The Revolt of 1857 was later described as the "First War of Indian Independence" by which nationalist revolutionary thinker and writer?

Introduction / Context:
The Revolt of 1857 was the first major, widespread armed uprising against British rule in India. For a long time British historians labelled it as a mutiny. Indian nationalist thinkers, however, reinterpreted it as a national struggle for freedom. One of them popularised the phrase First War of Indian Independence to describe the event. This question checks whether the learner can identify that author and connect the phrase with his ideological contribution.

Given Data / Assumptions:
The question explicitly states that the Revolt of 1857 was described as the First War of Indian Independence by a particular nationalist. The options include Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Subhas Chandra Bose, Bhagat Singh, V D Savarkar, and Mangal Pandey. We assume that the learner knows that this view was articulated in a written work and not just in speeches. The goal is to pick the nationalist whose book reframed the revolt in this way.

Concept / Approach:
Vinayak Damodar Savarkar wrote a book originally titled The Indian War of Independence 1857. In this work he argued that the uprising was not merely a military mutiny but a coordinated national effort against colonial rule. This perspective strongly influenced later nationalist historiography and popular memory. The words First War of Indian Independence came to be widely used in textbooks and political discourse. Therefore the correct answer must be V D Savarkar, not the other leaders listed.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the phrase First War of Indian Independence is linked to a reinterpretation of the 1857 uprising. Step 2: Remember that Savarkar wrote a detailed account of the revolt with the title The Indian War of Independence 1857. Step 3: Recognise that this book argued strongly against the British label of mutiny. Step 4: Compare the options. Tilak was a major nationalist but did not author this particular work. Subhas Chandra Bose and Bhagat Singh were later revolutionaries. Step 5: Conclude that V D Savarkar is the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Most modern Indian history textbooks refer to Savarkar's book as an early nationalist reinterpretation of 1857. They explicitly state that he called the uprising a war of independence and that his terminology influenced later writers who popularised the phrase First War of Indian Independence. Since none of the other leaders in the options are associated with such a book on 1857, this cross check confirms that Savarkar is the correct choice.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Bal Gangadhar Tilak is wrong because, although he was called Lokmanya and was a strong advocate of Swaraj, he did not write the major early nationalist study of the 1857 revolt. Subhas Chandra Bose is incorrect because his leadership came much later and focused on the Indian National Army and World War II. Bhagat Singh was a revolutionary associated with the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association and not with writing a book on the revolt of 1857. Mangal Pandey was a key figure in the actual uprising but did not later describe it in these terms.

Common Pitfalls:
Students may be tempted to choose Subhas Chandra Bose because he also used strong nationalist language and spoke of a historic struggle for independence. Others might pick Tilak because of his famous slogan about Swaraj. To avoid confusion, remember that the specific re interpretation of the 1857 revolt as a national war of independence in book form is most closely associated with V D Savarkar and his work on the subject.

Final Answer:
The Revolt of 1857 was described as the First War of Indian Independence by V D Savarkar.