The Tribune will bring out a special six-page supplement on May 10 to mark the 150th anniversary of India’s first War of Independence.
Decades of pent-up feelings burst forth on this day in 1857 and the spark spread from Calcutta to Lucknow to Meerut to Delhi in no time. Walls of caste, creed and religion crumbled before what was clearly a popular uprising.
Noted historians like V.N. Datta, Irfan Habib and K.C.Yadav have given a historical perspective to the first challenge the British Empire faced in India – almost 90 years before the country became independent.
Former Editor of Dainik Tribune, Vijay Saighal, writes about the role of Himachal Pradesh chieftains (then part of the Punjab) and the public in the struggle while The Tribune’s correspondents Shahira Naim and Subrangshu Gupta give accounts of what happened in Lucknow and Barrackpore during those momentous days.
Among others who have contributed to the supplement are Kamlesh Mohan, M Rajivlochan, Major-General Himmat Singh Gill (retd) and Akhilesh Mithal.
We are thankful to Nehru Memorial Museum and Library and Prof K.C. Yadav for letting us access their pictorial archives.
H.K. Dua
Editor-in-Chief
