Ranoji Scindia

Ranoji Scindia ( – 3 July 1745), also known as Ranoji Sendrak, was a Maratha military commander and the founder of the Scindia dynasty, and the first monarch establishing the Gwalior State as an independent ruler. He served the Peshwas of the Maratha Empire in several military campaigns. The Scindia dynasty rose to prominence in the 18th century and went on to dominate central and north India as one of the most prominent powers due to their influential presence in Delhi and their highly modernized army.

Early life Ranoji Scindia was born in a Maratha family, who were the hereditary Patils (Sarpanch) of Kanherkhed, a village in present day Satara district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. His forefathers in the previous centuries had served as shiledars (cavalrymen) under the Bahmani Sultanate.

Career As a young man, Ranoji started in the service of Balaji Vishwanath Peshwa. At that time Ramchandrababa Sukhtankar, one of the Peshwa's diplomats, recognised Ranoji's talents and had him made the personal servant of the Peshwa's son, Bajirao I. Upon the death of his father, Bajirao was appointed as the Peshwa at the age of twenty by Chhatrapati Shahu. This evoked jealousy from senior officials at the Maratha court. This in turn led Baji Rao to promote talented young men who were barely out of teens such as Ranoji Scindia, Malhar Rao Holkar, the Pawar brothers, Pilaji Jadhav, and Fateh Singh Bhosle as commanders of his troops. None of these men belonged to families that held hereditary Deshmukhi rights under earlier rulers such as the Deccan Sultanates. An early account of the Haridwar Kumbh Mela was published by Captain Thomas Hardwicke in 1796 CE.

Family Ranoji had five sons: Jayappa rao, Jyotibarao, Dattajirao, Tukojirao, and Mahadji Scindia. The eldest four died fighting in various battles in northern India between 1750-1761. Mahadji, the youngest, had an illustrious career in the second half of the 18th century. His descendants were the rulers of the Princely state of Gwalior during the British colonial period (1818-1947).