Gulab Singh Saini, was an Indian freedom fighter and commander-in-chief of the army of princely state of Ballabhgarh. He led the army of Ballabhgarh state in the Indian Rebellion of 1857 and was hanged on January 9, 1858 in Delhi's Chandni Chowk along with two other leaders of the mutiny.
Early life
He was the son of Jodh Singh Saini. His ancestors were close associates of Raja Nahar Singh's family for many generations and Gulab Singh's forefathers traditionally held the ranks of army chief successively in this predominantly Saini origin Jat principality. Gulab Singh Saini's father, Jodh Singh, was also the 'senapati', or commander-in-chief, of Ballabhgarh's army during the time of Raja Ram Singh, who was Nahar Singh's father. Raja Nahar Singh received all of his military training from Jodh Singh Saini, and later Jodh Singh's son, Gulab Singh Saini, was appointed as the 'senapati' or the army chief upon the coronation of Nahar Singh as the Raja of Ballabhgarh. It is noteworthy that Nahar Singh's lineage is related with Sinsinwar Jats of Bharatpur who by scholarly accounts had originated from Jadon-Saini rulers of Braj.
Role in 1857 mutiny
"On May 10, 1857 when English soldiers advanced from Merut and Ambala to attack Delhi, they had to fight a fierce battle with Gulab Singh Saini and his dare-devil native army. Having completely routed the English army and having made them flee for their lives, he thus played significant role in the coronation of Bahadur Shah Zafar once again as the emperor of India. ”
-B.P. Dheeraj (Correspondent), Punjab Kesari, March 12, 1997 Edition
According to B.P. Dheeraj, a correspondent of Punjab Kesari, Gulab Singh Saini took a stand against the English army in the village of Sihi. He led a composite army which consisted of Muslims, Jats , Sainis , Meos and a lot of other soldiers of Rajput extractions. On May 10, 1857 Gulab Singh and his native army inflicted a crushing defeat on the army of East India Company and forced them to retreat. This campaign was undertaken to prevent the English army's entry into Delhi to dethrone Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last nominal Mughal emperor of India. Due to Gulab Singh's efforts English temporarily failed in accomplishing this and this allowed Bahadur Shah Zafar to be coronated once again as the emperor of India and the nominal leader of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 by a congre of Indian rulers
1857 India's First War of Freedom. Gulab Singh Saini was a prominent miilitary commander of this war.
Capture and execution
Gulab Singh Saini was hanged , along with Nahar Singh, Khushal Singh and Madho Singh, in the Chandni Chowk of New Delhi on January 9, 1858 after they had been allegedly captured by deception by English forces. Thereupon, all of his property and land was confiscated by the British colonialists and all public records pertaining to him and his companions were burnt down to erase the influence of their martyrdom on the natives .
References
Post-Pāinian Systems of Sanskrit Grammar,Dedication page, Ranjit Singh Saini , Published by Parimal Publications, 1999
Raja Nahar Singh Ka Balidan, Dr. Ranjit Singh Saini (MA, LLB, Ph.D),pp 10, New Bhartiya Book Corporation, 2000 Edition, Printers- Amar Jain Printing Press, New Delhi.
Shaheed Gulab Singh Saini, by B.P. Dheeraj (Correspondent), Punjab Kesari, March 12, 1997 Edition
1857 The First Challenge, Thrusday, May 10, 2007, Prof V.N. Datta, The Tribune, Chandigarh, India
