol of courage and selflessness, Konwar’s legacy endures through memorials, annual tributes, and Assam’s pride in its sole Quit India martyr. His story, rooted in non-violent defiance, resonates in folk songs, historical accounts, and modern...

    Basanti Devi Basanti Devi (23 March 1880 – 7 May 1974) was a pioneering Indian freedom fighter, social reformer, and one of the earliest women leaders in the Indian independence movement. Born into an affluent Bengali Hindu family in Assam, she became a formidable figure through her marriage to Chittaranjan Das (C.R. Das), a titan of the nationalist struggle known as "Deshbandhu" (Friend of the Nation). Basanti Devi's activism, rooted in Bengal but resonating nationwide, included mobilizing women, leading non-cooperation campaigns, and enduring imprisonment during the 1920s. As a trailblazer for women’s participation in the freedom struggle, she inspired figures like Sarojini Naidu and Kamala Nehru. Beyond politics, she championed education, social reform, and Dalit upliftment, challenging caste and gender norms. Awarded the Padma Vibhushan in 1973, she remains a symbol of courage and inclusivity, celebrated for galvanizing Bengal’s revolutionary spirit during the Non...

  Veera Pasi Veera Pasi (original name: Shivdeen Pasi; 11 November 1835 – c. 1858) was an unsung hero of India's First War of Independence (the Revolt of 1857), a valiant Dalit freedom fighter from the Pasi community known for his exceptional bravery, martial skills, and unwavering loyalty to his homeland. Hailing from the marginalized sections of society in colonial Uttar Pradesh, Veera Pasi rose as a military commander, rallying villagers and subaltern warriors against British oppression. Often overshadowed in mainstream histories that prioritize upper-caste narratives, he symbolizes the subaltern resistance in the 1857 uprising, fighting alongside icons like Rani Lakshmibai, Nana Sahib, Tatya Tope, and Maulvi Ahmadullah Shah. His life of defiance against both colonial rule and caste hierarchies exemplifies the spirit of "Educate, Agitate, Organize" long before it was formalized by later reformers. Veera Pasi's legacy endures through folk tales, community commemorat...