The All India Kurmi Mahasabha (AIKM) is an organisation that was established in 1910 to promote the interests of the Kurmi community.
Origin[edit | edit source]
The Kurmi agriculturist community had a reputation as a hard-working, intelligentcaste by the authorities of the British Raj. A Kurmi community association was formed in 1894 at Lucknow to protest against the recruitment policy that showed disadvantage against them in entry into the police service. This was followed by an organisation in Awadh that sought to draw other communities such as the Patidars, Marathas, Kudumbars, Velama, Vokkaliga, Kamboj
In the 1940s and after, following the independence of India, the position of the AIKKM as a focal point for the community changed. In common with many other caste associations, it had been concerned primarily with resolving disputes among members of the community and with maintaining cohesion but a new breed of educated, youthful Kurmi activists sought a more politicised agenda.