Alluri Sitarama Raju (4 July 1897 or 1898 – 7 May 1924) was an Indian revolutionary who waged an armed campaign against the British colonial rule in India. Born in present-day Andhra Pradesh, he was involved in opposing the British in response to the 1882 Madras Forest Act, which actively restricted the free movement of Adivasis in their forest habitats, and prevented them from practicing their traditional form of agriculture called podu. Rising discontent towards the British led to the Rampa Rebellion of 1922 in which Alluri Sitarama Raju played the major role as its leader. Mustering combined forces of Adivasis, farmers and other sympathizers, he engaged in guerilla campaigns against the British in the border regions of then Madras Presidency (now parts of East Godavari and Visakhapatnam). He was given the title: "Manyam Veerudu" () by the local people for his heroic exploits. Born into a Telugu speaking family, Alluri who took up sannyasa at 18, became a charismatic leader of the downtrodden tribal people in 20th century colonial India. Harnessing widespread discontent against British colonial rule in the backdrop of the 1920 Non-cooperation movement, Alluri led his forces in the Rampa Rebellion of 1922 against the colonial rulers with an aim to expell them from the Eastern Ghats region. During this rebellion he led numerous raids on the imperial police stations to acquire firearms for his under-equipped forces. After each raid, he would leave behind a letter written by him informing the police about the details of his plunder there, including details of the weaponry he parted away with and dare them to stop him if they can. Police stations in and around areas of Annavaram, Addateegala, Chintapalle, Dammanapalli, Krishna Devi Peta, Rampachodavaram, Rajavommangi, and Narsipatnam were all targeted by his forces, resulting in significant police casualties. In response to these raids, and to quell the rebellion, the British colonial authorities undertook a nearly two-year long manhunt for Alluri, resulting in expenditures reaching over ₹4 million rupees then. Eventually in 1924, he was trapped by the British at the village of Koyyuru in Chintapalle forests. There, he was captured, tied to a tree and summarily executed by a firing squad. His final resting place lies at Krishnadevipeta in Andhra Pradesh. Biography Birth and childhood Alluri Sitarama Raju was born in a Telugu speaking family in the current state of Andhra Pradesh, India. His father, Venkata Rama Raju, was