(Raja) Jaswant Singh (1775 – 22.5.1840) was the son of Hamir Singh, the ruler of Nabha. He succeeded his father in 1783. His step-mother Mai Deso managed the affairs of the State during his age of minority. In 1790, his mother died and he himself had to run his State. Raja Jaswant Singh had to struggle hard to regain his territory captured by the ruler of Patiala and Gajpat Singh of Jind. In 1789, Gajpat Singh died. It gave him much relief. In 1804, he helped Lord Lake as against Jaswant Rao Holkar. In 1805, Maharaja Ranjit Singh tried to mediate in his dispute with the Jind State. Maharaja Ranjit Singh too granted some territory to Jaswant Singh as a token of friendship. In 1809, he accepted British protectorate. He helped the British in several expeditions (Gurkha war in 1814, Kabul war 1838) and earned favours from the British.
(Dr. Harjinder Singh Dilgeer)