ASR District to Celebrate 15-day Tribal Pride Festival Honouring Birsa Munda

Visakhapatnam:In celebration of Birsa Munda Jayanti, ITDA project officer Thirumani Sri Pooja announced that the Jana Jatiya Gaurav Diwas Mahotsavam will be organised across the Alluri Sitarama Raju (ASR) district from November 1 to 15, following directives from the Central Government. All tribal communities have been invited to participate in this 15-day festival honouring tribal heritage, resistance, and cultural pride.

The celebrations will commence with a vibrant carnival on Saturday morning, beginning at the ITDA office and culminating at the Coffee House. The procession will feature cultural performances reflecting the richness of tribal traditions. At the Coffee House, participants will join a sapling-planting ceremony and offer floral tributes to portraits of Birsa Munda and other tribal freedom fighters.

Sri Pooja said that the Jana Jatiya Gaurav Diwas serves not only as a celebration but also as a day of remembrance, honouring tribal freedom fighters and social reformers who challenged injustice and whose contributions remain underrepresented in mainstream history. She added that efforts are underway to document tribal arts, attire, and indigenous knowledge systems in collaboration with the Tribal Research Institute.

She encouraged tribal artists, performers, and craftspeople to participate in the Mahotsavam and display their work. Those practising traditional medicine will receive training in basic modern medical practices, with workshops designed to enhance community healthcare capacity.

Sri Pooja also highlighted the Adi Karmayogi Abhiyan, under which a Village Action Plan has been formulated to promote leadership, improve infrastructure, and expand livelihood opportunities in tribal regions. She noted that the Central Government has recognised these efforts by conferring the Adi Karmayogi Puraskar on the Alluri Sitarama Raju ITDA, Paderu.