People and Personalities of Lohardaga District

The big stories often make the headlines of our historical narratives, but history is not only about the landmark events - it finds shape and character in the myriad events that led up to a flashpoint of change. An attempt to discover and document stories of people, events, and places linked to the freedom struggle of India at the micro level of the district has led to the creation of a Digital District Repository. Stories in this section can be broadly classified under - People & Personalities.

Pandey Ganpat Rai

The uprising of 1857 saw many leaders who stood up against the British State and carried out resistance against them. Pandey Ganpat Rai from Lohardaga was one of them.

Born on January 17, 1809 in Bhounro village, Lohardaga, then in Bihar, Rai was a zamindar and served as Dewan to the Maharaja of Chota Nagpur. But the former soon found that the British were interfering with his work and so, he became opposed to British rule. He tried to convince the Maharaja to unite with him against the British, but did not succeed. His actions led to him being dismissed from his role and in response, he started to ally with others to help him gain revenge.

The 1857 uprising gave him the perfect opportunity. With the troops revolting in Hazaribagh and Ranchi, Pandey Ganpat Rai assumed command of the troops under the leadership of Thakur Vishwanath Shahdeo. They succeeded in throwing much of the region into disarray and proceeded towards the north to link up with Kunwar Singh’s troops in Bihar. However, the rebel forces were defeated in the Battle of Chatra on 2nd October. Pandey Ganpat Rai fled and was captured in March 1858. He was hanged on 21st April, in Ranchi.

Pandey Ganpat Rai’s memory continues to be preserved till this day. His courage and sacrifice served as an inspiration for the rebels of 1857 and for the revolutionaries of our freedom movement.

Telanga Kharia

Belonging to Chotanagpur region, Telanga Kharia was a tribal freedom fighter who led the rebellion against injustice, atrocities and land alienation of the tribal people by the British. He organised Jury Panchayats in many villages, which worked as parallel governments and also trained people in fighting skills. He was arrested by the British eventually but continued his work even after his release from jail. He was shot dead by the British in 1880.

Source :

• Indian Culture Portal
• Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav