Sahibzada Ajit Singh (26.1.1687 – 7.12.1705), the eldest son of Guru Gobind Singh was born at Paonta (Himanchal Pradesh). Ajit Singh was an intelligent boy and within a few years of his life he had studied a lot of Sikh literature as well as martial arts (wrestling, riding, swordsmanship, archery etc.). At the age of 12, on May 23, 1699, he led a band of 100 Sikhs to Nuh village (near Aanandpur Sahib) where the local Ranghars had looted some Sikhs of Pothohar who were on their way to Aanandpur Sahib. The Sikh soldiers punished the Ranghars, arrested their chief Keso Ram and produced him before Guru Gobind Singh Sahib. On August 29, 1700, Ajit Singh fought against the hill chief invaders who had attacked Aanandpur Sahib. He, along with Bhai Udey Singh, defended the fortress of Taragarh. In October (7 and 12 to 14) 1700, he fought a battle at Nirmohgarh (near Aanandpur Sahib). On March 15, 1701, he led a successful expedition against the Gujjars and Rangharhs of Bajrur, who had waylaid the Sangat of Darap area (district Sialkot). On March 7, 1703, he, along with Bhai Udey Singh and 100 Sikh soldiers, led an expedition, against Jabar Jang Khan, the Pathan chief of Bassi (about nine km from Hoshiarpur) who had forcibly taken away the bride of Devki Das, a Brahmin (a high caste Hindu). They captured the Pathan and brought him to Aanandpur Sahib. Jabar Jang Khan was punished and the wife of Devki Das was restored to him. (According to Bhatt Vahi Purabi Dakkhani) Sahibzada Ajit Singh was married to Bibi Tara Bai, daughter of Bhai Sewa Singh of Burhanpur, on November 17, 1704. A child named Hatthi Singh was born to her, on December 9, 1705, at Agra. [In 1708, Bibi Tara Bai was re-married to a young boy of Burhanpur. Mata Sunder Kaur adopted this boy as her son and named him Ajit Singh]. On May 3, 1705, Aanandpur Sahib was besieged by the armies of the hill chiefs and the Moguls. During the siege of about seven months, he fought bravely. The Sikhs abandoned the town on the night of December 5-6. Sahibzada Ajit Singh led a group of about fifty Sikhs. From Aanandpur Sahib he went to Ropar side via Malakpur Rangharan. Here he saw Bhai Bachitar Singh who had been very seriously wounded. With the help of his companions, he picked up Bhai Bachitar Singh and took him to Kotla Nihang Khan. He rested at the residence of Bhai Nihang Khan for some hours and left the place at night. In early hours of December 7, 1705, he reached Chamkaur. Here, Guru Gobind Singh Sahib, Sahibzadas Ajit Singh and Jujhar Singh and about 50 Sikhs took positions in a fortified mansion. The Mogul army and their tributaries too reached the place. The mansion was besieged by the Mogul forces. In the most crucial battle of the Sikh history, on December 7, 1705, he fought bravely and sacrificed his life. His younger brother Jujhar Singh was the next to follow. Fifty Sikhs fought against an army of thousands. Forty of them embraced martyrdom. In 1975, Mohali, a town near Chandigarh, was named Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, to commemorate his memory.
(Dr Harjinder Singh Dilgeer)