Balaji Baji Rao

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Balaji Baji Rao (8 December 1720 – 23 June 1761), commonly known as Nana Saheb I, was the eighth Peshwa of the Maratha Empire. He succeeded his father, Bajirao I, as Peshwa in 1740. During his tenure, the Chhatrapati (Maratha monarch) served largely as a titular head, while effective power remained with the Peshwa. Under Balaji Baji Rao’s administration, the Maratha Empire evolved into a confederation, with prominent chiefs such as the Holkars, the Scindias, and the Bhonsles of Nagpur gaining semi-autonomous authority. The Maratha domains reached their greatest territorial extent during his period. Balaji Baji Rao’s administration, assisted by his paternal cousin Sadashivrao Bhau, introduced several fiscal and administrative reforms. Under his leadership, the boundaries of the Maratha Empire extended from Peshawar (in present-day Pakistan) in the northwest to Srirangapatna in Karnataka, and to Midnapore in West Bengal. Balaji Baji Rao sponsored public works across the empire, including...

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