Ranoji Scindia

Ranoji Shinde was the founder of the Scindia dynasty, a Maratha clan that produced outstanding Maratha military commanders during the 18th century. Later the Scindia served as vassals of the British from the northern Princely state of Gwalior.

Early life
Ranoji Scindia was born to a Marathi family, who were the hereditary Patils of Kanherkhed, a village in present day Satara district in the Indian state of Maharashtra. The Shinde family had, in the previous centuries, served as shiledars (cavalrymen) of 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, 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. Ranoji, along with Malharrao Holkar and Pawar brothers, was in charge of the Maratha campaign initiated by Peshwa Bajirao in Malwa in 1726. Ranoji established his capital at Ujjain in 1731. He appointed Ramchandrababa Sukhtankar as his dewan, or administrator, and Made Yashaji Rambhaji sarsenapati of his army, while he spent most of his life on military campaign. Some historians credit Sukhtankar with bringing the Kumbh mela to Ujjain in 1732. An early account of the Haridwar Kumbh Mela was published by Captain Thomas Hardwicke in 1796 CE.

Family
Ranoji had five sons: Jayappajirao, Jyotibarao, Dattajirao, Tukojirao, and Mahadji Shinde. 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 as vassals during British colonial period (1818-1947).