Birth Anniversary of Revolutionary Leader Mangal Pandey
#GS-1 #GS-3 #History #Current Events #Modern India #Freedom Struggle #National #Rapid Fire Current Affairs #Quick Facts For Prelims
Why in News
- The Prime Minister paid tributes to the iconic freedom fighter **Mangal Pandey** on his birth anniversary on **19th July**.
Early Life
- He was born on **19th July 1827** in the **Ballia** district of **Uttar Pradesh**.
- At the age of **22**, he enlisted in the **34th Bengal Native Infantry** under the **East India Company**.
The Revolt
- He refused to use the newly introduced **Enfield Pattern 1853 rifle-musket** because soldiers believed its cartridges were greased with cow and pig fat.
- On **29th March 1857**, he mutinied against British officers and fired at his **Senior Sergeant Major**.
Impact of His Actions
- His act of defiance sparked the **Sepoy Mutiny of 1857**, which is also called the **First War of Independence**.
- Although the revolt by troops of the **7th Awadh Regiment** was crushed, anger spread rapidly to **Ambala**, **Lucknow**, and **Meerut**.
- On **10th May 1857**, soldiers in **Meerut** revolted, marched to **Delhi**, and named **Bahadur Shah Zafar II** as **Shah-en-shah-i-Hindustan** to give the uprising a central leadership.
Execution and Legacy
- British authorities executed him by hanging on **8th April 1857** at **Barrackpore** and disbanded his entire regiment.
- He stands as an enduring symbol of resistance against **British rule** and a key leader in **India's First War of Independence**.