Srinagar, Sept. 29 -- When we remember medieval kingdoms, our attention often turns to their rulers, their victories, and the monuments that have survived the passage of time. Yet, history is never made by kings alone. Behind the authority of a throne are countless individuals whose lives, ambitions, and struggles help shape the destiny of a kingdom. In the early Delhi Sultanate, the Bandagan were among those whose influence extended far beyond their original positions in society.Their story offers a different way of looking at medieval India. It is a story of people who entered the political world through servitude and military service, rose to positions of authority, and eventually became central to the struggles that shaped the Sultana...