Rani Of Jhansi
By Anant Pai
1980
First Published
300
Number of Pages
Part of Series
Rani (Queen) Laxmibai of Jhansi is today a symbol of the first organized Indian resistance to British rule. She was born (c. 1828) in a conservative priestly family, but she got an unconventional education including trained in martial arts like the boys of her age. Married to the King of Jhansi, a small principality in central India, she became the ruler when her husband died prematurely. She governed well and earned the respect of her people.At the time, British authority was well established in India, and had started taking over the independent principalities like Jhansi using legal loopholes. The Rani petitioned against such an attempt to the authorities in India as well as Britain, to no avail. About the same time a small rebellion among the Indian soldiers of the British army was developing into a full war for independence as many aggrieved Indian princes declared their determination to drive out the British. Laxmibai decided to cast her lot with the forces fighting the British.In the battles that followed, she inspired her people by personally leading the forces. When the enemy, partly through treason, gained footing in her fort, the Rani donned a man's attire and escaped to friendly camps. She succeeded in winning over the ruler of Gwalior and getting refuge in that fort. When the British turned their attention to the Gwalior fort, she again fought bravely but eventually fell in combat. Today, across many parts of India the memory of her last stand is celebrated with the iconic image of her on a horse, sword unsheathed, poised for attack.
Author
Anant Pai
Author · 131 books
Anant Pai popularly known as Uncle Pai, was an Indian educationalist and creator of Indian comics, in particular the Amar Chitra Katha series in 1967, along with the India Book House publishers, and which retold traditional Indian folk tales, mythological stories, and biographies of historical characters. In 1980, he launched Tinkle, a children's anthology, which was started under Rang Rekha Features, India's first comic and cartoon syndicate, that lasted till 1998, with him as the Managing Director. Today, Amar Chitra Katha sells about three million comic books a year, in English and more than 20 Indian languages, and has sold about 100 million copies since it inception in 1967 by Anant Pai, and in 2007 was taken over by ACK Media.
