Ikhtiyaruddin Muhammad bin Bakhtiyar Khilji emerged as a key military leader under Muhammad Ghori and Qutbuddin Aibak. He undertook rapid cavalry-based campaigns in eastern India. In 1202–03, he captured Bihar, including major Buddhist centres such as Nalanda and Vikramashila. By 1204–05, he advanced into Bengal, defeating local rulers and establishing Turkish control. Ambitious in his pursuits, he ventured further into Assam in 1206, although this expedition ultimately proved disastrous. His military exploits significantly extended Ghurid power into eastern India and transformed Bengal’s political landscape, laying the foundation for later Muslim rule in the region.