On 24 January, ReEarth Club, BRUR held its monthly “Adda”, bringing together discussions on the struggles of Indigenous communities around the world against land dispossession, forest exploitation and economic oppression.
I had the opportunity to lead a discussion on the Santal Rebellion, one of the most significant anti-colonial and anti-exploitation uprisings in the history of the Indian subcontinent.
During the discussion, I explored the historical context of the rebellion and the conditions that pushed the Santal people to rise against the exploitative systems imposed on them. We discussed the role of landlords, moneylenders and colonial authorities in the economic exploitation and dispossession faced by Santal communities.
The discussion also looked at the rebellion as more than a historical event. It was a struggle over land, livelihood, dignity and the right to live according to one’s own social and cultural systems.
The broader session connected the Santal Rebellion with other historic Indigenous and environmental movements, including the Chipko Movement, the resistance of the Kayapo people of the Amazon and the Chuar Rebellion. Through these examples, we tried to understand how struggles for land and forests are often closely connected with struggles against economic and political exploitation.
For me, discussing the Santal Rebellion was an opportunity to revisit a crucial part of our history and reflect on how Indigenous resistance continues to shape conversations around environmental justice, land rights and social justice.
Event: ReEarth Club Monthly “Adda”
Topic discussed: Santal Rebellion
Date: 24 January 2026
Location: Swadhinata Smarak, BRUR
Organised by: ReEarth Club, BRUR