The History Of Bangalore Challenging the Empire’s Domain: The Mysore Navy
In this episode, Ramjee Chandran explores how Hyder Ali sought to neutralize the British East India Company’s greatest strength: its maritime dominance. Facing a superior military power, Mysore didn't just react; it studied the problem and built a coherent, systematic response. By securing the Canara coast and establishing a formidable navy, Hyder Ali and later Tipu Sultan aimed to deny the British their maritime monopoly. From the shipyards of Mangalore to the strategic alliance with France, discover how Mysore became the only 18th-century Indian state capable of meeting the British on their own terms—at sea.
Key Details from the Script:
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The Strategy of Neutralization: Hyder Ali identified maritime hegemony as the basis of British power and sought to neutralize it through two main answers: a strong navy and a strategic relationship with France.
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The Mysore Navy: While often overlooked in history, the Mysore Navy was a "coherent, systematic, serious response" to British expansion, involving a fleet built for strategic purposes rather than just coastal defense.
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The Hukmnamah of 1796: This document by Tipu Sultan later formalized the naval strategies and structures that Hyder Ali had begun on the Canara coast.
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The Global Chessboard: The Mysore strategy was designed to convert the opponent's strength into a liability by challenging the British maritime monopoly that their entire power in India depended upon.
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The Gathering Storm: By the end of this period, the fleet was built, arsenals were stocked, and the British coalition was forming—with two battalions and six cannon specifically committed to the objective of reducing the fort of Bangalore.
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The theme music for the show was composed by German-Indian Koln based percussionist, Ramesh Shotham. Ramjee Chandran's photos by Asha Thadani.
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