Ahilya Bai Holkar at 300: the Queen who built a ‘Just India’ from the Ground Up TINA KHATRI Indore In a time when kings ruled from thrones and courts, Ahilya Bai Holkar ruled from the hearts of her people. As India marks 300 years since her birth, she is remembered not only as a queen but as a compassionate reformer, a grassroots visionary, and a symbol of inclusive governance. When European monarchies and Indian rulers concentrated on and local lords or zamindars collected hefty taxes, Malwa plateau was living far ahead in development and future with the first-ever decentralized system of governance. Ahilya Bai’s contributions extended far beyond royal courts. She envisioned and implemented a system of grassroots governance that put power in the hands of the people. She restored temples across the country, championed water conservation, built rest houses and free kitchens, and elevated Indore from a modest outpost to a thriving capital. Importantly, she welcomed all—irrespective of ca...