The Warrior Queen of Tamil Nadu: How Velu Nachiyar Defied the British Before Anyone Else
When the British Empire was slowly spreading its power across India, very few dared to rise against it. And among those few was a fearless queen from Tamil Nadu who didn’t wait for help or permission. She fought back on her own terms. That queen was Velu Nachiyar, the first Indian woman to wage war against the British—and win. Long before the First War of Independence in 1857, Velu Nachiyar made history by leading an army, forming alliances, and even building India’s first all-women military unit.