The term 'Deshmukh' in the administrative structure of Maharashtra prior to and during the Maratha period referred to:

💡 Solution & Explanation

Deshmukhs functioned as hereditary district-level revenue officials in the administrative framework of Maharashtra, acting as a vital link between the central or regional rulers and the village headmen known as patils. Alternative positions like army commanders or urban judicial magistrates belonged to entirely different administrative verticals such as the military or the qazi network. Deshmukhs often held substantial police and military powers alongside their revenue collection duties.