Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav

The principality of Nargund used to be under the Peshwas after the defeat of Tipu. After the defeat of Peshwas in 1818, it came under British overlordship. Bhaskar Rao Bhave also known as Baba Saheb rose to the throne of Nargund in 1842 and administered this region efficiently. However he did not have a son and told the British that he would adopt a son to create an heir for Nargund. The British refused permission and asked him to return some of the land received as Inam. This enraged Baba Saheb and he got in touch with several rulers in Karnataka like Mundaragi Bhimaraya, Surpur Venkatappa Nayakaand many others. He was aware of the north Indian uprising and wanted to time his revolt also in June of 1857. when the British came to know that he had accumulated a large amount of artillery and ammunition in his fort in Nargund, they asked him to deposit the same in Dharwad. He readily agreed and sent them with an escort to Dharwad. Simultaneously he secretly organised an attack on the convoy and brought them back to Nargund, while claiming innocence.

In May 1858 when the British sent a force to prevent his networking with other rulers, he attacked them and brought the decapitated head of officer Manson, the head of British force sent to suppress him, to his fort and displayed it to the people. Meanwhile he discovered treachery within his fort leading to sabotage and adulteration of gun powder with cow dung. While he went to attack the fort in Amargol near Hubballi, British came to Nargund with a large force. Baba Saheb had over 2500 soldiers within the fort who fought valiantly, when the defeat was imminent, Baba Saheb consulted his comrades and decided to escape to a nearby forest. However in the forest near Torgal he was betrayed by some camp followers. This led to his capture and later execution in Belagavi

Bhimaraya of Mundaragi is a legendary hero of Ghadar of 1857 in Karnataka. He was not a Raja but a commoner with extra ordinary vision and had mobilising ability. Bhimaraya himself served as a Mamledar (a land revenue official) in Bellary, Hoovina Hadagali and Harapana Halli. He could not stand the exploitation of peasantry under British rule and in protest he resigned and came back his village Benne Halli,

He had observed the development of anti-colonial movement in Karnataka and networked with various like-minded leaders. who influenced him. He had sent many emissaries in the garb of Sadhus and Swamijis to contact others. and secretly visited Bangalore and written a letter in vain to the Maharaja of Mysore, Krishna Raja Wodeyar 3rd. Bhimaraya encouraged people in various areas to refuse to pay taxes to Company Sarkar. On 23 May 1858 the fouzdar of Dambal raided one such arms cache and sealed it. On hearing the news Bhimaraya came with his army attacked the armoury and took back all his arms and ammunition and shifted to a safer place in Shirahatti. Many local land owners and kings supported Bhimaraya and joined him in the revolt. When British took Bhimarayas wife and kids as hostages, Bhimaraya came with his army freed his family and went to the fort in Koppal and prepared to fight with a large stock of food, arms and ammunition. After a fierce fight Bhimaraya fell to British bullets on 1 June, 1858. British carried out brutal reprisals against Bhimaraya’s associates and supporters.

Andanappa Jnanappa Doddameti was an great Indian politician. He was born in Jakli village, Ron taluk, Kingdom of Mysore on 16 March 1908. Andanappa Doddameti was known for his role in the unification of Karnataka.

He joined the Indian National Congress in 1930. He took part in the Non-Cooperation Movement of 1933. He was jailed for half a year and fined 2,000 Indian rupees him for his role in the Ankola stir. Andanappa founded the Dharwad District Harijan Sevak Sangh after his release from jail. He met Mahatma Gandhi in the Yarvada jail, and sought Gandhi’s blessing for the work for upliftment of Harijans.

He was elected to the Bombay Legislative Assembly from the Dharwad North constituency in 1937 In 1938 he supported a motion for the creation of a Karnatak province, addressing the legislature in Kannada language. He was the first legislator to speak in Kannada in the assembly. He was jailed during a 1940 satyagrah. He was imprisoned during the Quit India movement of 1942, and spent thirty-three months in jail. He was re-elected to the Bombay Legislative Assembly in the 1952 elections, representing the Ron constituency. He served as the Working President of the Karnatak Unification League. Andanappa was a Member of the Bombay Legislative Assembly until 1956. From 1956 onwards he was a Member of the Mysore Legislative Assembly. He was re-elected to the Mysore Legislative Assembly in 1957, 1962 and 1967. In 1957 and 1966 he moved a resolutions in the Mysore Legislative Assembly, calling for the state to be re-named Karnataka

In 1968 he was named as Minister of State for Minor Irrigation in the Mysore state government. His tenure as Minister ended in March 1971. He died on 21 February 1972.