Rana Sanga
Biography
The Paramount Rajput King
Rana Sanga (born Sangram Singh) was a powerful 16th-century Rajput ruler of the Kingdom of Mewar. Renowned for his exceptional military prowess and charismatic leadership, he successfully united the fiercely independent and often fractured Rajput clans into a formidable confederacy, establishing himself as the preeminent power in northern India.
A Battle-Scarred Warrior
Rana Sanga spent his entire life on the battlefield and was legendary for the severe physical toll his campaigns exacted. Tradition holds that he lost an eye, an arm, and was crippled in one leg, yet he continued to lead his men from the front, proudly bearing the scars of over eighty sword and lance wounds upon his body.
The Battle of Khanwa
When Babur overthrew the Lodi dynasty at the Battle of Panipat in 1526 and showed intentions of staying in India, Rana Sanga rallied a massive Hindu army to drive the Mughals out. In 1527, the two forces clashed at the Battle of Khanwa. Despite their overwhelming numbers and legendary bravery, the Rajput confederacy was defeated by Babur's superior artillery and innovative cavalry tactics. Severely wounded in the battle, Rana Sanga was carried off the field and died shortly thereafter, but his unyielding resistance cemented his legacy as a tragic yet enduring hero of Rajput pride.