Important Leaders Associated With The Revolt Of 1857

The Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 was a large-scale rebellion against the domination of the British East India Company. This revolt is regarded as the first organized resistance by Indians against the company. Prominent writers of the time, like V.D Savarkar, also consider it the First War of Independence.

The direct trigger for this Sepoy Mutiny was the rumour of greased cartridges. A word about cartridges of the new rifles being greased with cow and pig’s fat spread like wildfire among the sepoys. The sepoys needed to bite off the paper on them to use the cartridges. The news humiliated both Muslims and Hindus as Hindus worshipped cows, and the Muslims regarded pigs as dirty.

After hearing it, sepoys of both religious groups refused to use the rifles. It wasn’t long before the revolt spread over from Patna’s neighbourhood to Rajasthan’s frontiers. The major centres of the revolt were Lucknow, Kanpur, Jhansi, Bareilly, Arrah in Bihar, and Gwalior. It was from these centres that various figures emerged. These included Begum Hazrat Mahal, Nana Saheb, Rani Lakshmibai, Tantia Tope, and many others who led the revolt.

During the 1857 Revolt, also known as the Indian Rebellion of 1857 or the First War of Independence, several prominent leaders emerged from different regions of India. Here is a detailed overview of these leaders and their contributions:

1. Mangal Pandey (Barrackpore)

Mangal Pandey was a young soldier in the 34th Bengal Native Infantry. He became a symbol of rebellion when he attacked Lieutenant Baugh, the adjutant of his regiment, on March 29, 1857. His act of defiance against the use of cartridges greased with animal fat sparked a widespread revolt among sepoys.

2. General Bakht Khan (Delhi)

In Delhi, the rebellion was led by Bakht Khan. He arrived in Delhi on July 3, 1857, and assumed the role of the commander-in-chief. Bakht Khan formed a court of soldiers and civilians to govern the rebellion in the name of the nominal leader, Bahadur Shah Zafar.

3. Nana Saheb (Kanpur)

 Nana Saheb, the adopted son of the exiled Peshwa Baji Rao II, played a significant role in the revolt in Kanpur. On June 6, 1857, he led an attack on British soldiers of the 53rd Native Infantry. He later besieged and captured the British entrenchment under General Sir Hugh Wheeler. Nana Saheb proclaimed himself as the Peshwa, the ruler of Kanpur.

4. Begum Hazrat Mahal (Lucknow)

 Begum Hazrat Mahal, wife of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah of Awadh, led the rebellion in Lucknow. After the British imprisoned her husband and annexed Awadh, she rallied the people to resist British rule. She declared her son, Birjis Khadir, as the Nawab of Awadh and ruled on his behalf, challenging British troops and encouraging patriotism among the people.

5. Rani Lakshmibai (Jhansi)

 Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi was a courageous queen who fiercely resisted British rule. After her husband’s death and the annexation of Jhansi, she took up arms and led the rebels in Bundelkhand. Despite facing overwhelming odds, she valiantly defended Jhansi against British forces led by Hugh Rose. She later fought alongside Tatya Tope in Gwalior.

6. Kunwar Singh (Bihar)

 Kunwar Singh, an elderly zamindar (landowner) from Bihar’s Arrah region, played a significant role in organizing resistance against the British. At the age of 80, he led a distinct band of soldiers against the East India Company’s troops in Bihar, merging civil and military rebellions to challenge British rule.

7. Tatya Tope (Kanpur/Gwalior)

Tatya Tope was an influential rebel leader who actively participated in the revolt at Kanpur and later in Gwalior. He employed guerrilla warfare tactics and captured Kanpur, establishing Nana Saheb’s authority. After the British forces’ retreat, he went to Gwalior but was betrayed by Raja Man Singh. Tope was eventually captured and executed by the British.

8. Maulvi Liaquat Ali (Allahabad)

 Maulvi Liaquat Ali, who initially served in the British army, turned against them and began spreading anti-British sentiments among Indian soldiers. After being dismissed from the army, he continued his activities in his village of Mahagaon. Ali led an attack on Allahabad, defeating the East India Company’s forces and declaring himself the representative of Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal emperor. However, he had to abandon the battlefield