The Indian Mutiny was an 1857 rebellion by the natives of India against the British East India Company. It was sparked when the sepoy troops came to believe that their cartridges were coated in pork and beef fat. Following the mutiny, the British Army was sent to India, the East India Company was abolished and the Indian Civil Service founded. (PROSE: All-Consuming Fire)
During the mutiny, the First Doctor and Susan met and were rescued by David Warblington's father. (PROSE: The Duke's Folly) Barbara Wright did not teach about this event to her history class, but the Doctor speculated that if she had, she would have found that Susan knew a great deal more about it than her fellow students. (PROSE: The Duke's Folly)
Other references
While stalling the Supreme Controller during the 22nd century Dalek invasion, Barbara Wright likened the incoming human resistance to the Indian Mutiny. The Supreme Controller, believing Barbara to be refering to a contemporary Indian mutiny, insisted that the Daleks were the masters of India. Barbara then changed her story, claiming that she was refering to the Red Indians. (TV: "Flashpoint")
The First Doctor suggested to Steven Taylor that, if the TARDIS' chameleon circuit was functioning correctly, it would possibly take the form of a howdah if they landed in the middle of the Indian Mutiny. (TV: "The Watcher")
Behind the scenes
Terry Nation pitched a historical story, The Red Fort, set during the Mutiny. It was commissioned but little work was done.[1]