Haidar Ali (1721-1782) was the Indian ruler of Mysore. He was the most formidable enemy of the British in their struggle for supremacy in South India.

Born at Budikote in Mysore, Haidar Ali started his career as a soldier. In 1749 he was a petty officer in the Mysore army attending on the nizam, theoretically the Mogul deputy in South India. The nizam was assassinated in 1750, and in the ensuing confusion Haidar came by enough wealth to equip his own contingent and to distinguish himself in the service of Nanjraj, the new strong man of Mysore.

Nanjraj's involvement in the Anglo-French contest for supremacy in India gave Haidar the opportunity to master the art of warfare and learn the value of European as compared to Indian military training. Under Nanjraj, Mysore went bankrupt. Haidar, known for efficient leadership, first rose to be Nanjraj's most trusted lieutenant and later replaced...