The Indian Rebellion of 1857 against British rule saw some of the most ferocious battles fought across India. The freedom fighters were courageous and fought tooth and nail. While the revolt did not succeed, it went down in history as a righteous struggle.

   Yet, when we talk about women’s roles in 1857, we immediately think of Rani Lakshmibai and Begum Hazrat Mahal. But were these the only women who contributed to the struggle? While history highlights the resistance contributions of Jhansi Rani, the reality was also that the battles for independence from British colonial rule also featured Dalit resistance fighters like Uda Devi.

Early Life

   Uda Devi was born in a small village in Awadh, Uttar Pradesh. Seeing the rising anger of the Indian people against the British administration, she reached out to Begum Hazrat Mahal to enlist for war. In order to prepare for the battle that was headed their way, the Begum....