Original: Career Because of his Indian heritage , Skinner was unable to serve as an officer in the East India Company army and , at the age of sixteen , he entered the Mahratta army as a ensign under Benoît de Boigne , the French commander of Maharaja Scindia 's forces of Gwalior State .
Simplified: Because of his Indian heritage , Skinner was unable to serve as an officer in the East India Company army and , at the age of eighteen , he entered the Mahratta army under Benoît de Boigne , where he soon showed military talent .