Study for Sir David Baird Discovering the Body of Tipu Sahib, about 1834-1836. Additional Info: On May 4, 1799, General Sir David Baird stormed the southern Indian city of Mysore with his British troops. During the violent battle, Tipu Sahib, the last independent sultan of Mysore, was killed. His death, which led to the citys final surrender, marked the final consolidation of British rule in India. Sir David Wilkie based his composition on a contemporary account of the scene. Baird stands in the gateway under which Tipu received his death wound.