When young Rajkumari vandalized a British officer’s carriage, she had to pay a heavy price for it. She never regretted her act—after all, the British had to leave India at all costs.

As fate would have it, she got married into a political family whose passive stance against the colonists was enough to awaken the rebellious spirit of the dutiful wife and mother who was determined to see her son live in an independent nation. So when the freedom movement called, Rajkumari Gupta answered—not with speeches, but with silent, fearless actions.

Her outspoken and courageous attitude caught the eye of none other than Chandra Shekhar Azad, who made her a co-conspirator in one of the greatest heists that shook the country.While the world remembers the Kakori train robbery of 1925 as a bold strike against the British Empire, few know about the veerangana who played an important role in it by risking it all—her marriage, motherhood and social respect.

The Undercover Revolutionary, the remarkable saga of a woman who defied all norms, uncovers the microaggressions, domestic confinements and everyday brutalities that define women’s lives. It also raises important questions about the role of the revolutionaries in our freedom struggle. Were they terrorists or anarchists? What distinguishes the violence committed by the oppressors from that of the oppressed? This incredibly compelling story offers a glimpse into the ideologies, sacrifices and indomitable spirit of the leaders and rebels who paved the way for India’s independence. Rajkumari Gupta was one such hero.