Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], December 3 (HBTV): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath paid homage to Uda Devi on her anniversary, highlighting her role as one of the most courageous women fighters of the 1857 uprising and describing her legacy as a source of enduring inspiration for generations.
Remembering the Pasi freedom fighter, the Chief Minister said, 'Uda Devi, the fearless woman of the first independence war, remains an immortal warrior and an inspiration to all Indians, especially women. On November 16, 1857, she climbed a peepal tree in Secunderabad Bagh, Lucknow, and killed thirty-six British soldiers to fight against foreign rule and tyranny. Her heroic act made her immortal in Indian history.'
Adityanath emphasised that Uda Devi's courage continues to offer a moral compass during moments of injustice.
'The bravery of Uda Devi inspires us to make this sacrifice even greater when faced with significant injustice. She supported the revolutionaries and the country's youth at the time, encouraging them to fight against such injustice,' he said.
Calling her commitment unwavering, the Chief Minister added, 'She fought with complete dedication...'
Addressing the gathering in Lucknow, the Chief Minister said that the government has introduced an additional book for children focusing on local revolutionaries.
'The state government has incorporated the entire campaign, struggle, and contributions of every revolutionary, powerful individual, and son of Mother India into the curriculum... We have given the children an additional book about the local revolutionaries... I am happy to share that, following the formation of the state government, three new PAC battalions have been created,' the Chief Minister said.
He further stated that the Uttar Pradesh Police has recruited 2,19,000 officers over the past eight years, with women constituting 20 per cent of the total.
'Over the past eight years, Uttar Pradesh Police has recruited 2,19,000 officers, with women filling 20 per cent of these roles. The PAC battalion is being formed in Lucknow, named after revolutionary Uda Devi, for whom a statue is also planned. The women's battalion in Gorakhpur is named after revolutionary Jhalkaribai Kori, while the battalion in Badaun is named after revolutionary Avantibai Lodhi,' he said.
Uda Devi, a member of the Pasi community, served in the women's battalion under Begum Hazrat Mahal during the 1857 revolt. Her act at Secunderabad Bagh remains one of the most documented episodes of women-led armed resistance, and her legacy is commemorated annually in Lucknow, particularly among Dalit communities.
(ANI)