Mallu Swarajyam

Background

Swarajyam was born into a semi-feudal family near Suryapet, Nalgonda district of Telangana in India.

Career

During this period, Nalgonda district was a part of the Hyderabad State under Nizam. At the age of 10, Swarajyam read Maxim Gorky's work, Mother, and it proved to be a source of inspiration for her. She transformed herself into a revolutionary, mobilizing people against Nizam’s Razakars.

Her stint in public life began at the age of 11 when, in response to a call given by the Andhra Mahasabha to end bonded labour, she defied the family norms and distributed rice to bonded labourers hailing from different castes and communities.

Mallu Swarajyam became the commander of a dalam fighting against Zamindars and carried a prize of Rs.10,000 for her head during that time. The Communist Party of India was fighting with arms under the banner of Andhra Mahasabha against the cruel rule of the Nizam and bonded labour in the state.

The Communist Party of India expanded the scope of the armed struggle from being a means to free bonded labour to one that would take land from the Zamindars and distribute it among the poor. She later actively participated in the welfare of the local peasants and was also a major leader in the Communist party of India.

She was elected to the parliament for the Nalgonda Constituency.

Achievements

• The name Swarajyam is in deference to the wishes of several of her relatives who participated in the satyagraha in response to a call given by Mahatma Gandhi as part of the struggle to attain swaraj (self-rule, or independence) from the British.

Membership

She was member of an armed dalam which took part in the Telangana struggle.