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| - Fact check: Queen Velu Nachiyar from Tamil Nadu wasn't the first Indian ruler to go to war against the British
A post on social media claims that Queen Velu Nachiyar of Tamil Nadu's Sivaganga was the first Indian ruler to fight the British. India Today Anti Fake News War Room (AFWA) has found the claim to be misleading.
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India Today Fact Check
The English East Indian Company fought several Indian rulers before 1780, including some iconic episodes of Anglo-Indian history like the Battle of Plassey (1757), the Battle of Buxar (1764) and the First Anglo-Mysore War (1767–69).
India's long history of freedom struggle is marked by the sweat and blood of many heroes. Several valiant men and women revolted against the oppressive colonisers for decades. A claim involving such a hero from the 18th century is now viral on social media.
"Velu Nachiyar, popularly known as ‘veeramangai’ [brave woman], the little-known queen from Tamil Nadu, was the first Indian ruler to fight against the British, in 1780, 77 years before the First War of Independence," says the claim.
India Today Anti Fake News War Room (AFWA) has found the claim to be misleading. The British East India Company fought many wars with indigenous rulers across the country before 1780. Sivaganga was already at war with the Company which led to the martyrdom of Velu's husband in 1772 -- long before her counter-offence began.
AFWA probe
Born to the Ramanathapuram dynasty, Velu Nachiyar learnt martial arts and horse riding before her marriage to Muthu Vaduganatha Thevar -- the second king of Sivaganga. Velu had to flee with her baby daughter when Sivaganga fell in 1772. She spent several years in exile before overthrowing the invaders decisively in 1780. Velu Nachiyar ruled for a decade before stepping down and passed away in 1796.
Available historical documents show Velu's military career began after years in exile following the fall of the Sivaganga to the Nawab of Arcot and the East India Company. Velu Nachiyar's husband was killed by the forces of the EIC in 1772, defending his throne. This shows Sivaganga was already at war with the British and thereby cancels the argument that it was the queen who started the land's anti-colonial struggle.
Velu Nachiyar was assisted by the forces of Mysore in her campaign after she entered an alliance with Hyder Ali. It was the Mysore army under Syed Karki that helped her successfully siege the fort of Sivaganga. Hyder Ali was an enemy of the British and was already at war with them.
According to Sekhar Bandyopadhyay's noted work "From Plassey to Partition - A History of Modern India", the first Anglo-Mysore war broke out over a decade before Velu Nachiyar's campaign.
For further clarity, we contacted noted historian KN Ganesh who confirmed there is credible evidence of Anglo-Indian battles in the early decades of the eighteenth century.
"Several wars between the Britishers and Indian rulers are recorded before 1780. The list includes the battles of Plassey, Buxar and the First Anglo-Maratha War. It is justifiable to say Sivaganga's struggle was among the first anti-colonial fights by the people of Tamil Nadu. But the episode in no manner qualifies to be rated among the first in India. Such declarations are made as part of myth-making," he said.
Here is a timeline of British activities in India according to Sekhar Bandyopadhyay's book.
But, is Velu Nachiyar the first Indian queen to fight against the British? According to historian V Sriram, there is a fair chance. "Velu Nachiyar would not be the first Indian to fight the British but definitely can be the first woman ruler to fight the British. Other known names like Abbakka Chowta would not qualify as she fought the Portuguese and not the British," he said.
Thus, it can be concluded that the viral claim that Queen Velu Nachiyar of Tamil Nadu was the first Indian royalty to fight against the British in the year 1780 is misleading.
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