Daulat Rao Sindhia

Daulat Rao Scindia (1779 – 21 March 1827) also conferred with the title "The defender of Delhi" was the Maratha Maharaja of Gwalior state in central India from 1794 until his death in 1827. His reign coincided with struggles for supremacy within the Maratha Empire, and wars with the expanding East India Company. Daulatrao played a significant role in the Second and Third Anglo-Maratha wars. While most Indian rulers had accepted British rule, Scindia's kingdom maintained its independence even as late as 1832 and continued collecting Chauth (taxes) from other neighbouring states (including the Mughals) and dependent Kingdoms till 1886. As per an answer given by Mill in a Parliamentary Committee in Britain on February 16, 1832, on the status of Scindia's kingdom it was mentioned that “he was independent.” This Committee finally reported to Parliament that “within the Peninsula, Sindhia is the only prince who preserves the semblance of independence.”

Mahadji Scindia left a huge empire to his successor Daulatrao Scindia as per Malcolm he inherited “a greater, if not more consolidated power than any Indian Prince had attained since the days of Aurangzeb.”