Bishnopanth Badami

Bishnopanth Badami (died 1808), also known as Bakshi Bishnopanth Pundit, was the Sir Subah of the Badami Fort during the late 18th century, under Nana Phadnavis of the Maratha forces. Following the defeat of the Maratha forces in Badami, Bishnopanth joined the services of Hyder Ali and later Tipu Sultan, Bishnopanth was part of Tipu's campaigns in Arcot, Tanjore and Madras. Following Tipu's defeat in 1799, Bishnopanth surrendered to General Harris and subsequently served the Mysore army and served as the head of the Mysore Horse. He worked closely with the British during the Battle of Assaye in 1803, the Pindari rebellion, and the slaying of Dhoondia Wagh. Bishnopanth worked in close quarters with Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington from the years 1800 to 1808. He was granted a payment of 12,000 rupees from the East India Company for his services for the Mysore Horse.

Born as a Brahmin, Bishnopanth Badami did not believe in or practice the caste system, and was truly a person with broad thought. Bishnopanth Badami was a patron of the Banashankari Devi temple in Badami. He is referred to as Bisnapah Pundit, Bistnoo Pundit, Bishnapah Pundit, and Bishtnapah Punt, in various extracts of the famous Dispatches of the Duke of Wellington, Sir Arthur Wellesley. Bishnopanth also features in the book "History of Mysore" by Col Mark Wilks and Der Tiger von Mysore. Categorised by MA Shama Rao as an India Hero in his book Indian Heroes (1922), Bishnopanth's name has unfortunately has been lost in modern history.

Bishnopanth's brother Rama Rao, served as Dewan during the 1810s and his nephew Bakshi Bhim Rao, continued the legacy of serving the Mysore Horse.