Intro: Madhya Pradesh plans to expand tribal history education through textbooks, films and institutions highlighting freedom fighters and community leaders.
Jabalpur
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Friday said the state government was taking steps to bring the history and sacrifices of tribal heroes into the mainstream through school education, films and other initiatives. He was speaking in Jabalpur at a programme marking the martyrdom day of Raja Shankar Shah and his son, Kunwar Raghunath Shah.
Yadav said the state had a responsibility to preserve the legacy of tribal figures and ensure younger generations learn about their contribution to India’s freedom struggle. He said episodes from the lives of Raja Bhabhut Singh, Raja Shankar Shah and Kunwar Raghunath Shah had been incorporated into the educational curriculum.
According to the account presented at the event, Shankar Shah and Raghunath Shah belonged to the Gondwana tradition associated with Rani Durgavati. During the 1857 uprising, the father-son duo opposed British rule through writings and poetry. They were captured and executed in Jabalpur on September 18, 1857.
Yadav also said the government was encouraging films based on tribal icons and cited institutions named after prominent personalities. These include a university in Khargone named after Tantya Bhil and a university in Sagar named after Rani Avanti Bai Lodhi.
During the programme, Yadav also launched the ‘Namo Prerana’ initiative aimed at spreading awareness about cancer prevention and de-addiction among school and college students.
He later visited a blood donation camp organised under the ‘Seva Sankalp Abhiyan-2026’ at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Cultural and Information Centre and interacted with donors.
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Mohan Yadav: “It is the responsibility of the state government to bring the glorious past of the tribal community to the forefront.”