Celebrating the 194th birth anniversary of Rani Lakshmibai

One of the key figures of the Revolt of 1857, the Rani of Jhansi died commanding Indian troops against a British squadron, on June 18, 1858. A symbol of resistance to the Raj — the INA women’s regiment was named after her — she continues to be an inspirational figure for Indian women keen to exercise their agency in a patriarchal society. (Left) Mehtab in and as Jhansi ki Rani (1956). (Below) a portrait of the rani painted by Ratan Kushwah in 1861.