In the third battle of Panipat, Marathas were defeated by?

Appeared in: DSSSB -28 August 2019 (Shift-2)

Explanation

The Third Battle of Panipat was fought on January 14, 1761.
The battle was between the Maratha Empire and an invading coalition army of Afghans led by Ahmed Shah Abdali.
Ahmed Shah Abdali, the founder of the Durrani Empire, decisively defeated the Maratha forces.
This defeat was a major setback for the Maratha Empire, halting their northward expansion for a decade.

Option A: Humayun was the second Mughal emperor who ruled from 1530–1540 and again from 1555–1556. He died long before the Third Battle of Panipat in 1761.
Option C: Sher Shah Suri was the founder of the Suri Empire who defeated Humayun and ruled from 1540 to 1545. His timeline is more than two centuries before the Third Battle of Panipat.
Option D: Babur was the founder of the Mughal Empire. He was a key figure in the First Battle of Panipat in 1526, where he defeated Ibrahim Lodi, not the third battle.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Indian History - Major Battles as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
This question tests knowledge of major events in Indian history, which is a component of the general knowledge section in some nursing entrance exams.
The Third Battle of Panipat is considered a turning point in modern Indian history. The power vacuum created by the Maratha defeat is often seen as a factor that facilitated the rise of the British East India Company.
What if the question asked about the First Battle of Panipat? The correct answer would then be Babur, who defeated the Sultan of Delhi, Ibrahim Lodi, in 1526, establishing Mughal rule in India.

How to Approach the Question

Identify the key terms in the question: 'Third Battle of Panipat' and 'Marathas were defeated by'.
This is a factual recall question from Indian history.
Access your knowledge about the major battles fought at Panipat.
Recall the key figures involved in each battle: Babur in the first, Akbar in the second, and Ahmed Shah Abdali in the third.
Match the event (Third Battle) and the outcome (Maratha defeat) with the correct historical figure (Ahmed Shah Abdali).
Eliminate the other options by placing them in their correct historical context (e.g., Babur in the First Battle, Humayun and Sher Shah Suri in an earlier period).

Concept Tested & Keywords

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Practise the full DSSSB -28 August 2019 (Shift-2)

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.