BUTA SINGH, DIWAN

BUTA SINGH, DIWAN (b. 1826) .journalist, printer and one of the last employees of the Sikh royal household, was born the son of Gurdial Singh at Lahore in 1826. He was a man of wealth and influence, being the owner of a chain of printing presses. In his earlier career, he had served as diwan or household minister to Maharani Jind Kaur in whose cause he had attempted to raise disturbances just before the second AngloSikh war for which he was deported from the Punjab to Allahabad where he was kept a political prisoner for seven years. In 1866, he set up Aftabi Punjab press in Lahore and issued in Urdu a fortnightly law journal, Anwar ulShams.

In 1866, he set up Aftabi Punjab press in Lahore and issued in Urdu a fortnightly law journal, Anwar ulShams.A branch of the press was opened at Ajmer where the Rajputana government gazette used to be printed. In 1872, Buta Singh founded the newspaper, Aftabi Punjab (Urdu), generally critical of the government`s policy towards Maharaja Duleep Singh. Diwan Buta Singh was favourably disposed towards the Kuka sect and applauded especially its proDuleep Singh activity. He also served as a vice-president of the newly established Lahore Singh Sabha.

References :

1. Ganda Singh, ed.. History of the Freedom Movement in the Punjab (Maharaja Duleep Singh Correspondence), vol. III. Patiala, 1972
2. Gill, Avtar Singh, Lahore Darbar and Rani Jindan. Ludhiana, 1983
3. Jagjit Singh, Singh Sabha Lahir. Ludhiana, 1974