Bakht Khan - One of India's Freedom Fighter

It talks about the freedom fighter, Bakht Khan

1. MY INDIA, MY PRIDE ~ INDIAN FREEDOM FIGHTERS ~ “Saheb-i-Alam Bahadur” Bakht Khan

2. He was an eminent freedom fighter in the Indian Freedom Movement of 1857. He was a subedar in the East India Company’s army, a veteran of the First Anglo-Afghan War with almost forty years of experience in the Bengal Horse Artillery. However, not much is known about his life since he kept his life in secret to avoid the British. WHO WAS HE? General Bakht Khan

3. EARLY LIFE Urdu writers have described General Bakht Khan as being from the Rohilla heritage from the father's side and his mother was an Awadhi princess. One commanding officer has stated that he belonged to a Muslim convert family. He was born in 1797 in Bijnor, Rohilkhand, Oudh State. OUDH 1800s

4. CAREER He became the subedar (chief native commanding officer) in the East India Compant army. He gained almost 40 years of experience in Bengal horse artillery and witnessed the first Anglo-Afghan War. One colonel described him as being "a most intelligent character".

5. REVOLT OF 1857 Sepoy Mutiny/ Indian Mutiny/ 1st War of Independence It was a major uprising in India during 1857-58 against the British East India Company. It started in Meerut and soon spread North, Central and North-East India. Capture of Bahadur Shah Zafar

6. A number of causes like the policy of annexation, the Doctrine of Lapse, the Discrimination against Indians, the economic and social policies of the British were fueling the rage of the sepoys over time. However, the Revolt officially started when few sepoys rebelled against the use of rifle cartridges greased with pork or beef fat. This offended both Muslim and Hindu sepoys. It was the last straw.

7. THE REVOLT When Bakht Khan heard of the mutiny, he marched with an army of Rohilla sepoys (4 regiments of Bengal Native Infantry, one of cavalry and a battery of artillery) to Delhi. However, when he reached on 1 July 1857, Bahadur Shah Zafar was already proclaimed the Emperor of India. On hearing about Khan, he was quickly summoned to meet the emperor.

8. THE REVOLT Shah Zafar saw the potential of Bakht Khan and gave him the title of Saheb-e-Alam Bahadur, or Lord Governor General. The emperor's son, Mirza Zahir-ud-din, was the commander-in-chief. But, Khan faced a lot of problems including the many spies of the British and the lack of resources, organization and military strength in the rebel group. Soon after, Delhi was besieged by the British and Bahadur Shah Zafar was exiled to Rangoon in Burma.

9. DEATH Bakht Khan left Delhi and joined rebel forces in Lucknow and Shahjahanpur. He was mortally wounded in the last days of mutiny and died in the Terai plains of Nepal in 1859. An unnamed tomb in Nanser village in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan has been claimed by local historians to be that of Khan, who claim that he came to the region after the war was lost and spent the rest of his life under the protection of Akhund of Swat .

10. LEGACY

11. HISTORIAN'S ACCOUNTS According to historians, the grave considered to be of Bakht Khan has deteriorated over the years. Many grave diggers have tried looking for treasures. Some people believe they will get their answers from the prince. Unfortunately, not much research has been done on this fallen hero and in line with the claims of his final years by Swat’s historians, Bakht Khan’s memory lives as he died. In anonymity.

12. REFERENCES https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bakht_Khan https://amritmahotsav.nic.in/unsung-heroes-detail.htm?11009 https://www.siasat.com/meet-bakht-khan-who-provided-leadership-during-first-war-of-independence-2461280/ https://www.heritagetimes.in/bakht-khan/ https://tribune.com.pk/story/109675/bakht-khan-shrouded-by-the-sands-of-time https://historica.fandom.com/wiki/Bakht_Khan https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Rebellion_of_1857