Komaram Bheem: A forgotten Adivasi leader who gave the slogan ‘Jal Jangal Jameen’

 It is not very often that one hears name of Komaram Bheem in the line of great Adivasi/tribal leaders of the country. Though, he has been no less of a martyr in Adivasi atruggle for autonomy, his recognition has been mostly limited within the boundaries of Telangana/Andhra Pradesh. His history is erased from history texts, just like many Adivasi histories. Apart from it, very few know that ‘Jal Jangal Jameen’ the popular slogan of Adivasi movements, was first given by Komaram Bheem. In his movement against Nizams, he argued that complete rights on all the resources of forest should be given to Adivasis.

Komaram Bheem belonged to Gond (Koitur) community, and was born in Sankepalli of Adilabad district, Telangana (in 1900). Adilabad district is located in north Telangana, making border with the state of Maharashtra. The region was predominantly populated by Gonds, and was under sovereignty of Gond Kingdom of Chanda (Chandrapur) and Ballalpur. Bheem’s childhood was spent without any exposure to the outside world, he did not have any formal education, and he grew up seeing and experiencing the plights of his people. As Mypathi Arun Kumar in his book narrates, “Bheem grew up listening to stories of exploitaion of Gond and Kolam Adivasis by Janglaat Police, businessmen, and zamindars

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