His strategic acumen was demonstrated through the adept utilization of tactics such as guerrilla warfare, ambushes, and swift mobility, ultimately resulting in effective defeats of the Mughal Army.
Santaji was the eldest son of Mhaloji Ghorpade of Kapshi, who served as the Senapati during the reign of Chhatrapati Sambhaji for a brief period following the unexpected demise of Hambirrao Mohite.
His father was the half-brother of Baji Ghorpade of Mudhol, who was executed by Chhatrapati Shivaji for betraying Shahaji when Afzal Khan imprisoned him.
In 1686, Sambhaji dispatched Santaji and Keshav Pingale with an army of 12,000 cavalry to procure food supplies from the Jinji region.
[3] Santaji received orders to proceed ahead, while Sambhaji devised a plan to divert the invading Mughal Army.
Following the untimely and unceremonious demise of Mhaloji, his sons and brothers steadfastly remained loyal to Chhatrapati Rajaram I, ultimately securing the future of the Maratha Empire.
In September 1689, along with Dhanaji, Santaji attacked Aurangzeb's General Sheikh Nizam who had placed a siege around the fort of Panhala.
[4] Then during 1689–1690 period, Santaji and Dhanaji were directed to prevent Mughal army in Maharashtra from chasing and entering Karnataka after Rajaram's flight to Jinji.
In December 1690, Santaji and Dhanaji were promoted as leading Maratha generals, and were placed respectively under the supervision of Ramchandra Pant Amatya and Shankraji Narayan Sacheev.
On 14 December 1692, Santaji defeated Aurangzeb's General Ali Mardan Khan, captured him and brought him back to fort Jinjee.
[6][7] A drama 'Bhangale Swapn Maharashtra' written by Bashir Momin Kavathekar depicts the thrill and adventures raid on Aurangzeb's camp at Tulapur and also brings out how stringently the guidelines laid down by Shivaji Maharaj were being followed by maratha soldiers (which spared Aurangajeb's life because he was offering religious prayers).
The same condition will be done now let's unite and attack Aurang's camp and destroy it, He also told that {आपण सगळे औरंग ची गर्दन मारूया} which means Let's all kill Aurangzeb[6]On 14 November 1693, Mughal General Himmat Khan beat back Santaji near Vikramhalli in Karnataka.
High level of tension, stress and apprehension among the troops and camp followers, about the ever-present Maratha threat were recorded.
On 20 November 1695, Kasim Khan, Aurangzeb's powerful General in Karnataka, was attacked, defeated and killed by Santaji at Doderi near Chitradurga.
Thus, the succession chaos at the Mogul court will ensue to provide them with the opportunity to annex the southern territory, especially Golconda in Hyderabad.
Rajaram was aware of Zulfiquar's ambitions and colluded with the Khan against Aurangzeb, probably for the sake of politics, survival and safety of future.
He also was very protective and great well wisher of Shahu's (Sambhaji's son in captivity) in Aurangzeb's campaign, probably hoped for the Maratha help for his own ambitions.
Shaista khan who was maternal uncle of Aurangzeb, lost his three fingers and pride at the hands of Shivaji, Rajaram's father, in the most famous surprise attack in Pune in 1663.
Santaji as much known to be great and intrepid in guerrilla warfare tactics did not seem shrewd in understanding the manipulation of politics and diplomacy behind curtains, and misunderstood his King and the final Maratha cause on many occasions leading to rift between him and Rajaram.
On 8 May 1696, Santaji met Rajaram at fort Jinjee, argued with him on certain issues, some sources suggest he demanded rewards for his services, and left Jingee without resolving their differences.
Praladji proved great talent in previously handling conflicting personalities like Santaji during the start of Maratha resurrection after Sambhaji's death.
The arrest orders were issued by the King to discipline the great warrior to avoid further mischief, but Rajaram would not have wanted him assassinated as some popular sources later suggest wrongly.
Jadunath Sarkar, a renowned historian on Maratha history, provides a great insight in his book, House of Shivaji, about the heroics and fall of Santaji Ghorpade.
The man who insists on efficiency and discipline in a trophical country makes himself universally unpopular, and, therefore, we are not surprised when we learn from Khafi Khan that " Most of Maratha Nobles became Shanta's enemies and made a secret agreement with his rival Dhanaji Jadhav to destroy him."
Another cause of Satanji's attitude of aloofness from the government was his being drawn into the cross-currents of ministerial rivalry of the western capital of Maharashtra.
Sarkar writes," Santaji's greatest monument is the abject of fear he inspired in all ranks of the Mughal army which is faithfully reflected in the curses and abuses invariably used as epithets to his name in the Persian Sources" Ascribed to this Khafi Khan writes " When the news came that Shanta(Santaji) had come within 16 or 18 miles of him , Firuz Jung (Aurangzeb's highest General) lost colour in terror, and making a false announcement that he would ride out to oppose him , appointed officers to clear the path sent his advanced tent onwards but then himself fled towards Bijapur by a roundabout path" (K.K 446) G S Sardesai Quotes," Santaji is now remembered as the past master of guerrilla warfare the highest and the best instrument which enabled the Marathas to attain a rapid rise before the development of artillery warfare in India, The death of this unmatched hero was a big blow to the Maratha Fortunes" Cavalry Santaji groomed was compared with legendary Asiatic Generals like Timur and Changez.
These two dazzling victories of Dodderi and Death of Himmat Khan Further raised Santaji's reputation for his invincibility and made him the dread of even the greatest Mughal Generals.
Murarrao Ghorpade, a grandnephew of Santaji, made an alliance with Muhammad Ali and helped him to defeat Chanda Sahib in famous Battle of Arcot fought in 1751.
English historians tend to highlight & threat from Nizam of Hyderabad-Hyder Ali-Tipu Sultan kept them engrossed in Karnataka-Tamil Nadu away from politics of Pune Darbars.
Jadunath Sarkar the noted historian writes in his famous book namely military history of India about Santaji: He was a perfect master of this art, which can be more correctly described as Parthian warfare than as guerrilla tactics, because he could not only make night marches and surprises, but also cover long distances quickly and combine the movements of large bodieds over wide areas with an accuracy and punctuality which were incredible in any Asiatic army other than those of Chengiz Khan and Tamurlane.