Dattaji Rao Scindia

He was the elder half-brother of Mahadaji Shinde who later became the confederacy head of Gwalior, and regent for his nephew Jankoji Rao Shinde from 1755 until his death.

Dattaji Shinde was a Maratha military general who was given the command of Delhi during the Afghan-Maratha Conflicts over the regions of North India in 1758–59. The Peshwa gave him command of Delhi contingents as Marathas had successive defeats to Afghans. Marathas won the city of Delhi as the Mughal Empire has crumbled in 1757–1758 and wanted to expand their rule up to Kandahar Raghunathrao then returned to Delhi and he wrote a letter to the Peshwa and deployed Sabaji Shinde to take garrison of Delhi with the assistance of Bapu Rao, and Dadu Rao. Dattaji himself went to fight with Najib-ud-Daula Rohilla in Ganga Valley. But therefore absence of Sabaji in Rohtas Afghan under Jahan Khan attacked Attock and Rohtas Fort and won. Sikhs once again won back Punjab after centuries of Muslim rule and defeated Afghans in Battle of Lahore, (1759). Jahan Khan lost his son in battle and once again Afghans retreated in Afghanistan. This victory made Ahmad Shah more aggressive and Afghan Rohillas they allied and sent Jahan Khan with a massive army of 60,000. Jahan Khan then defeated Triyambak Rao's army of 60,000 outside Delhi and moved towards Agra. Ahmad Shah attacked Delhi again with his remaining 2,500 soldiers after sending many back to Kabul, after Dattaji's army had taken control of Delhi while in Agra. Dattaji retreated to within Delhi. Ahmed Shah Durrani now allied with Najib Khan Rohilla attacked on Dattaji once again in January 1760.

Dattaji was defeated and killed in fhe Battle of Barari Ghat at Burari ghat, on the plains of Rudhir, near Delhi on 10 January 1760.

1. Indian Campaign of Ahmad Shah Durrani

• In the 1994 Hindi TV series The Great Maratha, Dattaji's character was portrayed by Mangal Dhillon.
• In the 2019 Bollywood film Panipat, Dattaji Rao Scindia was portrayed by Milind Gunaji.

• Scindia