Rani of Jhansi: Lakshmi Bai

Lakshmi Bai, the Rani of Jhansi, the legendary nineteenth century warrior queen, lives more in the ballads, folktales and stories of Bundelkhand than in written accounts. She has often been compared with Joan of Arc, though the latter has inspired twelve thousand volumes in French alone. Lakshmi Bai flashed across the stage of Indian history for a brief span of five years in which she personally fought the British in four bloody battles. It has been said that had the other leaders of the 1857 58 rebellion been anywhere near her calibre, the course of Indian history might well have been different.