Raman Namby was one of the prominent leaders of the Anti-Colonial Tribal Revolt of 1812 in the jungles of Wayanad. Both Kurichiya and Kuruma Tribal People participated in the revolt against the oppression of the British. He was the chief of the Kuruma Army, which organized rebellion in South Wayanad.
He was the tribal chief of Kuruma tribal families in Kurichiyad. Usually ‘Namby’ was the traditional name given to the head of Kuruma tribal settlements in Wayanad. Raman Namby was very proficient in the traditional martial art called Kolpayattu. He organized Kurumas and formed a battalion of Kuruma army with martial training and traditional weapons with bows, arrows, spears, etc.
The retaliatory attitude of the British after the Pazhassi struggles made the life of Kurumars very miserable. The support of the Kurumas to the Pazhassiraja was the reason for the anti-tribal attitude of the colonial power. Heavy taxation, eviction of tribal people from their settlements, oppression, humiliation, and so on forced Kurumas to take up arms against the British. In March 1812, the rebels under Raman Namby proclaimed an open revolt at Kurichiyad in South Wayanad. Other Kuruma and Kurichiya warriors of this tribal revolt were Plakka Chandu, Ayiravittil Kontappan, Venkallot Kelu, Poorikkavittil Kanery Kunjan and Mambilattodan Yamu. They believed that Gods and oracles (Velichappads) entrusted them to end the rule of Vattathoppikkar (Europeans). They took the pledge of ending the British rule in Wayanad in the name Pulpally Murikkanmar.
Rebels under Raman Namby had prepared spearheads and arrows with iron bars collected from the bridges and military posts of the Europeans in Wayanad. The rebels met with the army at Cheengery, Pakkom, Mudramoola, Ganpathavattom, and Mutti.
On 27th April a group of rebels under Raman Namby attacked the Company soldiers, but the British army cleared rebels up to Korome near the Kuttiyady Ghat leading to Tellicherry. Similar encounters also occurred in Poothady, Purakkady, Panamaram, and Mananthavady between the British army and rebels under Raman Namby. The British had suffered great loss in the early encounters on account of the Guerilla warfare of the rebels. So, the British under T. H. Baber brought more army from Mysore and Tellicherry to suppress the rebellion.
The chief leader of the rebellion Raman Namby died after a valiant fight on 1st May 1812 in one of the final ambushes near the border of Coorg in North Wayanad. After the death of this tribal leader, the British exhibited great disrespect to his dead body. A British army officer cut down his head and his head was exhibited in front of his small child. But the son of that valiant fighter, who was captured by the army earlier expressed great fortitude with perfect silence.