MAHITAB SINGH MAJITHIA

MAHITAB SINGH MAJITHIA (1811-1865), General in the Sikh army, son of Amar Singh Majithia (junior). Mahitab Singh started his career as a subahdar in the irregular Sikh cavalry of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. In 1831, he was promoted Colonel and posted as commandant of Sikh troops stationed at Amritsar. He served in the Peshawar campaign in 1834, and, in 1839, in the campaign against the Afrid is and other trans-Indus tribes. In 1841, Maharaja Sher Singh made him a General and gave him command of the Sikh troops stationed at Peshawar.

After the assassination of Maharaja Sher Singh and Dhian Singh in September 1843, he returned to Lahore and helped Hira Singh against the Sandhanvalia sardars and was amply rewarded.But when Hira Singh and his favourite Jalla fled Lahore, his troops accompanied those of Sardar Sham Singh Atarivala and Misr Lal Singh, who went in pursuit of them in December 1844, and put them to death. In 1844, General Mahitab Singh commanded four battalions of infantry, one regiment of cavalry, and a top khana, light artillery. Under the regency of Maharani Jind Kaur, he was nominated (December 1844) a member of the Khalsa Supreme Council, along with General Meva Singh Majithia.

In March 1845, General Mahitab Singh proceeded with his troops to Bhimbar, where the chief, Raja Faiz Talab Khan, had joined Prince Pashaura Singh who had risen in revolt. General Mahitab Singh defeated the Bhimbar chief, and soon afterwards Pashaura Singh capitulated to his troops at Sialkot. Mahitab Singh fought in the first AngloSikh war against the British. But in the second, he and his brother Mit Singh fought on the side of the British against Raja Sher Singh. He was confirmed in his jagir and he resided at the village of Majitha up to the time of his death in 1865. He owned houses at Lahore as well as at Amritsar. It was at Amritsar that he was, in 1862, created an honorary magistrate.

References :

1. Suri, Sohan Lal, ` Umdat-ut-Twarikh. Lahore, 1885-89
2. Griffin, Lepel, and C.F. Massy, Chiefs and Families of Note in the Punjab. Lahore, 1909
3. Balwant Singh, The Army of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Lahore, n.d.