The Last Queen of India

Published elsewhere as Rebel Queen, the novel is narrated by Sita, the educated daughter of a village family who wins a place in the Durga Dal, the elite female guard serving Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi. Palace life gives her training, income and unusual independence, while exposing her to household rivalries and the East India Company’s attempt to annex the kingdom.

When the Indian Rebellion of 1857 turns Jhansi into a contested fortress, Sita becomes both witness and participant in Lakshmibai’s resistance. The queen raises troops, negotiates with uncertain allies and refuses to surrender her claim, while Sita must balance service to Jhansi against responsibility for the family she left behind. The story presents the rebellion through women whose military loyalty carries personal and political costs.