Bakht Khan
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Bakht Khan Rohilla (1797 - 1859) was commander in chief of Indian rebel forces in the Anti British uprising of 1857 (known as Indian Mutiny in British chronicles).
[edit] Background
Bakht Khan was a Pathan related to the family of Rohilla chief Najib-ul-daula that is from Omer khel section of Yousafzais. He was born in Bijnor in Rohilkhand. Bakht Khan was Subedar in the army of British East India Company, and already had experience of forty years in Bengal Horse Artillery before the uprising of Indian forces in 1857. He had also seen action in the First Afghan War.
[edit] Military history
When sepoys in Meerut revolted in May, 1857, Bakht Khan organized, trained and built up the Rohilla Sepoys and then left for Delhi. Delhi was already taken by the rebel forces on 2 May 1857, and Bahadur Shah was proclaimed Emperor of India. Bahadur Shah appointed his eldest son Mirza Zahiruudin as commander in chief, but this prince had no military experience. This was the time when Bakht Khan along with his forces arrived in Delhi on Wednesday 1 July 1857. With his arrival the leadership position did improve, and he was given the title of Saheb-I-Alam Bhadur (Lord Governor General) by the King. He was virtual commander of sepoy forces, although Mirza Zahiruudin was still the commander in chief. He was appointed in the War Council that was formed to conduct the civil and military affairs. Bakht Khan faced many problems which needed his immediate attention. The first and foremost problem was financial, to solve which he obtained from the King the authority of collecting taxes. The second problem was the problem of supplies which became more and more acute with the passage of time, and became worse when British forces assaulted the city in September. The British had many spies and agents in the city and were constantly pressurizing the King to surrender. King himself, being a weak character was now worried about his own life, especially after the long six days engagement between British troops and sepoys in the city. At that time instead of focusing on the military front, Bakht Khan had to plead to the King not to surrender. He argued that even if Delhi is lost, this campaign can be carried out from other places. He pleaded King to join him, but King was not interested and surrendered on 20 September 1857 along with his family.
[edit] After the war
Bakht Khan fled Delhi and did not give in so easily. He joined the forces of Moulavi Ahmadullah, another great fighter of this movement, and fought in Lucknow, Shahjahanpur and other places. He later died unattended in the dense forests of Terain.
