Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav: Velu Nachiyar, the women who carried out first suicide attack in Indian soil

New Delhi, Jun 14: Rani Velu Nachiyar is an important figure in the Indian freedom movement who needs to be remembered when the country is celebrating its Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav to commemorate the 75 years of independence and the glorious history of it's people, culture and achievements.

Velu Nachiyar was a queen of the Sivaganga estate. History tells us that she was one of the first Indian queens to wage war with the East India Company in India. Known by Tamils as Veeramangai ("brave woman"), she fought against the East India Company with the support of Hyder Ali's army, feudal lords, the Maruthu Brothers, Dalit commanders, and Thandavarayan Pillai.

Born in Ramnathpuram on 3 January, 1730, Velu Nachiyar took on the English men even before the First War of Independence. She was married to Muthu Vaduganatha Periyaudaiya Thevar at the age of 16. She was drawn into the conflict following her husband's death.

The Nawab of Arcot and the British hatched a plan to defeat the King of Sivaganga and succeeded in killing him. However, Nachiyar, who was trained in many methods of combat, including war match weapons usage, martial arts like Valari, Silambam, horse riding, and archery, managed to escape and remained in exile for eight years.

During this period she built her army and sought an alliance with Hyder Ali with the aim of avenging her husband's death and regaining her kingdom. Hyder Ali allowed her to stay at Dindigul fort, while providing her with a monthly allowance of 400 gold coins.

Velu Nachiar was also given 5,000 infantry and 5,000 cavalry and the necessary weapons to fight the British. She also built an army of women who were trained in warfare. She was a smart thinker and devised a suicide attack plan.

In order to make this plan work, she wanted information on the storage of the arms and ammunition by the British. She had excellent sources of intelligence to gather information.

After discovering the place where the ammunition was stored, Velu Nachiar arranged a suicide attack on the location, thereby blowing it up. This was said to be the first-ever instance of suicide bombing in India.

Although she lost her trusted commander in this suicide plan, Velu Nachiar managed to defeat the British and Nawab of Arcot. Thereafter, she ruled the kingdom for 10 years and was succeeded by her daughter Vellachi.

Velu Nachiyar died on 25 December 1796, but found a permanent place in the hearts of Tamils.