Telangana Leaders Greet Indigenous Communities on World Indigenous Peoples Day
Telangana Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K.T. Rama Rao extended greetings to indigenous communities on August 9, 2026, to mark the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. The leaders highlighted the heritage, rights, and environmental stewardship of tribal communities across the state and recalled key welfare initiatives, including the Kumram Bheem Adivasi Bhavan located in Banjara Hills, Hyderabad.
Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla extended his greetings to all Adivasi citizens, describing their culture, traditions, and age-old wisdom as a priceless treasure of national heritage. He noted that for generations, tribal communities have served as custodians of forests, water, biodiversity, and nature. Shukla called upon everyone to respect their rights, dignity, identity, and way of life while ensuring equal opportunities and inclusive development.
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy stated that indigenous communities revere nature as God and consider the forest as their mother, preserving their culture across generations. He stated that the lifestyle, knowledge, and collective traditions of tribal communities serve as a guiding light for humanity, calling on everyone to stand together to honor their rights, culture, welfare, and self-respect.
BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao stated that Adivasis embody the courage of tribal freedom fighter Kumram Bheem, who raised the rallying cry of "Jal, Jungle, Zameen." Recalling initiatives undertaken during the previous administration, Rama Rao highlighted the Assembly resolution and subsequent orders that increased Scheduled Tribe reservations from 6 per cent to 10 per cent, as well as the conversion of tribal habitations into village panchayats.
Rama Rao also noted the creation of a memorial park at Jodeghat, the naming of Asifabad district after Kumram Bheem, and the construction of the Kumram Bheem Adivasi Bhavan in Banjara Hills. He added that past welfare programs included providing clean drinking water to tribal habitations, establishing ST gurukuls and colleges, offering Ambedkar Overseas Scholarships, and training tribal youth to become industrialists under the CMSTEI scheme.
