Diwan Kaura Mall (? – 5.3.1752), son of Bhai Vallu Ram Chuggh, an Arora Sahijdhari Hindu, a resident of village Shorkot (district Jhang, Pakistan), was a general and a courtier of Zakaria Khan, Shah Nawaz Khan and Muin-ul-Mulk. In 1738, he was appointed a minister for Multan. In 1746, when Lakhpat Rai, a Hindu minister of Punjab arrested all the Sikhs of Lahore and ordered their execution on March 10, 1746, he pleaded with him not to kill them (though Lakhpat did not yield to his request). Lakhpat Rai killed several thousand Sikhs in the following couple of months. Diwan Kaura Mall was friendly to the Sikhs. He could not tolerate it and left Lahore for Multan. Here, he joined the camp of Shah Niwaz Khan, the Governor of Multan. Shah Niwaz Khan became Governor of Lahore on March 21, 1747. He appointed Diwan Kaura Mall as his minister. In March 1748, Muin-ul-Mulk (Mir Mannu) became the Governor of Lahore. Muin also appointed Diwan Kaura Mall as a minister. Muin-ul-Mulk arrested Lakhpat Rai and fined him rupees three million. Lakhpat’s property was confiscated and sold. Two hundred and twenty thousand rupees were recovered through the sale of his property and the rest, eight hundred thousand rupees, was the price of his head. Diwan Kaura Mall paid this price and handed him (Lakhpat) over to the Sikhs. The Sikhs gave him the same treatment that he had given to the innocent Sikhs and their families. Diwan Kaura Mall affected a compromise between Muin-ul-Mulk and the Sikhs. The Sikhs and the Lahore Darbar made a joint attack on Multan in 1749. After his victory of Multan, Diwan Kaura Mall was given the title of Maharaj Bahadur besides he was appointed as the Governor of Multan. Diwan Kaura Mall died while fighting against the army of Ahmed Shah Durrani, on March 6, 1752. It is believed that he was killed as a result of a conspiracy of Adina Beg, who hired one Bazid Khan of Kasur too kill Diwan Kaura Mall. Diwan Kaura Mall was known, by the Sikhs, as Mittha (literally: sweet) Mall instead of Kaura (literally: bitter) Mall, because of his friendship with the Sikhs. During the rule of Ranjit Singh, the descendants of Diwan Kaura Mall embraced Sikh faith. The well-known poet Bhai Vir Singh was a descendant of Diwan Kaura Mall.
(Dr Harjinder Singh Dilgeer)