Podbit · Empire: World History
The Sikh Empire at its height stretched from the Punjab to the borders of China, commanded ex-Napoleonic generals, and was the one Indian kingdom the British dared not attack. Its fall through internal succession chaos after Ranjit Singh's death set in motion a family tragedy that would shape three generations.
Where this was said
At 5:40 · chapter starts 5:35
William Dalrymple praises Anita Anand's biography of Sophia Duleep Singh, calling it a story she 'discovered' and 'made famous', rescuing a woman totally forgotten by history. Anand reflects with evident pride on the 2015 publication, recalling how strange and far-fetched the concept of an 'Indian suffragette' seemed to people at the time — some asking whether she had written a novel. She describes how radically the cultural landscape has shifted since: Sophia now has a Royal Mail postage stamp, a blue plaque (which Anand accidentally pulled down on her own head at the unveiling), and a current exhibition at Kensington Palace Gardens dedicated to her and her sisters. This section establishes Anand's personal investment in the story and contextualises why a deep podcast dive is warranted.
At its height, the Sikh Empire controlled the Punjab, Kashmir, the Himalayas and stretched to the borders of China and the Wakhan Corridor.
Princess Sophia Duleep Singh was born on 8 August 1876, making 2026 the 150th anniversary of her birth.
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