Who are Maratha's?

The tribal communities of Nags, Munds and Bhils inhabited Maharashtra in ancient times. They were joined by the Aryas, the Shakas and the Huns, who came from the North, as well as by foreigners, who arrived by sea. The Dravidians from the South also settled in the land, joining a group which collectively became known as 'Marathas'.

So 'Maratha' in historical terms refers to an amazing mix of people.



In popular usage, the word Maratha is used to identify a distinct warrior community which has dominated the political scene of Maharashtra since medieval times. This community has several aboriginal tribal elements - for example, Khandoba (sword-father) and and Bhavani (mother goddess), the two chief deities of the Marathas, are aboriginal in character.

Shivaji, a 17th century Maratha chieftain, brought political prominence to the Marathas. You're sure to spot garlanded statues and photos of Shivaji if you're travelling in Bombay.

The Maratha originally known as Marhatta or Mahratta is a group of castes in India found predominantly in the state of Maharashtra. According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, "Marathas are people of India, famed in history as yeoman warriors and champions of Hinduism." They reside primarily in the Indian state of Maharashtra.

Territory under Maratha control in 1760 (yellow), without its vassals.

Robert Vane Russell, an untrained ethnologist of the British Raj period, basing his research largely on Vedic literature, wrote that the Marathas are subdivided into 96 different clans, known as the 96 Kuli Marathas or 'Shahnnau Kule' Shahnnau means 96 in Marathi. The general body of lists are often at great variance with each other.

The term "Maratha" originally referred to the speakers of the Marathi language. In the 17th century, it emerged as a designation for soldiers serving in the armies of Deccan sultanates (and later Shivaji). A number of Maratha warriors, including Shivaji's father, Shahaji, originally served in those armies. By the mid-1660s, Shivaji had established an independent Maratha kingdom. After his death, Marathas fought under his sons and defeated Aurangzeb in the war of 27 years. It was further expanded into a vast empire by Maratha Confederacy including Peshwas, stretching from central India in the south, to Peshawar (in modern-day Pakistan) on the Afghanistan border in the north, and with expeditions to Bengal in the east. By the 19th century, the empire had become a confederacy of individual states controlled by Maratha chiefs such as Gaekwads of Baroda, the Holkars of Indore, the Scindias of Gwalior, the Puars of Dhar and Dewas, and Bhonsles of Nagpur.[citation needed] The Confederacy remained the pre-eminent power in India until their defeat by the British East India Company in the Third Anglo-Maratha War (1817–1818).



By 19th century, the term Maratha had several interpretations in the British administrative records. In the Thane District Gazetteer of 1882, the term was used to denote elite layers within various castes: for example, "Maratha-Agri" within Agri caste, "Maratha-Koli" within Koli caste and so on. In the Pune District, the words Kunbi and Maratha had become synonymous, giving rise to the Maratha-Kunbi caste complex. The Pune District Gazetteer of 1882 divided the Kunbis into two classes: Marathas and other Kunbis. The 1901 census listed three groups within the Maratha-Kunbi caste complex: "Marathas proper", "Maratha Kunbis" and "Konkani Marathas". The Kunbi class comprised agricultural workers and soldiers. The upper-class "Marathas proper" (comprising 96 clans) claimed Rajput descent with Kshatriya status, and included princes, officers and landowners. Some of the Maratha clans claiming Rajput descent include Bhonsales (from Sisodias), Chavans (from Chauhans), and Pawar (from Parmar).

Gradually, the term Maratha came to denote an endogamous caste. From 1900 onwards, the Satyashodhak Samaj movement defined the Marathas as a broader social category of non-Brahmin groups. These non-Brahmins gained prominence in Indian National Congress during the Indian independence movement. In independent India, these Marathas became the dominant political force in the newly-formed state of Maharashtra.

Maratha rulers

1. Chhatrapati Shivaji Raje Bhosle, (1630–1680), founder of the Maratha Empire (Hindvi Swarajya).
2. Venkoji, Founder of the Thanjavur Kingdom, half-brother of Shivaji Maharaj.
3. Chatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, (1657–1689), son of Shivaji Maharaj; second Chhatrapati of Maratha Swarajya.
4. Rajaram Chhatrapati, (1670–1700), second son of Shivaji Maharaj; third Chhatrapati of Maratha Swarajya.
5. Tarabai Bhonsle (née Mohite) (1675–1761), led Maratha resistance against the Mughals after the death of her husband, Rajaram Chhatrapati.Set up the Kolhapur house of Bhonsle and acted as regent for her young son, Shivaji II from 1700 to 1712.
6. Chhattrapati Shahu (1682–1749), fourth Chhatrapati of the Maratha Swarajya.
7. Shivaji II, son of Rajaram and Tarabai, Queen Tarabai ruled the empire as regent for her young son.
8. Sambhaji II, son of Rajaram Chhatrapati and Rajasbai. His mother deposed his half-brother Shivaji II in 1711 and instead made Sambhaji the ruler (Chhatrapati) of Bhonsle house of Kolhapur.
9. Rajaram II, fifth Chhatrapati of the Maratha Empire.
10. Raja Shahu II (1763–1808), Chhatrapati of the Maratha Empire, Satara until 1808.

Other notable Maratha Empire people

1. Maloji Raje Bhosale (1552–1606, 1620 or 1622), Jagirdar and General under the Ahmadnagar Sultanate, first Bhosale to receive the title of "Raje".
2. Shahaji Raje Bhonsle (1594–1664), father of Shivaji Maharaj. Jagirdar and General under the Ahmadnagar Sultanate and Adilshahi.
3. Jijabai Bhosale (née Jadhav), (1598–1674), wife of Shahaji Raje Bhosale and mother of Shivaji.
4. Prataprao Gujar (1674), Commander-in-chief, also known as Sarnobat.
5. Tanaji Malusare (1670) – Maratha Commander whose audacious tactics won the fort of Kondana back from the Mughals. Tanaji died during the raid. The fort was renamed Sinhagad in his honour
6. Hambirrao Mohite (1640–1687), Commander-in-chief, also known as Sarnobat, who took the side of Sambhaji even though he was brother of Soyarabai and fought against Mughals.
7. Santaji Ghorpade (1660–1696), one of the most trusted General of Rajaram Chhatrapati.
8. Dhanaji Jadhav (1650–1708), Commander-in-chief of Maratha forces under Rajaram and Tarabai, who led the fight against the Mughal Empire.
9. Khanderao Dabhade ( –1729), Commander-in-chief who led the Marathas into Gujarat.
10. Kanhoji Angre (1669–1729), Maratha Navy chief who was on the side of Maharani Tarabai and was later convinced by Balaji Vishwanath Bhat to come over Shahu's side.
11. Mahadaji Shinde (1730–1792), Maratha ruler of the state of Gwalior in central India. De facto ruler of the Mughal empire in 1780s He was the fifth and youngest son of Sardar Ranoji Scindia.

Rulers under British colonial rule

1. Bhonsle Maharajas of Kolhapur State, Satara State, Sawantwadi State, Akkalkot State, Kingdom of Nagpur, and Barshi.
2. Gaekwad Maharajas of Baroda State
3. Scindia Maharajas of Gwalior State
4. Pawar Maharajas of Dhar State and Dewas State (Sr and Jr).

The Maratha community started getting active in politics of the Maharashtra region in early parts of the 20th century. The community has totally dominated Politics of the state of Maharashtra since its inception in 1960

1. Yashwantrao Balwantrao Chavan (12 March 1913 – 25 November 1984) First Chief Minister of Maharashtra (1 May 1960 – 14 November 1962), 5th Deputy Prime Minister of India (28 July 1979 – 14 January 1980), Minister of Home Affairs (14 November 1966 – 27 June 1970) & (28 July 1979 – 14 January 1980), Minister of External Affairs (10 October 1974 – 24 March 1977), Minister of Finance (27 June 1970 – 10 October 1974), Minister of Defence (14 November 1962 – 14 November 1966)
2. Shankarrao Chavan (14 July 1920 – 26 February 2004) – former Chief Minister of Maharashtra and Home Minister of India.
3. Vasantdada Patil (November 13, 1917 – March 1, 1989) – former Chief Minister of Maharashtra and Governor of Rajasthan.
4. Sharad Pawar (12 December 1940 –)former Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Consumer Affairs in the Indian Central Government, formerly Defence Minister of India and thrice former Chief Minister of Maharashtra; Food and Public Distribution, India and former BCCI President and ICC President.
5. Babasaheb Bhosale (15 January 1921 – 6 October 2007)- former Chief Minister of Maharashtra.
6. Shivajirao Patil Nilangekar – Chief Minister of Maharashtra (1985–1986)
7. Narayan Rane, Chief Minister of Maharashtra (Feb 1999 – Oct 1999).
8. Vilasrao Deshmukh (26 May 1945 – 14 August 2012)- former Chief Minister of Maharashtra and Union Minister of Science & Technology.
9. Ashok Chavan ( 1958 -) – former Chief Minister of Maharashtra and son of Shankarrao Chavan
10. Prithviraj Chavan (born 17 March 1946) – former Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Former Union minister for state of Science & Technology, PMO.
11. Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar senior leader of the Nationalist Congress Party and current Chairman of the Maharashtra Legislative Council.
12. R. R. Patil, former Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra and Home Minister of Maharashtra.
13. Pratapsingh Rane, six times Chief Minister of Goa (ruled the state for approximately 17 years).
14. Laxmikant Parsekar, Former Chief Minister of Goa.
15. Madhavrao Scindia (10 March 1945 – 30 September 2001) – Maharaja of Gwalior State, Former union minister of Railways, India
16. Jyotiraditya Scindia Former union minister of state for power, India. Present Titular Maharaja of Gwalior State.
17. Vasundhara Raje Scindia. Chief Minister of Rajasthan
18. Tukoji Rao Pawar,(1963 – 19 June 2015) Titular Maharaja of Dewas State (Senior), 6 Times MLA in Madhya Pradesh State assembly
19. Balasaheb Vikhe Patil Former Minister of India & Padmbhushan awardee
20. Dr. D. Y. Patil, current Governor of Bihar.
21. Shriniwas Dadasaheb Patil, current Governor of Sikkim
22. Gulabrao Patil (1921–1989)- President of Indian National Congress Maharashtra Pradesh Committee & Member of Parliament from Sangli.
23. Vinod Tawde, current cultural and education minister of Maharashtra
24. Keshavrao Sonawane (1924-2006)- Former Cooperative Minister of Maharashtra and Political mentor of leaders like Shivraj Patil, Vilasrao Deshmukh
25. Pratik Prakashbapu Patil, Minister of State for Coal in the government of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
26. Ajit Pawar – Deputy Chief Minister (Maharashtra) For two periods, 2010–2012 & 2012–2014
27. Haribhau Bagade Current speaker of Maharashtra legislative assembly
28. Eknath Shinde current MSRDC minister of Maharashtra
29. Raosaheb Dadarao Danve current Maharashtra BJP President & Former Union minister of state for consumer affairs, food and public distribution, India
30. Balasaheb Desai Former Home Minister and education minister of Maharashtra
31. Chandrakant Bacchu Patil, Legislative Council Minister, Maharashtra
32. Udayanraje Bhosale Member of Loksabha for Satara. Claimant to the throne and title of Chhatrapati of the now defunct Satara seat of royal Bhosle dynasty
33. Sambhaji Raje Chhatrapati, MP of Rajya Sabha (Nominated)
34. Dadaji Bhuse,State Co-operation Minister,Maharashtra
35. Jayant Patil,former Home Minister,Maharashtra,member of legislative assembly
36. Anant Geete,Central Cabinet Minister for Heavy Industries,India,Shivsena Leader
37. Shivajirao Adhalrao-Patil,Shivsena Leader,elected to Lok Sabha for third time consecutively
38. Supriya Sule,Member of Parliament
39. Vasant Davkhare,Deputy Chairman of Vidhan Parishad,elected as Deputy Chairman of Vidhan Parishad for 4 times
40. Patangrao Kadam,former industries minister and Forest minister,maharashtra
41. Ashish Shelar,Mumbai BJP Chief & MCA Vice-President
42. Arvind Sawant,Shivsena Leader,Member of Parliament(South Mumbai)
43. Vandana Chavan,rajya sabha MP,has held prominent positions,former Pune city mayor
44. Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil,Leader Of Opposition,Maharashtra
45. Balasaheb Thorat,former agriculture & revenue minister,Maharashtra
46. Dilip Walse-Patil,Former Finance Minister,Maharashtra
47. Anna Hazare (1937–)- Gandhian Social reformer and prominent anti-corruption campaigner
48. Babanrao Lonikar,Current Cabinet Minister,Maharashtra
49. Rajesh Tope,former technical education minister
50. Vijaysinh Mohite–Patil,former rural development and tourism minister,Maharashtra
51. Amit Deshmukh- MLA,Son of former Chief Minister of Maharashtra Vilasrao Deshmukh
52. Deepak Sawant,Health Minister,Maharashtra
53. Vijay Shivtare,State water resources minister,Maharashtra
54. Shrikant Shinde,Member of Parliament,son of Shivsena Leader Eknath Shinde
55. Pratap Narayanrao Sonawane,Former BJP MLC
56. Satej Patil,Former State Minister,Maharashtra
57. Ramdas Kadam ,State minister of environrment, Maharashtra
58. Subhash Bhamre, Union Minister of Health
59. Devidas Anandrao Pingale Former MP of Nashik
60. Hemant Godse, MP of Nashik
61. Rajabhau Waje, MLA of Sinnar
62. Anil Kadam,MLA of Niphad
63. Vinayak Mete, Member of Maharashtra Legislative Council
64. Pravin Pote, Minister of State for Industries & Mining, Public Works,Environment Government of Maharashtra
65. Sambhaji Patil Nilangekar, Minister of LabourSkill Development, Government of Maharashtra
66. Arjun Khotkar, Minister of State for Textile, Animal Husbandry, Dairy DevelopmentGovernment of Maharashtra
67. Anil Shirole, Member of Parliament of Pune
68. Dhananjay Mahadik, Member of Parliament of kolhapur
69. A. T. Patil, Member of Parliament of jalgaon
70. Sanjaykaka Patil, Member of Parliament of Sangli
71. Prataprao Ganpatrao Jadhav, MP of Buldhana
72. Harshwardhan Jadhav, MLA of Kannad
73. Sandipan Bhumre Patil, MLA of Paithan
74. Bhausaheb Patil Chikatgaonkar, MLA of Vaijapur
75. Hemant Patil , MLA of Nanded South

Modern writers

1. Ranjit Desai
2. Shivaji Sawant (August 31, 1940 – September 18, 2002)
3. Vishwas Patil (November 28, 1959 -)
4. Purushottam Khedekar
5. Atul Gawande (born November 5, 1965) – US based Rhodes Scholar, Surgeon, Public Health researcher, Writer and Journalist

Military

1. Naik Yashavantrao Ghadge, recipient of Victoria Cross.
2. Namdeo Jadav, recipient of Victoria Cross.
3. Rama Raghoba Rane, recipient of Param Veer Chakra.

Business

1. सुबोध परब (मराठा) सिंधुदुर्ग कुडाळ

Prominent Civil Servants

1. Ashok Kamte, killed in the 2008 Mumbai Attacks, recipient of Ashoka Chakra
2. Prabhakar K. Deshmukh, IAS-Collector, Pune
3. Shivajirao Deskmukh, IAS-Collector, Kolhapur
4. Vishwas Nangare-Patil, IPS (Spl. IG Kolhapur)
5. Rajaram Mane, IAS-Collector, Kolhapur
6. Vikas Deshmukh, IAS-Collector, Pune
7. Rajendra Chavan, IAS-Collector, Sangli
8. Suresh Khopade, IPS
9. Vilas Patil, IAS-Collector, Nashik
10. Vijay Salaskar, killed in the 2008 Mumbai Attacks, head of the Anti-Extortion Cell, Mumbai

Scientists

1. Vijay P. Bhatkar, computer science
2. DJ Patil, Chief Data Scientist of the United States Office of Science and Technology Policy

Law

1. P. B. Sawant, former Supreme Court judge.
2. Ujjwal Nikam, high-profile public prosecutor in famous cases (1993 Bombay blasts, 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, etc.

Sports

1. Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav, India's first individual Olympic medalist in freestyle wrestling, winning the bronze in wrestling at the 1952 Helsinki Games.
2. Maruti Mane, Hind Kesari, wrestler and former member of Rajysabha (Sangli), also olympic winner in wrestling.
3. Nitin Ghule, gold medalist in the Guangzhou Asian Games, 2010.
4. Ramchandra Parab, footballer who played for India in the 1948 Olympics in England.
5. Sandeep Patil, former Indian cricketer.
6. Sanjay Jagdale, former Indian cricketer and former member of the Selection Committee.
7. Tejaswini Sawant, 2010 World Champion in the 50m Rifle Prone event at the 2009 ISSF World Cup in Munich, Germany, and won the silver in Women's 50m rifle prone singles and bronze in Women's 50m rifle prone pairs (along with Meena Kumari) at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

1. Ajinkya Rahane Indian cricketer
2. Kaustubh Pawar Indian Cricketer
3. Vijay Zol Indian cricketer
4. Kedar Jadhav Indian cricketer
5. Jayesh Rane Indian footballer and striker at Chennaiyin Fc
6. Kavita Tungar long-distance runner
7. Lalita Babar long-distance runner
8. Manoj Kumar (boxer)(Ror Marathaa), Indian Boxer

Film industry

1. Anant Mane Marathi film director from Kolhapur
2. Dinkar D. Patil (1915–2005) – Film script Writer and director
3. Dada Kondke- Actor and producer of Marathi Comedy plays and Films from 1970s and 80s
4. Dadasaheb Torne, Marathi film producer
5. Kunal Deshmukh, director
6. Nana Patekar, Famous Marathi and Hindi film actor.
7. Smita Patil (17 October 1955[5] – 13 December 1986), Film Actress in Hindi and Marathi films
8. Vijayendra Ghatge, Hindi Film and TV actor
9. Vishram Sawant, director
10. Riteish Deshmukh, Hindi and Marathi film actor
11. Shivaji Satam, actor
12. Rajinikanth (born Shivajirao Gaikwad), One of the most popular star of films in Tamil and other south India languages
13. Sachit Patil, actor
14. Sagarika Ghatge, actress
15. Ravi Jadhav, Director,has directed famous marathi movies "Time Pass" & "Time Pass 2"
16. Prathamesh Parab, actor
17. Sanjay Jadhav, Director,has directed high grosser film Duniyadari
18. Shivaji Lotan Patil,International award-winning director
19. Sayaji Shinde (1952–), Actor