Khan Bahadur Khan

KHAN BAHADUR KHAN

Date of Birth: 1781 and Date of Death: 24^th March, 1860

            Khan Bahadur Khan, the ruler of Rohilkhand, a region of north-western Uttar Pradesh state, who fought against the British to liberate the motherland, was born on 1781.  He declined very high official post that was offered by the East India Company.  Khan Bahadur Khan revolted against the British at the age of 70 Bareilly, the capital of Rohilkhand on 31^st May, 1857.  He created history by addressing the people of Rohilkhand as ‘people of India’ and giving a clarion call to them: “the auspicious day of our freedom has dawned.  The English may resort to deceit.  They would try their hardest to incite Hindus against Mussalmans and vice-versa.  Mussalmans, if you revere the Holy Quran, and Hindus, if you venerate the cow-mother, forget your petty differences and join hands with this holy war.  Fight under one flag and with the free flow of your blood, wash away the stigma of the domination of English over Hindustan’.  Under the leadership of Khan Bahadur Khan, Shobharam had become the Prime Minister, who was known for his honesty, and Bakht Khan had become the Commander-in-Chief.  When the Green Flag, the symbol of independence was hoisted in Rohilkhand, the British rulers were shocked.  Khan Bahadur Khan took various steps to ensure harmony among the Hindus and the Muslims.  He banned cow slaughter during the Hindu festivals.  As a result of his several efforts, the British could not split the Hindus and the Muslims in order to fulfil their selfish interests.  This is even admitted by the British themselves in their reports.  Finally, the British commanders laid siege on Bareilly with huge troops.  Khan Bahadur Khan fought against the enemy till the last minute, in the adversary situation.  He retreated into the forests of Nepal with his nominal troops on 5^th May, 1858.  But Jung Bahadur, the ruler of Nepal who was pro-British, handed over Khan Bahadur Khan Bahadur Khan to the British.  They tried Rohilkhand leader Bahadur Khan and 243 others who had participated in the fight against the East India Company, and executed them.  All of them were hanged to a big banyan tree at the old office building of the British Commissioner in Bareilly on 24^th March, 1860.  Saluting the motherland, Khan Bahadur Khan, along with his compatriots merged into the soil of motherland, India.

Mohammad Bakht Khan

MUHAMMAD BAKHT KHAN

Date of Death: 13^th May, 1859

            Mohammad Bakht Khan was born in Sultanpur in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh.  He provided able leadership to the heroes and heroines of the First War of Independence of India of 1857 against the forces of the East India Company, by taking up the responsibility of Commander-in-Chief.  He had about 40 years of long experience in the British army.  He defeated the British commanders in the rebellion led by Khan Bahadur Khan in Rohilkhand.  Later, he captured the treasury of the East India Company in Bareilly and reached Delhi with his troops.  He streamlined the troops after his appointment as the Commander-in-Chief by the Mughal Emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar.  He initiated democratic reforms by establishing the ‘Greater Administrative Council’ and formulated the Special Constitutional Policy.  He felt that there should not be any influence of personal differences and selfishness on independent rule.  Thus, Muhammad Bakht Khan demonstrated great statesmanship in his mission.  It was not enough if the British were over thrown in Delhi; they were to be eliminated from nearby states of India as well.  While Muhammad Bakht Khan was busy in his mission, the jealous members of the royal family and the selfish traders misguided the emperor Zafar.  As he understood the situation, Bakht Khan voluntarily gave up his position as the Commander-in-Chief.  Later, he led several battles against the East India Company forces with his own troops.  Finally, when the defeat of the Delhi had become inevitable, Bakht Khan invited the emperor to go with him to Lucknow of Awadh state.  But the emperor did not respond to his advice as he was under the influence of the cunning people around him.  Then, Bakht Khan left Delhi and reached Awadh.  Along with Begum Hazarat Mahal he fought with the British forces.  But, when Lucknow was seized, he retreated to the Nepal hills along with Begum Hazarat Mahal.  There from Muhammad Bakht Khan started his efforts to fight back against the British force, but could not succeed in his attempts because of the non cooperation of the Nepal ruler, Jung Bahadur.  Muhammad Bakht Khan, who revolted against the British and fought various battles successfully in the First War of Independence of India, died fighting unto the last on 13^th May, 1859.

Azimullah Khan

AZIMULLAH KHAN

Date of Death: October, 1859

            Azimullah Khan, who was renowned as a strategist in the First War of Independence of 1857, was born in Uttar Pradesh.  At the time when native rulers, the heads of princely states were expressing desire to fight with British without any plan of action, Azimullah was of the opinion that planned action would yield more results than mere blind use of force.  Thus, he formulated strategies to combat the British.  He learnt English and French, studied at Kanpur College, where he became a teacher.  Nana Saheb Peshwa, the ruler of Kanpur, came to know about the talents of Azimullah and offered him to be his advocate.  Azimullah went to England on the invitation of Nana Saheb, to deal with the legal matters of Kanpur state, where he spent a couple of years.  He closely observed the politics of the British during his stay in England.  He visited several countries in his return journey to India.  When he reached Malta, he came to know that the Russian troops had defeated the Anglo-French troops at Malta.  Therefore, he went to Constantinople to observe the military capabilities of Russia.  Later, he visited France and Crimea and observed the politics and war strategies of the rulers of respective countries.  Their fight for freedom had influenced him and inspired him to work for freedom of India.  Azimullah tried to establish friendly ties with those countries, which were ready to help in the struggle against the British.  After returning to India, he shared his thoughts with Nana Saheb and wrote letters to the native rulers in order to garner support for the rebellion of 1857.  In his letters, he explained to them the need for revolting against the British.  He started a News Paper named ‘Payaam-e-Azadi’ in Hindi and Urdu to mould public opinion against the British.  He helped Begum Hazarat Mahal of Awadh, Moulvi Ahmadullah Shah, Lakshmi Bai of Jhansi, the Moghal Prince Firoz Shah and Tantia Tope along with Nana Saheb in formulating strategies against the British.  He retreated to the forests of Nepal along with Nana Saheb, Hazarat Mahal and others when the First War of Independence for India had faced the situation of near defeat.  Azimullah Khan passed away in October, 1858, while making efforts to secure financial and military support to fight back against the British.

Shaik Bikhari Saheb

SHAIK BIKHARI SAHEB

Date of Birth: 1819 and Date of Death: 1858

            Shaik Bikhari Saheb raged against General Dalhousee’s Doctrine of Lapse’ whose sole objective was to expand the British empire.  He stood in support of the freedom loving native rulers and fought against the foreign rulers.  He born in 1819 in a village called Hupte which was in the jurisdiction of Budmu police station in Ranchi district of Bihar.  His father’s name was Shaik Buland.  After completing school education in his native village, Bikhari joined army as a soldier.  Later he went to Oudaghar province on the invitation of its ruler Thakur Viswanadha Shadev and soon he became the Diwan of the province.  He sensed the imminent danger of ‘Doctrine of Lapse’ by the British and that it would be inevitable.  He sent special emissaries like Amanath Ali Ansari, Karamath Ali Ansari and Shaik Hore Ansari to various provinces to unite the rulers who were impatient with the expansionist activities of British.  In a strategic move and with the cooperation of Ram Vijay Singh and Nadir Ali Khan of the East India Company army, he initially attacked the army head quarters of British at Ramghad of Hazaribagh district in 1857 and won the battle.  Buoyed by this victory, he entered Santhal paragana with his forces and defeated the British forces at Bhanuka.  Some British officers were killed in the battle.  Thakur Viswanadh celebrated the victories.  Having been informed of a heavy deployment of company forces at Danapur, Shaik Bikhari and Tikontha Umrao Singh reached Ramghad along with their forces.  A terrible battle ensued.  Though the native soldiers ran short of arms and ammunition to face the heavily armed British forces, they used arrows and stones in the battle.  Eventually, the British officers cast their glance on Bikhari, the strategist who created sleepless nights for the British rulers.  They lured some of the greedy persons from the native forces and found the secret place of Bikhari.  Commander MC Donald went there in person with a huge contingent and captured Bikhari and Umrao Singh on 6^th/8^th January, 1858.  Later they hanged both of them, to a tree without any trial.  In that context, MC Donald said: ‘Among the rebels, Bikhari is the most hazardous and Bikhari Saheb terrified the British officers.

Moulana Peer Ali Khan

MOULANA PEER ALI KHAN

Date of Birth: 1820 and Date of Death: 7^th July, 1857

            Moulana Peer Ali Khan, who fought against the British military force declaring that sacrificing oneself in the cause of liberation of one’s motherland is a proof of one’s love for his country, was born in Mohammedpur village of Azamabad district, Bihar state in 1820.  His father was Mohar Ali Khan.  As a youngster Peer Ali left his village to quench his thirst for knowledge and acquired proficiency in Arabic, Persian and Urdu languages and finally settled in Patna as a bookseller.  His opposition to the excesses committed by the English rulers drove him to become a member of the local revolutionary council.  He persuaded Moulvi Mohamadi, a British Government officer, to help him procure weapons.  With the help of which he organised an adventurous attack on the English Army camp at Danapur.  Angered by this, the British army officers arrested him along with another 43 members of the revolutionary council on 4^th July, 1857.  The trial of the case conducted against Moulana and his party members was recorded in history as ‘Patana Conspiracy Case’.  In this case, Moulana and nine of his followers were sentenced to death by hanging by William Tayor.  During the trail and in custody Moulana was tortured to extract information from him regarding his council members.  He did not open his mouth even when his body turned bled with injuries.  Finally he declared courageously: “sometimes one has to act cleverly to save one’s life; but saving life is not important on all occasions.  Sometimes, one has to lay down one’s life for the sake of one’s motherland.  Then sacrificing one’s life will be a proof of one’s love for the motherland… you hanged my colleagues before my eyes… you will hang many more.  You can kill me too… but remember one thing.  Neither you nor any power can suppress the sons of this soil who are prepared to shed their blood to free their Motherland.  The drop of blood we shed in this war will ignite fire in the freedom fighters of our country.  Your government and you will surely be reduced to ashes in those flames of indignation”.  William Taylor, who pronounced death sentence to Moulana recorded the details of this courageous incident.  Incensed by this defiant answer, the English officer fixed tight cuffs to his hands and legs and tortured him further devilishly.  But Moulana Peer Ali Khan kept bereaved the same on the gallows till the last movement when he kissed the hanger’s rope welcoming death with dignity and thus attained martyrdom on 7^th July, 1857.