<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>GAJPAT SI&#7748GH R&#256J&#256 (1738-1789)</TITLE>
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<p class="C1">&#65279GAJPAT SI&#7748GH, R&#256J&#256 (1738-1789), founder of the Sikh state of J&#299nd, was born on 15 April 1738, the second son of Sukhchain Si&#7749gh (d. 1751), who was the younger brother of Gurdit Si&#7749gh, an ancestor of the ruling family of N&#257bh&#257. In 1755, at the age of seventeen, Gajpat Si&#7749gh seized a large tract of country including J&#299nd and Saf&#299do&#7749. In 1764, he joined the <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 Dal under Jass&#257 Si&#7749gh &#256hl&#363v&#257l&#299&#257 and took part in the conquest of Sirhind. He then overran P&#257n&#299pat and Karn&#257l. In 1766, he made J&#299nd his capital. Unlike other Sikh chiefs, he continued to acknowledge the Mu<u>gh</u>al authority in Delhi and paid revenue to the Emperor. He obtained the title of R&#257j&#257 under a royal <i>farm&#257n</i> or decree from Emperor Sh&#257h &#256lam II in February 1772. Gajpat Si&#7749gh was constantly at war with the N&#257bh&#257 chief, and seized his territories Amloh, Bh&#257dso&#7749 and Sa&#7749gr&#363r in 1774. R&#257j&#257 Amar Si&#7749gh of Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257 and other Sikh chiefs compelled him to return the first two to N&#257bh&#257, but Gajpat Si&#7749gh retained Sa&#7749gr&#363r which eventually became the capital of the J&#299nd state. In 1774, R&#257j&#257 Gajpat Si&#7749gh's daughter, R&#257j Kaur, was married to Mah&#257&#7749 Si&#7749gh of the Sukkarchakk&#299&#257 <i>misl.</i> R&#257j Kaur became the mother of Mah&#257r&#257j&#257 Ra&#7751j&#299t Si&#7749gh.</p>
<p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;	R&#257j&#257 Gajpat Si&#7749gh was a strong ally of R&#257j&#257 Amar Si&#7749gh of Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257. He accompanied the Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257 chief on many of his expeditions, joining him in his incursions upon Si&#257lb&#257 and Meerut. He also assisted Amar Si&#7749gh's successor, R&#257j&#257 S&#257hib Si&#7749gh, to restore order in his territories. In 1789, while engaged in an expedition against refractory villages near Amb&#257l&#257, Gajpat Si&#7749gh fell ill and was carried to Saf&#299do&#7749 where he died on 11 November 1789.</p>
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<p class="BIB">
BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1">Griffin, Lepel, <i>The Rajas of the Punjab.</i> Delhi, 1977<BR>
</ol><p class="CONT">Sard&#257r Si&#7749gh Bh&#257&#7789&#299&#257<br></p><BR>
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