Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi
Nobody can deny that “girls get it done.” And one of the fiercest bosswomen in our culture was Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi.
Here's her story.
She was born as Manikarnika around 1828 in Varanasi, her father being in the court of Peshwa Baji Rao II - the grandson of the great Peshwa Bajirao (who fought many wars & also took Mastani as his wife), the last Peshwa of the Maratha Empire.
From childhood, Manu was unusually bold and gifted. She learned horse riding, sword fighting, archery, reading & writing - all rare for girls of that time.
In 1842, she married the Raja of Jhansi, took the name Lakshmibai, and soon became known for her sharp political sense, managing affairs of state behind the scenes.
But tragedy struck - both her sons died young, and her husband passed away when she was just 18.
Before his death, they adopted a son, Damodar Rao, to carry on the royal line. But the British rejected this under their Doctrine of Lapse, and annexed Jhansi in 1854 (stripped her of her official power).
Lakshmibai protested fiercely, but they refused to budge. Though stripped of power, she remained the people’s queen - and she knew conflict was coming.
For the next three years, she quietly trained her own army, including a women’s regiment - almost unheard of at the time.
When the 1857 revolt broke out, Jhansi stayed calm - until local sepoys mutinied and killed British officers. Lakshmibai took control and prepared for war.
In March 1858, British General Hugh Rose besieged her fort. She fought back hard, but when defeat seemed certain, she escaped by night with her son on horseback and joined forces with Tantia Tope and Nana Sahib.
They regrouped and captured Gwalior from a the British ally Maharaj in June. But just days later, Rose attacked again. Lakshmibai rode into battle in disguise.
Wounded and outnumbered, she refused to be taken. According to her own guards, she asked to be cremated quickly so the British wouldn’t find her body.
She died before reaching 30, but her story broke women’s stereotypes as she rewrote the rules of what women could do, inspiring generations of girls to become leaders & fight for our freedom. True to her proud yet devout Hindu personality, many see her as a living symbol of the fierce Goddess Durga Ma.