Professor at the Government First Grade College, Moka, Kalavathi B.G. speaking during Kittur Rani Chennamma Jayanti celebrations in Ballari on Thursday.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Remembering the valiant freedom fighter Kittur Rani Chennamma on her birth anniversary, Dr. Babu Jagjivan Ram Leather Industries Development Corporation (LIDKAR) chairman Mundargi Nagaraj has said that the queen of Kittur, who fought the British fearlessly, continues to inspire generations of Indian women to stand up for justice and equality.
He was speaking after inaugurating the Kittur Rani Chennamma Jayanti celebrations organised jointly by the District Administration, the Zilla Panchayat, the Department of Kannada and Culture, and the Ballari City Corporation at the Hongirana auditorium of the Cultural Complex on Dr. Rajkumar Road in Ballari on Thursday.
“Rani Chennamma was not just a queen but a revolutionary who stood as a symbol of courage and resistance. Her struggle reminds us that determination and moral strength are essential in life. Let us follow the ideals of the Buddha, Basavanna and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar to build a meaningful life based on equality and justice,” Mr. Nagaraj said.
Vice-chairman of Karnataka State Minerals Corporation Limited H. Lakshman said that Kittur Rani Chennamma’s courage against the British made her one of the earliest women freedom fighters in India. “Her contribution to society is immense and continues to inspire every generation,” he said.
Chairman of the District Guarantee Schemes Implementation Authority, K.E. Chidanandappa observed that if the principles of social equality preached by Basavanna in the 12th century, especially equal share and equal opportunities for all, had been fully embraced, the British would not have been able to rule India.
“We must rise above caste and religious divisions and live in unity,” he said.
Professor at the Government First Grade College, Moka, Kalavathi B.G. said that Rani Chennamma was not limited to her community or region but belonged to the entire nation as one of its earliest freedom fighters.
“Her bravery and the story of the ‘Kappa Kanike’ are remembered during Independence Day celebrations, where children dress up as the Kittur queen,” she said.
She also recalled that Kittur Rani Chennamma, born on October 23, 1778, in Kakati village of Belagavi district, hailed from the Lingayat Panchamasali community.
Trained from a young age in horse riding, sword fighting and archery, she married Raja Mallasarja Desai of the Desai dynasty at the age of 15.
Earlier, participants took a Constitutional Pledge. And, a procession carrying the portrait of Kittur Rani Chennamma, accompanied by traditional art troupes, was taken out from Municipal College Ground through Indira Circle and Dr. Rajkumar Road, culminating at the Cultural Complex auditorium.
Published – October 23, 2025 07:54 pm IST
