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Madhya Pradesh CM chaired a meeting in honour of the 16th century tribal queen Rani Durgavati on her 500th birth anniversary.

Rani Durgavati (1524-1564)

Rani Durgavati was born in 1524 in the Chandela dynasty of Mahoba (present-day Uttar Pradesh).
She married Dalpat Shah, son of Gond King Sangram Shah of the Garha-Katanga kingdom.
After her husband’s death in 1550, she ruled the kingdom as regent for her young son, Bir Narayan.
Her role against the Mughals:
- Rani Durgavati expanded her kingdom and ruled with prosperity, shifting her capital to Chauragarh for strategic advantage.
- In 1564, the Mughal general Asaf Khan, under Emperor Akbar, attacked her kingdom.
- She led her forces bravely and initially defeated the Mughals in a strategic battle at Narhi.
- To avoid capture, she sacrificed her life, becoming a symbol of courage and resistance.

Rani Durgavati is remembered for her bravery, administrative skills, and martyrdom.
She carried out public works, including the construction of Ranital, a reservoir near Jabalpur.
Celebrated as a symbol of self-determination, especially for tribal communities.
She is honored in Indian history as a patriotic ruler who resisted Mughal expansion, with various political and cultural tributes dedicated to her legacy.