Ramachandra Pandurang Tope (1814 - 18 April 1859), also known as Tatya Tope (pronounced Toh-pey), was an Indian leader in the Indian Mutiny of 1857 and o ne of its finest generals. He was a personal adherent of Nana Sahib of Kanpur. He pro gressed with the Gwalior contingent after the British reoccupation of Kanpur and forced General Windham to retreat from Kanpur. Later on, he came to the rescue of Rani Laxmi Bai . However he was only defeated by General Napier's British Indian troops, after betrayal by his trusted friend Man S ingh. He was executed by the British Government at Shivpuri on 18 April 1859. EARLY LIFE Born in a village Yeola in Maharashtra, he was the only son of Pandurang Rao Tope and his wife Rukhmabai, an important noble at the court of the Maratha Peshwa Baji Rao II. His father shifted his family with the Peshwa to Bithur where his son became t he most intimate friend of the Peshwa's adopted son, Nana Dhondu Pant (known as Nana Sahib) and Maharaja Madhav Singhji. In 1851, when Lord Dalhousie deprived Nana Sahib of his father's pension, Tatya Top e also became a sworn enemy of the British. In May 1857, when the political storm was gaining momentum, he won over the Indian troops of the East India Company , stationed at Kanpur (Cawnpore), established Nana Sahib's authority and became the Commander-in-Chief of his forces FIGHT AGAINST BRITISH Nana Sahib's forces attacked the British entrenchment in June, 1857. General Wheeler's contingent incurred heavy losses as a result of successive bombardments, sniper fire, and assault. The slow supplies of food, water and medicine added to the misery of the British Forces who decided to surrender, in return for a safe passage to Allahabad. Nana Sa hib agreed to this and made arrangements as best as he co uld. At the Satichaura ghat, rebel sepo ys not under Nana Sahibs command attacked the departing British troops to settle old scores. General Wheelers men were either killed or captured. T he surviving British women and children were moved from the Savada House to B ibighar ("the House of the Ladies"), a villa-type house in Kanpur. British retaliation occurred as Company forces started approaching Kanpur, and Nana Sahib's barga ining attempts failed (in exchange for ho stages). Nana Sahib was informed that the British troops led by Havelock and Neill had indulged in violence against Indian villagers and were continuing with this violence as a 'tactic' .Nana Sahib, and his associates, including Tatya Tope and Azimullah Khan, debated about what to do with the captives at Bibighar. Some of Nana Sahib's advisors had already decided to kill the captives at Bibighar, in retaliation for the murders of Indians by the advancing Br itish forces. Some sepoys were ordered to kill the women and children who were being held, but they refused. The task of the slaughter was carried out by two or three butchers from the town aided by others unknown. Three women and three children survived by hiding under t he corpses of their friends. When discovered they were thrown a live into a well along with the deceased. The details of the incident, such as who ordered the massacre, are not clear as no 'real' records exist.