James Cunningham (or Cunninghame) Grant Duff (born July 8, 1789 in Banff, Scotland; died September 23, 1858) was an Indian soldier and statesman.

James Grant Duff served in the army of the East India Company, and played a role in the final Anglo-Maratha war of 1818 that led to the end of the Peshwa rule over Pune. He was later the British resident at the court of Satara.

Grant Duff was one of the multi-talented British soldiers who were the key drivers in the rapid expansion of the East India Company's domains in India. He worked in India for a relatively short time, but within that time was able to master the Marathi, Urdu and Persian languages. Making full use of his access to Maratha state documents, and building friendships with Maratha nobles, he was able to compile the seminal work "History of the Mahrattas" - the first and still one of the best histories of that famous race.

Grant Duff was forced to leave India due to ill-health and returned to his native Banffshire by the 1830s. His son, Sir Mountsuart Elphinstone Grant Duff, was Secretary of State for India and the Governor of Madras Presidency.

Works

• History of the Mahrattas

Indian politicians | 1789 births | 1858 deaths | James Grant Duff