velu_nachiya_rani

First queen to militarily resist British colonialism in India

Rani Velu Nachiyar (1730-1796) was a Tamil warrior queen who became India's first ruler to fight British colonial forces, preceding the more famous Rani of Jhansi by half a century. Ruling the Sivaganga Kingdom in present-day Tamil Nadu, she organized a guerrilla army called the ' Udaiyaal' (meaning 'those who sacrifice'), which used innovative tactics like poisoning key British supply routes and creating human bombs disguised as religious offerings. Her 1780 victory over British forces at the Arcot siege marked the first successful expulsion of colonial troops from Indian soil.

What made her truly revolutionary was her establishment of India's first all-female military unit, the 'Padai Veettu Thalai' (Women's Battalion Leader). This unit developed early forms of guerrilla warfare tactics still studied in military academies today. Her alliance strategies with Hyder Ali of Mysore created a temporary confederation that delayed British dominance in South India for critical years. The Tamil Nadu government now honors her with an annual festival (official site), and her story is preserved in local oral traditions.