AMIR SINGH SANDHANVALIA

AMIR SINGH SANDHANVALIA (d. 1827), a collateral of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, was born the son of Didar Singh Sandhanvalia. In 1784, he, upon the death of his father, succeeded to the family estates which he considerably enlarged. As Mahan Singh and Ranjit Singh rose to power, he seized several villages in the neighbourhood of Raja Sansi. In 1803, however, Amir Singh fell into disgrace at the Sikh court. The story is that one morning as Ranjit Singh came out of^the Samman Burj and was preparing to mount his horse, Amir Singh was seen to unsling his gun, prime it and blow the match.

The bystanders accused him of seeking the life of his chief, and Ranjit Singh, who believed the charge, dismissed him from court. He took refuge with Baba Sahib Singh Bedi of Una at whose intercession the Maharaja again took him into his favour, and placed him specially under the protection and in the force of Atar Singh Kalianvala. Amir Singh accompanied the Maharaja in the Kasur campaign of 1807, and in the expedition against trie Muhammadan tribes between the Chenab and the Indus in 1810.

In 1809, when on the death of Raja Jai Singh of Jammu, Ranjit Singh seized that country, he made over the territory to Amir Singh. In 1821, Amir Singh received Shakargarh mjagir. Amir Singh died in 1827. His jagirs amounting to upwards of rupees six lakhs annually were continued to his sons, Atar Singh, Lahina Singh and Basava Singh.

References :

1. Suri, Sohan Lal, `Umdzit-ut-Twarikh. Lahore, 1885-89
2. Griffin, Lepel, and C.F. Massy, Chiefs and Families of Note in the Punjab. Lahore, 1909