Life History of Orissa Tribal Hero Laxman Naik

Martyr Laxman Naik, the tribal hero of Orissa was born in Tentuliguma village of Malkangiri of the then Koraput District on November 22, 1899 to Padlam Nayak. He was basically a Bhuyan tribe and his father was a tribal chief and working as 'Mustadaar' under Jeypore Samasthanam of Madras Presidency.

The local administration was for the sake of name only, but actually administration was on the hands of British Govt. The tribals were effected too much by the tortures of Revenue officials and other servants under British as well as local administration. Tribals are having their own culture, beliefs, religious identity etc. , and anybody's attempt to bring some changes to it is always resisted by them. The same thing happened, when the administration tried to bring reformatory and correctional changes into their society. That led to Tribal resistance Movement , which was an essential part of Indian Freedom Movement. There are a number of distinguished tribal leaders have played their heroic role in this movement, but the role played by Laxman Naik is incomparable , more inspiring and edifying . The brave fighter fought single handedly with consummate skill and extraordinary passion against the cruel British administration. He was a man of immense courage, rock solid and inspiration for countless followers. He could have lead a comfortable life inherited from his ancestors. But he has sacrificed it for the freedom of his mother land. He always stood like a mountain in the way of British administration and neither gave up nor bend before the cruelty of foreign rule.

He has joined Congress movement for the freedom of the country and enrolled himself as Charanna member of the Indian National Congress. He has received all kinds of physical training and education in Naupuri Training centre for Congress Workers. During this training, he had come across several congress leaders which helped him to broaden the horizon of his knowledge and arouse of Nationalism inside him. He has adopted the Gandhian principle of truth and non-violence as his weapon for agitation against British rule. He has pioneered the way for the popularization of Congress programme in Koraput and motivated tribal people for the noble cause of freedom movement. Nayak is responsible in bringing reforms in traditional tribal thinking and culture like spreading of adult education, construction of roads, bridges, schools ,abstinence of alcohol etc. He led the tribal people to fight against inhuman practice of bonded labor. Laxman Naik was appointed as President of the Congress Primary Committee at Matili in Koraput in 1942. And in the same year he has represented Matili in Quit India Movement. He was popular in tribal people as "Gandhi of Malkangiri".

The Quit India Movement spread in Koraput under the leadership of Nayak. No of liquor shops have been destroyed. On August 21, 1942, the tribals under the leadership of Nayak went on a long procession chanting Ram dhun and patriotic songs and demonstrated in front of mitaili police station. They have tried to hoist the congress flag in the station. Lathi charge and firing has been done by police on demonstrators. In the process Nayak has been injured and arrested by the police and sent to Koraput Jail. He was accused of killing the forest guard G.Rammaya. After the trial, the Additional session court of Koraput sentenced Naik to Death. After that he was transferred to Berhampur Central jail and on March 29, 1943 he was executed.

The great martyr could not able to see the rising sun of independence India, for which he has sacrificed his life. Though Nayak is no more, but his sacrifice, patriotism and ideals always be remembered in the hearts of countless people. He is truly a worthy son of mother Orissa and India as a whole.