ṬHĀKUR SIṄGH, a kahār or waterman of village Jagatpur, in Amritsar district, was the son of Ratan Siṅgh, one of Mahārājā Raṇjīt Siṅgh's personal attendants. Ratan Siṅgh was a great favourite and had had jāgīrs of over one lakh rupees granted to him. His son Ṭhākur Siṅgh had in his younger days served Mahārājā Duleep Siṅgh. When Mahārājā Duleep Siṅgh was coming back from England in 1886, he contacted Ṭhākur Siṅgh with a view to offering him employment in his household. Ṭhākur Siṅgh went to Bombay to meet him but returned disappointed as the Mahārājā was detained at Aden and was not permitted to continue the journey to India.