Throughout much of the 20th century, the local politics of Jharkhand remained centred on the demand for a separate state. In the early phase of these movements, tribal leaders, particularly those in the Chota Nagpur region of the undivided Bihar, spearheaded the call for a distinct state for the tribal people. Since that era, tribal politics in Jharkhand has become synonymous with the politics of ‘water, forest, and land’. After decades-long movement and the sacrifice of numerous activists, on the birth anniversary of the revered freedom fighter Birsa Munda, on November 15, 2000, the Indian government bestowed upon Jharkhand the status of a separate state.