ARJAN SIṄGH NALVĀ (d. 1848), a minor jāgīrdār in Sikh times, was youngest of the four sons of the famous general, Harī Siṅgh Nalvā. He was a favourite of Kaṅvar Nau Nihāl Siṅgh, Mahārājā Raṇjīt Siṅgh's grandson. In July 1840, it was reported that Arjan Siṅgh had killed one of his servants whose widow had burnt herself as a sati. Nau Nihāl Siṅgh became very angry and imposed upon him a fine of Rs 10, 000. In October 1848, on the eve of second Anglo-Sikh war, he joined hands with the Sikh army fighting against the British and shut himself up in his fortified house at Gujrāṅwālā. A body of troops sent by Brigadier Campbell and a squadron of Skinner's Horse surrounded the house, but he escaped.

        Arjan Siṅgh died soon after. His grandson, Naraiṇ Siṅgh, who was honoured by the British with the title of Sardār Bahādur, died in March 1934.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

  1. Griffin, Lepel, and C. F. Massy, Chiefs and Families of Note in the Punjab. Lahore, 1909
  2. Ganda Singh, The Panjab in 1839-40. Patiala, 1952
  3. Sohan Lāl Sūrī, 'Umdāt ut-Twārīkh. Lahore, 1885-89

Jatī Rām Gupta