The Khantwal Hindi "खंतवाल" or the Khanthwal, Anthwal's (अन्थ्वाल) were a Hindu Brahmin warrior (ब्राह्मण हिन्दू योद्धा ) group from the western Deccan Plateau (present day Maharashtra) & North India.

Some people say that this group has origin from Punjab.

They now live mostly in the Indian States of Maharashtra,Punjab, Delhi, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh.

Khantwals are a traditionally agricultural community in Western Deccan Plateau, Northern Indian regions like Western Uttar Pradesh & Uttarakhand.

In a bid to effectively manage the large Maratha empire, semi-autonomy was given to strongest of the knights, creating a confederacy of Maratha states.

Balaji Khantwal was one of first Knight in Maratha empire.

Also some of people from this Group were fine commanders in Maharaja Ranjit Singh's army in Punjab.

Over the years, Khantwal's abandoned agriculture in favour of military and urban jobs, and used their dominant economic and political status to claim higher social status.