Robctr at 04:02, 6 May 2026

2026-05-06T04:02:11Z

New page

{{Short description|Political leader of India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Mallojula Venugopal Rao
| native_name_lang = Te
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_date = 
| birth_place = Peddapalli in Karimnagar district, Telangana.
| death_date = 
| death_place =
| other_names = Sonu Dada, Bhupati, Vivek, Abhay
| known_for = Spokesperson and Politburo Member of CPI (Maoist), Writer, Ideologue, Surrendered Maoist Leader who give up arms and joined mainstream.
| notable_works = Books - Rago, Ye Jangal Hamara hai, Dankarnaya ka Itihas, Bastar ki Jan Sanskriti,
| organization = CPI (Maoist)
| education = B.Com.
| occupation = Maoist Leader
| years_active = Join CPI (ML) People's War 1970
CPI (Maoist) Politburo Member 2004 to 2025
CPI (Maoist) Spokesperson 2011 to 2025
Join Mainstream 14 October 2025
| spouse = Vimala Chandra Sidam Alias Tarakka
| mother = Madhuramma
| father = Mallojula Venkataiah
| relatives = Mallojula Koteshwara Rao, Mallojula Anjanna
| party = Communist Party of India (Maoist)
| movement = Maoist Movement, Naxalite, Adivasi
| criminal_charge =
| criminal_penalty =
| criminal_status =
}}

'''Mallojula Venugopal Rao''', commonly known by his ''[[nom de guerre]]'' '''Abhay''' (meaning "fearless"), [https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/bhupati-surrender-biggest-maoist-laydown-10306786/ Bhupati], [https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/bhupati-surrender-biggest-maoist-laydown-10306786/ Sonu] is a [[Politburo]] and Central Military Commission member and [https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/bhupati-surrender-biggest-maoist-laydown-10306786/ Spokesperson] of the [[Communist Party of India (Maoist)]], a [[Communist Party of India (Maoist)#Legal status|banned]] [[Maoism|Maoist]] [[insurgent]] [[communist party]] in India. He surrendered on October 14, 2025 at the [[Gadchiroli district|Gadchiroli]] police headquarters in Maharashtra.[https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/bhupathis-surrender-result-of-2018-arrest-of-urban-maoist-leaders-cm/articleshow/124587328.cms]

==Family==
[[File:Kishenji.png|thumb|Koteshwara Rao Alias Kishanji Elder brother of Mallajola Venugopal rao]]
Venugopal is the younger brother of another Maoist guerrilla leader [[Kishenji]].<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/kishenjis-brother-venugopal-to-concentrate-in-jangalmahal/articleshow/9114065.cms|title=kishenji's brother Venugopal to concentrate in Jangalmahal|last=Tamal Sengupta|newspaper=The Economic Times |date=5 July 2011 |access-date=1 March 2018}}</ref> He was born into a poor [https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/venugopal-was-face-voice-of-maoist-party-101760467732222.html Brahmin] family in Peddapalli in [[Karimnagar district]], [[Telangana]] which eked out a living on priesthood in nearby temples. His grandfather and father Mallojula Venkataiah were both [[Indian freedom fighters]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AzlPyLRwIxkC&q=Kishenji+family+freedom+fighter&pg=PT175|title=Calcutta: Two Years in the City|last=Amit Chaudhuri|date=15 January 2013|isbn=9788184758726|access-date=1 March 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.kolkatabengalinfo.com/2011/12/kishenji-maoist-leader-profile-family.html|title=Kishenji Maoist Leader Profile|access-date=1 March 2018}}</ref> Venugopal left his home for more than 30 years after joining [[Left wing extremism]]. His wife Tarakka, surrendered before the Maharashtra Chief Minister [[Devendra Fadnavis]] on 31 December 2024.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/top-woman-naxal-leader-dead/story-u2XLOHhpkPInBc1S4rTqeL.html|title=Top woman Naxal leader dead?|last=Maitra|first=Pradeep Kumar|newspaper=Hindustan Times|access-date=23 August 2019}}</ref>

== Activities ==
Venugopal, a former [[Peoples War Group]] leader who is also known as ''Bhupati'', ''Sonu'', ''Master'' and ''Abhay'' was the Chief of the Maoist's [[Dandakaranya]] Special Zonal committee which includes Garchirouli area of state of [[Maharastra]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sPqpCQAAQBAJ&q=Maoist+Venugopal+wife&pg=PA73|title=The Naxal Threat: Causes, State Response and Consequences|last=V R Raghavan|date=18 May 2011|isbn=9789381411940|access-date=1 March 2018}}</ref> He was appointed for the formation of a new guerrilla zone in the [[South India]] which would control areas on either side of [[Western Ghats]], from [[Goa]] to [[Idukki district|Idukki]] in [[Kerala]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kozhikode/No-dearth-of-leaders-in-CPI-Maoist/articleshow/10876664.cms|title=No dearth of leaders in CPI (Maoist)|newspaper=The Times of India|date=26 November 2011 |access-date=1 March 2018}}</ref> He was also deputed as the official spokesperson of CPI (Maoist) after the death of [[Cherukuri Rajkumar]] (Azad) in 2010. Venugopal took charge of publication division of the party.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tehelka.com/2013/09/top-maoist-leader-ganapathi-admits-to-leadership-crisis-in-party/|title=Top Maoist leader Ganapathi admits to leadership crisis in party|date=19 September 2013|website=tehelka.com|access-date=1 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180519205026/http://www.tehelka.com/2013/09/top-maoist-leader-ganapathi-admits-to-leadership-crisis-in-party/|archive-date=19 May 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> Police intelligence suspect he is one of the brains behind the [[April 2010 Maoist attack in Dantewada]] that killed 76 jawans of [[Central Reserve Police Force]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.financialexpress.com/archive/the-men-who-run-dandakaranya/602039/|title=The men who run Dandakaranya|website=financialexpress.com|date=9 April 2010 |access-date=1 March 2018}}</ref> Both Andhra Pradesh and [[Chhattishgarh]] Police had declared hefty amounts on his head. After the death of Kisenji, his party appointed him to lead [[Lalgarh, Jhargram|Lalgarh]] area movement in [[West Bengal]] against [[Operation Green Hunt]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-kishenji-s-brother-venugopal-is-new-maoist-chief-of-lalgarh-1373381|title=Kishenji's brother Venugopal is new Maoist chief of Lalgarh|access-date=1 March 2018}}</ref><ref name=":1" />

He along with 60 Maoist cadres surrendered to Maharashtra police on October 15, 2025 citing disappointment in how the idea of the insurgency changed over the years.<ref>{{Cite news|title=61 Maoists, including top leader Bhupati, surrender in Maharashtra|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/61-maoists-including-top-leader-bhupati-surrender-in-maharashtra/article70163853.ece|access-date=2025-10-16|website=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref>

== Writings of Mallojula Venugopal Rao ==
Bhupati has authored a number of books under different pen name. ‘Rago' (Parrot), a novel authored by him under the pen name [https://www.telugubooks.in/products/raago Sadhana] in 1998. [https://www.telugubooks.in/products/raago Rago] dwelt on the tribal women's conditions and the reasons why they joined the movement. Bhupati promoted the use of [[Gondi language|Gondi]] language and had a deep knowledge of the tribal culture. another book, Ye jungle hamara hai (This Jungle is Our), and [[Bastar district|Bastar]] ki Jan sanskuruti (Peoples culture of Bastar) also gave insights into tribal life.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2025-10-15 |title='Bhupati believed in mass struggle and promoted tribal culture' |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/bhupati-believed-in-mass-struggle-and-promoted-tribal-culture/articleshow/124561778.cms |access-date=2025-10-24 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref> Bhupati also authored a [https://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/india/maoist/documents/papers/JANATHANA%20SARKARS.htm document] that spelled out the laws that would govern the Maoists utopia of [https://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/india/maoist/documents/papers/JANATHANA%20SARKARS.htm Jantana Sarkar] (Revolutionary peoples Committee).

== Surrender of Venugopal ==
The surrender of Mallojula Venugopal Rao (Bhupathi) in October 2025 was driven by a combination of personal, ideological, and strategic factors that together reflected the declining hold of Maoism in central India.[https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/bhupati-surrender-biggest-maoist-laydown-10306786/] Senior officials have confirmed their belief that a letter from a surrendered Maoist, known as [https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/surrendered-maoist-couple-rehab-policy-ensures-those-coming-from-jungles-dont-regret-decision-10316921/ Asin Rajaram] ‘[https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/bhupati-surrender-biggest-maoist-laydown-10306786/#:~:text=What%20led%20to%20the%20surrender%3F Anil],’ and his life partner [https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/surrendered-maoist-couple-rehab-policy-ensures-those-coming-from-jungles-dont-regret-decision-10316921/ Anju] played a vital role in inspiring Sonu’s decision to surrender.[https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/bhupati-surrender-biggest-maoist-laydown-10306786/] and Also Bhupathi’s surrender was significantly influenced by the earlier defection of his wife, [https://theprint.in/india/senior-maoist-tarakka-a-veteran-of-35-encounters-surrenders-in-gadchiroli/2427201/ Tarakka], a senior Maoist leader who surrendered in January 2025 before the Maharashtra Chief Minister. Her decision established communication channels between Bhupathi and the police, building the trust needed for his own surrender. The loss of close comrades in police encounters and the isolation within the Maoist hierarchy further deepened his disillusionment.

== References ==
{{Reflist|2}}

{{Communist Party of India (Maoist)}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Anti-revisionists]]
[[Category:Communist Party of India (Maoist) politicians]]
[[Category:Indian guerrillas]]
[[Category:Indian Marxists]]
[[Category:Naxalites]]
[[Category:People from Karimnagar district]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1954 births]]

Mallojula Venugopal - Revision history

Robctr at 04:02, 6 May 2026