Rani Lakshmi Bai, Queen of Jhansi

An Indian queen, the Maharani consort of the Maratha princely state of Jhansi from 1843 to 1853 as the wife of Maharaja Gangadhar Rao, she was one of the leading figures of the Indian Rebellion of 1857. She became a symbol of resistance to the British Raj for Indian nationalists. She is associated with great valour and bravery. A number of patriotic songs have been written about the Rani. The most famous composition about Rani Lakshmi Bai is the Hindi poem Jhansi ki Rani written by Subhadra Kumari Chauhan. An emotionally charged description of the life of Rani Lakshmibai, it is often taught in schools in India.