RADHA KISHAN, PANDIT (d. 1875), son of Pandit Madhusudan, was appointed in 1824 by Maharaja Ranjit Singh to take charge of the education of Hira Singh Dogra, who studied both Sanskrit and Persian. Later, he was appointed tutor to the minor Maharaja Duleep Singh. He also performed the duties

RAGHBfR SINGH, RAJA (1834-1887), son of Raja Sarup Singh, ascended the throne of Jind on 31 March 1864 after the death of his father. He was an able and enlightened ruler, indefatigable in his efforts to promote the prosperity of his people. He built the town of Sarigrur on

RAGHBIR SINGH DUGAL (1897-1957), a medical practitioner and leader of the Sikh community in Burma, was born in 1897, the son of Sobha Singh, at the village of Sayyid Kasrari, in Rawalpindi district, now in Pakistan. He had his early education at his village and in Rawalpindi, and in 1911

RAGHUPAT RAI NIJJHAR, a rich landlord of Khem Karan in present day Amritsar district, was a devout Sikh. He called on Guru Tegh Bahadur at Goindval in 1664, and requested that he be pleased to visit his native Khem Karan. Guru Tegh Bahadur accepted the invitation and came to

RAI BULAR, a Muhammadan noble of the Bhatti clan, was during the latter half of the fifteenth century the chief of Talvandi Rai Bhoi, the village where Guru Nanak was born in 1469. Rai Bular had great affection for young Guru Nanak and held him in high esteem. According to

RAI SINGH, son of Lakhmir Singh of Amritsar and a leader of the Bharigi family, captured, together with his brother Bagh Singh, 204 villages around Buria after the sack of Sirhind by the Sikhs in January 1764. Eighty-four of these villages including Jagadhari and Dialgarh fell to the share

RAI SINGH (d. 1809), one of the leaders of the Karorsinghia misi, was the son of Matab Singh of Mirarikot in Amritsar district, the avenger of the sacrilege perpetrated by Masse Khan, the Muslim chieftain, who had occupied the holy Harimandar and converted it into a place of revelry.

RAI SINGH was one of the Chali Mukte, the Forty Liberated Ones, who fell fighting for Guru Gobind Singh in the battle of Muktsar (29 December 1705). According to Bhalt Vahl Multdm Sindhi, Rai Singh was the son of Mai Das, a Vanjara Rajput, of `Alipur, in Multan district.

RAJ BANSO (d. 1835). daughter of Raja Sarisar Chand of Kangra and sister of Ram Mahitab Devi, was married to Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1829. Said to be the most beautiful of the Maharaja`s wives, she was a patron of hill music. Raj Bariso committed suicide in 1835 over

RAJ DEVI, RAM (d. 1839), daughter of Miari Padam Singh, a Rajput, was married to Maharaja Ranjit Singh. She immolated herself on the funeral pyre of her husband on 28 June 1839.

RAJ KAUR (d. 1838), also known as Datar Kaur or more popularly Mal Nakain, was the second wife of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. She was the daughter of Ran Singh Nakai, and was married to the Maharaja in 1798. Though Ranjit Singh married several other women, Mal Nakain remained his

RAJ KAUR, daughter of Raja Gajpat Singh of Jind, was the mother of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. As she came from the Malva region, she was affectionately known as Mai Malvain. When her husband Mahari Singh died, their son Ranjit Singh was too young to assume control of the estate.

RAJA RAM (d. 1644), a Rajput Sikh of the time of Guru Hargobind (1595-1644), was so deeply attached to the Guru that, according to Maubid Zulfiqar Ardastani, Dabistdni Mazdhib, he immolated himself on his funeral pyre. "Placing his [Guru Hargobind`s] body on firewood, as they," says Zulfiqar Ardastani, a

RAJANI, BIBI, was, according to a tradition recorded by Giani Gian Singh, Panth Prakdsh, the youngest of the five daughters of Duni Chand, a 16th century Kaura Khatri and a rich landlord and revenue collector of Patti, an old town 44 km southwest of Amritsar. Once, during a conversation,

RAJINDAR KAUR, BIBI (1739-1791) or Rajindari, Patiala princess known for her valorous qualities, was the granddaughter of Baba Ala Singh. The only child of her father, Bhumla Singh, who had died when she was barely four, she was brought up by her grandfather, and, in 1751, married to Chaudhari

RAJINDER KAUR, DR (1931-1989), journalist and politician, was born at Amritsar on 10 February 1931, the daughter of the famous Akali leader, Master Tara Singh. She was educated at Khalsa College, Amritsar, Panjab University, Chandigarh, and Camp College, New Delhi, and attained the degrees of M.A. (Philosophy), B.T. (Bachelor of

RAJINDER SINGH (1932-1995), or Qaumi Ektd (both had become synonymous), was born on 9 October 1932 at Mandi Bahauddin. Qaumi Ektd and its editor Sardar Rajinder Singh were two reflections of one single reality. One could not be dissected from the other. Nor was it possible to analyse or

RAJINDER SINGH. MAHARAJA (1872-1900), son of Maharaja Mohinder Singh, was born at Patiala on 25 May 1872. After the death of his father, he ascended the throne of Patiala on 6 January 1877. During his regency the Sirhind canal was completed, and a broadguage railway line from Rajpura to

RALIA RAM (d. 1864), eldest son of Misr Chhajju Mall, was appointed by Maharaja Ranjit Singh as administrator of Amritsar in 1811. Ralla Ram displayed great energy and resourcefulness in securing peace and putting an end to thefts and highway robberies. In 1812 he was entrusted with charge of

RAM CHAND, DIWAN (1819-1888), son of Ratan Chand and grandson of Nanak Chand, the brother of Diwan Savan Mall, Governor of Multan under Ranjit Singh, was only twelve when he succeeded, in 1831, his grandfather as revenue collector of Multan and Kashmir. Soon Maharaja Ranjit Singh appointed him chancellor,

RAM CHANDRA, PROFESSOR, born into a Kayastha family in 1821 at Panipat. Professor Ram Chandra became a distinguished teacher of mathematics. He joined the English school at Delhi in 1833 and earned a merit scholarship. At the age of 11, he was lured into marrying a girl who was completely

RAM DAS, GURU (1534-1581), is the fourth Guru or spiritual mentor of the Sikhs in the line of Guru Nanak, Guru Arigad and Guru Arnar Das. "Ram Das" translates as servant or slave of God (ram = God + dds slave). Blessed by Guru Amar Das with the light of

RAM DATT, a Brahman resident of Kurukshetra, who became a devotee of Guru Gobind Singh during the latter\'s visit to the town on the occasion of the solar eclipse in 1702. According to tradition preserved in Bhai Santokh Singh, Sri Crur Praldp Suraj Granth, while other Brahmans sought alms

RAM DEVI, RANI, daughter of Kaur Singh of the village of Chhachhrivala, in Gujrariwala district, was married to Maharaja Ranjit Singh. She predeceased the Maharaja.

RAM DIAL, DIWAN (1798-1820), a general in the Sikh army, was the eldest son of Diwan Moti Ram. He is said to have become a divisional commaner at the age of 16. In 1814, during the second expedition of Kashmir, he had independent command of a force of 30,000

RAM DIAL, RAI (d. 1863), news writer and vakil of the Sikh kingdom at FIrozpur, was the son of Rai Anand Singh, after whose death he was sent to Ludhiana as vakil in 1827. Shortly thereafter he was recalled to Lahore and, in 1832, was sent to Anandpur Sahib to

RAM KUNVAR, BHAI (1672-1761), also referred to as Ram Kaur in some Sikh chronicles, was a prominent Sikh of Guru Gobind Singh`s time. He was a direct descendant of Baba Buddha, blessed by Guru Nanak himself. He was only three years old when his father, Bhai Gurditta, died in

RAM RAI (1646-1687), the elder son of Guru Har Rai, Nanak VII, was born to Mata Sulakkhani at Kiratpur on 11 March 1646. Brought up under the loving care of his parents amid an atmosphere of peace and tranquillity that reigned over Kiratpur, their resort in the Sivaliks, Ram

RAM SINGH (1639-1714), Ram Chand before receiving the Sikh rites, was an ancestor of the ruling house of Patiala. The second son of Chaudhari Phul, he was married to Sahbi, daughter of one Nanu Bhullar, who gave birth to six sons Dunna, Sahba, Ala Singh, Bakhta,

RAM SINGH, a holy man maintaining a dharamsala at Zahura, near Tanda, in Hoshiarpur district, assisted Bhai Maharaj Singh, the leader of the anti British rebellion of 1848-49, not only by lodging him and his followers in his dharamsala but also introducing him to several influential

RAM SINGH (d. 1716), a Bal Jatt of the village of Mirpur Patti in Amritsar district of the Punjab, was the younger brother of Baj Singh, who was appointed governor of the town of Sirhind after it was occupied by Banda Singh Bahadur in May 1710. Ram

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

RAM SINGH (1744-1839), son of a Khatri belonging to Hasanvala in Gujrariwala district, was taken into the household of Charhat Singh Sukkarchakkia at a very young age. When he grew up, he rode in the chief`s troops. He considered Mahan Singh, son of Charhat Singh, his putreld

RAM SINGH CHHAPEVALA (d. 1840) was a man of note who fought in the battles of Ramnagar, Cheliarivala and Gujrat during the second AngloSikh war of 1848-49. His father. Dial Singh, was born in a poor peasant family of the village of Dadumajra, in Sialkot district of the Punjab.

RAM SINGH NURPURIA, an associate of Bhai Maharaj Singh in his revolt against the British, was the son of Shiam Singh alias Shiama, a Pathania Rajput and Wazir or minister to Raja Bir Singh, chief of Nurpur, 25 km east of Pathankot (32° 18`N, 75° 40`E), a feudatory of

RAM SINGH, BABA (1816-1885), leader of the Namdhari or Kuka movement in the Punjab, was born on 3 February 1816, in the village of Bhaini Araiari, in Ludhiana district. Ram Singh was the eldest among the four children of Jassa Singh and his wife, Sada Kaur. Ram Singh was

RAM SINGH, BHAI, a descendant of Bhai Bhagatu, was a devout Sikh. He served Guru Gobind Singh (1666-1708) with devotion when the latter visited his village Chakk Bhai in Bathinda district of the Punjab during his travels through these parts in 1706. He again presented himself at Damdama Sahib,

RAM SINGH, CAPTAIN (1864-1949), soldier and Akali politician, was born the son of Nattha Singh of Sunam, now in Sarigrur district of the Punjab. His father had served in the army of the Sikh rulers of Lahore and later in the British Indian army. Born in 1864, Ram Singh spent

RAM SINGH, RAJA, son of Mirza Raja Jai Singh of Amber, was a 4 hazdn mansabddrof the Mughal emperor, Aurangzib. During Jai Singh`s absence in the Deccan on campaigns against Shivaji and the Bijapur state in 1664-67 Karivar Ram Singh remained in Delhi in their palace in Raisina and

RAM TIRATH, SVAMI (1897-1977), also known as Dandi Sannyasi (different from Rama Tirtha, Svami), was a recluse who after a prolonged spiritual quest turned to the Guru Granth Sahib. Born on 31 August 1897 to Pandit Balak Ram and Hari Devi, a Gaur Brahman family of the village of

RAMA DIDl, BHAT, was, according to Bhai Gurdas, Varan, XI. 13, a devoted disciple of Guru Nanak. Gn.S.

RAMA TIRTHA, SVAMI (1873-1906), who, after Svami Vivekananda, by whose personality he was deeply influenced, created a powerful influence with his quiet spirituality, was born on 22 October 1873 at MuralIvala, a small village 5 km south of Gujrariwala, now in Pakistan. He came of a family of Gosvami

RAMA, BABA, maternal grandfather of Guru Nanak, was a resident of village Chahal, near Lahore. He was married to Mata Bhirai. The couple had a son, Krishna, and a daughter, Tripta. The latter was married to Mahita Kalu of Talvandi Rai Bhoe, where Guru Nanak, founder of the Sikh

RAMA, BHAI, a pious Sikh who received initiation at the hands of Guru Arjan. The Guru taught him to learn to repeat the word Vahiguru and to love all men. Bhai Rama`s name is included in Bhai Gurdas, Varan, XI. 19. T.S.

RAMA, BHAI, of Jhanjhi caste of goldsmiths who belonged to Shahadra near Lahore, was a pious Sikh of the lime of Guru Arjan. His name is included in Bhai Gurdas, Varan, XI. 24 T.S.

RAMANANDA (1300-1410?), promoter of Vaisnav Bhakti in North India and founder of the Bairagi sect of anchorites, was born at Prayaga (Allahabad) in a Kanyakubja Brahman family. He studied in Kasi (Banaras), the ancient seat of learning, and it was here that he became a disciple of Raghavananda, the

RAMDAS, BAVA, a nineteenth century Punjabi poet, was born at the village of Harganari, in Fatehgarh Sahib district of the Punjab. He belonged to the Divana sect, a mendicant order established during the seventeenth century by Haria and Bala, two Jatt disciples of Sodhi Miharban, the son of Guru

RAMDAS, BHAI, a Bhandari Khairi, was a devoted Sikh of the time of Guru Arjan. His name figures in Bhai Gurdas, Varan, XI. 19. T.S.

RAMDAT SINGH (d. 1790), grandfather of Nidhan Singh Parijhattha, a gallant soldier in the army of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, and son of Dulcha Singh, who died in the service of Raja Ranjit Dco of Jammu, joined the Sukkarchakkia misi under Mahari Singh, and received command of two hundred horse.

RAMSAY, JOHN, was a Eurasian musician who served as a drum major in Maharaja Ranjit Singh`s army.

RAMU BHAI, of Dalla, was a Mahita Khatri. who, accompanied by Bhai Mohan, Bhai Amaru, and Bhai Gopi, went to offer obeisance to Guru Amar Das visiting his village. The Guru`s instruction was: "Conquer ego, which keeps man parted from God. The body is false and impermanent. Be tolerant

RAMU, BHAI, a Kohli Khatri of Sultanpur Lodhi in present day Kapurthala district of the Punjab, embraced Sikh faith during the time of Guru Amar Das. He once accompanied the sangat of Sultanpur to Amritsar to wait on Guru Arjan and seek instruction. His name occurs in Bhai Gurdas,

RAMU, BHAI, a devoted Sikh of the time of Guru Amar Das. He received the rites of initiation at the hands of the Guru at the time of the latter`s visit to his village, Dalla, now in Kapurthala district of the Punjab. As he heard of the Guru`s arrival,

RAN SINGH NAKAI (d. 1781), son of Nattha Singh, succeeded in 1768 his brother, Nahar Singh, to the leadership of Nakai misl. Ran Singh considerably increased the power and influence of the Nakais. The territory under his control was worth nine lakh of rupees per annum, and comprised Chuniari,

RANBIR SINGH, MAHARAJA (1879-1948), son of Balbir Singh and a grandson of Raja Raghbir Singh, was born at Sangrur on 11 October 1879. He ascended the gaddi of jind state in 1887 and was invested with ruling powers in 1899. Deaf from a relatively early age, Maharaja Ranbir Singh

RANDHIR SINGH. BHAI (1878-1961). a revolutionary as well as a saintly personage much revered among the Sikhs, was born on 7 July 1878 at the village of Narangval in Ludhiana district of the Punjab, to Nattha Singh and Panjab Kaur. Nattha Singh was at first the district inspector of

RANG DAS, BHAI. a Bhandari Khatri of Gharuan, an old village in Ropar district of the Punjab, was a prominent Sikh of the time of Guru Amar Das. He had been a follower of Bairagi sddhus until he met Bhai Paro, whose example led him to embrace the Sikh faith.

RANJIT SINGH (1780-1839), Maharaja of the Punjab, popularly called Sheri Punjab, i.e. the Lion of the Punjab, was the most colourful, the most powerful and yet the most endearing figure in the history of the Sikhs. He ruled over a domain extending from the Khaibar Pass in the west

RANJODH SINGH MAJITHIA (d. 1872). military commander and jagirdar of the Sikh Darbar was the son of Desa Singh Majithia and foster brother of Lahina Singh Majithia. Details of his early career under Maharaja Ranjit Singh are scarce. British records, however, locate him as the governor of Hazara and

RATAN CHAND (d. 1629), son of Bhagvan Das Gherar who had been killed in a skirmish with the Sikhs in the time of Guru Hargobind (1595-1644), made common cause with Karam Chand, son of Chandu Shah, with a view to avenging his father`s death. Chandu Shah, the main instigator

RATAN KAUR, RANI, widow of Sahib Singh, the Bharigi chief of Gujrat, was in 1811 taken by Maharaja Ranjit Singh under his mantle by the rite of chddar anddzi after the death of her husband. In 1819, she gave birth to Prince Multana Singh. She survived the Maharaja, and

RATAN SINGH MAN (d. 1857), a general in the Sikh army, was the son of Nahar Singh of Mughal Chakk, now in Pakistan. He joined military service as a trooper under the Sikhs and rose to be an adjutant. He served under Hari Singh Nalva in Kashmir and Hazara

RATAN SINGH, BHAI (d. 1943), alias Santa Singh, alias Ishar Singh, son of Nihal Singh, of Raipur Doaba, in Jalandhar district, served in the Indian army before migrating to Fiji Islands in 1914 from where he moved to Vancouver. While in Vancouver, he was drawn into the Ghadr movement.

RATTRAY alias LESLIE, an English soldier of fortune who served in Lahore during 1834-36 as one of the commandants of a battalion of the Sikh army. In 1836, he deserted the Sikh army to join the forces of Dost Muhammad Khan, Amir of Kabul. He fought on the side

RAU, BHAI, a Kamboj Sikh and masand or the collector assigned to Dipalpur, was among those of his class summoned by Guru Gobind Singh to Anandpur to answer charges of appropriating the devotees` offerings and of other misconduct. According to Bhai Santokh Singh, Sri Gur Pratap Suraj Granth, Bhai

RAVIDAS, poet and mystic, was born to Raghu and Ghurbinia, who lived near the city of Varanasi. Not much biographical information about him is available, but, from what can be made out of his own compositions, he belonged to a lowcaste (Chamdr) family. He followed the family profession of

Ravinder Singh Gill or just Ravinder Ravi, did his M.A. in Punjabi from the Punjab University. He opted for the teaching profession and taught in India and Kenya. Presently, he is settled in New Ayaush, British Columbia. Although he has published his book criticism Prayogshil kavya darpan (Mirror of

REKH RAO, BHAI, and Bhana Mallan were Sikh residents of Kabul. They looked after the local chieftain`s stores. Both were pious Sikhs and very honest. Once complaints were laid against them questioning their dealings. By Guru Arjan`s blessing their honour was publicly vindicated. The names appear in Bhai Gurdas,

RICHMOND. COLONEL A.F., agent to the Governor General, North-West Frontier Agency (June 1843November 1844), who came to the Sutlej frontier when the political situation at Lahore had become unstable. It is believed that the Italian General Ventura, who had gained influence with the new Wazir, Hira Singh, feeling insecure at

RIPUDAMAN SINGH, MAHARAJA (1883-1942), ruler of the princely state of Nabha from 1912 to 1923, was born at Nabha on 22 Phagun 1939 Bk/4 March 1883, the only son of Maharaja Hira Singh (1843-1911) and Maharani Jasmer Kaur. His father having resisted British advice to send his heir to

ROCHA SINGH, SANT (1688-1803), a holy man and preacher of Sikh faith, was born of Brahman parents living at Kausari, a small village in Hazara district (now in Pakistan). Rocha Singh was barely 14 years of age when his father, Bhai Parijaba, died leaving his wife and a younger

RODA SINGH, a Ghadr leader, was the son of Vasava Singh, of the village of Rode, in Faridkot district. Poverty compelled him to leave his village and seek his fortune in Shanghai where he was a night watchman in the Chinese post office. He set out for India on

ROSSAIX(d. 1844), a Frenchman, who was a skilled road engineer and who had served in Napoleon`s army. He came to the Punjab in 1843 to take up service under the Sikh Maharaja. His salary was fixed at Rs 500 per month. His main charge was the construction of bridges

RUKN UDDIN. QAZI or QADI (Rukan Din of the Janam Sakhis), supposed to be a shrine caretaker, chanced to meet Guru Nanak during his visit to Mecca. The Purdtan Janam Sdkht narrates the story: "It had been inscribed in books beforehand that Nanak, a dervish, would come. Then water would

RULIA SINGH, a Ghadr leader, was the son of Bhai Jagat Singh of the village of Sarabha in Ludhiana district. Because of his meagre means, he left home to seek employment outside the country.This he ultimately found in Astoria, Oregon, in the United States, where many Punjab is were working

RUP CHAND, BHAI, like his brother, Bhai Bhiva, was a businessman of Sirhind and a devoted Sikh of the time of Guru Arjan. His name occurs in Bhai Gurdas, Varan, XI. 26. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1 Mani Singh, Bhai, Sikhan di Bhagat Maid. Amritsar, 1955 2. Santokh Singh, Bhai, Sri Gur

RUP KAUR, BIBI, commonly believed to be the adopted daughter of Guru Har Rai, was, according to Bhatt Vahi Talauda, his real daughter born to Mata Sulakkhani on 8 April 1649. She was married, on 3 December 1662, to Khem Karan, son of Bhai Per Mall, a Dhussa Khatri

RUP KAUR, RANT, daughter of Jai Singh of the village of Kot Sayyid Mahmud, now part of Amritsar city opposite Guru Nanak Dev University, was married to Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1815. She survived the Maharaja and was granted an annual pension of Rs 1,980 by the British.

RUP LAL (d. 1865), the eldest son of Misr Divan Chand, served in the Lahore treasury until he was appointed in 1832 by Maharaja Ranjit Singh to replace Shaikh Muhi udDin as governor of the Jalandhar Doab. Maharaja Sher Singh made him governor of Kalanaur and the Lahore territory