Kharag Singh (9.2.1801 – 4.11.1840), son of (Maharaja) Ranjit Singh, was born at Lahore. Maharaja Ranjit Singh gave him the best possible martial trainings. When he grew up, he got married to Chand Kaur (daughter of Sirdar Jai Singh Kanhaiya) who gave birth to Naunihal Singh. From the very beginning he was assigned military campaigns. In 1818, he headed Multan campaign, followed by Kashmir in 1819. After Ranjit Singh’s death he was installed as the Maharaja of the Punjab, on June 27, 1839. Within a short period, Dogra Dhian Sinh started making conspiracies against him (Kharag Singh). The Dogras were even successful in winning the Maharaja’s young son prince Naunihal Singh. Their first task was to kill Chet Singh, the most trusted friend of the Maharaja. Chet Singh was killed on the night of October 9, 1839, before the eyes of the Maharaja. The next morning he was replaced by his son Naunihal Singh. Since then Maharaja Kharag Singh remained under the surveillance of the Dogras. Dogras began poisoning Kharag Singh’s food. He died of food poisoning on November 4, 1840. On the day of his funeral (November 5, 1840), his son (Maharaja) Naunihal Singh was also killed by the Dogras.
(Dr Harjinder Singh Dilgeer)