Rebels Against The Raj: How Foreigners Defied Empire To Support India

Long before global solidarity became a buzzword, a handful of Westerners crossed continents to stand with India against British colonial rule. Rebels Against The Raj by historian Ramachandra Guha brought their stories to life, chronicling seven outsiders: four British, two American, and an Irish left their homelands to support India's fight for independence.

"A foreigner deserves to be welcomed only when he mixes with the Indigenous people as sugar does with milk," said Mahatma Gandhi, as quoted in the 2022 book.

Guha called them "rebels" and compared them to the International Brigade in the Spanish Civil War. Yet unlike soldiers, these travellers were inspired by Gandhi's philosophy of nonviolent satyagraha rather than armed revolt.

The Seven Rebels

Annie Besant

The British social reformer became a leading figure in the Home Rule Movement, advocating for Indian self-governance. "Once she had chosen to become an Indian, she would be an Indian all the way through," Guha wrote in his book.

Samuel Stokes

A Quaker (a member of the Religious Society of Friends) from Philadelphia, Stokes moved to India, changed his name to Satyanand Stokes, converted to Hinduism, and became a social reformer. Before World War II, he challenged Gandhi's view on nonviolence: "Britain and her allies represent the earlier wave of imperialism as opposed to the new one that threatens the world... Nazis have shown themselves capable of the utmost ruthlessness."

Guha wrote Gandhi did not "respond to what was perhaps the greater question raised by Stokes - the fundamental difference between German imperialism and British imperialism."

BG Horniman

An English journalist and editor of the Bombay Chronicle, Horniman's fearless reporting and support for Indian rights led to imprisonment and eventual expulsion from India.

Philip Spratt

A British socialist who co-founded India's Communist Party and was jailed for activism.

Madeline Slade (Mira/Mira Behen)

Daughter of a British admiral, she became Gandhi's close associate and disciple. Decades later, she advised Richard Attenborough on his Gandhi biopic, appearing in the film at Gandhi's side. She also played a role in the Salt March.

Catherine Mary Heilemann (Sarala Behen)

An Irish woman who worked alongside Gandhi, advancing social reforms and rural development.

Ralph Richard Keithahn

An American missionary who became a dedicated supporter of India's independence. Arriving in Madurai in 1925, he was inspired by Gandhi's principles of nonviolence and self-reliance, adopting Indian dress and khadi. Later, he embraced Indian spiritual traditions and lived in an ashram.