Veer Surendra Sai

Veer Surendra Sai (ବୀର ସୁରେନ୍ଦ୍ର ସାଏ, 1809–1884) was a prince of the Chauhan ruling family of Sambalpur in western Odisha who resisted British rule for nearly four decades. Surendra Sai led the 1857 revolt in the Sambalpur region, fought a long guerrilla campaign from the forests and hills, and spent about 37 years of his life in British prisons, dying in captivity at Asirgarh Fort in 1884.

Early life

Surendra Sai was born on 23 January 1809 at Khinda, a village roughly 35 km from Sambalpur (distance per eSamskriti), in present-day Sambalpur district. His father, Dharma Singh, belonged to the ruling Chauhan clan of Sambalpur, which traced its line to the 16th-century king Madhukar Sai. Surendra Sai was one of seven brothers, among them Udyanta Sai, who later fought and was imprisoned alongside him.

The Sambalpur succession dispute

When Maharaja Sai of Sambalpur died in 1827 without a son, Surendra Sai regarded himself as the rightful heir under Chauhan custom. The British, who exercised control over the state, instead recognised the late king's widow, Rani Mohan Kumari, and later another claimant, Narayan Singh. Surendra Sai and his supporters, among them Gond zamindars of the region, took up arms. eSamskriti dates the start of his revolutionary activity to 1827, when he was about 18.

Imprisonment at Hazaribagh

In 1840 Surendra Sai, his brother Udyanta Sai and his uncle Balaram Singh were captured and sent to Hazaribagh jail (in present-day Jharkhand) after being convicted of murder in connection with the conflict. Balaram Singh died in prison. Surendra Sai remained at Hazaribagh for about 17 years.

The 1857 revolt

During the uprising of 1857, rebel sepoys broke open the Hazaribagh jail and freed the prisoners, including Surendra Sai. He returned to Sambalpur and became the leader of the revolt in the region. From bases in the forests and hills, his forces fought the British in a guerrilla campaign that lasted several years; eSamskriti describes them controlling key routes linking Sambalpur to other centres. Many of his associates were captured during this period, and a number were tried and executed by the colonial authorities.

Surrender, re-arrest and death

In 1862 Surendra Sai surrendered under negotiated terms. He was re-arrested in 1864, which eSamskriti describes as the result of a fabricated conspiracy charge, and detained without trial under a colonial regulation of 1818. In April 1866 he and six other political prisoners were moved to Asirgarh Fort, in present-day Madhya Pradesh. OdishaTV reports that he lost his eyesight during his long imprisonment. Surendra Sai died at Asirgarh on 28 February 1884.

Legacy and honours

• Veer Surendra Sai Airport, Jharsuguda: the Union Cabinet approved renaming Jharsuguda Airport in his honour on 1 November 2018, describing him in the PIB release as "a well-known freedom fighter of Odisha".
• Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology (VSSUT), Burla: founded in 1956 as University College of Engineering, Burla, and renamed and given university status in 2009.
• Veer Surendra Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR), Burla: the medical college at Burla bears his name.
• Veer Surendra Sai Stadium, Sambalpur.
• Jayanti: his birth anniversary on 23 January is commemorated in Odisha.

He is remembered as one of the earliest and longest-resisting fighters against British rule in eastern India, and he is closely tied to the history of the Sambalpur region.

Timeline

Related on Odiapedia

• Sambalpur history
• Sambalpur district
• Paika Rebellion of 1817
• Baji Rout
• Hirakud Dam