Jharkhand

Jharkhand, carved out of southern Bihar on 15 November 2000, has a history far older than its modern statehood. The region forms much of the Chotanagpur and Santhal Pargana plateau, long inhabited by Adivasi communities such as the Munda, Oraon, Ho, Santhal and others, who lived through village-based systems, shifting cultivation, forest use and distinctive customary laws. For centuries, this upland belt lay on the margins of big plains empires, more a frontier of forests and hills than a fully controlled province.

Under Mughal and later British rule, the plateau was gradually drawn into revenue, mining and forest policies. Colonial intrusion, moneylenders and landlords triggered powerful tribal uprisings, including the Kol rebellion (1831–32), Santhal Hul (1855–56) and the Ulgulan led by Birsa Munda (1890s)—all major milestones in Indian resistance history. Meanwhile, the discovery and exploitation of coal, iron ore and mica turned areas like Dhanbad, Jamshedpur and Bokaro into industrial centres in the late 19th and 20th centuries.

After Independence, these highlands stayed within Bihar, but Adivasi and regional leaders increasingly demanded a separate state to recognise their identity and address developmental neglect. The Jharkhand movement gained momentum over decades, led by various political and social groups, culminating in the peaceful creation of Jharkhand in 2000, with Ranchi as its capital. Today, Jharkhand’s story continues to balance mining and industry with tribal rights, forests, culture and aspirations for more inclusive development.