Empire: World History Empire: World History

371. The First British Indians: Last Sikh In Lahore (Ep 3)

Jun 24, 2026 · 42m

Summary

This episode of Empire: World History features host William Dalrymple and author Anita Anand discussing Bamba Duleep Singh, the eldest daughter of the last Maharaja of the Punjab. They explore her defiant life, from her failed medical studies in Chicago to her return to Lahore, where she allied with Indian nationalists and married a British doctor for security. The conversation covers her fierce resistance to British rule, her survival of Partition, and her lonely death in 1957 as the last of her siblings.

Topics discussed

Sponsors and Intro Introduction to Princess Bamba Childhood and Family Dynamics Education at Somerville College Ambition to Become a Doctor Struggles in Chicago Disqualification from Medical School Return to India and Radicalization Meeting Saraladevi Choudrani Marriage to Dr. Sutherland Sponsors and Break Lost Letters and Religious Identity Life During Partition Final Years and Sterility Rumors Death, Legacy, and Series Conclusion Final Sponsor Message
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