Tipu Sultan

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THE SHORT BUT STORMY rule of tipu sultan was eventful in many respects. Its main significance lies in his strong opposition to the British in India. The English had never till then been confronted with a more formidable enemy than Tipu, who fought with the fierceness of a tiger and the tenacity of a bulldog. His life's passion was to drive away the British from the country for which purpose he used all his means, capacity and all his power, not sparing even his own life. He used to say that to live like a lion for day was far better than to remain a fox for one hundred years! He never compromised his ideals, never deviated from his goal, and never submitted himself to the paramountcy of a foreign power. The disunity among Indians and the superior diplomacy and military skill of the British made him realize that uor freedom was in great danger. Another important feature of his reign was the dynamism of character and the burning zeal with which he wanted to promote the well-being of his people. he was better known that his father for courage, his strong will and his firmness in action. Despite the numerous wars and the hectic political activity during his regime, he never ignored his main task, namely, the promotion of the well-being of his people though trade, commerce, industry and agriculture. He built up an exceedingly efficient system of administration and was almost the first Indian ruler to apply western techniques in the art of government. He launched upon a series of innovation which made Mysore a center humming with intense activity. His establishment of a separate commercial department, his opening of factories in distant parts of the state, his being able to secure artisans from different countries to manufacture guns, muskets and a host of other commodities, his building up of a navy, his novel system of administering justice, his reforms of coinage and the administradar his deep interest in the minutest details of administration, and his promotion of agriculture through every conceivable method made Mysore a prosperous and progressive state in India during the eighteenth century.

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Tipu Sultan, the enlightened ruler who strove hard to make Mysore a prosperous State, was perhaps the most formidable enemy the East India company had to contend with in its struggle against the Indian princely powers. It took the British two Mysore wars and many years finally to defeat Tipu. The English never felt secure as long as he was alive.

Dr. B. Sheik Ali served as Professor and Head of the Department of Postgraduate Studies and Research in History of Mysore University where he edited two projects: Sources of Karnataka History of Karnataka (ten volumes). He did a thesis on the relations of the British with Haider Ali from University of London.