ANAND SINGH, RAI

ANAND SINGH, RAI (d. 1827), vakil or agent of the Sikh kingdom, belonged to the famed Bhandan family of Batala founded by Bhag Mall, a wealthy adventurer. In 1809, Anand Singh was appointed an agent of the Sikh Darbar at Ludhiana, the British military station and political agency. He was later sent as the Darbar`s envoy to the British resident at Delhi. He had a good knowledge of Persian and English and accompanied Sir Charles Metcaife on the successful expedition against Bharatpur undertaken by Lord Combermere in January 1826, receiving on his return from Maharaja Ranjit Singh the title of Rai with a robe of honour. Rai Anand Singh died in 1827.

References :

1. Suri, Sohan Lal, `Umdat-ut-Twankh. Lahore. 1885-89
2. Griffin, Lepel, and C.F. Massy, Chiefs and Families of Note in the Punjab. Lahore, 1909
3. Ahluwalia, M.L., ed., Select Documents Relating to Maharaja Ranjit Singh`s Negotiations with the British Envoy Charles Theophilus MetcaIFe 1808-1809. Delhi, 1982