On 23 January 1809, the great freedom fighter from Odisha, Veer Surendra Sai was born at Khinda in Sambalpur District. Despite his fierce struggle against colonial rule, many are still unaware of the contributions and sacrifices made by Sai.
With Odisha paying rich tribute to one of the greatest revolutionary freedom fighters Veer Surendra Sai on his birth anniversary, let’s take a moment to know more about the riveting persona he was.
Early Life: Veer Surendra Sai was born in his ancestral home in Sambalpur district in 1809. He was a descendant of Madhukar Sai, Sambalpur King of the Chauhan dynasty in the 16th century. His father Dharam Singh was the sixth in the line of succession to Raja Madhukar Sai of Sambalpur.
British Occupation: Between 1808 and 1817, Sambalpur was occupied by the Marathas, and later, the British restored it to the Chauhan kings but as mere puppets.
Struggle for Freedom: Sai started fighting against British rule even before the 1857 Revolt and continued until his death. He was trained in guerrilla warfare and horsemanship. He continued his guerrilla war against the British authority from 1857 till 1864 long after the struggle led by the Rani of Jhansi, Tantia Tope, Kunwar Singh and others had subsided.
Imprisonment: Sai was caught and imprisoned for 17 years (1840-1857) and later for 20 years (1864-1884) in Asirgarh jail. He spent the final decades of his life in Asirgarh jail, far away from the place of his birth. He was blind at the time of his death.
Personal life: Not merely he alone, but his whole family were valiant freedom fighters. His uncle Balram died in Hazaribagh jail after 16 years of jail life. His brother Chhabila was killed in an encounter with the British army. Another brother Ujjal was sent to the Raja Patnagarh to seek the latter’s help in the fight against the British, but the Raja betrayed Ujjal and surrendered him to the British and Ujjal was executed. His other brothers Udaut, Dhruba and Medini and his son Mitrabhanu were also among the freedom fighters.
Leadership: He was supported by Zamindars and tribal people and led a fighting force of about 1500 men against the British.
Guerrilla Warfare: Sai fought against the British through guerrilla warfare from 1857 to 1862, despite the government’s strong measures against him. In 1857, on July 30, the Sepoys of Ramgarh battalion broke open the Hazaribagh jail and set free Surendra Sai and others. Sai was finally caught by the British in 1864 and sent to prison in Asirgarh Fort jail, where he died on February 28, 1884.
Legacy: Veer Surendra Sai is remembered as a hero who fought for India’s freedom, and his legacy continues to inspire people. The Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology, Burla, and the Veer Surendra Sai Medical College are named after him.
