ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>AJ&#298T SI&#7748GH R&#256J&#256</TITLE> <style type="text/css"> .BODY { background-color: #EAF1F7; background-image: url('images/gtbh.jpg'); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-attachment: fixed; background-position: center; color: #0066CC;} .C1{text-align: justify;color: #0066CC;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .BIB{text-align: center;color: #000099;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .CONT{text-align: right;color: #FF0000;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} </style><META NAME="keywords" CONTENT="AJ*T,SIDGH,RJ"> <META http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"></HEAD> <BODY class="BODY" oncontextmenu="return false" ondragstart="return false" onselectstart="return false"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="C1">&#65279AJ&#298T SI&#7748GH, R&#256J&#256, ruler of L&#257&#7693v&#257, was born the son of Gurdit Si&#7749gh who had acquired territory around Th&#257nesar after the conquest by Sikhs in 1764 of the Mu<u>gh</u>al province of Sirhind. Gurdit Si&#7749gh, who belonged to the same clan as Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh, originally came from the village of Ve&#299&#7749 Po&#299&#7749, about 15 km south of Amritsar, and was a member of the Karo&#7771si&#7749gh&#299&#257 <i>misl</i> or confederacy. In addition to his other acquisitions, Gurdit Si&#7749gh received in <i>j&#257g&#299r</i> from Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh the village of Baddov&#257l, near Ludhi&#257&#7751&#257. After Gurdit Si&#7749gh's death, Aj&#299t Si&#7749gh succeeded him as ruler of the L&#257&#7693v&#257 state. Aj&#299t Si&#7749gh, like his father, continued to be an ally of Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh in his campaigns of conquest and received favours from him. He built a bridge over the River Sarasvat&#299 at Th&#257nesar, and received the title of R&#257j&#257 from Lord Auckland, the British governor-general of India. In the first Anglo-Sikh war, Aj&#299t Si&#7749gh fought on the side of the Sikhs against the British. He along with Ra&#7751jodh Si&#7749gh Maj&#299&#7789h&#299&#257 crossed the Sutlej at Phillaur with a force of 8, 000 men and 70 guns. In rapid marches Aj&#299t Si&#7749gh and Ra&#7751jodh Si&#7749gh seized the forts of Fatehga&#7771h, Dharamko&#7789, and Baddov&#257l, and stole into Ludhi&#257&#7751&#257 cantonment, setting many of the barracks on fire. In the action fought on 21 January 1846 at Baddov&#257l, Sir Henry Smith's column was attacked and more than 200 of his men were slain. But Aj&#299t Si&#7749gh suffered a defeat in the action fought in 'Al&#299w&#257l after a week (28 January) and fled the battlefield. Aj&#299t Si&#7749gh's estates were confiscated by the British in 1846 and he was arrested and detained at All&#257h&#257b&#257d. He, however, contrived to escape after killing his keeper and after long wanderings is supposed to have died in Kashm&#299r.</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"> S&#363r&#299, Sohan L&#257l, <i>'Umd&#257t-ut-Tw&#257r&#299<u>kh</u></i>. Lahore, 1885-89<BR> <li class="C1"> Griffin, Lepel, <i>The Rajas of the Punjab</i> [Reprint]. Delhi, 1971<BR> <li class="C1"> Harbans Singh, <i>The Heritage of the Sikhs</i>. Delhi, 1983<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">Sard&#257r Si&#7749gh Bh&#257&#7789&#299&#257<br></p><BR> </font> <img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""> </HTML></BODY>