21 Facts About Komaram Bheem

Komaram Bheem, alternatively Kumram Bheem, was a revolutionary leader in Hyderabad State of British India from the Gond tribes.

Komaram Bheem was killed by armed policemen in 1940, subsequently lionised as a symbol of rebellion, and eulogised in Adivasi and Telugu folklore.

Komaram Bheem is associated with the early part of the movement for Telangana statehood.

Komaram Bheem was born in Sankepalli, near Asifabad in Hyderabad State, British India to a family in the Gondi tribal community, on 22 October 1901.

Komaram Bheem grew up in the tribal populated forests within the traditional kingdoms of Chanda and Ballalpur, isolated from the rest of the world and received no formal education.

Gondis began migrating from their traditional villages, the situation led to occasional retaliations and protests; Komaram Bheem's father was killed by forest officials in one such incident.

Komaram Bheem learned to speak and read English, Hindi and Urdu during time working with Vitoba.

Komaram Bheem was forced to run away again after Vitoba was arrested, on this occasion, to a tea plantation in Assam with an acquaintance at the Manchiryal railway station.

Komaram Bheem worked in the plantations for four and a half years.

Komaram Bheem escaped jail within four days, boarded a goods train and returned to Balharshah in the Nizamate.

Komaram Bheem had heard of Ramji Gond in his childhood, so he decided to initiate his own struggle for the rights of the Adivasis on his return to the Nizamate.

Komaram Bheem moved to Kakanghat with family and started working for Lacchu Patel who was the head of a village called Devadam.

Komaram Bheem married a woman named Som Bai, moved to Bhabejhari in the interior of the Gond lands and settled down to cultivate a piece of land.

Komaram Bheem then tried to lobby the Nizam directly and sought to present the grievances of the Adivasis before him but he received no response.

Komaram Bheem formed clandestine associations with the banned Communist Party of India, and started mobilising the Adivasi population at Jodeghat, eventually calling a council of tribal leaders from the twelve traditional districts of Ankusapur, Bhabejhari, Bhimangundi, Chalbaridi, Jodeghat, Kallegaon, Koshaguda, Linepatter, Narsapur, Patnapur, Shivaguda and Tokennavada.

Komaram Bheem rejected the initial offer stating that they sought justice and instead demanded regional autonomy for the Gonds, eviction of the forest officials and zamindars, and the release of all Gond prisoners in the penal system of Hyderabad state.

Komaram Bheem directly commanded 300 men under him and operated out of Jodeghat.

Komaram Bheem's whereabouts were eventually discovered by Kurdu Patel and he was killed in an encounter with armed policemen led by the talukdar of Asifabad, Abdul Sattar.

Komaram Bheem was lionised as a symbol of the Gond rebellion following his death and, over the years, was eulogised into Adivasi and Telugu folk songs.

Komaram Bheem's legacy was largely ignored in the mainstream beyond the folk culture of the impoverished Adivasis of central eastern India and the Telangana movement in Andhra Pradesh.

In popular culture, the film Komaram Bheem directed by Allani Sridhar was created based on his life and won two Nandi Awards.