From Regional Commander to Imperial Figure: Reviewing Zorawar Singh’s Contribution to the Rise of the Dogra State

This review article summarises the literature on the role of Zorawar Singh in the development of the Dogra State in its military strategies, political influence, historical impact, and regional politics in order to fill gaps in the context of his multifaceted contribution to state formation in the Himalayas of the 19th century. The purpose of the review was to examine the knowledge of his military strategies, political impact, historical impacts, regional politics, and socialpolitical changes. The interdisciplinary studies that used archival research and historiographical critique were systematically analysed to incorporate the military, political, and socio-cultural viewpoints. Results have shown that the novel high-altitude military operations of Zorawar Singh played a central role in the expansion of the territory despite logistics problems; his political destiny, which was mainly military, helped him internalize Dogra and define its relationship with the neighbouring states and Britain. This review highlights the importance of military, political, and social analysis to understand the influence of Zorawar Singh on Himalayan geopolitics and contributes to modern discussions about state formation in the region and the politics of the border.