Gangu Baba

Gangu Valmiki or Gangu Baba was a participant in the Indian Rebellion of 1857. He belonged to Balmiki community living around Bithoor village of Uttar Pradesh.

Gangu Valmiki/Mehtar (Gangu Baba)
Baba just before being hanged on 8 Sept 1859 in Chunniganjh, Kanpur
Born	Bithoor, Uttar Pradesh, India
Died	8 September 1859 Chunniganj, Uttar Pradesh
Organization	Nana Saheb Peshwa Army ,1857 Mutiny against Britishers
Movement	Indian Independence movement

Story in oral tradition

Many stories about the bravery and deeds of Gangu Baba exist. While he was returning from forest with dead tiger on his back, Nana Saheb Peshwa, then the king of Bithoor, passed with his army through the forest. He was extremely impressed and asked Gangu Baba to join his army as he already had initiated a battle against the British at that time. Gangu Baba readily accepted.^[1]

According to oral traditions of wrestlers in the villages near Bithoor, he alone killed 150 British soldiers with his sword. This annoyed the British who issued circulars to arrest him dead or alive. Ultimately, he was arrested. The British soldiers tied him to a horse and dragged his body up to Kanpur. Then they hanged him in Chunniganj. ^[1][2]

See also

• Matadin Bhangi