House of Scindia

The Scindia dynasty was founded by Ranoji Scindia, a brave general of Peshwa Bajirao I.^[3][4][5][6] Ranoji prospered early under Bajirao because of the favorable circumstances created by the appointment of Bajirao as the Peshwa at the age of twenty. This had evoked jealousy from senior officials like Anant Ram Sumant, Shripatrao Pant Pratinidhi, Khanderao Dabhade and Kanhoji Bhosle. This led Bajirao to promote as commanders of his troops talented young men who were barely out of their teens such as Malhar Rao Holkar, the Pawar (Puar) brothers, Pilaji Jadhav, Fateh Singh Bhosale and Ranoji. None of these men belonged to families that held hereditary Deshmukhi rights under earlier rulers such as the Deccan Sultanates.^[7][8] The Shindes or Scindias had served as shiledars (cavalrymen) under the Bahmani Sultanate and played an important role in the state of affairs and held Patilki of Kumberkerrab.^[9][5]

There are otherwise several anecdotes about the origin of the Scindhias (Shindes), especially those recorded by Sir John Malcolm.^[10] Stewart Gordon states the cultivator, etc. origin of other Marathas.^[11]

The biggest and most humiliating defeat heaped on the British in India was by Mahadji Scindia, at Wadgaon in Maharashtra during the first Anglo-Maratha war. It has been mentioned if Mahadji had not won the battle of Wadgaon, then the British would have ruled 40 years before 1818. ^[12]

Maharaja Daulatrao Scindia fought against the British in different regions of India during the Second Anglo-Maratha war. Prof R. S. Chaurasia writes “On the battle-field, he had to face Wellington, who later on defeated Napoleon, Lord Wellesley, one of the greatest English rulers of India, and administrators and diplomats like Malcolm, Close, Palmar, Tod, Munroo, Elphinstone, Matcalfe, Malet and the like, Lord Lake, a veteran who possessed wide experience of war....Daulat Rao Sindhia desired to make an anti-British coalition before the rupture with the English was complete. On 4th June, 1803, Raghuji Bhonsle joined Daulat Rao and both of them appealed Jaswant (Yeshwant) Rao Holkar to join them.” Lord Wellesley wrote that “the entire reduction of Sindhia’s power would certainly afford considerable security to our interest” and initiated an aggressive policy against Sindhia. Kavi Padmakar wrote in his book Aalijah Prakash that Maharaja Daulatrao Scindia will one day conquer Calcutta which was then the capital of the English East India Company. ^[13]

As per Prof. Amar Farooqui throughout the 1830s and 1840s Baiza Bai’s name was linked to numerous conspiracies that had an underlying anti-British thrust. In December 1857 the British authorities at Mysore detained a person by the name of Sitaram Baba alias Mahapurush who was suspected of involvement in 1857 war of freedom. Baiza Bai Scindia according to Mahapurush, ‘was the person who first commenced this conspiracy about twenty years ago.’ Indeed Baiza Bai Scindia was hated by the British, she was expelled from her capital Gwalior by the British, even when she became old during 1857 she remained an inspiration for freedom fighters.^[14]

Although many Indian rulers accepted British dominion, Scindia's kingdom retained its independence as late as 1832. Notably, the first prince to acknowledge British rule was the long-standing adversary of the Scindias, the Nizam of Hyderabad. In a response provided by Mill to a Parliamentary Committee in Britain on February 16, 1832, regarding the status of Scindia's kingdom, it was stated that he was independent. This Committee ultimately reported to Parliament that within the Peninsula, Scindia is the only prince who preserves the semblance of independence. On December 29, 1843, British East India Company forces defeated Scindia's armies in two concurrent battles at Maharajpur and Punniar. A treaty was signed on December 31, leading to arrangements for the occupation of Gwalior fort.

According to Mr. Parag Tope, a descendant of martyr Tatya Tope, in his book Operation Red Lotus, Jayajirao Scindia provided full support to Tatya Tope, who served as a crucial link between the Gwalior Durbar and the freedom fighters in Kanpur and Jhansi. Jayajirao commanded his army to join Tatya and the freedom fighters upon their arrival in Gwalior. In this manner, Jayajirao offered significant covert support to the freedom fighters, even after suffering defeat against the British at Maharajpur and Punniar. By maintaining this support in secrecy, Scindia ensured that if the war of independence were to fail, the wrath of the British would not be directed at the common people of Gwalior. This approach reflected an age-old Maratha strategy of "Gupt-Yuddh" against the enemy when one is weak (Scindia engaged in battle and lost against the British at Maharajpur and Punniar, refusing to surrender without a fight, unlike many other rulers). ^[15]

The heads of the Royal House of Scindia include:

• Ranoji Rao Shinde (1731 – 19 July 1745). Died 19 July 1745.
• Jayappa Rao Shinde (1745 – 25 July 1755). Born c. 1720, died 25 July 1755.
• Jankoji Rao Scindia I (25 July 1755 – 15 January 1761). Born in 1745. died 15 January 1761.
• Dattaji Rao Scindia (Regent 1755 – 10 January 1760). Died 10 January 1760.
• Vacant 15 January 1761 – 25 November 1763
• Kadarji Rao Scindia (25 November 1763 – 10 July 1764) Died ?.
• Manaji Rao Scindia (10 July 1764 – 18 January 1768) Died ?.
• Mahadaji Scindia (18 January 1768 – 12 February 1794). Born 3 December 1730, died 12 February 1794.
• Daulat Rao Shinde (12 February 1794 – 21 March 1827). Born 1779, died 21 March 1827.
• Jankoji Rao Scindia II (18 June 1827 – 7 February 1843). Born 1805, died 7 February 1843.
• Jayaji Rao Scindia (7 February 1843 – 20 June 1886). Born 19 January 1835, died 20 June 1886.
• Madho Rao Scindia (20 June 1886 – 5 June 1925). Born 20 October 1876, died 5 June 1925.
• Jivajirao Scindia (Maharaja 5 June 1925 – 15 August 1947, Rajpramukh 28 May 1948 – 31 October 1956. Last Maharaja, later Rajpramukh) Born 26 June 1916, died 16 July 1961.
• Madhavrao Scindia (1961–2001), the last reigning Maharaja, before the abolishment of the monarchy in 1971.

The Royal House of Scindia awards two orders of chivalry; these knighthoods were instituted by Maharaja Madho Rao Scindia in 1900 and 1907, respectively, and include:

• Mansab-i-Aswadi (Order of the Snake), awarded in three grades
• Gwalior Medal, awarded in three grades^[21]