SARDAR HARI SINGH NALWA JI

Updated on Thursday, October 08, 2026 11:21 AM IST

Chanchal Manohar Singh

PAYING HOMAGE TO VALIANT SARDAR HARI SINGH
NALWA JI ON HIS 189th MARTYRDOM ANNIVERSARY ON
APRIL 30, 2026 (1791-1837)
Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa, the brave Sikh warrior, son of Sardar Gurdial Singh Uppal
Ji and Bibi Dharam Kaur Ji was born on April 29, 1791 in Gujranwala which now falls
in Pakistan. His father was a deredar in the Sukkarchakia misl. His family originally
came from Majitha, District Amritsar. This brave and steadfast warrior was martyred in
the Battle of Jamrud on April 30, 1837. Jamrud is a town in District Khyber of
Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan situated in Pakhtunkhwa valley of Peshawar
on the western fringe of Peshawar city.

When Hari Singh Nalwa was very young his father arranged tuition for him to teach
Punjabi and Persian. His father died when he was only 7 years old. Thus his early
childhood was full of struggle. His mother on the death of her husband moved to her
parental home to live under the care of her brothers who also arranged tutors to teach
him Punjabi and Persian. He became an expert in Persian language. During this time
he also acquired the manly arts of riding, musketry and swordsmanship. His mother
returned to her home in Gujranwala after six years i.e., when he was 13 years old.
In 1805, i.e., when he was 14 years old he went to participate in the basanti darbar of
Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1780-1839). There he displayed his warfare tactics very
expertly. Maharaja Ranjit Singh was very much impressed with his personality, know
how of warfare tactics and bravery that he appointed him as his personal attendant. In
whatever competition he took part he succeeded in it. Maharaja Ranjit Singh appointed
him commander of 800 horse and footman. Eventually he became the Commanderin-
Chief of the Sikh Khalsa Fauj, the army of the Sikh empire.

When he was 14 years old he went with his companions on a hunting spree. During
the hunt a tiger rushed towards these hunters. The tiger attacked and killed the horse
of Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa. His companions offered to help him which he refused.
Standing on the ground he hit the tiger at his jaw with his dagger and used a shield for
fending off attacks of the tiger. The tiger was killed.

He was given the title ‘Nalwa’ which means great warrior, someone having the power
and claws of a tiger and thus he earned the title ‘Nalwa Baghmar’ (Tiger Killer).
It is not known whether at that time he was serving in military but as already mentioned
above Maharaja Ranjit Singh had commissioned him as a Sardar commanding 800
horse and footman in that year. He belonged to a family of brave warriors. His
grandfather Sardar Hardas Singh Uppal was a warrior who served in the Sukkarchakia
misl, losing his life on Feb 5, 1762 while fighting against a fauj of 40,000 soldiers of
Abdali and where another 20,000, were following his general Jahan Khan. This battle
known as Vadda Ghallughara (Greater Holocaust) massacre or genocide of Sikhs took
place on February 5, 1762 at Kup-Rahira, Tehsil Malerkotla of District Sangrur. (Now
Malerkotla is itself a district).

In Vadda Ghallughara 40,000 Sikh men, women and children were martyred on a
single day i.e., February 5, 1762. It was Abdali’s sixth invasion on India which he had
undertaken to eliminate the Sikh community. The Sikh Fauj included a large number
of non-combatants (i.e., wives and children of the soldiers). During his fifth invasion
the Sikhs had attacked Abdali’s Fauj and snatched booty from his army and also got
free 150 Hindu girls who were being taken to Afghanistan as captives. Incidentally the
grandfather of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Sardar Charhat Singh (1721-1770) was also a
prominent 18th Century warrior who also took part in Vadda Ghallughara. Maharaja
Ranjit Singh’s father Sardar Mahan Singh had died when he was in his infancy.
Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa had a towering physique often cited as being around 7 feet
tall, according to some writers 8 feet tall. His massive structure i.e., muscular physique
combined with strength and steadfastness were central to his reputation as a
formidable warrior. Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa was the most feared warrior who brought
order to the chaotic troops in Afghanistan. His battle field swords weighed 25 kg.
Rajinder Singh has cited in Gurmat Gyan (September, 2026) that all the so called big
powers U.K., Russia and America had failed to conquer Afghanistan during the last
200 years because of the guerilla chhapamari technique which focuses on surprising
the enemy’s army often relying on local support rather than holding territory. That is
why the three powers of the world had not been able to conquer Afghanistan. The only
person who undertook such a hard task and became successful is Khalsa which under
the valiant Commander-in-Chief Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa turned this impossible task
into possible. That is why he is considered the most feared warrior in Afghanistan.
Guerilla Warfare is a traditional warfare technique in which small mobile groups such
as partisans, rebels and armed civilians use tactics like ambushes, sabotage and hitand-
ran raids to fight a larger, conventional military force.

Jamrud is the doorway to the Khyber Pass which is a mountain pass. Jamrud is about
30 kms from the Afghan border, just 17 kms west of the town Peshawar. The Khyber
Pass connects Jamrud with Landi Kotal to the west, located near the border of
Afghanistan’s Nargarhar Province. Jamrud has served as a vital military base.
Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa faught 20 major battles and each time inflicted a crushing
defeat to the Afghans. At the age of 17 years he was given an independent command
of the army and captured Sialkot from its ruler Jiwan Singh after an intense battle.
One of the bloodiest battles of Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa is that of Shaidu which he
faught in 1927.

He was the most feared warrior. Just two words “Hari Ragla” where “Ragla” means
“Come” struck terror in the hearts of Afghans. The Afghan mothers used these two
words to send their kids to sleep. Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa took Peshawar in 1819 and
included it in the Sikh domain and expanded the frontier of the Sikh Empire.
Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa was Commander-in-Chief of a regiment at the time of
Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s final attack on Kasur in 1807 and because of his prowess in
the battle field he was awarded with a jagir. During 1809-1810 he participated in the
Sialkot, Sahival and Khushab expeditions and in four (1810, 1816, 1817, 1818) out of
the seven expeditious of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. He faught in the battle of Attock in
1813 as second Commander-in-Chief to Diwan Mohkam Chand and in Kashmir in
1814, and 1819. Kashmir was occupied by the Sikh Fauj in 1820 and he was appointed
its Governor. He received a special favour from Maharaja Ranjit Singh who allowed
him to have a coin in his name. This coin remained in circulation in the valley till the
closing years of the 19th century. He is known for the construction of forts at Uri and
Muzzafarbad and for establishing Gurdwara Sahibs, in Matan and Baramula. In 1822
he was assigned the Pathan territory of Hazara on the northwest of the Sikh kingdom.
He remained here for 15 years and settled the disturbed area. He built a road from
Hasan Abdal to Abbotabad. He built a city and named it Harkrishangarh to honour the
eighth Guru Sahib Sri Guru Harkrishan Sahib which later grew into a busy commercial
and trade centre. He raised a town in the vicinity of the Fort, Haripur. During 1827-
1831 he was busy in repelling Sayyid Ahmed Barelevis which was a fierce campaign.
In 1834 he took Peshawar and annexed it to the Sikh domain. In 1836 he built the
fort of Jamrud at the mouth of Khyber Pass and sealed Khyber once for all for the
invaders from the North West. During 1834-35 he was Divan of Hazara. He was the
main force in expanding the Sikh Empire beyond the Indus River right upto the mouth
of Khyber. Thus he is recognized for defeating the Afghans, securing the frontier
and serving as Governor of Kashmir, Peshawar and Hazara.

Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa was the legendary Commander-in-Chief of Sikh Khalsa Fauj
under Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Between 1807 and 1837 he fought over 20 major battles
against the Afghans. He was given the Jagir of Hazara in 1823 following the battle of
Mangal and conquest of Dhamtour.

The battles fought by Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa can be briefly summed up as follows:-
Battle of Alwar, Battle of Kasur (1807), Battle of Sialkot (1808), Battle of Multan (1810),
Battle of Attock (1813), Battle of Multan (1818), Battle of Kashmir (1819) Battle of
Shopian (1819), Battle of Mahmotkot (1816), Battle of Peshawar (1818), Battle of
Mangal, Battle of Nowshera (1823), Battle of Mankera (1821-1822), Battle of Sialkot
(1824), Battle of Shaidu (1827), which was the most bloodiest battle. He also faught
Battle of Mirpur, Battle of Poonch, Battle of Rajauri and Battle of Dhamtour near
Abbottabad. The Battle of Jamrud (1837) was his last sland battle which took place on
April, 30, 1837.

For the protection of border Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa had been busy in establishing
forts. When this news reached the Afghans in Kabul they fore-thought that Sardar Hari
Singh Nalwa was aiming to include the territories of Jalalabad and Kabul in Sikh
domain. At that time Maharaja Ranjit Singh had invited a large portion of Sardar Hari
Singh Nalwa’s contingent from Peshawar to Lahore to please the kings, Nawabs and
British Officers at the marriage ceremony of his grandson Kanwar Nau Nihal Singh.
The Kiledar of Jamrud Fort Sardar Mihan Singh Mirpuri was daily receiving the news
of the preparations being done by the Afghans. He sent a written message to Sardar
Hari Singh Nalwa about it.

Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa wrote a letter to Raja Dhian Singh Dogra the longest serving
Prime Minister during Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s reign along with that letter a message
to Lahore requesting Maharaja Ranjit Singh to send back the contingent which had
been sent for Kanwar Nau Nihal Singh’s marriage ceremony. This message along with
the letter were received by Raja Dhian Singh Dogra on the noon of April 26, 1837, but
he did not inform Maharaja Ranjit Singh about it. Until April 30 no response was
received from Maharaja Ranjit Singh. By 27th April the Afghans had reached Khyber
from the eastern side. When they learnt that Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa was not present
there they attacked Jamrud Fort. Although Kanwar Nau Nihal Singh’s marriage had
taken place on March 7, during March 15 – April 21 Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa had sent
to Lahore four letters which had remained unanswered. Because of his tiredness the
vaids had asked Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa to take rest. He was lying ill in the Quila of
Peshawar.

Surinder Kochhar a representative of Ajit daily posted at Amritsar in his report
published in Ajit on April, 26, 2026 has described in detail as to when, how and why
Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa was martyred and in this write-up several facts have been
based on this report. According to Surinder Kochhar Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa laid the
foundation of the Fort of Jamrud on October 17, 1836 and completed it in February
1837.

Until 30 April no response was received from Maharaja Ranjit Singh. On April 27 the
Afghans entered Darra Khyber from the eastern side. Learning that Sardar Hari Singh
Nalwa was not present in the Fort of Jamrud they became more courageous and the
next day i.e., on April 28 they started bombardment on the Jamrud Fort. Amir Dost
Mohammad Khan along with his five sons and with a huge contingent of Gajis,
appointing Mirza Semi Khan as liable Sultanat had sent to invade the Fort of Jamrud.
In response to this attack Sardar Mihan Singh Mirpuri also started bombardment on
the Afghans from the Quila. These attacks continued throughout the night but because
of darkness nothing happened. Next day i.e., April 29 in the early morning the Afghans
started attacks with cannons. At that time only 1000 soldiers of Sikh fauj were present
in the Quila. Although this small Khalsa fauj was not able to fight against 30,000
Afghans but still the Sikh Fauj from the Jamrud Fort faught very bravely and continued
to counter the attack of the Afghans.

It was necessary to convey the news to Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa. On April 30 with the
help of a Sikh woman Bibi Harsharan Kaur wearing a Pathani dress during the night
was sent from Quila Jamrud to Quila Peshawar. When Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa learnt
about the attack of Afghans on Jamrud, ignoring his illness he rushed towards Jamrud.
The Jawans of Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa who were present in Peshawar Fort also ran
towards Jamrud. In Jamrud Fort when Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa reached Hari Singh
Burj he immediately divided the Fauj into three parts, one under Nidhan Singh Panj
Hattha, second under Amar Singh Khurd Majithia and he kept the third with himself.
Just as the Afghans were getting ready to invade the Khalsa, Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa
and his Fauj attacked the Afghans very fiercely. At this time none of the invaders or
their generals were visible.

After that Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa was thinking of sending the fauj to a camp to take
some rest that he learnt that Sardar Nidhan Singh “Panj Hattha” had gone to Khyber
Pass only with 1500 soldiers and pushing the Afghans he had reached quite inside the
Khyber Pass. So Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa had to follow him to bring him back. On the
other hand, Shamsudin with 2000 soldiers had motivated the Afghans to attack the
Khalsa fauj.

On April 30, the Afghans were successful in demolishing the outside wall of the Fort.
The walls of the Fort were 10 feet wide. Because the Fort was new and not strong
enough to counter large contingents even then the Afghans dared not to enter the fort.
By night fall the Khalsa fauj closed the leakage of the wall by using sacks full of sand.

As mentioned earlier at that time Maharaja Ranjit Singh was attending to his guests.
Raja Dhian Singh Dogra got an excuse as to why he had not given the letters to
Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

To call Nidhan Singh ‘Panj Hatha’ back Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa had to follow him.
Some of Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa’s soldiers obeyed him and came back while the
others went towards Nidhan Singh and started fighting with the Afghans.
In Jamrud Fort when Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa was near Sarkamar (Rati Chetan) which
was like a cave that gajis hiding in this cave attacked Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa. One
bullet hit him in the chest and the other on the thigh. Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa even in
the wounded condition of illness bravely asked S. Amar Singh Khurd to go to help
Sardar Nidhan Singh.

On April 30 in the wounded condition Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa asked Mihan
Singh Meerpuri not to let any one know that he was wounded. When he felt death
was approaching he called Mihan Singh and instructed him to ask all the
soldiers to remain faithful and sincere towards Maharaja Ranjit Singh and that
no one should be told about his death until the fauj returns from Lahore. He
uttered a few more words and then the voice of Babbar Sher lowered and the
stalwart pillar of Sikh Raj, left for his heavenly abode.

Mihan Singh Mirpuri called some significant Sardars and cremated Sardar Hari Singh
Nalwa at midnight under the tent walls following the traditional system. Later on at the
same place his smadh was established. Munshi Mohan Lal (1812-1877) in his book
Umdatut Twarikh has written that on May 6 when Maharaja Ranjit Singh was in Rohtas
he received this sad news. At first his face became red with anger and at once opposite
to his habit, he felt so much troubled that even the onlookers were astonished that he
had tears in his eyes. After keeping quiet for sometime he said my brave general’s
separation is unbearable for me. Today the strong pillar of the Khalsa Raj has left us.
The death of Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa was in a way a beginning of the end of Khalsa
Raj.

Before closing this write-up it is important to mention that there is some difference of
opinion among the writers about the cause of Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa’s death. It is
an unsolved mystery. Some writers feel that it was an accidental injury which killed
him in the midst of the battle of Jamrud from where he was taken to his tent. Sardar
Hari Singh Nalwa died from these injuries. According to The Encyclopaedia of Sikhism
published by Punjabi University, Patiala Part II, 1976, on April 30, 1837 Sardar Hari
Singh Nalwa had to face a fierce battle against the Afghans under Amir Khan where
he received four gun wounds and two sabre cuts across his chest but still he managed
to ride up to his field tent. He continued to issue orders as before until he received a
gun shot wound in the side. He mustered his failing strength for the last time and
managed to ride up to his field tent and on the same day i.e., April 30, 1837 this brave
hero left for his heavenly abode.

Hari Ram Gupta a prominent historian and Sikh military records state that the
Commander was struck with two bullets on the front line before retreating to his camp
where he succumbed to his battle injuries.

According to Surinder Kochahar he was killed by the Gajis who were hiding in the
Sarkamar (Rati Chetan). According to the nineteenth century Afghan text Siraj-al-
Tawarikh he died while engaged in close combat with Wazir Akbar Khan in a hand-tohand
fight without initially recognizing him, resulting in Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa being
knocked down and fatally wounded. Sikh and British-ere chronicles state that he was
struck by enemy gunfire while leading a charge. The main thing to remember is that
because of his bravery and steadfastness his martyrdom took place in the Fort
of Jamrud.

His death was strategically kept a secret for a few days to maintain troop morale and
until the reinforcement arrived from Lahore.
Even after his death just the fear of Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa’s name was sufficient to
frighten the Afghans and they could not oust the Sikh forces from Peshawar to take its
control. Even when the Afghans had learnt about his injury or perhaps death, for five
days they kept themselves shut up and stayed away from the Jamrud Fort. Even after
Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa had left the battle field, his forces kept the Afghans at bay for
seven days and avoided Afghan resurgence who finally retreated. As mentioned
earlier two words “Hari Ragla” “Hari a Hayooah” were sufficient to frighten the Afghans,
which kept the Afghan army at bay for seven days till the arrival of the Sikh forces from
Lahore. In the opinion of some writers the cause of Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa’s death
was betrayal. It is very difficult to refute the opinion of different writers but it seems
quite logical to think that a 7 ft tall, brave, stalwart warrior having a muscular body,
killing a tiger single handed at the age of 14, carrying 25 Kg sword in his hand could
not die in a hand-to-hand fight with anyone. Thus the claim of the Afghan writers is not
logical.

The fact that all the letters and messages sent by Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa during
seven days were not given to him by Raja Dhian Singh (1796-1848) a powerful Dogra
who was Prime Minister and long serving Wazir of the Sikh Empire also needs some
reflection. The marriage of Kanwar Nau Nihal Singh had taken place on March 7, Raja
Dhian Singh did not deliver the messages of Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa, until his death.
One chronicle states that some non-mainstream historical traditions and community
accounts allege that Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa was shot from behind by someone
within or connected to the Lahore Darba’s faction specifically pointing towards
suspicions involving Dogra influences (such as Gulab Singh) who allegedly by
benefitted from his removal and territorial control. Gulab Singh Dogra (1792-1857) the
founder of Dogra Dynasty was elder brother of Dhian Singh Dogra was an influential
person and powerful commander of the Sikh Empire was made Raja of Jammu 1822.

The valour and achievements of Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa, a brave, tall and
stalwart hero cannot be summed up in a brief write-up. Hari Singh Nalwa was
never decisively defeated in a battle though he was fatally wounded in the Battle
of Jamrud while fighting. The Sikh forces held the Afghans at bay and the
Afghan Army ultimately retreated. Thus the death of Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa
was not a tactical defeat, his forces kept the enemy at bay and then the enemy
retreated. In a recent publication USA has included Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa’s
name among the four top most Generals in the world history because he
conquered places outside of India. The loss of Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa is
irreparable for the Sikh Community for all times to come. The Sikh community
will remain indebated to the brave and stalwart warrior Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa,
for all times to come.