KARTAR SINGH KALASVALIA, GIANI (1882-1952), theologian, poet and historian who started a new line in modern Punjabi verse making a departure from the traditional love romance or lays of heroic poetry in Braj or Hindiixcd Punjabi, was born in 1882 in Kalasvala, a village in Pasriir iahsil of Sialkot district, now in Pakistan. Hence the epithet KalasvalTa. Kartar Singh mastered scripture reading in the village gurudwara and joined the 47th Sikh Battalion, later 4th Battalion of the llth Sikh Regiment, as a granthi or Sikh religious teacher. After leaving the army, he became a grant/it at the Darbar Sahib at Amrilsar, rising subsequently to the position of head granthi.
KISHAN SINGH GARGAJJ (1886-1926), founder of the Babar Akali movement, was the only son of Fatch Singh of Baring, a village in Jalandhar district in the Punjab. He joined the army as a sepoy in 1906 and rose to be a havildar major in 35th Sikh Battalion. While in the army, he was much affected by events such as the demolition of the wall of the Rikabgarij Gurdwara in Delhi, the firing on the Komagata Maru passengers at Budge Budge, near Calcutta, and the Jalliarivala Bagh massacre. He started criticizing the government for the imposition of martial law in the Punjab for which he was court martialled and sentenced to 28 days rigorous imprisonment in military custody.
MOTI RAM, DIWAN (1770-1837), was the only son of Diwan Muhkam Chand, one of Maharaja Ranjil Singh`s most trusted army generals. Moll Ram officiated as the governor of the Jalandhar Doab during the absence of bis father on military expeditions. After the death of his father in 1814, he was confirmed as governor of the Jalandhar Doab. In 1818, Moti Ram participated in the successful Multan campaign. He became the first governor of Kashmir when in 1819 the territory was conquered and annexed to the Sikh kingdom, but he became so heartbroken after the death of his son, Ram Dial, killed in the battle of Hazara in 1820, that he resigned his post and retired to Banaras to live the life of a recluse.