Todar Mal
| Todar Mal | |
|---|---|
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| Born | Present-day Laharpur, Uttar Pradesh, India |
| Died | 8 November 1589 Present-day Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan |
| Religion | Hindu |
| Occupation | Finance minister of the Mughal Empire during the reign of Akbar |
Raja Todar Mal was the Finance Minister of the Mughal empire during Akbar's reign. He was one of the Navaratnas in Akbar's durbar (court).
Todar Mal was born in Laharpur, Uttar Pradesh in a Hindu family, considered by historians as either Agarwal,Khatri or Kayastha.
Todar Mal's father died when he was very young leaving no means of livelihood for him. Todar Mal started his career from the humble position of a writer but slowly moved up the ranks when the Sher Shah Suri, committed him to the charge of building a new fort of Rohtas in Punjab with the objective of preventing Ghakkar raids and to also act as a barrier to the Mughals in the north-west.
After the Sur dynasty was overthrown by the Mughals, Todar Mal continued in the service of the ruling power, which was now the Mughal Emperor Akbar. Under Akbar, he was placed in charge of Agra. Later, he was made governor of Gujarat. At various times, he also managed Akbar's Mint at Bengal and served in Punjab. Todar Mal's most significant contribution, which is appreciated even today, is that he overhauled the revenue system of Akbar's Mughal empire. Raja Todarmal built a fortress-palace at Laharpur in the Sitapur district of Uttar Pradesh.
Beveridge records that Raja Todar Mal had got leave from Akbar and was on his way to Haridwar, but he received a letter from Akbar in which the latter is said to have written that "it was better to go on working and doing good to the world than to go on a pilgrimage." Todar Mal also translated Bhagavata Purana into Persian.
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