SAVAN MALL, DIWAN (d. 1844), governor of Multan from 1821 to 1844, was son of Hoshnak Rai, a Chopra Khatri, in the service of Sardar Dal Singh of Akalgarh. When in 1804, Maharaja Ranjit Singh took over Akalgarh on the death of Dal Singh, Savan Mall was employed as a munshi or clerk and was sent thereafter to Wazirabad as naib tahsildar. A good scholar of Persian and Arabic, he won the appreciation of the Maharaja for his intelligence and administrative skill and. quickly rose to higher positions. In 1818, Ranjit Singh conquered Multan, but the governors appointed by him one after the other proved inept.
In 1821, he sent out Savan Mall, who turned out to be an efficient and benevolent administrator. Under his governorship, Multan attained a high level of prosperity. Robbery and lawlessness were put down; cultivation was extended, commerce, trade and industry flourished and even handed justice was dealt out to the rich and the poor alike. The Multan subah was known throughout the kingdom as Dar alAman (the abode of peace). Savan Mall had a tragic end. He was seriously wounded, on 16 September 1844, by an undertrial prisoner and died on 29 September 1844.
References :
1. Suri, Sohan Lal, `Umdat ut-Twarikh. Lahore, 1885-89
2. Mohan Lal, Travels in the Punjab, Afghanistan and Turkistan. London, 1846
3. Hasrat, Bikrama Jit, Anglo-Sikh Relations. Hoshiarpur, 1968
4. Chopra, G.L., The Panjab as a Sovereign State. Hoshiarpur, 1960
Savan Mall: Prosperous Multan’s Benevolent Governor
Savan Mall, also known as Savan Mall Diwan (d. 1844), was a standout administrator under Maharaja Ranjit Singh whose tenure as governor of Multan from 1821 to 1844 left an enduring legacy. Born into a family with close ties to the service of regional chieftains—his father, Hoshnak Rai, was a Chopra Khatri in the employ of Sardar Dal Singh of Akalgarh—Savan Mall initially served as a munshi (clerk) and later as a naib tahsildar (deputy revenue official) in Wazirabad. His command of both Persian and Arabic not only underscored his intellectual prowess but also won him the keen appreciation of the Maharaja, setting him on a path to higher responsibilities. His deep administrative insight and strategic acumen quickly propelled him up the ranks in a period when efficient governance was crucial for the expanding Sikh empire .
When Multan was incorporated into Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s dominion in 1818, earlier governors struggled to maintain order and stimulate growth. Recognizing the need for resolute and compassionate leadership, the Maharaja appointed Savan Mall as governor in 1821. Under his watchful eye, Multan underwent a significant transformation: lawlessness was curtailed, cultivation practices were enhanced, and commerce, trade, and local industries flourished. So effective was his rule that the Multan subah (province) came to be known as Dar al-Aman—the abode of peace—reflecting a state where even the disadvantaged found justice and prosperity .
Despite his success and the reverberating tranquility his policies brought to the region, Savan Mall’s career was cut short by a tragic turn of events. On 16 September 1844, he was fatally wounded by an undertrial prisoner, succumbing to his injuries thirteen days later on 29 September 1844. His untimely demise marked the end of a notable chapter in the history of Sikh governance in the Punjab, where his administrative innovations and benevolence continue to be commemorated as benchmarks of effective, compassionate rule .
