While we celebrate #NetajiJayanti today, it also happens to be the Jayanti of a not so well known freedom fighter Veer Surendra Sai, who led a long tribal revolt against the British rule in Sambalpur, harassing them to no end. #veersurendrasai

A born rebel, #veersurendrasai , hailed from the small village of Khinda, and was a Rajput belonging to the Chauhan clan of Khinda-Rajpur. His father Dharam Singh, was a descendant of Aniruddha Sai, the fourth Chauhan ruler of Sambalpur.

When Maharaja Sai passed away in 1827 AD, Surendra Sai presented his legitimate claim to the throne of Sambalpur, as the Maharaja had no male heir.The British however found him too much of an independent thinker for their own good. #veersurendrasai

Predictably they were looking for some one more pliable, and their first choice was the Maharaja’s widow Mohana Kumari. The British had already occupied Sambalpur in 1804 AD after their victory in the 3rd Anglo Maratha War when Odisha was one of the territories ceded.

The British allowed Mohana Kumari to rule over the State, the decision however led to a lot of resentment between her and other claimants to the throne. With Mohana Kumari proving herself to be incapable, the people themselves revolted against her. #veersurendrasai

The British put down the rebellion, deposed Mohana Kumari, and sent her to Cuttack in 1833 AD, where she lived as a pensioner. They then placed another puppet ruler Narayan Singh, one of the offspring on the throne.

However Narayan, by then was already too old, not capable of handling the responsibilities of the state, and soon there was an outright challenge from other members of the Rajpur-Khinda Chauhan clan.

#veersurendrasai was backed by his uncle Balaram Singh( brother of his father), on the grounds that being the direct descendants, they had a legitimate claim over the throne.

The Gond tribals in Sambalpur too revolted against Narayan Singh, who died in September 1849 with no male heir.Under the Doctrine of Lapse, Lord Dalhousie annexed Sambalpur, and Surendra Sai, revolted against the British. #veersurendrasai

He felt he had a legitimate claim to the throne, however the British were wary of his popularity and strong personality. Aware that he would not be the puppet ruler they wanted him to be, the British did their best to keep him away from the throne. #veersurendrasai

And thus began an intense and epic struggle against the British, that in fact had it’s genesis much earlier in 1827 AD. Since 1827, Surendra backed by his uncle Balram, had repeatedly laid claim to the “Gadi” of Sambalpur as the legal heir apparent. #veersurendrasai

However with the British ignoring his claim, Surendra decided to go down the path of total revolt. His 6 brothers Udyanta, Ujjala, Chabila, Jajjala and Medini too supported him, as did all the local Zamindars and Gauntias. #veersurendrasai

When Narayan Singh’s men killed the Gond Zamindar of Lakhanpur, Balabhadra Deo, the furious Gonds too supported Surendra in his revolt. Some of them murdered the unpopular Zamindar of Rampur, Durjaya Singh, a camp follower of Narayan Singh. #veersurendrasai

Though Surendra had no role in it, the British neverthless implicated him in the case, and he was arrested along with his uncle Balaram and his brother Udyanta Sai. Sent to Hazaribagh jail in 1840 AD. #veersurendrasai

He spent as many as 17 years in prison, till the 1857 Revolt, when the mutineers, broke down the prison. His uncle Balaram Singh who was his guiding force and mentor, however died in prison itself. #veersurendrasai

In the meantime, the Zamindars of Sambalpur, as well as the ordinary people, were fed up with some of the oppressive measures taken by the British, after they annexed the state. The British indiscriminately raised the revenue to be paid by the Zamindars as well as the Gauntias.

When the 1857 revolt broke out and Surendra Sai was liberated from prison, the tribal masses in Sambalpur, gathered under him. And this marked the second phase in his long struggle with the British. #veersurendrasai

When the 1857 Revolt broke out and Surendra was released from prison by the rebels, he was declared a fugitive by the British. The authorities put a bounty of Rs 250 for his arrest as well as that of his brother Udyanta.

He made a petition to Capt R.T.Leigh, the Senior Asst Comissioner of Sambalpur to recognize him as the Raja of Sambalpur and remit his life imprisonment. However the Odisha Comissioner, G.F.Cockburn, strongly opposed any kind of amnesty to #veersurendrasai

The British bought in more troops and put Surendra under house arrest in Sambalpur. He however managed to give them the slip and escaped to Khinda village where his brother Udyant was located. #veersurendrasai

31st October 1857, he began his rebellion against the British, and soon many of the ordinary people, the tribal Zamindars, Gauntias all joined hands with him. #veersurendrasai

It was primarily a tribal revolt, with the Zamindars of Kolabira, Laidia, Loisinga, Lakhanpur etc, sacrificing all their comforts, and joining Veer Surendra Sai in his guerilla war against the British. #veersurendrasai

Fighting in the thick jungles of Sambalpur, some of them lost their lives, while some had their estates confiscated, and some were arrested and hanged. The selfless spirit of sacrifice and heroism shown by the tribals, was Veer Surendra Sai’s greatest source of strength.

He organized the rebels into different groups, and soon they began to cut off all the routes of communication used by the British to Hazaribagh, Ranchi, Cuttack. The dawk road to Bombay was blockaded, and the British by now had completely lost control over Sambalpur.

He regularly harassed the British with his guerilla attacks, and it became difficult for them to venture in to the thick forests. The soldiers were regularly ambushed. #veersurendrasai

And when Capt Leigh undertook the operations, the rebels struck back hard, killing and wounding several of his 50 strong contingent.Cockburn despatched more forces to Sambalpur to crush the revolt. #veersurendrasai

The Government transferred Sambalpur from the Chota Nagpur division to Orissa division for more effective handling. With the Chota Nagpur division Comissioner having his hands full, and the difficulties in controlling Sambalpur from the North, this decision was made.

And by Dec 19, 1857, it became a part of the Cuttack division. Capt Wood arrived in the meantime from Nagpur with a large cavalry and made a surprise attack on the rebels at Kudopali on Dec 30, 1857. #veersurendrasai

Though Surendra Sai, managed to escape, he lost one of his brother Chabila Sai, as also about fifty rebels in the skirmish. Major Bates arrived in Sambalpur on January 7, 1858 to take charge of the situation, and occupied the Jharghati pass connecting Ranchi. #veersurendrasai

Bates destroyed the village of Kolabira, it’s gauntia was arrested and hanged. Captain Woodbridge and Wood then launched another attack on the hill stronghold of the rebels Paharsgira on February 12, 1858. #veersurendrasai

However the rebels managed to counter the British, and Woodbridge was killed, his headless body was later found in the forests.With the situation in Sambalpur, slipping out of control, the British sent Col Forster in March 1858, and gave him wide ranging powers.

Forster cracked down hard, blocking the food stocks of the rebels. He convened a meeting of all the neighboring Rajas and Zamindars, and demanded their cooperation in suppresing the revolt of Veer Surendra Sai. #veersurendrasai

Ujjal Sai, another brother of Surendra Sai, was captured and hanged without a trial at Bolangir. The Zamindars of Kharsal and Ghens who were sympathetic to Veer Surendar Sai, were also captured and hanged. #veersurendrasai

In spite of all the repressive measures and crackdown, though Forster still could not capture Veer Surender Sai. Major Impey was appointed as Dy. Comissioner of Sambalpur in April 1861, and believed a carrot and stick approach was better suited to end the revolt.

He announced a policy of amnesty for all rebels who surrendered in September 1861, except Surendra Sai, his brother Udyant and son Mitrabhanu. He issued another proclamation in October 1861, promising free pardon to all the rebels who surrendered. #veersurendrasai

Weary of the long conflict, and seeking a normal, peaceful life, many of the rebels surrendered to the British leaving the jungles. Impey’s conciliatory approach worked, with many rebels now surrendering, and the local people too more or less reconciled to the inevitability.

The Zamindar of Kolabira, one of Veer Surendra Sai’s strongest supporters, received generous treatment after his surrender and this made many rebels trust the Government’s intentions. #veersurendrasai

Surendra Sai once again negotiated with the British authorities for his claim to the throne of Sambalpur. They however rejected it, and and Impey assured him a liberal pension in lieu of that. #veersurendrasai

He then demanded payment of arrears to his soldiers, to which Impey agreed, and soon surrendered on May 16th, 1862, bringing the long revolt to an end. It was however not the end of the story. #veersurendrasai

Some of the British officers were not satisfied with the conciliatory moves towards the rebels and Veer Surendra Sai. British officers like Berial, the Superintendent of Police, felt that Surendra Sai should have been charged with dacoity and murder. #veersurendrasai

Pressure was put on the Dy. Comissioner for the arrest of Surendra Sai, and when Major Impey passed away in December 1863, they saw it as a golden opportunity. Capt Cumberledge joined as Dy. Comissioner, Sambalpur on January 19, 1864.

After what was clearly a farcical and hasty trial, the Comissioner announced Veer Surendra Sai and others guilty, and sentenced them to deportation for life.Even though the then Judicial Comissioner John Scarlett Campbell, called the trial a farce and the charges as baseless.

Fearing his presence in Sambalpur would provoke another mass uprising, the British kept him at Nagpur till April, 1866 and and thereafter to the Fort of Asirgarh. Medini passed away at Asirgarh, Dhruva and Mitrabhanu were released on January 1876. #veersurendrasai

Surendra however had to spend the rest of his life in prison, and it’s believed he passed away there on May 23,1884. One of the great revolutionaries, a man who was a terror to the British in Sambalpur, passed away in anonymity in a remote prison. #veersurendrasai

Veer Surendra Sai was a true valiant warrior against British imperialism, who fought against them till 1862. An inspiring leader of the tribals in Western Odisha, spent 37 years in prison. #veersurendrasai

His aim was to drive the British out of his native Sambalpur, and though he could not succeed in his goal, he inspired a generation of freedom fighters in Odisha, and Jharkhand later on. #veersurendrasai

A man who gave up the comforts, suffered untold miseries for the cause of his people, Veer Surendra Sai, was a true hero, worthy of emulation. When the history of Odisha is written, the resistance led by Surendra Sai, would forever be in letters of gold. #veersurendrasai