RAS question
The Battle of Haldighati (1576 CE) was fought between Maharana Pratap and the Mughal forces led by:
Correct answer: (D) Man Singh I of Amber.
The Battle of Haldighati in 1576 was fought between Maharana Pratap of Mewar and Mughal forces led by Raja Man Singh I of Amber.
Explanation
The answer is Man Singh I of Amber because the official Rajasthan Tourism page identifies Haldighati as the site where the 1576 battle was fought between Rana Pratap Singh of Mewar and Raja Man Singh of Amber, who was the general of the Mughal emperor Akbar. The exam-relevant date is 18 June 1576, with a force comparison of about 28,000 Mughal troops against Maharana Pratap's smaller force of around 4,000 cavalry and 3,000 Bhil tribesmen. That contrast is useful, but the commander tag is the scoring point: the Mughal side at Haldighati was not led by Akbar in person but by Raja Man Singh I of Amber.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Todar Mal is a trap because he was associated with Akbar's administration, but the commander named for Haldighati was Raja Man Singh of Amber.
- (B) Akbar was the Mughal emperor, but the battle is identified with Raja Man Singh of Amber as his general, not with Akbar personally leading the army.
- (C) Abdur Rahim Khan-i-Khanan does not match the commander for Haldighati; the battle is tied to Raja Man Singh of Amber.
Concept
This tests Rajasthan history through battle-command pairing, a standard RAS pattern where the examiner expects the ruler, opposing power and field commander to be separated clearly. Haldighati recurs because it links Mewar, Amber and the Mughal empire in one high-yield event.