https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Shantaram_SiddiShantaram Siddi - Revision history2026-09-07T02:33:13ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Shantaram_Siddi&diff=281414&oldid=prev2409:4070:4D44:A11D:0:0:BD4B:A410 at 12:51, 14 August 20212021-08-14T12:51:23Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{short description|Indian politician}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}<br />
{{Infobox officeholder<br />
| name = Shantaram Budna Siddi<br />
| office = Member of the [[Karnataka Legislative Council]]<br />
| term_start = 22 July 2020<br />
| governor = [[Vajubhai Vala]]<br />
| nationality = Indian<br />
| party = [[Bharatiya Janata Party]]<br />
| constituency = [[Nominated]]<br />
| residence = Hitlalli, [[Uttara Kannada]], [[Karnataka]]<br />
| education = [[Bachelor of Arts]] in [[Economics]]<br />
| alma_mater = [[Arts and Science College, Karwar]]<br />
| occupation = Tribal activist<br />
|birth_place = [[Uttara Kannada]]}}<br />
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'''Shantaram Budna Siddi''' is an Indian politician who is a nominated member of the [[Karnataka Legislative Council]] from the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]]. A member of the [[Siddis of Karnataka|Siddi Tribe]], he is the first Indian legislator of [[Siddi|African descent]].<ref name="fpj">{{cite news |title=Meet Karnataka MLC Shantaram Siddi - first legislator of African descent in India |url=https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/meet-karnataka-mlc-shantaram-siddi-first-legislator-of-african-descent-in-india |accessdate=25 July 2020 |work=Free Press Journal |date=23 July 2020 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Siddi pride Shantaram is now an MLC |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/state/top-karnataka-stories/siddi-pride-shantaram-is-now-an-mlc-864423.html |accessdate=22 July 2020 |work=Deccan Herald |date=23 July 2020 |language=en}}</ref><br />
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==Early life==<br />
Born into a family with poor economic and social background,<ref name="organiser"/> Shantaram belongs to the [[Siddi]] tribal community which traces its origin to the [[Bantu peoples]] of [[East Africa]].<ref name="print">{{cite news |last1=Swamy |first1=Rohini |title=This new Karnataka MLC from BJP is India’s first politician from tribal Siddi community |url=https://theprint.in/india/this-new-karnataka-mlc-from-bjp-is-indias-first-politician-from-tribal-siddi-community/467200/ |accessdate=25 July 2020 |work=ThePrint |date=24 July 2020}}</ref> He is from the [[Hitlalli]] village of [[Yellapur, Karnataka|Yellapur]] [[taluk]] in [[Uttara Kannada]] district. He topped his class in seventh standard while studying at his village school, after which his teachers recognized his "hunger for knowledge" and got him enrolled in a school in [[Ankola]].<ref name="deccan">{{cite news |last1=Pailoor |first1=Anitha |title=Siddi pride Shantaram is now an MLC |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/state/top-karnataka-stories/siddi-pride-shantaram-is-now-an-mlc-864423.html |accessdate=25 July 2020 |work=Deccan Herald |date=23 July 2020 |language=en}}</ref> He pursued the [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree in [[Economics]] from the [[Arts and Science College, Karwar]], during which he joined the [[Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh]] (RSS). He became the first graduate from the Siddi tribe, and wanted to get a government job after his graduation.<ref name="deccan"/><br />
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==Activism==<br />
Shantaram's interactions with social workers [[Prakash Kamath]] and [[Nirmala Gaonkar]] changed his viewpoint towards life.<ref name="deccan"/> Kamat once asked him, "You may get a good job and comfortable life for yourself but what about the community of yours? The Siddis, don’t you want them to be in the mainstream?"<ref name="organiser"/> This motivated Shantaram to work for tribal welfare and he joined the RSS-affiliated [[Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram]] as a volunteer in 1989 where he served as a hostel warden and is currently the secretary of its [[Karnataka]] state unit.<ref name="organiser">{{cite magazine |title=In a first for the Siddi community, Shantaram Siddi nominated to Karnataka Legislative Council |work=[[Organiser (magazine)|Organiser]] |date=22 July 2020 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Success Stories |url=https://www.vanavasikalyana.org/success-stories/ |publisher=Vanavasi Kalyana Karnataka |accessdate=25 July 2020}}</ref> He initially worked with the Siddi community, but now works with all tribal communities in Karnataka.<ref name="deccan"/><br />
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He has also been associated with environmental movements such as the [[Gangavalli River|Bedti River]] Valley Conservation Movement, Appiko Movement, and ''Vraksha–Laksha Andolana''. He was a member of the [[Western Ghats]] Conservation Task Force appointed by the [[Government of Karnataka]], and the [[Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy]].<ref name="organiser"/><br />
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==Nomination to the Legislative Council==<br />
Shantaram was nominated as a member of the [[Karnataka Legislative Council]] by [[List of governors of Karnataka|governor]] [[Vajubhai Vala]] on 22 July 2020.<ref name="print"/> He was nominated as a member of the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] and is the first person from the Siddi community to be a member of a legislative body.<ref name="print"/><ref name="fpj"/> He thanked [[List of chief ministers of Karnataka|Karnataka chief minister]] [[B. S. Yediyurappa]] and [[Minister of Home Affairs (India)|Indian home minister]] [[Amit Shah]] for the nomination.<ref name="new-IE">{{cite news |last1=Chandra N S |first1=Subhash |title=BJP nominates Siddhi environmentalist as MLC in Karnataka, community rejoices |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/karnataka/2020/jul/23/bjp-nominates-siddhi-environmentalist-as-mlc-in-karnataka-community-rejoices-2173745.html |accessdate=25 July 2020 |work=The New Indian Express |date=23 July 2020}}</ref><br />
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Shantaram's nomination brought joy to the Siddi community. Akhila Karnataka Siddhi Foundation Trust president Diago Basthyav Siddhi said, "Our people came here in the 12th century. But we remain unknown. We struggled for our identity. We requested many political parties to give us representation. This has been a good recognition. We thank the governments both at the state and Centre."<ref name="new-IE"/> Akhila Karnataka Siddhi Vikas Sangh president Saver Louis Birji Siddi said, "We are thrilled that after so many years of being part of India, having given our sweat and blood to the country, our community has finally been recognised."<ref name="print"/><br />
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==References==<br />
{{Reflist|2}}<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Siddi, Shantaram}}<br />
[[Category:Members of the Karnataka Legislative Council]]<br />
[[Category:Siddhi people]]<br />
[[Category:Bharatiya Janata Party politicians from Karnataka]]<br />
[[Category:Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh members]]<br />
[[Category:Social workers from Karnataka]]<br />
[[Category:Social workers]]<br />
[[Category:Indian environmentalists]]<br />
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]<br />
[[Category:Living people]]</div>2409:4070:4D44:A11D:0:0:BD4B:A410