Hero or Villain – Where Do We Place Tipu Sultan in Indian History?

Is Tipu Sultan the ‘Tiger of Mysore’? Or Is he a tyrant? It all depends on who you’re asking.

(Photo: The Quint)

(In the light of a row over a proposal to rename a municipal garden in Mumbai's Govandi after Tipu Sultan, The Quint is republishing the following podcast from its archives.)

The 18th century ruler of Mysore, Tipu Sultan, is long gone but he still can’t seem to shake off controversies in modern-day India.

Now, different aspects of his rule are being highlighted for political gain... and there’s really no consensus yet on how we should remember his life’s work.

Ahead of his birth anniversary, the BJP-led Karnataka government proposed removing all mentions of the contentious leader from history textbooks. But a special committee formed to deliberate on the matter reportedly submitted a report to the Karnataka Textbook Society on Monday, 9 December, with their decision to retain the lessons unchanged.

In this edition of a special News and Views podcast on The Quint, we try to understand the controversy surrounding the historical figure, with the help of scholars and historians.

Is he the ‘Tiger of Mysore’? Or is he a tyrant? Is he a freedom fighter? Or is he a murderous bigot? Or is he, perhaps, the genius who first used rockets against the British? It all depends on who you're asking.

Tune in to this podcast!