RAS question
Who led the 1857 Revolt in Lucknow?
Correct answer: (A) Begum Hazrat Mahal.
Begum Hazrat Mahal led the 1857 revolt in Lucknow against British rule.
Explanation
Lucknow's revolt must be read through Awadh's recent political displacement. Begum Hazrat Mahal, wife of the deposed Nawab of Awadh, Wajid Ali Shah, led the revolt in Lucknow. NCERT's chapter on the Revolt of 1857 explains why Awadh mattered: the annexation of the state and the removal of Wajid Ali Shah were still fresh in popular memory, and people in Lucknow celebrated the fall of British rule by hailing Birjis Qadr, the Nawab's young son, as their leader. Begum Hazrat Mahal declared Birjis Qadr as Nawab and resisted the British siege, making her the substantive Lucknow answer.
Why the other options are wrong
- (B) Rani Lakshmibai belongs to the Jhansi leadership context in NCERT, not to the Lucknow revolt described through Awadh and Birjis Qadr.
- (C) Nana Sahib is placed by NCERT in the Kanpur revolt, whereas the Lucknow account centres on Awadh's deposed Nawab's family.
- (D) Khan Bahadur Khan is not the Lucknow leader; the Lucknow leadership is tied to Begum Hazrat Mahal and Birjis Qadr of Awadh.
Concept
This tests the leaders and centres of the Revolt of 1857, a standard Modern Indian History theme. RAS repeatedly asks such pairings because they connect personalities, regions and the political grievances behind the uprising.