Tuesday 26 September 2023

Chakali Ilamma (c. 1895 – 10 September 1985), born Chityala Ilamma, was an Indian revolutionary leader during the Telangana Rebellion. Her act of defiance against Zamindar Ramachandra Reddy, known as Visnoor Deshmukh, to cultivate her land, became an inspiration for many during the rebellion against the feudal lords of the Telangana region.

Chakali Ilamma (c. 1895 – 10 September 1985), born Chityala Ilamma, was an Indian revolutionary leader during the Telangana Rebellion. Her act of defiance against Zamindar Ramachandra Reddy, known as Visnoor Deshmukh, to cultivate her land, became an inspiration for many during the rebellion against the feudal lords of the Telangana region.

Ilamma was born into a poor Chakali (leatherworker) family in the village of Chityala in the Karimnagar district of Telangana. She was married at a young age and had to work hard to support her family. In the 1940s, she joined the Telangana Rebellion, which was a struggle against the feudal lords and the Nizam of Hyderabad.

Ilamma became a symbol of resistance when she refused to pay the feudal lord a tax on her land. She led the villagers in cultivating the land themselves and resisted the attempts of the feudal lord to evict them. Ilamma was also involved in other activities of the Telangana Rebellion, such as organizing rallies and protests.

The Telangana Rebellion was successful in overthrowing the Nizam of Hyderabad and establishing a democratic government in Telangana. Ilamma was recognized as one of the leaders of the rebellion and was awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India in 1981.

Chakali Ilamma is remembered as a courageous and inspiring leader who fought for the rights of the poor and oppressed. She is a role model for women and social activists everywhere.


Chakali Ilamma (1895-1985) was a revolutionary leader during the Telangana Rebellion, an armed peasant uprising against the feudal lords of the Telangana region of India. She was born into a poor Chakali (washerman) family in the village of Chityala in Nalgonda district.

In 1946, Ilamma led a group of peasants in occupying a piece of land belonging to a local zamindar (feudal lord). This act of defiance inspired many others to follow suit, and the Telangana Rebellion soon spread across the region.

Ilamma was a fearless leader and a skilled organizer. She played a key role in mobilizing peasants and women to join the rebellion. She also worked to build unity among the different caste and religious groups in the region.

The Telangana Rebellion was eventually crushed by the Indian government in 1951. However, it had a profound impact on Indian society, leading to the abolition of the zamindari system and the redistribution of land to the peasants.

Chakali Ilamma is remembered as a symbol of the Telangana Rebellion and a hero of the Indian peasant movement. She is an inspiration to all who fight for social justice and equality.

In 2020, the Telangana government announced plans to erect a statue of Chakali Ilamma in Hyderabad, the capital of the state. The statue is expected to be completed in 2023.


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