RAM SINGH (d. 1836), son of Bhagat Singh, descended from the Tsapur branch of the Randhava family founded by his grandfather Dasaundha Singh. Dasaundha Singh, on receiving the Sikh initiatory rites in 1730, entered the service of Adina Beg and remained with him for several years

BIHANGAM, from Sanskrit vihang which means a bird, is a term applied to wandering ascetics who lead a life of complete detachment. A Biharigam is a celebate who lives in poverty renouncing all worldly ties and follows the path of holiness. In the Hindu tradition, he, abjuring religious dogma,

GORDON (d. 1837), often miscalled Canon, an Anglo Indian, entered the service of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1820 as an infantry instructor on a salary of Rs 500 per month. Later, he was put in command of a battalion of artillery. In July 1822, his battalion received approbation from Allard

MARTINDALE, an AngloIndian who is mentioned by Alexander Gardner in his Ranjit Singh and His White Officers as being in the infantry service of the Sikhs. He was the son of General Martindale, an officer who figured prominently in the Gurkhawar of 1814, his mother being Indian. Prior to

VIESKENAWITCH, a Russian adventurer, who, after several years of brigandage, escaped to Persia and took up service under Shah Abbas Mirza. He had attained the rank of colonel when he resigned and travelling through Central Asia, reached Peshawar in January 1829. Here he was employed by Pir Muhammad Khan

BISHAN SINGH, SANT (d. 1973), holy saint most of whose life was spent in works of seva, raising of buildings by labour volunteered by devotees, at different shrine sites, came of a well to do Sindhi family. Nothing is known about his early life except that his parents were

GUJJAR, BHAI, a blacksmith by profession, was a devoted Sikh of the time of GuruArigad. Once he came to see the Guru and said, "Lord, I am a workman, always busy with my trade. How shall I be liberated?" The Guru advised him to recite the Japu (fi) early

MEVIUS, also recorded as Frank Ernest Mevins, was a Prussian who came to the Punjab in March 1827 and was employed in the Sikh army in the rank of a colonel. According to the Khalsa Darbar records, Mevius had to sign a pledge that he would, "during his period

BROWN, JOHN, alias RICHARD POTTER, an Englishman, who, deserting the East Indian Company`s service in the Bengal artillery, came to Lahore and joined the Sikh artillery in 1826. He was later promoted colonel and placed in charge of the artillery depot at Lahore. During the first Anglo Sikh war, he

GURBACHAN SINGH SANDHANVAUA (b. 1855), the eldest of the four sons of Thakur Singh Sandharivalia, the prime minister of the emigre government of Maharaja Duleep Singh at Pondicherry, was born in 1855 and was adopted by his uncle Partap Singh Sandharivalia. Gurbachan Singh was nominated to the Statutory Civil

MIAN MITTHA, a Muslim holyman living in a village which came to be called Kotia Miari Mittha in the present Sialkot district of Pakistan Punjab, met Guru Nanak as the latter was passing through his village. The two held a discourse. According to Purdtan Janam Sdkhi, Miari Mittha observed

CHELLARAM, BHAl (1904-1964), a well known Sahajdhari Sikh of modern times who sang and preached gurbani, the Guru`s inspired word, with a rare love and devotion, was born in a Sindhi family of Hyderabad (Sindh) on 3 May 1904, the son of Dr Tekchand Rachumal Mansukhani and Chettbai. Chellaram`s