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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