I don't know that much about British India after it's initial expansion phase really but:
Mysore had been relatively recently beaten by the British (and put up a pretty good fight). Hyderabad should probably also have a lot more resources and influence than it's in game situation would imply (and by the 1950's the Nizam was still a lot richer than the Indian government).
Bengal was a power house just 100 years before the game starts but as it became the base of operations for the EIC it would seem an unlikely core for an independent India.
If we are to focus on possibilities rather than why it would be impossible (you did mention being willing to mod the game)
It should be a lot more likely near the start of the game imho. Many of the company holding are still recently acquired by 1836. The consolidation of it's Indian territories was still going on and the local aristocracy in the many regions that the British had just expanded into remained the same as before their take over in many cases. Foreign intervention (but who would be powerful enough?) + a widespread and coordinated revolt might work.
Still one have to ask, if the EIC lost it's grip on India in the early 19th century, would it have resulted in a united India at all? Or rather would the Nizam, Mysore, Bengal, Punjab, etc once again emerge as strong regional powers?
Another variant would be an independent India with the former company as it's ruling class (but here we are moving into fantasy). A foreign aristocracy wouldn't be something new for the region and ultimately this would probably not be that different from the company rule we know from history (apart from when it comes to foreign affairs).
Detailed maps of the growth of British India from the excellent Swartzberg atlas of South asian history:
http://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/schwartzberg/fullscreen.html?object=092
http://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/schwartzberg/fullscreen.html?object=093
As shown by the maps many of the acquisitions are still quite fresh by 1836, some aren't even older than 10 years or so. The big enemies of british expansion were generally finally beaten within the last 40 years (and Punjab still remain independent).
There is a whole lot speaking against any of this of course. But as I understand it you're trying to find an angle from which to start an Indian take over and then RP from there, in which case I think the above might be good to keep in mind.
Mysore had been relatively recently beaten by the British (and put up a pretty good fight). Hyderabad should probably also have a lot more resources and influence than it's in game situation would imply (and by the 1950's the Nizam was still a lot richer than the Indian government).
Bengal was a power house just 100 years before the game starts but as it became the base of operations for the EIC it would seem an unlikely core for an independent India.
If we are to focus on possibilities rather than why it would be impossible (you did mention being willing to mod the game)
It should be a lot more likely near the start of the game imho. Many of the company holding are still recently acquired by 1836. The consolidation of it's Indian territories was still going on and the local aristocracy in the many regions that the British had just expanded into remained the same as before their take over in many cases. Foreign intervention (but who would be powerful enough?) + a widespread and coordinated revolt might work.
Still one have to ask, if the EIC lost it's grip on India in the early 19th century, would it have resulted in a united India at all? Or rather would the Nizam, Mysore, Bengal, Punjab, etc once again emerge as strong regional powers?
Another variant would be an independent India with the former company as it's ruling class (but here we are moving into fantasy). A foreign aristocracy wouldn't be something new for the region and ultimately this would probably not be that different from the company rule we know from history (apart from when it comes to foreign affairs).
Detailed maps of the growth of British India from the excellent Swartzberg atlas of South asian history:
http://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/schwartzberg/fullscreen.html?object=092
http://dsal.uchicago.edu/reference/schwartzberg/fullscreen.html?object=093
As shown by the maps many of the acquisitions are still quite fresh by 1836, some aren't even older than 10 years or so. The big enemies of british expansion were generally finally beaten within the last 40 years (and Punjab still remain independent).
There is a whole lot speaking against any of this of course. But as I understand it you're trying to find an angle from which to start an Indian take over and then RP from there, in which case I think the above might be good to keep in mind.