Maharana Pratap Biography
(13th Rana of Mewar Who Became a Folk Hero for His Military Resistance Against Mughal Empire Under Akbar)
Birthday: May 9, 1540 (Taurus)
Born In: Rajsamand District, Rajasthan, India
Maharana Pratap was a Hindu maharaja of the Rajput confederacy of Mewar, in the present day state of Rajasthan. Much renowned for successfully resisting the efforts of the Mughal emperor, Akbar, to conquer his area, he is honored as a hero in Rajasthan. His father, Rana Udai Singh, is considered to be a weak ruler but Maharana Pratap in contrast is revered as a courageous and brave warrior who refused to submit to the Mughal invasion and tirelessly defended his land and people until the very end. The eldest son of Rana Udai Singh II, he was the designated crown price who started displaying his valor during the reign of his father. While several of Pratap’s brothers-- Shakti Singh, Jagmal and Sagar Singh—served the Mughal emperor, Akbar, Pratap himself chose to resist the Mughal pressures to force him into submission. Akbar sent a total of six diplomatic missions to Pratap in the hopes of negotiating an alliance with him, but Pratap vehemently refused to accede to the demands of the Mughal. War between the Rajputs and the Mughals became inevitable. Even though the Mughal army greatly outnumbered the Rajput one, Maharana Pratap fought bravely till the very end. He died a hero and his birth anniversary (Maharana Pratap Jayanti) is celebrated as a full-fledged festival every year on the 3rd day of the Jyestha Shukla phase.