Diwan Kirpa Ram (d. 1842), the youngest son of Diwan
Moti Ram
Moti or MOTI may refer to:
Names
* Mordecai (disambiguation), a Hebrew given name, abbreviated Moti
* Motilal (disambiguation), an Indian given name often abbreviated Moti
People
* Moti (DJ) (Timotheus "Timo" Romme, born 1987), Dutch DJ and ...
, was a civil administrator and soldier in the
Sikh Empire.
Family
Diwan Kirpa Ram was born into a family with a rich legacy of military and administrative service. His grandfather
Dewan Mokham Chand, contributed significantly to the early consolidation of territories that came under the sway of
Ranjit Singh
Ranjit Singh (13 November 1780 – 27 June 1839), popularly known as Sher-e-Punjab or "Lion of Punjab", was the first Maharaja of the Sikh Empire, which ruled the northwest Indian subcontinent in the early half of the 19th century. He s ...
. Moti Ram was an honest, well-respected administrator and faithful courtier, who served as the governor of Kashmir for two terms. Diwan Kirpa Ram's brother,
Diwan Ram Dayal, was killed in the line of duty while trying to enforce tribute collection from rebellious tribes in
Hazara
Hazara may refer to:
Ethnic groups
* The Hazaras, a Persian-speaking people of Afghanistan and Pakistan
* Aimaq Hazara, Aimaq's subtribe of Hazara origin
* Hazarawals, a Hindko-speaking people of the Hazara region of northern Pakistan
* Hazar ...
.
Career
Kirpa Ram managed the Jalandhar doab while his father, Diwan Moti Ram, was serving in Kashmir. In 1823, Diwan Kirpa Ram participated in the
Battle of Nowshera against the
Barakzai Afghans
Afghans ( ps, افغانان, translit=afghanan; Persian/ prs, افغان ها, translit=afghānhā; Persian: افغانستانی, romanized: ''Afghanistani'') or Afghan people are nationals or citizens of Afghanistan, or people with ancestry f ...
in the trans-Indus region on the banks of the
river Kabul. He was with the advance troops and played a crucial role alongside
Hari Singh Nalwa in securing Sikh dominance against Afghan forces, which underscored his strategic capabilities and military prowess.
In 1827, Diwan Kirpa Ram was appointed the Governor of Kashmir, a post he held till 1831. Despite his success, and like his father before him, Kirpa Ram faced political challenges and intrigues within the Maharaja's court, particularly from rivals like
Dhian Singh and
Gulab Singh Dogra, who had long been eyeing Kashmir. Accusations of embezzlement led to Kirpa Ram's imprisonment.
Departure
Repeated insults, slights, imprisonment and the imposition of an unjustified exorbitant fine forced Kirpa Ram to apply for permission to join his father in
Benares. While Moti Ram obtained permission from Ranjit Singh before he left the Sikh Empire for Benares in May 1833, Kirpa Ram applied but got no answer. Tired of waiting, Diwan Kirpa Ram undertook a pilgrimage to
Jwalamukhi and crossed the Satluj into British territory. En route, he was offered a job by the
Phulkian
The Phulkian (or Phoolkian) Maharajas were Jat-Sikh rulers and aristocrats in the Punjab region of India. They governed the states of Faridkot, Jind, Nabha, Malaudh and Patiala, allying themselves with the British Raj as per the Cis-Sutlej t ...
rajas whose state he travelled through, but he refused them.
After Kirpa Ram's departure, Ranjit Singh applauded the capability and intelligence of Dewan Mokham Chand, Moti Ram, Ram Dayal and Kirpa Ram in the Durbar.
He attempted Moti Ram's return without success. After Ranjit Singh's demise, his inheritors tried to tempt Diwan Kirpa Ram with money and position but failed.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ram, Diwan Kirpa
1842 deaths
Ranjit Singh
Kashmir
Sikh Empire
Sikhs
Punjab