Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday said that Kittur Rani Channamma and Tipu Sultan are inspirations to fight for self-respect.

He was speaking after the launch of Kittur Utsav's Jyoti Yatra organized by the Department of Kannada and Culture and Belagavi District Administration in Bengaluru.

"Kittur Rani Channamma and Tipu Sultan are inspirations to fight for self-respect. Kittur Channamma was a fierce queen who challenged the huge British army with her small army. Kittur Utsava and Jayantsova were started during my first term as Chief Minister, to introduce her courage and ideals to the youth and today's generation," the CM said.

She was one of the first Indians to lead an armed rebellion against the British. She is revered as one of the foremost women warriors and freedom fighters of India.

Meanwhile, Tipu Sultan resisted the East India Company's conquest of southern India. British saw Tipu as ambitious, arrogant and dangerous - rulers who had to be controlled and crushed. Four wars were fought with Mysore (1767-69, 1780-84, 1790-92 and 1799)

Public Works Minister Satish Jarakiholi, Kittur MLA Babasaheb Patil, Dharwad Rural MLA Vinay Kulkarni, Bailahongala MLA Mahantesha Kaujalagi, Chief Minister's Political Secretary Govindaraju were also present at the event.