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The First war of independence in 1857 was spearheaded in Chhattisgarh by Vir Narayan Singh who was a benevolent jamindar of Sonakhan. The British arrested him in 1856 for looting a trader's grain stocks and distributing it amongst the poor in a severe famine year. In 1857 with the help of the solders of the British Army at Raipur, Vir Narayan Singh escaped form prison. He reached Sonakhan and formed an army of 500 men. Under the leadership of Smith, a powerful British army was dispatched to crush the Sonakhan army. The British succeeded after a prolonged battle and Vir Narayan Singh was arrested and later hanged on the 10th December, 1857. He became the first martyr from Chhattisgarh in the War of Independence. Vir Narayan Singh's martyrdom has been resurrected in the 1980's and he has become a potent symbol of Chhattisgarhi pride.
Birsa Munda (he is also known as Dharti Abba) was an Indian tribal freedom fighter and a folk hero, who belonged to the Munda tribe, and was behind the Millenarian movement that rose in the tribal belt of modern day Bihar, andJharkhand during the British Raj, in the late 19th century.
He died at a very young age of 25 years but his deeds and agitations shattered the roots of Britishers. His movement forced the Colonial Government for the promulgation of the Chhotanagpur Tenancy Act, 1908. This act was the outcome of his dedicated struggle against the discrimination experienced by the tribals.
He was arrested on 3 March 1900 in Jamkopai forest, Chakradharpur while he was sleeping along his tribal guerrilla army which was fighting against British forces. About 460 tribal people were arrested of which one was given with capital punishment, 39 were awarded for transportation for life and 23 for 14 years jail. Birsa Munda died in Ranchi Jail on 9 June 1900 through cholera.
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