Origins & Early Life

Chennamma of Kittur (14 November 1778 – 21 February 1829) was the Queen of the princely state of Kittur in present-day Karnataka. She led a rebellious armed resistance against the British East India Company, in order to retain control over her dominion. She defeated the British army in the first war, but died as a prisoner after a second war. As one of the first and few female rulers to lead kittur forces against British colonisation, she continues to be remembered as a folk heroine in Karnataka.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Kittur Chennamma was born on 14 November 1778, in Kakati, a small village in the present Belagavi District of Karnataka, India. kakati was a small deshgat (a small princely state). Chennamma's father was Dhulappa Desai and her mother's name was Padmavati. She was born into a Jain family, and her ancestors were follower of Jainism. Later, her family descendents converted to Lingayatism much later, she received training in horse riding, sword fighting and archery from a young age.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

She married Raja Mallasarja of the Desai family at the age of 15, after looking up to him since the age of 9, and she also adopted a Lingayat boy named Shivalingappa as her heir.

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