Kittur Rani Chennamma’s courage continues to inspire India’s soldiers, says MoS V Somanna

Union Minister of State for Railways and Jal Shakti, V Somanna, on Friday said the valour and resistance shown by Kittur RaniChennamma, one of India’s earliest freedom fighters, continue to inspire the soldiers who safeguard the country today.

Addressing a gathering at Parliament House in New Delhi to mark the birth anniversary of the 19th-century queen, Somanna said Chennamma’s legacy remains relevant nearly two centuries after she challenged British rule. The ruler of Kittur in present-day Karnataka is remembered for leading an armed resistance against the British East India Company and defeating its forces in the first battle of the Kittur Revolt on October 23, 1824.

Describing the memorial dedicated to Chennamma in the national capital as a sacred place, Somanna said it was a matter of pride for Kannadigas and urged people to gather there every year to remember leaders who shaped the country's history.


“Kittur Rani Chennamma was not merely a queen who fought a war. She challenged an imperial power and remains an enduring symbol of resistance and courage. It is a matter of great pride that we could celebrate the achievements of such a brave woman,” he said.

The celebrations, which also marked the 202nd anniversary of Chennamma’s victory against the British, were held at Prerana Sthal in the Parliament complex. The event was attended by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil, MPs PC Mohan and K Sudhakar, along with several leaders, religious heads and Kannadigas from Karnataka and Delhi.

Somanna thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and CR Patil for supporting the annual commemoration programme in Parliament. Basava Mrutyunjaya Swamiji of Kudalasangama praised the initiative and expressed satisfaction that Chennamma’s legacy was being honoured every year at the national level.

Kittur Rani Chennamma occupies a significant place in Karnataka’s history as one of the earliest rulers to take up arms against British colonial expansion, decades before the First War of Independence in 1857. Her resistance has since become a symbol of women's leadership, courage and patriotism in the state's collective memory.