Page 50 - SST Class 08

1. How did the Revolt of 1857 affect the future of India?

2. Do you think the sepoys rose in revolts rightly? Why or why not?

Mangal Pandey

Mangal Pandey (19 July 1827 – 8 April 1857) was an Indian soldier who played a
key part in the events immediately preceding the outbreak of the Indian rebellion
of 1857. He was a sepoy (sipahi) in the 34th Bengal Native Infantry (BNI) regiment
of the British East India Company. While contemporary British opinion denounced
him as a traitor and mutineer, Pandey is a hero in modern India. In 1984, the
Indian government issued a postage stamp to remember him. His life and actions
have also been portrayed in several cinematic. His attack on British officers on
March 29, 1857, was the first major incident of what came to be known as the
Indian or Sepoy, Mutiny. In India, the uprising is often called the First War of
Independence or other similar names.
Pandey joined the army of the British East India Company in 1849, some accounts suggesting that he
was recruited by a brigade that marched past him. Pandey was ambitious viewed his profession as a
sepoy as a stepping-stone to future success.
There have been various accounts of the events of March 29, 1857. However, the general agreement is
that Pandey attempted to incite his fellow sepoys to rise up against their British officers, attacked two of
those officers, attempted to shoot himself after having been restrained and eventually was
overpowered and arrested. Pandey was soon tried and sentenced to death.

Contemporary Social Science-8
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