One night in early 1857, a stranger wakes the watchman of a settlement in North India. He hands the watchman something and gives him instructions about passing it on, then leaves in the dark. Many years later, a historian looking through material on this period comes across a portrait painted by Francis Grant in 1849. Its label records that the man shown, as Governor General, tried to modernise the equipment of the army.
The effort to modernise army equipment in the passage brought in the Enfield rifles. Whom does the portrait described in the passage show?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Henry Hardinge
The portrait by Francis Grant, 1849, shows Henry Hardinge, who as Governor General tried to modernise the equipment of the army, which brought in the Enfield rifles with the greased cartridges the sepoys rebelled against.
NCERT (2026-27): “1.4 Rumours and prophecies … “equipment of the army. The Enfield rifles that were introduced initially used the greased cartridges the sepoys rebelled against.” |