A previously undiscovered letter written by one of India's best known female rebels against British colonial rule has been found by academics.
The letter was written by Lakshmibai, Rani of Jhansi, shortly before the Indian mutiny - or first war of independence - in 1857.
It has been found in London in the archives of the British Library.
The Rani of Jhansi has often been called the "Joan of Arc" of the Indian independence struggle.
Academics say the discovery of the letter is hugely significant, because so little historical evidence from the Rani of Jhansi's lifetime exists.
In 1857 the Rani joined the rebellion against the British and personally led her troops in battle. At one point she was captured by EIC troops but subsequently made a daring escape from a fort.
"Whatever the truth, the story of a female leader battling for her kingdom against the might of the EIC fired the nationalistic imagination when the contested history of 1857 came to be written".
"This a letter written by an iconic talisman for the nationalist narrative in India, and her equestrian statue can be found in town squares all over the country."
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