Janjatiya Gaurav Divas

Janjatiya Gaurav Divas

  • Context:

  • India celebrates Janjatiya Gaurav Divas (Tribal Pride Day) on November 15 every year

  • The year 2024-25 is being celebrated as Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Birsa Munda

  • The fortnight of November 1-15 is being celebrated to honor the sacrifices of tribal leaders and celebrate tribal culture

  • Janjatiya Gaurav Divas:

  • The day is celebrated to commemorate the birth anniversary of the tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda

  • It honors the sacrifices and struggles of Birsa Munda and other Indian tribal leaders in India's anti-colonial struggle

  • It also celebrates the rich diversity of the country's tribal cultures and heritage

  • Tribal Freedom Fighters Museum Initiative

  • A major government initiative is the establishment of 11 museums to commemorate the contributions of historical tribal freedom fighters.

  • This is intended to preserve, document, and disseminate information on tribal leaders and enlighten the public about their movements (as this often remain underrepresented in mainstream history)

  • The Ministry of Tribal Affairs provides funds to state governments for establishing these museums under the Support to Tribal Research Institutes scheme

  • The following Four museums have already been inaugurated:

  • Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Memorial (Raipur, Chhattisgarh)à India's first digital museum

  • It highlights major uprisings like the Halba Rebellion (Chhattisgarh) and Sarguja Revolt (Chhattisgarh), featuring sculptures of tribal leaders such as Birsa Munda and Gend Singh

  • Bhagwan Birsa Munda Tribal Freedom Fighter Museum (Ranchi, Jharkhand) à depicts the contribution of tribal heroes and heroines in the freedom struggle.

  • Badal Bhoi State Tribal Freedom Fighters Museum (Chhindwara, Madhya Pradesh) à Renamed (in 1997) after a revolutionary tribal leader and freedom fighter from the Chhindwara district, revered as the “Gandhi of Chhindwara” for his non-violent resistance against British rule.

  • Raja Shankar Shah and Kunwar Raghunath Shah Museum (Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh) à Gond rulers who led a tribal uprising against British rule during 1857 revolt.