Amit Shah unveils Birsa Munda's statue on his 150th birth anniversary at Baansera Park

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday unveiled a statue here of tribal icon Birsa Munda on his 150th birth anniversary and said that the coming year will be celebrated as "Adivasi Gaurav Varsh".

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had in 2021 announced that the birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda would be celebrated as "Janjatiya Gaurav Divas".

"In commemoration of the 150th birth anniversary of Birsa Munda, the coming year, till 15 November 2025, will be celebrated as Adivasi Gaurav Varsh," Shah said.

"Bhagwan Birsa Munda's life can be divided into two parts. One is of protecting the tribal culture and the other is the spirit of making supreme sacrifice for the freedom of the country. At the age of 25, he scripted a story which is still remembered even after 150 years," he added.

When India and two-thirds of the world were ruled by the British, Birsa Munda displayed the courage of standing firmly against religious conversion and later, this determination and bravery transformed him into a leader of this country, the minister said.

In 2015, Prime Minister Modi decided to build museums of 20 tribal heroes in the country for Rs 200 crore so that children could become familiar with their lives, Shah said.

Three museums have been built so far. Modi has inaugurated the Bhagwan Birsa Munda Museum in Ranchi, the Shankar Shah and Raghunath Shah Museum in Jabalpur and the Tribal Freedom Fighter Museum in Chhindwara. All the remaining museums will be ready by 2026, he said.

The Modi government has done a lot of work for tribal pride. For the first time in the 75 years since Independence, a tribal woman has become the President of India, Shah said.

The opposition parties' government had a budget of only Rs 28,000 crore for the development of tribals, while the Modi government has made a provision of Rs 1,33,000 crore for the development of tribals in the budget for 2024-25, he stated.

Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar renamed the Sarai Kale Khan intersection the 'Bhagwan Birsa Munda Chowk'.

The statue unveiled by Shah weighs approximately 3,000 kg. It was crafted by two experienced sculptors from West Bengal who have ensured that it captures a sense of liveliness in its form.