Sardar Bahadur Sardar Shamsher Singh C.I.E. of Qila Raipur, was born into Grewal Jat family at Pati Ranga at Qila Raipur, he was the son of Sardar Jaimal Singh of Qila Raipur, he was invited by His late Highness Raja Sir Raghbir Singh Bahadur to the State, to whom he was distantly related, to become a Darbari and work as confidential English Secretary. Since then he has had a uniformally successful and distinguished official career. In 1887, during the minority of the Maharaja Sir Ranbir Singh Bahadur of Jind, he was appointed Postmaster-General and Secretary to the Council of Regency. While in this capacity he attended the Durbar of Punjab Chiefs held by His Excellency Lord Elgin at Lahore in 1894. On the attainment of the majority by the present Ruler in 1899, he was promoted to the post of Chief Judge of the State High Court. While holding this post he rendered great assistance to Mr. L. L. Tomkins, Superintendent of Police (on special duty), in the suppression of the dacoits in the Phulkian States. He was granted the title of Sardar Bahadur in June 1906, the Sanad being presented to him by His Excellency the Viceroy (Lord Minto) on his visit to Jind State in November 1906.
A Khillat was awarded to him by His Highness the Maharaja on account of his good services being thus recognised by the Government. A further honour of C. I. E. was conferred on him at the great Imperial Coronation Durbar of 1911, and His Highness again showed his appreciation of the Sardar Bahadur’s services on this occasion and on that of his Silver Jubilee by the grant ofa valuable Khillat, a life allowance, a Jagir for 3 generations and house property.
The Sardar Bahadur holds six medals :—
- for the C. I. E;
- for the Coronation Durbar of 1903 ;
- for the Coronation Durbar of 1911;
- for the Afghan War, 1879-80;
- Bronze Star Medal for march from Kabul to Kandahar in 1888;
- for the Badshahi Mela, 1911. A seventh one is expected for the Sardar Bahadurship. He owns three villages in Hissar District, some ancestral property in Ludhiana District and a house and a garden at Sangrur (Jind State ).
References :-
- Imperial Coronation Durbar of Delhi (1911), Volume 2 by Umair Mirza