DHANNĀ SIṄGH MALVAĪ (1775-1843), soldier and jāgīrdār under Raṇjīt Siṅgh, belonged to the village of Mauṛ in Nābhā territory. Mall Siṅgh, Dhannā Siṅgh's father, who was the first in the family to be initiated a Sikh, left his village about 1760 and entered the service of Chaṛhat Siṅgh Sukkarchakkīā as a sowār. He was killed in a campaign in the northwest. His son, Dhannā Siṅgh, left Mauṛ in 1793 and took up service with Sāhib Siṅgh Bhaṅgī of Gujrāt. About the year 1800, he enlisted himself in the force of Fateh Siṅgh Kāliāṅvālā as a trooper, and soon rose in his favour, obtaining an independent command. He fought in the Kāliāṅvālā contingent in Piṇḍī Bhaṭṭīāṅ and Kasūr campaigns. On the death in 1807 of Fateh Siṅgh Kāliāṅvālā at Naraiṇgaṛh in Ambālā district, Dhannā Siṅgh entered the service of Mahārājā Raṇjīt Siṅgh. In 1810, he fought against Fateh Khān of Sāhīvāl, receiving a wound in the face. He was one of the agents sent by Raṇjīt Siṅgh to Wazīr Fateh Khān of Kābul to arrange an interview between the two which took place in December 1812 at Jehlum. In July 1813, he fought in the battle of Aṭṭock, when Fateh Khān Bārakzaī was defeated by Dīwān Mohkam Chand. He accompanied the detachment of Rām Diāl and Dal Siṅgh Nahernā in the first expedition against Kashmīr. He distinguished himself in the siege of Multān in 1818, the jewelled sword and shield of the defending Nawāb, Muzaffar Khān, falling into his hands. In 1819, he took part in the final Kashmīr expedition and in 1821 in the siege of Mānkerā. He was present at the capture of Jahāṅgīrā Fort and at the battle of Ṭerī in 1823, and remained on duty for some time in the Peshāwar district under the command of Buddh Siṅgh Sandhāṅvālīā and Prince Khaṛak Siṅgh. In 1837, he took part in the battle of Jamrūd.

         Dhannā Siṅgh enjoyed great esteem in the Mahārājā's court. There were few sardārs whose influence was greater or whose advice was better regarded. He was sent on some political embassies and was a member of the mission which called on Lord William Bentinck at Shimlā in April 1832. He was granted several jāgīrs by the Mahārājā who also secured him at his request his ancestral village, Mauṛ, in 1819. Dhannā Siṅgh died in May 1843. His sons, Bachittar Siṅgh (d. 1840) and Hukam Siṅgh (d. 1846), held prominent positions in the Lahore Darbār.