Early life and background[edit]

Sai was born on 23 January 1809[4] in a village called Khinda about 40 km to the north
of Sambalpur, Odisha. He was one of the seven children of Dharma Singh.

Revolt for the throne[edit]

King Maharaja Sai died without an heir. [5] The British Government allowed his widow
Rani Mohan Kumari to succeed him, as a result of which disturbance broke out and
conflict increased between the recognised ruler and other claimants for the throne of
Sambalpur. The most prominent claimant among them was Surendra Sai. In time
Rani Mohan Kumari became unpopular. Her land revenue policy did not satisfy
the Gondi people and Binjhal[clarification needed] tribal zamindars and subjects. The British
authorities removed Rani Mohan Kumari from power and put Narayan Singh, a
descendant of royal family but born of a low caste, as the king of Sambalpur. The
British Government ignored the claim of Surendra Sai for succession. Rebellion broke
out in the regime of Narayan Singh. Surendra Sai and his close associates, the Gond
zamindars, created many disturbances. In an encounter with the British troops
Surendra Sai, his brother Udyanta Sai and his uncle Balaram Singh were captured
and sent to the Hazaribagh Jail where Balaram Singh died. King Narayan Singh died
in 1849. By virtue of the Doctrine of Lapse, Lord Dalhousie annexed Sambalpur in
1849, as Narayan Singh had no male successor to succeed him. During the uprising
of 1857 the sepoys set Surendra Sai and his brother Udyant Sai free. The resistance
to British continued in Sambalpur under the leadership of Surendra Sai. He was
supported by his brothers, sons, relatives and some Zamindars.

Uprising[edit]
Sai espoused the cause of the downtrodden tribal people in Sambalpur by promoting
their language and culture in response to the higher castes and the British trying to
exploit them to establish their political power in Sambalpur region. He began
protesting against the British at the age of 18 in 1827, moved operations to the hilly
tracts of Odisha in 1857 and continued until he surrendered in 1862 and went to
Hazaribagh Jail.[citation needed] Before his surrender he spent 17 years in prison and after his
final arrest served a term of 20 years including his detention of 19 years in the
remote Asirgarh hill fort until he died.[citation needed]

Attempts made to suppress him[edit]

The Indian Revolution collapsed by the end of 1858 and law and order was restored
by the British throughout India, but he continued his revolution. The military resources
of the British were pulled up against him and the brilliant Generals like Major Forster,
Capt. L. Smith and others earned credit in suppressing the rebellion elsewhere in
India were brought to Sambalpur to stamp out his revolution. But all attempts failed
and Surendra Sai succeeded in foiling strategy of the British for a long time. Major
Forster, the reputed general who was vested with full military and civil power and the
authorities of a Commissioner to suppress Surendra Sai and his followers, was
removed by the British authority in 1861 after three years in Sambalpur. His successor
Major Impey could not defeat Sai. The British seized the entire food-stock of the
rebels but also stopped all resources of the supply of food and other necessaries of
life for them. Major Impey abandoned the idea of violent war and cautiously followed
the policy of peace and good-will with the approval of the Government of India.
Surendra Sai, one of the greatest revolutionaries in history, and a warrior who knew
no defeat in his life surrendered with full faith in the honesty and integrity of the British
Government. However, after the death of Impey, situations took a sudden change and
the British administrators revived their hostility towards the great hero.

Last days[edit]
Sambalpur was brought under the jurisdiction of the newly created Central Provinces
on 30 April 1862; Surendra Sai decided to surrender soon after that. However, he was
said to have been disillusioned and the new setup indulged in reversal of the old
liberal policy. The administrators found that the surrender of Surendra Sai did not
bring the revolution to an end. They stepped down to organise a conspiracy and made
sudden arrest of Surendra Sai and all his relations, friends and followers. Sai and six
of his followers were subsequently detained in the Asirgarh hill fort. Sai spent the last
part of his life in captivity. In 1884 on 23 May, Surendra Sai died in the Asirgarh fort,
away from his native land.
Sambalpur was one of the last patch of land to be occupied by the British Empire in
India, not counting the Princely States. This was largely due to the efforts of Surendra
Sai. He was a very good swordsman. People of the region affectionately called him
as Bira (or "Veer" meaning courageous) Surendra Sai.

Recognition[edit]
Citizens of Sambalpur region feels Surendra Sai, should have been recorded with
greater importance in the history of India's struggle for independence. According to
them, he is yet to get the right place because of the state administration's ignorance
and carelessness. Even historians and research scholars also have been blamed.
Many important documents and papers relating to Sundar Sai are said to be still
existing at different archives in Bhopal, Nagpur and Raipur. The Government of
Odisha is said to have done nothing in this regard.

 In 2009, The Government of Orissa changed the name of University College

of Engineering the oldest engineering college of the state to Veer Surendra Sai
University of Technology, Burla in honour of this great leader. [6]
 In 2005, Government of India decided to put a statue of Surendra Sai at the
premises of Parliament of India.[7]
 One of the oldest colleges in Odisha has been named after him as Veer
Surendra Sai Medical College, located in Burla, Sambalpur, it is operating since
1959.
 Government of India has released a postal stamp in his honour. [8]
 On 23 January 2009 people of Odisha as well as India celebrated the 2nd
Birth Centenary of Surendra Sai. On the occasion, 'Paschim Odisha Agrani
Sangathan' of Bhubaneswar brought out a book titled Surendra Sai edited by Dr.
Chitrasen Pasayat and Dr. Prabhas Kumar Singh. Also, another book titled Veer
Surendra Sai: The Great Revolutionary edited by Dr. Chitrasen Pasayat and Sri
Sasanka Sekhar Panda has been published by Anusheelan, Sambalpur.
 Veer Surendra Sai Stadium in Sambalpur, Odisha is named after him.
 In September 2018 Jharsuguda became the second city in Odisha to have
an airport, which was named in honour of Sai.
 VSS (Veer Surendra Sai) Market Complex has been made in his honour at
Chhend Colony of Rourkela, Odisha.

References[edit]
1. ^ https://sambalpur.nic.in/about-district/famous-personalities/
2. ^ Sahu, N. K. (1985). Veer Surendra Sai. Dept. of Culture, Govt. of Orissa.
3. ^ "Associates of Veer Surendra Sai"  (PDF). Orissa Govt.
4. ^ "Official Web Site Of Sambalpur District". sambalpur.nic.in. Retrieved  23
January  2013. Born on 23 January 1809
5. ^ "Eminent Persons -123orissa.com". 123orissa.com. Retrieved 23
January  2013. In the year 1827 King Maharaja Singh died without any child and
successor.
6. ^ "UCE changes to VSSUT". Archived from the original  on 27 December
2012.
7. ^ Patnaik, Pramod Kumar (6 September 2005). "Centre okays patriot
statue".  The Telegraph.
8. ^ Veer Surendra Sai, Stamp Record.  "Govt. of India honours Veer Surendra
Sai by a stamp".