Torchbearer of people’s movements, agrarian struggles, defender of adivasi rights

By Harsh Thakor* 

Kamalsai Majhi, general secretary of the Malkangiri Zilla Adivasi Sangh, is no more. He succumbed to aplastic anemia at the age of 52. His death is a grievous loss to the agrarian and revolutionary movements. His life was marked by steadfast loyalty and commitment to the struggle for justice, first as a member of the Communist Party Reorganisation Centre of India (Marxist-Leninist) and later as part of the Centre of Communist Revolutionaries of India. His lifelong work enabled agrarian resistance to endure in some of the most difficult circumstances.

Born into a poor peasant family of the Halawa tribe in Sariguda village, Majhi did not complete his matriculation but was shaped by the struggle-oriented movement in Malkangiri. He rose from the grassroots to become a leader whose life embodied the untapped potential of the oppressed masses. He played a decisive role in keeping the Adivasi struggle alive and the banner of the Sangh waving through turbulent times.

His political journey began during the Hamco struggle of 1997–99 against mining of tin ore in the region. He became a leader after a firing incident in which tribals were attacked by company security guards. By 2001 he was appointed secretary of the Tulsa Zone of the Sangh, and later elevated to general secretary. Majhi mastered the art of nurturing volunteer teams, leading struggles against land alienation, corporate displacement projects, and forest exploitation. He was at the forefront of campaigns against the Meenakshi and Avantika hydel projects, the Odisha Forest Corporation’s tree-felling, and land compensation issues in road construction.

In recent years, he spearheaded resistance against Dalmia and Adani companies seeking to mine limestone for cement factories. For months he toured villages, going house to house to inspire people to resist. His efforts produced mass rallies and cultural programmes, including May Day events and the Tamodara martyrs’ day commemorations. Even during the pandemic, he organised rallies in defiance of restrictions, drawing thousands of participants and turning the Sangh into a self-reliant force.

Majhi remained undeterred in the face of crises, always seeking ways to overcome obstacles. He lacked pretension and was uncompromising with adversaries. He immersed himself in complex ideological texts and translated their essence into simple language for grassroots education. He defended agrarian revolutionary orientation with clarity, preparing detailed writings on local struggles until illness cut his work short. He consistently opposed divisive attempts to fragment Adivasi communities and stood firm against threats from both the state and rival political groups.

His leadership exemplified why the Sangh became a model of democratic functioning and a torchbearer of the mass line. He often had to counter left adventurist tactics that subordinated mass movements to armed squads, insisting instead on sustained, broad-based struggles. His political orientation drew from the line of T. Nagi Reddy, D.V. Rao and Harbhajan Sohi, distinct from that of Maoist groups.

The news of his death spread quickly across the region. His body was brought to Jeypore where workers paid homage, and later taken to Sariguda where, despite heavy rains, 4,000 people gathered from across Malkangiri and beyond. His funeral turned into a massive show of solidarity, with tribals and workers from diverse movements joining together. His body, wrapped in a red flag, was carried to the cremation site amidst slogans pledging to carry forward his work.

After his death, activists resolved not to let his efforts go in vain. Meetings were held across zones, and a martyrs’ pillar was erected in his memory. The Sangh soon resumed resistance, blocking stone-crushing work by a company that had tried to exploit his absence.

Majhi may no longer be physically present, but his spirit endures. His life’s work has sown seeds of democratic resistance that continue to grow, inspiring activists to uphold the path he charted with courage and determination.

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*Freelance journalist