Chimnaji Appa

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Chimaji Balaji Bhat (c. 1707 – 17 December 1740), born as Antaji and popularly known as Chimaji Appa, was an Indian statesman and military commander of the Maratha Empire. He was the younger brother of Baji Rao I and the second son of Balaji Vishwanath, the first hereditary Peshwa of the Maratha Empire. Known for his strategic skill, disciplined leadership, and administrative foresight, Chimaji played a key role in consolidating Maratha authority in western and central India during the early 18th century. Chimaji Appa took part in several significant military campaigns, including the Peshwa’s expeditions in Gujarat, Malwa, and Bundelkhand. He distinguished himself in the Battle of Dabhoi (1731) and the Battle of Bundelkhand (1732), contributing to the expansion of Maratha influence northward. His most celebrated achievement, however, was the campaign against the Portuguese in the Konkan region, culminating in the decisive capture of the Vasai Fort on 16 May 1739. The victory at Vasai ended more than two centuries of Portuguese dominance north of Goa and marked a turning point in Maratha control of the western coast of India. Following the successful conclusion of the Vasai campaign, Chimaji Appa’s health deteriorated, and he died on 17 December 1740 at the age of about 33. He is remembered as one of the most capable and principled commanders of the Maratha Empire, a loyal ally of his brother Baji Rao I, and a key figure in the rise of Maratha power during the empire’s expansionist phase.