Forgotten by Fame: When the Kannappa Legacy Ignored Its Own People
తొలి ఆదిమవాసులు, అడవిలోని క్రూర మృగాలతో వీరోచితంగా పోరాడే కిరాతకులు, నాడు వేటనే వృత్తిగా బ్రతికిన తెగ, ప్రభుత్వాల ద్వంద్వ నీతి వల్ల వేట వృత్తిని కోల్పోయి, తన ఉనికిని కోల్పోవడంతో నేడు కనుమరుగవుతున్న తరుణంలో బోయల గురించి పద్మశ్రీ అవార్డు గ్రహీత, డా. మోహన్ బాబు ‘కన్నప్ప’ మూవీ ప్రీ రిలీజ్ ఈవెంట్ చివరలో మాజీ ఎంపీ బాబురావు మరియు ఇతర ఆదివాసీయులను సన్మానిస్తూ మాట్లాడారు. కానీ ఆ సన్మానికి బోయజాతి తెగలవారిని పిలవడం మర్చిపోయారు. కాదు ఈ ప్రభుత్వంలోని అగ్రవర్ణాల వారు బోయల గుర్తింపును(ట్రైబ్) మార్చి, వారి జన్మహక్కైన ఎస్టీ గుర్తింపును తిరిగి ఇవ్వకుండా వారి ఉనికి కోల్పోయేలా చేస్తున్నారు. దీనిని యావత్ బోయ వాల్మీకులు గుర్తెరిగి తదుపరి కార్యాచరణను ప్రకటించాలి.
-వెంకటేశ్వర్లు బోయ, తెలంగాణ జర్నలిస్ట్, హైదరాబాద్
Once Kings of the Forest, Now Struggling for Identity: The Boya Story
The Boyas—once fearless forest dwellers, now fighting for recognition.
In ancient India, the Boya (also known as Bedar, Nayaka, or Kirataka) community were among the earliest forest-dwelling tribes. Renowned for their valor, they lived by the bow and spear, hunting wild beasts and surviving in harmony with nature. Inscriptions from the Eastern Chalukya period mention “Boyas” as landholders and warriors, and during the Vijayanagara era, many Boya chieftains rose to prominence as Nayakas and Poligars, commanding armies and administering territories across present-day Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
However, with the advent of colonial rule and post-independence restructuring, the Boyas were gradually stripped of their traditional livelihoods and dignity. Once classified as a martial tribe by the British, they were later denotified and pushed into the margins of society. In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, they were inconsistently categorized—granted Scheduled Tribe (ST) status in agency areas but relegated to Backward Class (BC-A) in plains, despite sharing the same cultural and socio-economic identity.
At the pre-release event of the film Kannappa, Padma Shri awardee Dr. Mohan Babu honored several tribal leaders, including former MP Baburao. Yet, in a painful oversight, representatives of the Boya community—whose legacy the film draws inspiration from—were not invited. This exclusion is not just symbolic; it reflects a deeper systemic erasure. Dominant caste interests within the government continue to resist restoring the Boyas’ rightful ST status, thereby threatening their cultural and constitutional identity.
Venkateshwarlu Boya, a journalist from Telangana, has emerged as a prominent voice in the Valmiki Boya movement. Through his writings, speeches, and grassroots mobilization, he has consistently highlighted the historical injustices faced by the community. His advocacy has helped amplify the demand for reinstating ST status across both Telugu states, uniting voices from Rayalaseema to Adilabad.
Recent developments show a growing momentum. The Telangana Legislative Assembly passed a resolution urging the Centre to include Valmiki Boyas in the ST list. Protests, hunger strikes, and rallies—such as those led by the Andhra Pradesh Valmiki Boya Sangam (APVBS)—have intensified, with thousands participating across districts. Yet, despite political promises, the community still awaits justice.
The time has come for all Valmiki Boyas to recognize this critical juncture. The struggle is not just for a certificate—it is for dignity, history, and the future of a people who once ruled the forests and now seek their rightful place in the republic.