From guns to reform: Ex-Maoist leader Bhupathi to work for tribal rights

Former Maoist leader Bhupathi, now known as Mallojula Venugopal Rao, has transitioned from a life of violence to advocating for the rights of tribal villagers in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district. Last year, Bhupathi surrendered his arms along with 60 other Naxalites to Gadchiroli police, ending his three-decade-long involvement in the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist) movement.

Bhupathi has been appointed as a coordinator for a university program at Gondwana University, where he will work on a three-month contract with a monthly stipend of ₹30,000. His role involves administrative tasks related to the tribal community's rights and contributing to research initiatives. The police recommended Bhupathi's application to the university after assessing his extensive ground-level experience and knowledge.

As a coordinator for the Ekal program, Bhupathi will serve as a bridge between gram sabhas (village councils) and administrative bodies. His responsibilities include educating gram sabhas about legal rights under the Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Areas Act and the Forest Rights Act, assisting with documentation for forest-rights claims, rectifying errors in claims, and facilitating their submission to the administration.

This move signifies Bhupathi's shift from a life of conflict to one of advocacy and support for the marginalized communities he once governed.