DESA SINGH MAJITHIA (1768-1832), an army general and civil administrator in Sikh times, was the son of Naudh Singh, a feudal retainer under Amar Singh Bagga of the Kanhaiya misl. When Naudh Singh died in 1788, Desa Singh succeeded to the family estates. He served Buddh Singh Bagga, successor

DAYA KAUR, RAM (d. 1823), widow of Gurbakhsh Singh of the Nishanavali principality of the Sikhs who ruled over Ambala, assumed control of the misi and the family estate upon her husband`s death in 1786. She ruled over the territory remarkably well for nearly 37 years. Sir Lepel Griffin

GHANI KHAN and his brother Nabi Khan, Pathan horse dealers of Machhivara in present day Ludhiana district of the Punjab, were admirers of Guru Gobind Singh whom they had visited at Anandpur and to whom they had sold many good animals. When they learnt that, travelling in a lonely state

GURMUKHI is the name of the script used in writing primarily Punjabi and, secondarily, Sindhi language. The word gurmukhi seems to have gained currency from the use of these letters to record the sayings coming from the mukh (lit. mouth or lips) of the (Sikh) Gurus. The letters no doubt

HOBHOUSE, SIRJOHN CAM (1786-1869), later Lord Brought on, an English writer and statesman, was the eldest son of Sir Benjamin Hob house. Born at Red land, near Bristol, England, on 27 June 1786, he was elected to the House of Commons from Westminster in 1820. He served in Lord Grey`s

JAITO MORCHA, the name given to the Akali agitation for the restoration to his throne of Maharaja Ripudaman Singh of Nabha, a Sikh princely state in the Punjab. The Maharaja had strong pro-Akali sympathies and had overtly supported the Guru ka Bagh Morcha and donned a black turban as a

JODH SINGH RAMGARHIA (d. 1815), soldier and feudatory chief in Sikh times, was the eldest son of Jassa Singh, the celebrated Ramgarhia Sardar. Ranjil Singh bound himself in a pledge of friendship with Jodh Singh Ramgarhia before the Guru Granth Sahib at Darbar Sahib, Amrilsar. The Maharaja had great

KARTAR SINGH, GIANT (1902-1974), Akali leader who was known for his political astuteness and for his single mindedncss of purpose and who dominated Sikh politics during the 40`s and 50`s of the 20th century, was born the son of Bhagat Singh and MaT Jio on 22 February 1902 at Chakk

LACHHMAN SINGH GILL (1917-1969), Akali politician and chief minister of the Punjab for a brief term, was born at Jagraon in Ludhiana district. He started life in 1937 as a government contractor. He entered politics via the Shiromani Akali Dal of which he became a member during the Punjabi

MANA SINGH MAN (d. 1807), son of Sarja Singh Man, a minor misldar and a feudatory sardar of Mahan Singh Sukkarchakkia who held jagirs in Pindori Kalan and Pindori Khurd.

MIT SINGH PADHANIA (d. 1814), soldier, commander and jdgirddr under Maharaja Ranjit Singh. He was the son of Sukkha Singh Padhama, and entered the service of the Sukkarchakkia mislunder Mahari Singh, who assigned to him a^agirworth Rs 12,000 annually. In 1804, in Ranjit Singh`s reign, he had command of

NAND SINGH, SANT (1872-1943), a saintly personage who attracted a considerable following during his lifetime, was born the son of Jai Singh, an artisan by profession, and Sada Kaur in 1872 in the village of Sherpur Kalan in Ludhiana district of the Punjab. As a young boy, he was