Damodar rao biography of william

Not to be confused with Damodar Raao.

Damodar Rao (born as Anand Rao) was the adopted son of Maharaja Gangadhar Rao and Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi State.

One such life is that of Damodar Rao, the adopted son of Rani Lakshmibai, a child whose fate altered the course of Jhansi’s history, and whose adulthood unfolded in obscurity, shaped by loss, resilience and relentless petitioning.

Born as Anand Rao to Vasudev Rao Newalkar in November 15, 1849 Parola Fort, Jalgaon, Maharashtra. It is the story of what happens after legends die.

The adoption of Anand Rao, who was renamed Damodar Rao, occurred on the day before the Maharaja died. Proponents of partial recognition argue that the pension and protected status acknowledged his adoption by Gangadhar Rao—witnessed by British officers in 1853—as a familial legitimacy, distinguishing him from ordinary rebels and reflecting pragmatic mercy toward a minor uninvolved in combat, thereby averting potential sympathy or unrest among Jhansi loyalists.^[4] Such views, often found in accounts emphasizing British administrative flexibility post-1857, posit the concessions as a tacit nod to Hindu adoption customs, even if sovereignty was withheld to uphold the annexation's finality after the rebellion's suppression.Conversely, critics highlight the handling as unequivocal rejection, underscoring that the pension came with demeaning restrictions and no restoration of titular rights, reinforcing the Doctrine of Lapse's invalidation of the adoption for succession purposes.

His life became very challenging after the British East India Company took over Jhansi.

This is not the story of battlefield glory. She initiated diplomatic correspondence with Governor-General Lord Dalhousie, including a detailed petition dated December 3, 1853, written in Persian, in which she asserted the validity of the adoption and invoked prior British treaties with Jhansi from 1803, 1817, and 1842 that had affirmed the state's hereditary succession rights independent of natural heirs.^[22] This appeal emphasized the cultural and legal precedents for adoption in Indian princely states, arguing that the Doctrine of Lapse should not apply where such customs were entrenched and previously respected by British authorities.^[23]Undeterred by initial British resistance, the Rani submitted a second petition on February 16, 1854, after consulting British lawyer John Lang, who advised framing arguments around treaty obligations and the inconsistency of lapsing states with recognized adoptions.^[15] She declared her resolve with the phrase "Mera Jhansi nahim denge" ("I will not give up my Jhansi"), underscoring her determination to defend the state's autonomy through legal channels.^[15] Dalhousie rejected these appeals on February 27, 1854, upholding the Doctrine of Lapse on the grounds that Gangadhar Rao had no natural male issue and that adoptions required explicit prior British sanction, a policy rigidly applied to consolidate Company control over lapsed territories.^[10]The Rani persisted with a third appeal on April 22, 1854, refined per Lang's counsel to highlight procedural irregularities and historical precedents, followed by a formal memorial to the Court of Directors in London dated December 21, 1854, which reiterated claims of uninterrupted succession and appealed for review of Dalhousie's decision.^[23][24] These efforts extended into 1856, despite growing irritation from Dalhousie, but yielded no reversal; Jhansi was annexed in March 1854, with the Rani granted an annual pension of 60,000 rupees while being denied regency over Damodar Rao or restoration of the state.^[23][25] The rejections reflected the East India Company's expansionist priorities under the Doctrine, which prioritized revenue-generating annexations over indigenous legal traditions, though contemporaries noted the policy's controversial application even among British officials.^[23]

Role in the Indian Rebellion of 1857

Outbreak of Rebellion in Jhansi

The sepoy mutiny in Jhansi erupted on June 5, 1857, when soldiers of the 12th Bengal Native Infantry, stationed in the town, rebelled against British authority, killing several European officers and civilians, including the assistant magistrate and deputy collector.^[26][27] This local uprising followed the broader outbreak at Meerut on May 10, 1857, and was fueled by grievances over British policies, including the annexation of Jhansi under the Doctrine of Lapse, which had dispossessed the young Maharaja Damodar Rao of formal sovereignty despite his adoption by Gangadhar Rao.^[28]Rani Lakshmibai, serving as regent for the six-year-old Damodar Rao, initially sought to suppress the mutineers and safeguard remaining British residents, dispatching troops to protect the European quarter and appealing for restraint.^[29] However, the sepoys overwhelmed these efforts, massacring an estimated 60 to 70 Europeans, including women and children, and looting the town.^[28] Facing threats from the rebels, who surrounded her palace and demanded complicity or faced destruction, the Rani negotiated their departure with a substantial payment from state funds, thereby temporarily restoring order.With the mutineers dispersed toward other rebel centers like Kalpi, rumors proliferated that British forces intended to raze Jhansi, depose Damodar Rao, and eliminate the royal family in retaliation.^[29] In response, the Rani proclaimed herself regent in Damodar Rao's name, mobilized local forces numbering around 14,000 infantry and cavalry, and fortified the city against anticipated reprisals, effectively aligning Jhansi with the rebellion while framing it as a defense of the state's autonomy and the adopted heir's legitimacy.^[28] This shift marked Jhansi's transition from nominal British oversight to active resistance, setting the stage for prolonged conflict in central India.^[27]

Accompaniment of Rani Lakshmibai in Battle

During the outbreak of the Indian Rebellion in Jhansi in June 1857, Damodar Rao, then approximately six years old, remained under the protection of Rani Lakshmibai as she assumed leadership of the state's defenses following the massacre of British residents.^[30] As the adopted heir, his presence symbolized the continuity of the Jhansi royal line amid the conflict, though he did not participate in combat due to his age.^[4]In March 1858, as British forces under Sir Hugh Rose besieged Jhansi Fort, Damodar Rao stayed within the fortified city with his mother's household while Rani Lakshmibai organized and led the resistance, repelling initial assaults from March 20 to April 2.^[30] Historical accounts indicate he was evacuated or protected during the intense bombardment and close-quarters fighting, which resulted in heavy casualties on both sides.^[4]On the night of April 3, 1858, following a breach in the defenses, Rani Lakshmibai escaped Jhansi with Damodar Rao strapped securely to her back, accompanied by loyal attendants, to evade capture as British troops stormed the fort.^[30] This daring flight, documented in later narratives, allowed the young prince to remain by her side as they joined rebel forces at Kalpi in May 1858.^[4]Damodar Rao continued to accompany Rani Lakshmibai to Gwalior in early June 1858, where she participated in the seizure of the fortress and subsequent battles against British reinforcements.

Here, Sir Richard Shakespeare, the local political agent, placed him under the guardianship of a Kashmiri teacher, called Munshi Dharmanarayan, to teach Damodar – Urdu, English and Marathi. Eventually, Company forces laid siege to the city of Jhansi and after determined resistance, they breached its defenses. Villagers across Bundelkhand were terrified to offer shelter.

Because Damodar Rao was adopted, the British rejected his claim to the throne. A lone queen on horseback, sword raised, riding into legend.