Mangal PandeyMangal Pandey was an Indian soldier who played a key part in events immediately preceding the outbreak of the Indian rebellion of 1857. Mangal Pandey was a sepoy (sipahi) in the 34th Bengal Native Infantry (BNI) regiment of the British East India Company. While contemporary British opinion considered him a traitor and mutineer, Pandey is widely regarded as a hero in modern India. In 1984, the Indian government issued a postage stamp to commemorate him. His life and actions have also been portrayed in several cinematic productions. At Barrackpore on the afternoon of 29 March 1857, Lieutenant Baugh, Adjutant of the 34th Bengal Native Infantry (BNI), was informed that several men of his regiment were in an excited state. Further, it was reported to him that one of them, Mangal Pandey, was pacing in front of the regiment's guard room by the parade ground, armed with a loaded musket, calling upon the men to rebel and threatening to shoot the first European that he set eyes on. Baugh immediately buckled on his sword, placed loaded pistols in his holsters, mounted his horse, and galloped to the lines. Pandey took position behind the station gun, which was in front of the quarter-guard of the 34th, took aim at Baugh and fired. He missed Baugh, but the bullet struck his horse in the flank, and horse and rider were brought down. 

Nana SahibNana Sahib (born 19 May 1824 – disappeared 1857), born as Dhondu Pant, was an Indian, Maratha aristocrat, who led theKanpur rebellion during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. As the adopted son of the exiled Maratha Peshwa Baji Rao II, he was entitled to a pension from the English East India Company. The Company's refusal to continue the pension after his father's death, as well as what he perceived as high-handed policies, compelled him to revolt and seek freedom from company rule in India. He forced the British garrison in Kanpur to surrender, and gained control of Kanpur for a few days. He later disappeared, after his forces were defeated by a British force that recaptured Kanpur.

Tatya TopeRamachandra Pandurang Tope (1814 – 18 April 1859) was an Indian leader in the Indian

Rebellion of 1857 and one of its notable generals. He is better known by his nickname Tatya Tope,

which is also transliterated as Tantya Tope or Tantia Topi.[1]

A personal adherent of Nana Sahib of Bithur, he progressed with the Gwalior contingent after the

British reoccupied Kanpur and forced General Windham to retreat from the city. Later on, he came to

the relief of Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi and with her seized the city of Gwalior. However, he was

defeated by General Napier's British Indian troops at Ranod and after a further defeat

at Sikarabandoned the campaign.[2] He was executed by the British Government at Shivpuri on

18 April 1859.

Rani of JhansiLakshmibai was born probably on 19 November 1828[1][3][4][5][6] in the holy town of Varanasi into a Marathi Brahman (Karhade Brahmin[citation needed]) family.[7][8] She was named Manikarnika and was nicknamed Manu.[9] Her father was Moropant Tambe and her mother Bhagirathi Sapre (Bhagirathi Bai). Her parents came from Maharashtra. Her mother died when she was four. Her father worked for a court Peshwa of Bithoor district who brought Manikarnika up like his own daughter.[10] The Peshwa called her "Chhabili", which means "playful". She was educated at home and was more independent in her childhood than others of her age; her studies included shooting, horsemanship, and fencing.

Begum Hazrat MahalMahal's maiden name was Muhammadi Khanum, and she was born at Faizabad, Awadh, India.[2] She was a courtesan by profession and had been taken into the royal harem as a khawasin after

being sold by her parents. She was then sold to Royal agents, and later promoted to a pari,[3] and

was known as Mahak Pari.[4][self-published source?] She became a begum after being accepted as a royal

concubine of the King of Oudh,[5] and the title 'Hazrat Mahal' was bestowed on her after the birth of

their son, Birjis Qadra.

She was a junior[6] wife of the last Tajdaar-e-Awadh, Wajid Ali Shah. The British had annexed Oudh

in 1856 and Wajid Ali Shah was exiled to Calcutta. After her husband was exiled to Calcutta, she

took charge of the affairs of the state of Awadh despite her divorce from the Nawab,[7]

[better source needed] which then was a large part of the current state of Uttar Pradesh, India.

Kunwar SinghKunwar Singh led the Indian Rebellion of 1857 in Bihar. He was nearly eighty and in failing health

when he was called upon to take up arms. He gave a good fight and harried British forces for nearly

a year and remained invincible until the end. He was an expert in the art of guerilla warfare. He was

the first Indian warrior after Shivaji to prove the efficacy of the warfare. His tactics left British puzzled.[1]

Kunwar Singh assumed command of the soldiers who had revolted at Danapur on 5 July. Two days

later he occupied Arrah, the district headquarters. Major Vincent Eyre relieved the town on 3 August,

defeated Kunwar Singh's force and destroyed Jagdishpur. During the rebellion, his army had to

cross the Ganges river. Douglas' army began to shoot at their boat. One of the bullets shattered

Kunwar Singh's left wrist. Kunwar Singh felt that his hand had become useless and that there was

the additional risk of infection due to the bullet-shot. He drew his sword and cut off his left hand near

the elbow and offered it to the Ganges.

Bahadur Shah IIBahadur Shah Zafar presided over a Mughal Empire that barely extended beyond Delhi'sRed

Fort. The Maratha Empire had brought an end to the Mughal Empire in the 18th century and the

regions of India under Mughal rule had either been absorbed by the Marathas or declared

independence and turned into smaller kingdoms. The Marathas installed Shah Alam II in the throne

in 1772, under the protection of the Maratha general Mahadaji Shinde and maintained suzerainty

over Mughal affairs in Delhi. The East India Company became the dominant political and military

power in mid-nineteenth century India. Outside the region controlled by the Company, hundreds of

kingdoms and principalities, fragmented their land. The emperor was respected by the Company and

had given him a pension. The emperor permitted the Company to collect taxes from Delhi and

maintain a military force in it. Zafar never had interest in statecraft or had any "imperial ambition".

After the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the British exiled him from Delhi.