India's First War of Independence (term) From , the free encyclopedia The First War of Indian Independence is a term predominantly used in India to describe the Indian Rebellion of 1857 . The event challenged and ended the power and control of British East Indian Company in India to be replaced by nine decades of British colonial rule, known as the British Raj . Contents [hide ] 1 Overview of the war 2 British nomenclature 3 Indian nomenclature 4 Criticism of the term 5 References 6 Further reading Overview of the war[edit ] Main article: Indian Rebellion of 1857 British nomenclature[edit ] The British and colonial press along with contemporary European referred to the events under a number of titles the most common being the Sepoy Mutiny or the Indian Mutiny. [1] [2] [3] Contemporary 'anti-imperialists' viewed this term as propaganda, and pushed to characterize it as more than just the actions of a few mutinous native soldiers although the term "The Indian Insurrection" was used in the British and colonial press at the time. [4] Karl Marx was the first Western scholar to call the 1857 revolt a "national revolt", [5] [6] though he used the term "Sepoy Revolt" to describe the event. [7] Indian nomenclature[edit ] In India, the term "First War of Independence" was first popularized by Vinayak Damodar Savarkar in his 1909 book The History of the War of Indian Independence , which was originally written inMarathi . [7] [8] [9] Jawaharlal Nehru , the first Prime Minister of India, insisted on using the term "First War of Independence" to refer to the event, and the terminology was adopted by the Government of India. [8] Criticism of the term[edit ] Some Punjabis have opposed the use of the term "First War of Independence" by the Government to describe the 1857 revolt. They insist that the First Anglo-Sikh War (1845–46) should be called the First War of Independence instead. In May 2007, the Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal and three other MPs from Punjab protested against the commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the 1857 revolt over this issue. [10] Some South Indian historians have also opposed the use of the term, and have unsuccessfully taken the issue to the court. [11] These historians insist that several other anti-British uprisings in South India (such as the Vellore Mutiny ) had preceded the 1857 revolt, and should be called the First War of Indian independence. In 2006, when the Indian postal department issued a postal stamp to commemorate the Vellore Mutiny of 1806, M. Karunanidhi , the former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu , said that the move had given "due recognition" to India's "first war of independence". [12] Some Indian writers also insist that none of the armed uprisings against the British in India, including the 1857 uprising, should be termed as a "war of independence", since they were not national in nature, not motivated by nationalist sentiment and only involving a minority of people or soldiers. [11] [13]
India's First War of Independence (term)From , the free
encyclopediaTheFirst War of Indian Independenceis a term
predominantly used in India to describe theIndian Rebellion of
1857. The event challenged and ended the power and control
ofBritish East Indian Companyin India to be replaced by nine
decades of British colonial rule, known as theBritish
Raj.Contents[hide] 1Overview of the war 2British nomenclature
3Indian nomenclature 4Criticism of the term 5References 6Further
readingOverview of the war[edit]Main article:Indian Rebellion of
1857British nomenclature[edit]The British and colonial press along
with contemporary European referred to the events under a number of
titles the most common being theSepoy Mutinyor theIndian
Mutiny.[1][2][3]Contemporary 'anti-imperialists' viewed this term
as propaganda, and pushed to characterize it as more than just the
actions of a few mutinous native soldiers although the term "The
Indian Insurrection" was used in the British and colonial press at
the time.[4]Karl Marxwas the first Western scholar to call the 1857
revolt a "national revolt",[5][6]though he used the term "Sepoy
Revolt" to describe the event.[7]Indian nomenclature[edit]In India,
the term "First War of Independence" was first popularized
byVinayak Damodar Savarkarin his 1909 bookThe History of the War of
Indian Independence, which was originally written
inMarathi.[7][8][9]Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of
India, insisted on using the term "First War of Independence" to
refer to the event, and the terminology was adopted by the
Government of India.[8]Criticism of the term[edit]SomePunjabishave
opposed the use of the term "First War of Independence" by the
Government to describe the 1857 revolt. They insist that theFirst
Anglo-Sikh War(184546) should be called the First War of
Independence instead. In May 2007, theLok SabhaDeputy
SpeakerCharanjit Singh Atwaland three otherMPsfrom Punjab protested
against the commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the 1857
revolt over this issue.[10]SomeSouth Indianhistorians have also
opposed the use of the term, and have unsuccessfully taken the
issue to the court.[11]These historians insist that several other
anti-British uprisings in South India (such as theVellore Mutiny)
had preceded the 1857 revolt, and should be called the First War of
Indian independence. In 2006, when the Indian postal department
issued a postal stamp to commemorate theVellore Mutinyof 1806,M.
Karunanidhi, the former Chief Minister ofTamil Nadu, said that the
move had given "due recognition" to India's "first war of
independence".[12]Some Indian writers also insist that none of the
armed uprisings against the British in India, including the 1857
uprising, should be termed as a "war of independence", since they
were not national in nature, not motivated by nationalist sentiment
and only involving a minority of people or soldiers.[11][13]
