President of India and A brief history of the Santhal tribe
Recently Draupadi Murmu has been made the President of India. It is to be known that the newly elected President Draupadi Murmu belongs to the Santhal tribe.
She is the first tribal woman in the political history of independent India to become the President. She has been elected as the 15th President of India.
The Santhal Tribe
- It is the third largest scheduled tribe community in the country.
- Most of their population lives in the states of Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal.
- The people of the Santhal tribe speak the Santhali language. This language belongs to the Austro-Asiatic language family. Olchiki Santhals have their own script. It was developed by Dr. Raghunath Murmu in the year 1925.
- The Santhals organized the Santhal Rebellion (Hul) against the East India Company in the year 1855-56.
Hul/Santhal Rebellion (1855–56)
- The main leaders of this rebellion were Siddo and Kanhu, and the main area of this rebellion was Daman-Ekoh/Santhal Pargana (the region from Bhagatpur to Rajmahal hills). The Santhals were spread over various districts of eastern India, such as Bibhum, Bankurapalamu, Chota Nagpur etc.
- The reason for the Santhal rebellion was British colonialism, exorbitant interest collection by the moneylenders, police corruption, poverty of the Santhals, lack of justice from the English courts or delay and eviction from their lands, etc.
- Sidho was captured in August 1855 and Kanhu in February 1856.
- The British government brutally suppressed the Santhal revolt in 1856 under the leadership of Major General Lloyd, the Commissioner of Bhagalpur, by a major military action.
- After the Santhal rebellion was quelled, the Santhal Pargana district was duly established in November 1856 and Ashleyden was made the first District Collector.
Source – The Hindu
