Bakht Khan

General Bakht Khan (1797–1859) was the commander-in-chief of the Indian rebel forces in the city of Delhi during the Indian Rebellion of 1857 against the East India Company. Khan was born in 1797 and died in 1859. He was born in the region of United Provinces (Rohilkhand) in the district of Bijnor. Later, in the army of the East India Company, he became a subedar (the chief native commanding officer). He gained forty years of experience in the Bengal Horse Artillery. Khan was popular among the British Officers before he became a rebel. He was even familiar with those officers who were to serve against him during the blockade of Delhi in 1857. He was described as the “most intelligent character” of the rebellion by British officers. He suffered a financial crisis during the time of war. After being deported from Delhi, he was wounded by the British during the time of rebellion and died in the Terai plains of Nepal in 1859.