Alluri Sita Rama Raju (Telugu: అలూలర సతరమరజ b. 4 July 1897-d.

1924; also
called 'Alluri Rama raju', 'Rama Chandra Raju', and 'Alluri Seetha Rama Raju') was an
Indian freedom fighter from the Mogallu village in the West Godavari district of Andhra
Pradesh, India. He was the leader of the ill-fated "Rampa Rebellion" that was fought
against the British occupiers from 1922 to 1923. Popularly referred to as ‘Raju’, he lives
on in the hearts of the Telugu people as the Manyam Veerudu ('Hero of the jungles').

The Rampa Rebellion

A terror to the alien rulers, Alluri Seetha Rama Raju was one of Andhra's early
revolutionaries. He successfully led the tribals revolting against the Crown. Mobilising
them, he launched an armed rebellion against the British.

He was deeply moved by the plight of the tribals at the hands of the British rulers, who
used to infringe on their rights. The Madras Forest Act 1882 was formulated to deprive
the tribals of their rights. The Act placed restrictions on the free movement of tribals in
the forest areas, prevented "podu" (shifting) cultivation, felling and tapping of trees for
firewood and toddy.

The British officers despite their superior weapons were no match to Alluri and his men,
who were adept in guerilla tactics and knew the hilly terrain like the back of their palm.
They used to attack the police stations and seize the arms and ammunition. Alluri carried
a reward of Rs 10,000 on his head.

Born in Pandrangi village 12 km from Bheemunipatnam of Visakhapatnam district on

July 4th 1897. Alluri had his early education at Rajahmundry and Rama-chandrapuram in
East Godavari district. His father died when Alluri was in his elementary school and he
grew up in the care of his uncle Rama Chandra Raju, a tahsildar in Narsapur. He has
studied in Taylor High School, Narsapur. Then, he shifted to Tuni along with his mother,
brother and sister, on the transfer of his uncle. He joined Mrs A.V.N. College in
Visakhapatnam on September 20, 1912. He dropped out of the college after having failed
in fourth form (Std. IX).

While in Tuni, Alluri used to frequent the agency areas of Visakhapatnam district.
Between August and October 1922, he and his men attacked the Chintapalli, Rampa-
chodavaram, Rajahmundry and Addateegala and Annavaram police stations and blasted
the Chintapalli police station.

The statue of this "Pride of Telugus" stands majestically at The Park junction in
Visakhapatnam. The repressive measures and the unjust policies of the British, coupled
with the misdeeds of British contractors who exploited and oppressed the workers of the
hill tribes of the Visakhapatnam district, brought Alluri Sita Rama Raju into a tussle with
the police who supported the contractors. This eventually culminated in the Rampa
Rebellion (or Rampa Pituri; 'pituri' means 'complaints' in Telugu).
Sita Rama Raju carried out his campaign in the East Godavari and Visakhapatnam
districts of Andhra Pradesh. Inspired by the patriotic zeal of the revolutionaries in
Bengal, and the decisions taken by them at a meeting in Chittagong in 1921, Sita Rama
Raju raided many police stations in and around Chintapalli, Krishna-devi-peta and Raja-
vommangi, carrying off guns and powder, and killing several British army officers,
including the ruthless Scott Coward and Hites, near Damanapalli.

Under the leadership of Saunders, the British deployed a company of the Assam Rifles,
near Pedagaddapalem, in December 1922. Sita Rama Raju, who had by then gone
underground, resurfaced after some four months and continued the fight, strengthened by
tribal volunteers, using bows and arrows. He was ably assisted by two brothers, Mallu
Dora and Gantam Dora, who were tribal leaders. They were skilful in guerrilla warfare as
they were well-versed with the difficult terrain which was covered by thick forests and
valleys.

On September 18, 1923, Sita Rama Raju raided the Annavaram police outpost.
Subsequently, Mallu Dora was arrested. The Government entrusted the task of containing
Sita Rama Raju's activities to one Rutherford, who fired the first salvo when his forces
arrested Surya Narayana Raju Pericherla, popularly known as "Aggiraju", a strong
follower of Sita Rama Raju.

The campaign lasted nearly one year from December 1922, and petered off by October
1923. Sita Rama Raju surrendered himself, and was shot dead without a trial in May
1924.

Stamps

The Indian Postal Department issued a commemorative stamp on Sri Alluri Seetarama
Raju in the seies 'India's struggle for freedom' in 1986.