Born in a Madiga community (scheduled caste) family that faced socio-economic challenges in Telangana’s Warangal District, Manda Krishna Madiga had to put up a relentless struggle for three decades, demanding the sub-categorisation of SCs that yielded fruit in August last year.
Krishna Madiga was conferred with Padma Shri award by the Centre on Saturday (25th January 2025).
In 1994, Manda Krishna Madiga founded the Madiga Reservation Porata Samithi (MRPS) to address the specific grievances of the Madiga community, regarding the unequal distribution of reservation benefits among Scheduled Castes.
Issues advocated by Krishna Madiga
a) Reservation Rights: Madiga has been fighting for increased reservation quotas for the Madiga community in education and employment.
b) Social justice: He has been advocating for social justice and equality for the Madiga community, which has historically faced discrimination and marginalization.
c) Political representation: Madiga has been demanding greater political representation for the Madiga community in Telangana and at the national level.
Traditional Occupations
1. Leather work: Madigas have historically been involved in leather-related occupations, such as tanning, dyeing, and crafting leather goods.
2. Shoe-making: Many Madigas have traditionally worked as shoe-makers, creating handmade footwear.
3. Cobblery: Repairing and maintaining footwear has also been a common occupation among Madigas.
4. Hide and skin trade: Some Madigas have been involved in the trade of animal hides and skins.
Courtesy: With inputs from PTI