Govind Ballal Kher (1710 – 17 December 1760), historically known as Govind Pant Bundela, was a

Military A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a d ...

General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...

of the Peshwas in

Northern India North India is a geographical region, loosely defined as a cultural region comprising the northern part of India (or historically, the Indian subcontinent) wherein Indo-Aryans (speaking Indo-Aryan languages) form the prominent majority populati ...

during 1733 to 1760. Peshwa Bajirao appointed him his trustee for the 1/3rd of the kingdom rewarded to him by Maharaja Chhatrasal in

Bundelkhand Bundelkhand (, ) is a geographical and cultural region and a proposed state and also a mountain range in central and North India. It corresponds to the Post-Vedic Chedi kingdom. The hilly region is now divided between the states of Uttar Prad ...

. He ruled the city of Kalpi and later it was given as a jagir to his descendant Nana Govinda Rao. After this Govind Rao ruled over Jalaun State.

Early life

Govind Pant was born in a Karhade Brahmin family in the village ‘Nevare’ in Ratnagiri district of

Maharashtra Maharashtra () is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to th ...

in or around 1710. His father was the Kulkarni of the village and Govind Pant inherited this post after the early death of his father. Being a vagabond, however, he was forced to leave the post and also his hometown and was thus compelled to wander in search of a job.

Career

At the beginning of his career, he worked under the established Maratha Generals of North India: Malharrao Holkar and Antaji Mankeshwar Gandhe. He obtained good experience in guerilla war and administration. On the recommendation by the

Deshastha Brahmin Deshastha Brahmin is a Hinduism, Hindu Brahmin caste, subcaste mainly from the Indian state of Maharashtra and North Karnataka. Other than these states, according to authors K. S. Singh, Gregory Naik and Pran Nath Chopra, Deshastha Brahmins a ...

Antaji, Bajirao Peshwa assigned some jobs to Govind Pant and found him extremely useful. Soon he became one of Bajirao’s most favorite generals. When Bajirao received

from Maharaja Chhatrasal in 1733, he appointed Govindpant as his Administrator and

Power of attorney A power of attorney (POA) or letter of attorney is a written authorization to represent or act on another's behalf in private affairs (which may be financial or regarding health and welfare), business, or some other legal matter. The person auth ...

for this newly annexed land. He was always known to be the greatest ‘ Fund raiser’ of the

Maratha Empire The Maratha Empire, also referred to as the Maratha Confederacy, was an early modern India, early modern polity in the Indian subcontinent. It comprised the realms of the Peshwa and four major independent List of Maratha dynasties and states, Ma ...

Contribution to the Battle of Panipat

Govind Pant did his best to help the Maratha army under the leadership of Sadashivrao Bhau during the Battle of Panipat. He himself had trapped Ahmed Shah Abdali in the region between the

Ganges The Ganges ( ; in India: Ganga, ; in Bangladesh: Padma, ). "The Ganges Basin, known in India as the Ganga and in Bangladesh as the Padma, is an international which goes through India, Bangladesh, Nepal and China." is a trans-boundary rive ...

and

Yamuna The Yamuna (; ) is the second-largest tributary river of the Ganges by discharge and the longest tributary in India. Originating from the Yamunotri Glacier at a height of about on the southwestern slopes of Bandarpunch peaks of the Low ...

(termed as the '' Doab'') and had made him totally helpless. But when Govind got an opportunity he delivered a considerable amount at Delhi to Naro Shankar and started attacking the supplies of Ahmad Shah Abdali. Unfortunately however, a sheer misunderstanding led him to lose his life in an unexpected tussle with the troops of Abdali’s General Ataikhan.

Controversy

Veteran historian V K Rajwade holds Govind Pant responsible for the defeat of the

Marathas The Maratha Empire, also referred to as the Maratha Confederacy, was an early modern India, early modern polity in the Indian subcontinent. It comprised the realms of the Peshwa and four major independent List of Maratha dynasties and states, Ma ...

in the Third Battle of Panipat. He also does not consider Govind a man of importance. Moreover, he accuses him to be always corrupt. Whereas according to Shuresh Sharma, "It was Balaji Bajirao's love of pleasure which was responsible for the loss at Panipat. He waited at Paithan, celebrating his second marriage until December 27, when it was too late."

References

* ‘Marathi Riyasat Volume I' ( Marathi) by Govind Sakharam Sardesai * ‘Peshwyanchi Bakhar' (Marathi) Editorial Notes by R.V. Herwadkar * ‘Bhausahebachi Bakhar' (Marathi) Editorial Notes by R.V. Herwadkar * 'Aitihasik Prastavana' (Marathi) by V K Rajwade * 'Third Battle of Panipat' by Abhas Verma Bharatiya Kala Prakashan {{DEFAULTSORT:Bundele, Govind Pant Military personnel from Maharashtra Year of birth uncertain People from Ratnagiri district People from Sagar, Madhya Pradesh 1761 deaths