Person

Malhar Rao Holkar

1693–1766 · 18th century · Also known as Malhar Rao Holkar I

Malhar Rao Holkar was the founder of the Holkar dynasty of Indore. The son of a shepherd, he rose as a cavalry commander under Peshwa Baji Rao I and received lands in Malwa from about 1731. He took part in the Maratha expansion into northern India and survived the defeat at Panipat in 1761. His daughter-in-law Ahilyabai Holkar succeeded to his domains.

Malhar Rao Holkar
Image: Unknown authorUnknown author · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Mentioned in 1 state history

Indore State

See also

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Malhar Rao Holkar. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/malhar-rao-holkar
MLA
“Malhar Rao Holkar.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/malhar-rao-holkar. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Malhar Rao Holkar.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/malhar-rao-holkar.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Malhar Rao Holkar’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/malhar-rao-holkar (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻