Meet Shantharam, India’s first legislator from African-origin Siddi community – india news

Shantharam Budna Siddi, along with four others, was nominated to the Karnataka Legislative Council by Governor Vajubhai Vala on Wednesday. The interesting bit about Siddi’s appointment is the fact that he becomes the country’s first legislator from Karnataka’s Siddi community which traces its roots to Africa. Siddi serves as the state secretary of the Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram, a tribal welfare initiative of the RSS. He hails from North Kannada district and is also the first graduate from the community.

Siddi believes his community’s roots go back to Africa, somewhere in…