Sardar Hari Singh 'Nalwa'

Hari was born in 1791 at Gujranwala (now Pakistan), the capital city of the Sukharchakias before Lahore came into Ranjit Singh's possession. Hari's family was of 'Khatri' origin belonging to the Uppal tribe and had migrated from Majitha, north of Amritsar.

On conclusion of Khande-da-Pahul, the ceremony of initiation, ten-year-old Hari came into the fold of the Khalsa of Guru Gobind Singh at which time his surname became 'Singh'.

In 1804, at the age of thirteen, Hari was given the title of 'Sardar', or Chief, and was placed to command 800 soldiers. Hari Singh became 'Nalwa' after the Sardar "had killed a tiger single-handed on horseback, with the sacrifice, however, of his horse" (Prinsep, 1834: 99).

Hari Singh went on to participate in many glorious victories of the Sikhs and became the Commander-in-Chief of the army along the North Western Frontier of the Sikh Kingdom. He was appointed Governor of various provinces and was one of the wealthiest jagirdars of the Kingdom.

Reference
Prinsep, H.T. (1834) 1970. Origin of the Sikh Power in the Punjab and Political Life of Muha-raja Runjeet Singh, rpt, Punjab: Languages Department, p. 99)

Source: Nalwa, V. 2009. Hari Singh Nalwa ― Champion of the Khalsaji, New Delhi: Manohar.