Pratap Jung-The Ultimate Sacrifice

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Pratap Jung-The Ultimate Sacrifice is a work of historical fiction set in the backdrop of India's first war of Independence fought in 1857 at Oudh. This is the story of a brave- heart and a martyr, who made the supreme sacrifice instead of retreating from a lost battle. Lal Pratap Singh, the protagonist, was the crown prince of Bisen Rajput Dynasty of Kalakankar. Under the command of Begum Hazrat Mahal, the Begum and also the Regent of Oudh, who led the resistance in Oudh against the might of British East India Company, Lal Pratap Singh, with his strategic mind and battle tactics steered the Begum's forces resulting in the odds to briefly fall in favour of Oudh. When all hopes for Oudh were lost, Singh with his battalion, called the Pratap Jung, faced off the forces of the company led by Colonel Franks almost single-handedly as Qaisarbagh's last line of defence and ultimately sacrificed himself at the Battle of Chanda in 1858.

Pratap Jung, written by a young and promising author, deftly manoeuvres between the historical facts leading up to the face-off in Oudh during the first war of Indian Independence and the passionate intensity of the characters. It is indeed a rare achievement of the novel that while bringing to light the valour and sacrifice of the protagonist, it also highlights the patriotism and gallantry of several unsung heroes who had attained martyrdom.

Souhardya De (born 2004) Souhardya De is a student researcher, columnist, and policy enthusiast, with a knack for retelling history through popular literature.

Recipient of the 2021 Rashtriya Bal Puraskar and the Queen's Commonwealth Essay Gold Award, Souhardya is and has formerly been associated with several organisations like the Young Post at the South China Morning Post (Hong Kong), the Statesman, the Sunday Guardian, Studomatrix, BullyID Indonesia and the Young Leaders for Active Citizenship. As an incoming student, Souhardya is presently pursuing the History UGCert at the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom.