Hyder Ali
Hyder Ali (c1720-1782) was the commander-in-chief who managed to seize power and become the de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore. He fought the British in the 1st and 2nd Mysore Wars.
External links
Hyder Ali Dictionary of Indian Biography (1906)
Hyder Ali Wikipedia
Historical books on-line
The history of Hyder Shah, alias Hyder Ali Khan Bahadur, and of his son, Tippoo Sultan
by M.M.D.L.T. revised and corrected by Prince Gholam Mohammed 1855 (archive.org)