|
PM Pays Tribute to Rani Velu Nachiyar on January 3 Birth Anniversary
Prime Minister pays tribute to Rani Velu Nachiyar on her birth anniversary on January 3. The tribute is linked to her role as the first queen to fight against British colonial power in India and the annual celebration of her birth anniversary on January 3.
Rani Velu Nachiyar (Veeramangai) :
| Dimension | Key Details |
|---|---|
| Birth | Born on January 3, 1730; only child of Raja Chellamuthu Vijayaragunatha Sethupathy and Rani Sakandhimuthal of the Ramnad kingdom |
| Known for | First queen to fight against the British colonial power in India |
| Training | War match weapons usage, martial arts (Valari, Silambam), horse riding, and archery |
| Language skills | French, English, and Urdu |
| Marriage & conflict | Married Muthuvaduganathaperiya Udaiyathevar (king of Sivagangai); he was killed by British soldiers and the Nawab of Arcot’s son |
| Exile | Escaped with her daughter Vellachi; lived under the protection of Palayakaarar Kopaala Naayakkar in Dindigul for 8 years |
| Alliance | At Dindigul, met Haider Ali of Mysore; won his support; he admired her intellect and Urdu skills |
| Return to power | In 1780, attacked Sivaganga Fort with allied forces and reclaimed her kingdom; gave administrative powers to the Marudhu Brothers |
| Title | Known by Tamils as Veeramangai (brave woman) |
| Succession | Vellachi (her daughter) succeeded to the throne and ruled from 1790 to 1793 |
| Death | December 25, 1796 in Sivagangai |
| Udaiyaal Unit | Established one of the first all-women army units; named after her adoptive daughter Udaiyaal |
| Religious structures & ties | Constructed a mosque and a church to honour Haider Ali’s support; maintained ties with Tipu Sultan |
| Honours | Honoured with a postage stamp (2008); memorial statue in Sivagangai (2014) |
| Kuyuili | Trusted military commander of Velu Nachiyar |
| Kuyuili’s act | On Vijayadashami, drenched herself in ghee, entered the British armoury, and set herself ablaze; destroyed all weapons stored inside |
| Kuyuili’s remembrance | Remembered as India’s first suicide bomber in the context of resistance against colonial rule |