Moropant Trimbak Pingle

Moropant Nilkanth Pingle, also known as Moropant Peshwā, was the first Peshwa (Prime Minister) of the Maratha Empire, serving on Emperor Shivaji's Council of 8.

In 1647, Moropant joined Shivaji in establishing the Maratha kingdom. He was one of the warriors who participated in the successful 1659 battle of Shivaji's forces against the forces of Vijapur's Adil Shah which immediately followed Adil shah's general Afzalkhān death at Jāwali. He also participated in the battles at Trimbakeshwar Fort and Wāni-Dindori against the Mughal forces. He participated in Shivaji's invasion of Surat in 1664.

Moropant introduced sound revenue administration to Shivaji's regime, and played an important role in resource planning concerning defenses and maintenance of strategic forts. He was also responsible for the construction and administration of Pratapgad. At Shivaji's death, Moropant Pingle was working as a supervisor of fort development activities in Nashik District for the Salher-Mulher forts.

Under Emperor Sambhaji, he also participated in the battle of Burhanpur in 1681.