Hemu (Hemchandra Vikramaditya) - the last Hindu ruler of Delhi
The boy looked concerned. Standing in the sweltering heat of Panipat, he was watching a battle unfold. Next to him stood Bairam Khan, wondering if this was the end of the Mughal dynasty. On the other end of the battlefield, from atop a war elephant, Hemu was leading his army in a decimation of Akbar’s army. Then suddenly, tragedy struck. A chance arrow managed to find its way through the smallest of gaps and struck Hemu in the eye. The tide turned, the Mughals emerged victorious. Akbar would go on to be the most well-known of the Mughals. Hemu’s only mention would be in terms of this battle! But who indeed was Hemu? Or to use his full title when he fought at Panipat — Hemchandra Vikramaditya? Hemu’s origins were extremely humble. He was born about 1501 to a poor grocer in Alwar. At the time, the Lodi dynasty was ruling Delhi. He was spotted for his keen eye and hard work and soon became involved in Delhi’s politics. With the demise of Sher Shah Suri, who had fo...
