Rani Gaidinliu: Guerilla Rebel

Born: 26 October 1915

Died: 17 February 1993

Country: India

Culture or Era: British Occupation of India

Rani Gaidinliu in the 1930s, photographed by John Comyn Higgins. Sent to J.H. Hutton, 18 January 1932. Hutton Collection, Cambridge University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology

In the misty mountains of northern India, a thirteen year-old girl led a revolution against oppressive forces that were hurting our people. Her name was Rani Gaidinliu. She had been born in a tiny village and grew up with her local tribe. The village did not have a school so she did not have a formal education. She lived a tough but largely peaceful life, until invaders came. The British Empire was conquering nations across the world, and they had arrived in India. 

The British invasion of India disrupted many parts of their daily lives. The British instituted new laws, new customs, and even a new religion. In response, many Indians started to form fringe groups of resistance. When Rani was 13, one of these groups passed through her village, shouting messages of Indian unity and resistance against the British. The message resonated with something in Rani, and she decided to join the resistance movement. When she joined, she resolved to change her family's life for the better.

Rani was an active member of the resistance. She travelled to different villages to hear of their woes under the British and encouraged them to join their resistance, spreading the message of hope for something better. However, the resistance group was shaken when its leader, a man named Jadonang who was also Rani’s cousin, was captured by the British and executed in 1931. Rani was 15 years old. 

Rani was devastated by this loss. Without a strong leader, the resistance movement would crumble. Incredibly, after Jadonang’s death, the responsibility of leadership fell to Rani, who took up the mantle of responsibility with determination. She became the leader and face of the movement. She increased her recruitment efforts, visiting villagers and encouraging them to join her. She declared that those who did not want to fight should show resistance by refusing to pay taxes to the British. She was an open rebel. She also led guerilla protests against the British, smuggling guns and other supplies back to their base and staging skirmishes against the British forces. 

Map of British occupation in India in 1930

The British could not believe that such a young person could cause so much damage. They launched an all-out manhunt for her, determined to stop Rani’s rebellion before it grew too powerful. Large rewards were announced for anyone who would give the British information that would lead to her arrest, including a guarantee of 10 years without paying taxes.

Rani was smart and stayed on the move, always flitting between villages while continuously spreading her message of rebellion against the colonizers. A couple of times, the British forces found her and it came to violence. Both sides used muskets to try and bring the other down, but Rani escaped. She was a bigger and bigger issue for the British, and the soldiers were reprimanded for being so unable to capture a single teenage girl. 

Rani was smart and wiley, but eventually her luck had to run out. On October 17, 1932, when she was seventeen, Rani was overseeing the building of fort fortifications when the British launched a surprise attack and she was captured. She was imprisoned and given a court date, where she was deemed guilty of murder (she did kill quite a few British soldiers). She was sentenced to life in prison. 

Later in Life

Rani remained in prison for fourteen years, and was only released in 1946 when the Indian people finally gained their independence from Britain. India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, was profoundly moved by Rani’s bravery, calling her “Daughter of the Hills” and giving her the title “Rani” which means “queen”. But India’s independence did not mean the end of Rani’s leadership. Finally freed, Rani, now in her early thirties, devoted herself to promoting education and bringing resources to her northern village, promoting tribal identity and unity once more. She remained dedicated to this effort for the rest of her life. After a long life of service, Rani passed away in 1993, and many state and local officials attended her funeral in honor of her lifelong work for her people. 

Photograph of Rani Gaidinliu in 1972, printed in a memorial flyer after her passing in 1993

Legacy

Rani was not a general or a politician, but her conviction and determination to protect and preserve her people led her to become the face of a revolution that fought against colonization and cultural erasure. She was awarded many honors throughout her life, including the Tamra Patra Freedom Fighter Award, and in 2021 her hometown announced the establishment of the Rani Gaidinliu Tribal Freedom Fighters Museum in her honor. The government of India issued a postage stamp in her honor in 1996 as well as a commemorative coin in 2015.

"My life is my message and my people are my hope."

Rani Gaidinliu