The Indian ruler who defeated the English in the early stage of English rule in India was:

Hyder Ali of Mysore defeated the English East India Company in the First Anglo-Mysore War (1767-69), advancing close to Madras and forcing the Treaty of Madras of 1769 on his own terms. His son Tipu Sultan fought later wars against the British and was killed in 1799, and Ranjit Singh never fought the English. Hyder Ali's success came at the earliest stage of English rule.