Sandy Saha at 02:43, 19 April 2026

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{{Short description|Pindari Jat chief and general}}
{{One source|date=July 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Chitu Khan
| office = [[Pindari|Pindari Chief and General]]
| image = [[File:Chetoo the Pindarry.png|250px]]
| 1blankname =
| 1namedata =
| term_start =
| term_end =
| predecessor = Doubla Khan
| successor =
| birth_date =
| birth_place = near [[Delhi]] <br/> {{small|(present-day [[India]])}}
| birth_name =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| blank1 =
| data1 =
| spouse =
| children =
| alma_mater =
| profession =
| allegiance =
| branch = [[Pindaris]]
| service_years =
| rank =
| battles = [[Third Anglo-Maratha War]]
| awards =
| caption = Chitu Khan the Pindari Chief
}}

'''Chitu Khan''' was a [[Pindari]] [[Muslim Jat|Jat]] chief and general, officially in the service of the [[House of Scindia]]. He was an able chief, and led in several campaigns to plunder [[Hyderabad State|Hyderabadi]], [[Rajputana|Rajput]], [[Maratha Confederacy|Maratha]], and [[East India Company|British]] domains. In 1805, Chitu was granted the title of [[Nawab]] by Scindia. He would assume the name of ''Nawab Muhammad Kamal Khan Mustakeen Jung Bahadur''.{{sfn|Roy|1973|p=65-66}}

== Early life ==
Chitu Khan was born into a [[Jat]] family near [[Delhi]]. In his childhood, he was bought during a famine, and raised as a '[[Kunwar]]' (or son) of Doubla Mehar (or Doobla Khan), while he was out on an expedition with [[Mahadji Scindia]] to [[Gohad]]. Doabla would officially be succeeded by his sons, but Chitu would become the [[de-facto]] leader of his own ''durrah''.{{sfn|Roy|1973|p=65-66}}

== Career ==
Chitu's ''durrah'' maintained a force of 25,000 troops. In addition, he had 2,000 infantry to garrison forts, 6 elephants, 2 ''palkees'', a ''naubat'', 2 grand bazars, 2 flags, and 100 ''hircarras'' (scouts). His banner was of bhugwa (saffron) color, with a white snake in the center. The first banner was presented to him by the [[Bhonsle dynasty#Nagpur Branch|Bhonsla Raja of Nagpur]].{{sfn|Roy|1973|p=68}}

Chitu was granted the 'Panj Mahals' of Nimar, Rajgarh, Talien, Satwas, and Kilichpur from Scindia. Upon being recognized as an official chief, he was also granted Singpur Bari and Chipaner from Bhonsla, and Leileepur from Vazier Muhammad Khan. The [[jagir]] of Chitu (and Rajun) had an estimated worth of 5,87,000 rupees.{{sfn|Roy|1973|p=67}}

He was a competent and respected administrator, arguably the most powerful of his class.{{sfn|Roy|1973|p=69}} [[Sir John Malcolm]], who would later take possession of his lands, was impressed by his previous governance.{{sfn|Roy|1973|p=67: Sir John Malcolm, who later took possession of [Chitu's] lands, was deeply impressed with the 'indications of a regular form of government, as far as such a state of things could exist in Malwa'}} He was a liberal by nature, distributing land among his followers so they could maintain themselves without plunder. His word was honored among the Pindaris, while those of other chiefs could be disobeyed.{{sfn|Roy|1973|p=70}}

=== Relations with the Marathas ===
The [[Pindaris]] were officially in the service of the [[Maratha Confederacy]]. However, despite this arrangement, they would often take any opportunity to plunder their Maratha patrons. In Chitu's case, despite his allegiance to [[Scindia]], he had made himself virtually independent of him, and often ravaged his territories. In 1813, Chitu laid waste to the territories south of Narbada. Scindia was forced to send expeditions against him, but they ultimately failed to stop his predations.{{sfn|Roy|1973|p=66: In spite of his allegiance to Scindia, he had made himself virtually independent of him. Even his master's territories were not exempt from his depredations. No wonder that Scindia had been forced to send expeditions against Chitu, but none was successful in bringing him to book}}

The [[Peshwa]] was not safe from the Pindaris either. After having plundered Burhanpur, Adilabad, and Ajanta regions, Chitu and Karim led a party of 5,000 into the Peshwa's territory, crossing into the [[Western Ghats]] to sack and loot the region, reaching as far as Sanganer.{{sfn|Roy|1973|p=142}}

=== Invasions of Rajputana, Gujarat and the Western Ghats ===
In 1808-9, Chitu would lead a party of four to five thousand to plunder [[Surat]], entering [[Gujarat]] from [[Mewar]] and spreading out across the region. In 1812, the Pindaris returned to raid Surat again. Chitu would also lead a party of 14,000 into the [[Western Ghats]], where he plundered several towns; Moha, Soopa, Kalayanwari, Navsari, and Attavesy suffered immensely.{{sfn|Roy|1973|p=130}}

In 1815, Chitu followed other Pindari chiefs into [[Rajputana]]. He would gather a party of 9,000 and encamp near [[Neemuch]], from where he would begin his predations, marching towards [[Chitor]] and plundering villages along the way. He would remain at Chitor for a time, laying waste to the surrounding environs, before returning to his domain with the captured booty.{{sfn|Roy|1973|p=125}}

=== Invasions of the Hyderabad State ===
In 1815, the Pindaris looked to the wealthy [[Hyderabad State]] for a source of plunder. A party of 8,000 ventured south. They split into two parties to cover more ground. The raid was a monumental success, and the booty collected by them was greater than any previous expedition. Chitu's share alone had to be brought back on 4 elephants.{{sfn|Roy|1973|p=131: the booty collectd by them in their plundering expedition was greater than that of any previous expedition, in so much merchants were sent for from Oejein to purchase many of the valuables obtained, those of Neemawar not being sufficiently wealthy. Chitu was the greatest gainer. His share of plunder was brought on four elephants}}

=== Invasions of British domains ===
Emboldened by the fabulous success of the previous year, the Pindaris organized another campaign into the [[Deccan]], this time targeting British domains too. In 1816, Chitu led a party with the intention of attacking [[Madras]], but, due to the unexpected overflow of the [[Krishna River]], had to retreat. Later that year, another party from Chitu's ''durrah'' attempted to plunder the region, but suffered heavy losses from British forces; the Pindaris were only able to kill Captain Drake in retaliation.{{sfn|Roy|1973|p=139}}

In 1817, the Pindaris would take revenge of the previously failed invasions. They horribly ravaged British territories.{{sfn|Roy|1973|p=141}}

=== Pindari War (Third Anglo-Maratha War) ===
At last, the British resolved to end the Pindari threat. They assembled the largest military force in India thus far, and launched a campaign which would come to be known as the [[Pindari#Pindari War (1817-19)|Pindari War]], an extension of the larger [[Third Anglo-Maratha War]].<ref>McEldowney, Philip (1966). [https://asianstudies.github.io/area-studies/SouthAsia/Ideas/pindaris.html#rise Pindari Society and the Establishment of British Paramountcy in India]. University of Wisconsin.</ref>

Chitu sided with [[Scindia]] during the war. He was stationed with other Pindari chiefs north of the Narmada valley. He led 10,000 horsemen, most of which were only armed with spears.<ref>Naravane, M. S. (2006). [https://books.google.com/books?id=bxsa3jtHoCEC&pg=PA79#v=onepage&q&f=false Battles of the Honourable East India Company: Making of the Raj]. APH Publishing. pp. 86-87. {{ISBN|978-81-313-0034-3}}.</ref> However, before the war properly began, the massive British force would induce Shinde into accepting a treaty, in which he would cede all his territories and forts.<ref>Burton, R.G. (1910). [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.284400/mode/2up The Mahratta And Pindari War]. Simla: Government Press.</ref>

== Death ==
Despite Shinde's surrender, Chitu would continue his resistance against the [[British East India Company|British]] until the very end. He was known for his fiercely anti-British sentiments, promising to ''"ravage and destroy the country of the English"''. He was determined to continue the fight, even as fellow chiefs, such as [[Amir Khan (Tonk State)|Amir Khan]], accepted more favorable offers from the British.{{sfn|Gott|2011|p=220: ...Chitu had been taken in by Scinida's family, and his aim, he had once told Scinida, was to 'ravage and destroy the country of the English'}}<ref>Sinclair, David (1884), [https://books.google.com/books?id=I1gOAAAAQAAJ&q=history+of+india+david+sinclair#v=snippet&q=history%20of%20india%20david%20sinclair&f=false History of India], Madras: Christian Knowledge Society's Press. pp. 194–195.</ref>

Mahendra Roy wrote:
{{blockquote|"''It was [Chitu] who exhorted the Pindaris to carry on the struggle, when all of them wanted to give up... this may be animal courage, yet courage he had, courage to fight the mighty British... He was a man of extraordinary doggedness and tenacity. Once he had taken a decision, he would not flinch from it, whatever the obstacles. Having entered the fray with the English, he carried on the struggle single-handed, till the last moment.''"{{sfn|Roy|1973|p=70}}}}

Chitu was given no clemency. He was continuously tracked by British authorities, until he fell prey to a tiger.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5HPc_EgwUg8C&dq=chitu+khan+british&pg=PA25 |title=The Strangled Traveler |page=25 |author=Martine van Woerkens |year=2002 |publisher=University of Chicago Press |isbn=9780226850856 }}</ref>{{sfn|Gott|2011|p=222: ...Chitu's remains were later found in the forest, eaten by tigers}}

== See also ==
* [[Jat Muslim]]
* [[Pindari]]
* [[Amir Khan (Tonk State)]]
* [[Maratha Empire]]
* [[British Empire]]

== References ==

{{notelist}}
{{reflist}}

== Bibliography ==
* {{cite book |last=Roy |first=Mahendra Prakesh |url=https://archive.org/details/in.gov.ignca.53026 |title=Origin, Growth, and Suppression of the Pindaris |date = 1973 |publisher=Sterling Publishers}}
* McEldowney, Philip (1966). [https://asianstudies.github.io/area-studies/SouthAsia/Ideas/pindaris.html Pindari Society and the Establishment of British Paramountcy in India]. University of Wisconsin.
* Naravane, M. S. (2006). [https://books.google.com/books?id=bxsa3jtHoCEC&source=gbs_navlinks_s Battles of the Honourable East India Company: Making of the Raj]. APH Publishing. {{ISBN|978-81-313-0034-3}}.
* Burton, R.G. (1910). [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.284400/mode/2up The Mahratta And Pindari War]. Simla: Government Press.
* {{cite book |last=Gott |first=Richard |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sNoz_F_wQPkC |title= Britain's Empire: Resistance, Repression and Revolt |date=2011 |publisher=Verso Books |isbn=9781844677382}}
* Sinclair, David (1884), [https://books.google.com/books?id=I1gOAAAAQAAJ&vq History of India], Madras: Christian Knowledge Society's Press.
* Martine van Woerkens (2002). [https://books.google.com/books?id=5HPc_EgwUg8C&dq The Strangled Traveler]. University of Chicago Press. {{ISBN|9780226850856}}.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Khan, Chitu}}
[[Category:Year of birth missing]]
[[Category:Year of death missing]]
[[Category:Scindia dynasty]]
[[Category:Jat]]
[[Category:Indian military leaders]]
[[Category:Nawabs of India]]

Chitu Khan - Revision history

Sandy Saha at 02:43, 19 April 2026