Jharkhand: formation and the tribal movements behind it

Jharkhand became India's 28th state on 15 November 2000, carved out of Bihar under the Bihar Reorganisation Act, 2000. The date was chosen because it is the birth anniversary of Birsa Munda, now marked nationally as Janjatiya Gaurav Divas.

The movements to know

Movement	Years	Leaders	Key point
Kol Vidroh	1831–32	Buddhu Bhagat and others	Revolt of Ho, Munda and Oraon people against outsiders and land loss in Chotanagpur
Santhal Hul	1855–56	Sidhu and Kanhu Murmu, Chand and Bhairav	Against moneylenders, zamindars and the Company; led to the Santhal Parganas district
Ulgulan	1899–1900	Birsa Munda	Against the breakdown of the khuntkatti (community land) system; Birsa died in Ranchi jail in 1900
Tana Bhagat	from 1914	Jatra Bhagat (Oraon)	Reform movement that later joined Gandhi's non-cooperation

Laws that came out of them

• Chotanagpur Tenancy Act, 1908: limits the transfer of tribal land in Chotanagpur.
• Santhal Parganas Tenancy Act, 1949: does the same for Santhal Parganas.

Quick facts

• 30 June is observed as Hul Diwas.
• Capital: Ranchi; High Court: Ranchi.
• The demand for a separate state was led for decades by the Jharkhand Party (Jaipal Singh Munda) and later the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha.