Q. Who commanded Fort Nandgiri (Kalyangad) during the early Maratha Swarajya campaign?
Answer: Ratoji Bhoite Patil
Notes: Ratoji Bhoite Patil was a significant Maratha sardar in the 17th century who held the command of Fort Nandgiri (also known as Kalyangad) during the formative stages of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s Swarajya movement. Initially aligned with the Bahmani Sultanates as a shiledar, he later joined Shivaji and played a key role in shaping Maratha defenses. As inamdar of Tadawale and nearby regions (now North Koregaon), his strategic control of Kalyangad facilitated further Maratha territorial expansion. His lineage remained prominent in Maratha history.