Asghari Begum (1811–1857) was an Indian freedom fighter who took part in the Indian Rebellion of 1857. She was burnt alive by the British army.[1][2]
Early life[edit | edit source]
She was born to Alim Shah Abdul Rahim in 1811 in Thana Bhawan, presently Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh, India.[3][4]
Role in 1857[edit | edit source]
In October 1857, amidst the First War of Independence, the British forces led by Major Sawyer launched an assault on Thana Bhawan, a town in Muzaffarnagar that had been freed by Indian revolutionaries. They were taken aback to observe that,[5] in contrast to their European counterparts, women from the nearby villages were actively engaged in armed conflicts. To instill fear among the women, Sawyer apprehended Asghari Begum, who was organizing a group of women to resist the British, and she was subsequently burned alive in public by the Britishers.[6][7][8] Along with Ashgari, her associates; Asha Devi, Bibi, Bhagwani, Bhagwati, Habeeba, Inder Kaur, and Jamila were likewise subjected to execution.[9]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ "The forgotten women of 1857 Azizun Bai, Asghari Begum, Habiba". The Milli Gazette — Indian Muslims Leading News Source. Archived from the original on 2025-06-20. Retrieved 2025-08-26.
- ↑ Gardner, Chloë (2024). Women Against the Raj: Female Freedom Fighters in the Struggle for India's Independence and Partition (1st ed.). Barnsley: Pen and Sword History. p. 81. ISBN 9781399066211.
- ↑ "1857 में अंग्रेजों ने असगरी बेगम को जिंदा क्यों जला दिया था?". awazthevoice.in (in हिन्दी). Retrieved 2025-08-26.
- ↑ Khan, Afroz (23 August 2025). "Asghari Begum, A Fearless Muslim Woman From Thana Bhawan: Unyielding Spirit Of The 1857 Rebellion | Afroz Khan, New Age Islam". NewAgeIslam. Retrieved 2025-08-26.
- ↑ Sharma, Dr Roopali; Pareek, Dr Ritu (2024-03-15). New Paradigms of Sustainability in the Contemporary Era. CSMFL Publications. ISBN 978-81-957322-8-9.
- ↑ Chugtai, Ismat (2013-07-15). A Life in Words: Memoirs. Penguin UK. ISBN 978-81-8475-940-2.
- ↑ Bhushan, Braj (2025-06-12). Psychology in India: Stories of Eminence. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-040-36678-3.
- ↑ Samiuddin, Abida; Khanam, Rashida (2002). Muslim Feminism and Feminist Movement. Global Vision Publishing House. ISBN 978-81-87746-29-4.
- ↑ Sharda, Shailvee (2023-05-21). "When woman power took on British might". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2025-08-26.