Ursula Graham Bower

British anthropologist turned WWII guerilla leader who mobilized Naga tribes against Japanese forces in Northeast India

Ursula Graham Bower (1914–1988) began as an amateur anthropologist studying the Naga people in Assam. When WWII reached India’s borders, she transformed into 'The Naga Queen', leading indigenous scouts against Japanese incursions—a guerrilla strategist in a silk skirt.

Armed with only a rifle and charisma, Bower organized the Naga Hills patrols, providing critical intelligence for the Allied forces. Her 1944 defense of the vital Imphal-Kohima road earned a military OBE, a rare honor for civilians. Post-war, she advocated for Naga rights, bridging colonial and tribal worlds.

Bower’s memoir 《Naga Path》 details her dual identity: a Oxford-educated woman who found belonging among headhunters. As historian Robert Lyman writes in BBC’s profile, her story redefines heroism beyond battlefields. She later became a BBC broadcaster, ensuring marginalized voices reached global audiences—a testament to lifelong boundary-breaking.