Question

What was the name of Rani Lakshmibai’s adopted son ?
A. Gangadhar Rao
B. Damodar Rao
C. Nana Saheb
D. None of these

Answer 1

Hint: In the almost 150 years since she belatedly committed herself to the revolt known as the Indian Mutiny, Lakshmi Bai, the rani (Hindu queen) of Jhansi, has been the only leader to be described in positive terms by her adversaries.

Complete answer:
(A) Gangadhar Rao was the Maharaja of Jhansi was a lover of art and culture, he possessed wisdom and diplomacy, and even impressed British with his statesman-like qualities. He married a young girl named Manikarnika, ( Laxmibai), who later became the queen of Jhansi. The rule of the king was going well and the Rani gave birth to a beautiful child and as days passed by the baby became unwell and died when he was just four months old.
(B) After Laxmibai's death in 1858 in the battle against the British forces and the subsequent surrender of her foster son Damodar Rao two years later, her descendants were gradually forgotten. Damodar's family too chose to lead a life in isolation and had hardly enough money to make ends meet. Arun(the great grandson of Damodar Rao), a retired junior engineer from Madhya Pradesh Electricity Board, did not wish to divulge details of what travails the family went through.A photographer by passion, Damodar could not do much professionally. His son Laxman became a typist but the income was hardly anything. After Damodar's death, his pension was halved and later on, stopped.
(C) Nana Sahib was the foster son of a Maratha peshwa (chief minister), who was the recipient of a pension from the English East India Company. After the death of the peshwa in 1851, the company refused to continue payments to Nana Sahib. Having joined the insurgents, Nana Sahib proclaimed himself peshwa in June 1857, establishing his power in the city of Kanpur and the surrounding district. He fought the colonialists in a number of major battles. In mid-July 1857 he suffered defeat at Kanpur and retreated to Oudh. After the major centers of the uprising were suppressed, Nana Sahib hid in the jungles of northern India.

Hence the correct answer is option (B).

Note: Laxmibai tried to regain control of Jhansi through negotiations, but when her efforts failed she joined the Indian Rebellion of 1857, an uprising of soldiers, landowners, townspeople and others against the British in what is now known as India’s first battle for independence. It would be 90 years before the country would finally uproot the British, in 1947.