AMAR NATH, DIWAN

AMAR NATH, DIWAN (1822-1867), bakhshi or paymaster of the irregular forces of the Sikh army who distinguished himself also as a historian, was born in 1822 the son of Raja Dina Nath, finance minister of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. During the prime ministership of Hira Singh, Amar Nath was assigned to the task of settling the accounts of government studs and stables. The town duties of Lahore and Amritsar were also leased out through him. Hira Singh reposed great trust in Amar Nath who became an intermediary between him and his uncle. Raja Gulab Singh, when the two had fallen out.

Owing to strained relations with his father, Amar Nath had to quit his government post during the first Anglo Sikh war. But, being a man of letters, he continued enjoying an annual pension of 1,200 rupees, which was raised to 4,000 rupees after the death of his father in 1857. Besides some poetry, Amar Nath wrote the Zafar Namahi Ranjit Singh, a chronicle, in Persian, of the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh up to 1835-36. The work was edited by Sita Ram Kohli and published in 1928. Amar Nath died in 1867, his elder son, Diwan Ram Nath, succeeding him in hisjagir.

References :

1. Suri, Sohan Lal, `L/mdat-ut-Twankh. Lahore, 1885-89
2. Griffin, Lepel, Ranjit Singh. Delhi, 1957
3. Gupta, Hari Ram, Panjab on the Eve of First Sikh War. Chandigarh, 1956
4. Khushwant Singh, Ranjit Singh: Maharajah of the Punjab. Bombay, 1962