Book & Author
Praxy Fernandes: The Tigers of Mysore, A Biography of Tipu Sultan and Hyder Ali
By Dr Ahmed S. Khan
Chicago, IL
Hyder Ali (1720-1782) and his son Tipu Sultan (1750-1799), the rulers of the state of Mysore, were the most implacable opponents of the British during the late eighteenth century. Hyder Ali’s greatest achievement was the founding of the state of Mysore, and Tipu Sultan’s vision and innovations in the areas of administration, revenue, diplomacy, science, industry, and religion, overshadow the accomplishments of his illustrious father. In contrast to the majority of Indian rulers, who waited for the British onslaught, Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan took the battle to the East India Company’s armies.
The Tigers of Mysore, A Biography of Tipu Sultan and Hyder Ali by Praxy Fernandes, presents a well-researched and unbiased biographical profile of two great leaders and statesmen.
The author narrates details of the power vacuum, created by the weakening of the Mughal rule, that was filled by the Marathas, the Deccan sultanates, and the state of Mysore. After defeating Nawab of Bengal in the battle of Plassey on June 23, 1757 the British East India Company started to establish and strengthen its control over India, which finally ended in August 1947. Hyder Ali lost the first Anglo Mysore War (1767-1769) and died in 1782 during the second Anglo Mysore war, his son Tipu Sultan succeeded him.
Young Tipu defended his state from the attacks of the British and their allies, the Marathas and the Nizam of Deccan. The author skillfully shows how the British conspired to kill Tipu Sultan and attacked him during the third Anglo Mysore War (1790-1792) and succeeded in eliminating him. The author describes the notorious tactics used by the British, first by the East India Company and later by the British direct rule from London.
Praxy Fernandes (1926-2001), an Indian Administrative Service (1947-1977) officer, had also authored Storm over Seringapatam: The Incredible Story of Hyder Ali & Tipu Sultan, and several other books on public administration, finance, and management.
In the introduction, Asok Sen of Center for Studies in Social Sciences, Calcutta, observes, “This book narrates the account of a father and a son, of Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan, certainly the most implacable opponents of expanding British power in South India during the second half of the eighteenth century. It brings together a large number of materials from numerous published sources. Writing at the level of popular history, Praxy Fernandes presents an illuminating appraisal of the major political processes in the various principalities of South India during this time. The book is remarkably free from any prejudices which may hinder our proper appreciation of the unique political role of Tipu Sultan in his own historical context…Tipu could clearly see the growing threat to the real sovereignty of Indian princedoms. The Nizam and the Marathas, the territorial powers in the neighborhood of Mysore, displayed no such political alertness and never responded to Tipu’s efforts to forge a common front against the British. What was worse, they often teamed up with the British against the solitary power of Tipu Sultan and thus played a major role in his ultimate defeat. On one occasion, after being forced by their combined onslaught to accept the humiliating Treaty of Seringapatam (1792), Tipu told a Maratha chief, ‘You must realize I am not at all your enemy. Your real enemy is the Englishman of whom you must be aware.’…The book emphasizes Tipu Sultan’s brave stand against the English…”
Reflecting on Tipu’s vision and bias of the British, the author observes, “Tipu was so much in advance of his times that the British conquerors, partly through ignorance of new forces being released in the world and partly through prejudice, scoffed at his schemes and visions.” To discredit Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan, the British spread many lies and allegations. Commentators like Colonel Mark Wilks, William Kirkpatrick and several others tried to stereotype Tipu’s image as ‘monster pure and simple.’ The author did extensive research and found the British accounts to be false and without any foundation.
Tipu Sultan aka the Tiger of Mysore was the greatest freedom fighter who sacrificed everything to see his homeland free of foreign occupation. He is remembered for his gallantry in fighting the British, but he was also a very able and visionary leader, an entrepreneur, a democrat, a man of letters, and a man of science and industry. He was a man ahead of his times. The author narrates many accounts of his vision.
Tipu Sultan was the first leader who had given importance to industrial production. Whenever he learned of some new development, he wanted it for Mysore; this is evident by his communications to his counsels. In a letter to his consul in Muscat, Tipu Sultan writes, “Jazeriah Diraz (an Island) is near you. Silkworms and their eggs are produced there. We wish you to procure some of both and dispatch them to us together with 5 or 6 men acquainted with the proper mode of rearing them.” It marked the beginning of the great Mysore mulberry silk industry.
In another communication, Tipu presents the idea of cultivating saffron: “Having ascertained in what part of Long Island saffron is cultivated, engage two persons in our service and send them thither to purchase one or two maunds of seed, which when procured is to be sent to us.” In another letter he advises his counsel on matters related to metallurgy: “You write that you have recently discovered a vein of lead…that you have sent seven pieces of it by the post…You must collect that said lead in the Fort of Sidhout. It is usual for a silver-mine or silver-earth to be found under a lead mine. You must therefore send for the said earth and collect it together…persons skilled in such earth will be sent shortly from the Presence to examine it.”
Tipu Sultan was also fascinated by scientific instruments and was always curious to explore their working. He wrote to M. Cossingy in December 1786: “There is a book which comes from Europe which treats of the thermometer wherein it is written that at certain times, the quicksilver rises a certain number of degrees and that if at such times a person afflicted with disorders shall during paroxysm…place his hand on the thermometer, the degree to which the quicksilver may in consequence ascend will indicate the state or height of such person’s disorder. Get this book translated into Persian and send it to the Presence.”
Tipu had extensive knowledge of the Western world. He promoted a culture of modernization and innovation. He was quizzical about the goods manufactured in the Western world. Instead of importing goods from abroad, Tipu focused on producing them at home. Over a short period of time Tipu Sultan set up factories to manufacture an array of products: scientific instruments, watches, cutlery, hour-glasses, scissors, arms and ammunition, paper, glassware etc. Tipu also brought in hundreds of foreign technical experts and skilled technicians belonging to various nationalities: French, German, Turk, Arab, and Chinese.
Tipu Sultan was a very well educated leader. As a prince he had studied French philosophers Voltaire, Rousseau, and Diderot. He was a seeker of knowledge. His library, found after the fall of Seringapatam, had a great collection of books covering a wide spectrum of subjects: poetry, philosophy, sciences, arts, Sufi mysticism, physics, chemistry, astrology, medicine, novels, and translations of volumes from other languages. It has been recorded that during his mealtimes, there was public reading of prominent books. Tipu was a master at the art of calligraphy, he also authored a book on the rules of calligraphy Risala dar Khatt-e-Turz-e-Muhammdi.
Tipu Sultan was a unique ruler and a visionary, someone who was way ahead of his times. In the 18th century, Tipu Sultan understood very well the intricacies of power. His governance system was based on a strong central government, a well-developed district and provincial administration under central government, well trained civil service, uniform set of rules across the state, and direct relationship between the people and the state. The author observes, “Tipu’s conception of the nation-state, the responsibilities of the government to the people, his elimination of feudalistic intermediaries, his attempt to set up a uniform system of laws, and his creation of a civil service, were progressive and out of tune with his time and therefore unacceptable to those around him. The greatest tribute his conquers, the British, paid to him was the adoption of these ideas in their future governance of India…In the field of diplomacy he struck new and unprecedented paths. His missions to foreign countries, his contacts with Paris, Constantinople, Kabul, Persia, Pegu, and Muscat were, apart from their prestige and glamour value, bold and courageous forays, the actions no doubt of an ambitious man, a man with a vision of the world.”
In contrast to the Mughals, Tipu did not devote his efforts towards construction of majestic buildings; rather he excelled in constructing pragmatic public projects such as vast networks of roads and irrigation systems. Tipu’s major achievement was the creation of a state corporation. He encouraged small investors to invest money and gave them dividends.
In the concluding part of the book, the author observes: “If Tipu Sultan had been allowed to rule Mysore peacefully for a few more decades, there is little doubt that he would have brought about an economic revolution of the first magnitude. The seeds which he sowed did however bear fruit after his death, and the state of Mysore, long before the era of planning, was in the vanguard of industrial progress and public welfare in India.”
Tipu Sultan was a sultan among sultans, he lived and died following his maxim: “It is better to live like a lion for a day than to live like a jackal for one hundred years.” Had the Marathas, the Nizam of Hyderabad, scores of other princely states, and Mir Sadiq (Tipu’s minister) not colluded with the British, Tipu Sultan could have succeeded in changing the destiny of his people two hundred years ago.
Praxy Fernandes has written a well-researched book negating the stereotyping of Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan by the British writers. The book is an interesting read for all book lovers and students of history. It is an important historical document; it sheds light on the leadership traits of Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan, the great leaders who fought the British, and sacrificed their lives to defend the freedom of the homeland.
(Dr Ahmed S. Khan - dr.a.s.khan@ieee.org - is a Fulbright Specialist Scholar - 2017-2022).
