She gradually turned Khanderao's thinking and mended his stubborn nature by repeating her statecraft and training lessons.

Malharrao had assigned him many independent duties of settling political feuds, which occasionally arose.

[3] In 1754, when Suraj Mal was the king, the fort came under siege by Marathas, as Peshwa Balaji Baji Rao's younger brother Raghunathrao (Supported by Scindias and Holkars) wanted to be subservient to them.

Marathas (particularly Holkars) wanted to ensue revenge on Suraj Mal for breaking the rules of ancient war and attacking.

They were on the verge of capturing it,[4] just then Khanderao was treacherously killed on 24 March 1754 by a cannonball fired by the Jatt artillery hit him while inspecting his troops in an open palanquin in the battle of Kumher.

After this Jats request the intermediation of Diwan Roop Ram Katara, who is on good terms with Jayappa Scindia.

The Scindia ruler of Gwalior uses his influence over Raghunathrao, brother of the Peshwa, to pressure the commander of the Maratha forces, Malharrao Holkar, into accepting a treaty with the Jats, which he does in 1754.

In Khanderao's honor, Jat Maharaja Suraj Mal built a chattri at Kumher near Deeg.

After his death in 1754, his father Malhar Rao prevented Khanderao's wife Ahilya Bai from committing Sati.

[5] The Maratha army under Raghunath Rao continued the Battle of Kumher after Khanderao's death and were successful in extracting 2.3 crores as war reparations from Surajmal, only after a bond was signed for this payment, was the siege lifted.

In 1736, Bajirao demanded that the Mughal Emperor should liberate Prayag, Gaya, Kashi, and Mathura and hand them over to the Marathas.

[citation needed] Devi Ahilyabai also built a chhatri in remembrance of her husband Khanderao Holkar at the Chhatribagh in Indore.