The steel city celebrated the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples on Monday with a bike rally, awareness programmes and donations for tribal upliftment.

Adivasi Ekta Manch, a tribal frontal organisation took out a bike rally from Jamshedpur to Narga on NH-33, covering around 20 km.

The members of the outfit first paid rich floral tributes at the statue of Tilka Majhi at the Dimna Chowk.

Tilka Manjhi was a tribal freedom fighter. He was the first Adivasi leader from Santhal community who took up arms against the British in the year 1784.

The bike rally was flagged off by JMM's Jugsalai legislator Mangal Kalindi.

Tribal beneficiaries with the cheque handed over to them by East Singhbhum deputy commissioner Suraj Kumar ( extreme right ) at the district collectorate in Jamshedpur on Monday. Bhola Prasad

A separate function was organised on the premises of the district collectorate in Sakchi, where the deputy commissioner, Suraj Kumar, on behalf of the East Singhbhum unit of agriculture and animal husbandry department disbursed loans amounting around Rs 2.50 crore to various tribal beneficiaries including farmers.

Baharagora MLA Samir Mohanty who was also present on the occasion donated an ambulance and a vehicle for hearse service from MLA Local Area Development Fund.

Tribal people at a function organised at Karandih near the Tatanagar railway station also vowed to protect their indigenous identity and culture on the occasion of International Indigenous Day.

Addressing the function, a tribal leader Ramesh Biruli expressed concern over the dwindling population of indigenous people in the state.

“The number of tribals are decreasing which is a matter of concern. Jharkhand has always been the homeland of tribals, but at present they have been reduced to minority due to outsiders’ population,” he explained.

Several tribal outfits undertook plantation work at Sundernagar , Mango and Galudih in Ghatshila sub-division.

Ghatshila legislator Ramdas Soren extended his wishes to members of the tribal community living within and outside the state.

The International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples is observed on August 9 every year to raise awareness and protect the rights of the world's indigenous population.

The event also recognizes the achievements and contributions that indigenous people make to improve world issues such as environmental protection.