The Indian Rebellion of 1857, also called the Sepoy Mutiny or Revolt of 1857, was a major uprising against British rule. It began as a mutiny among Indian soldiers (sepoys) but later spread across different regions. V.D. Savarkar, in his book The First War of Indian Independence, was the first to describe the event as a war for independence rather than just a military revolt. This interpretation influenced later freedom fighters and nationalist movements in India.