Sardar Bahadur Risaldar Major Mann Singh IOM, CIE, OBI- Sikhs The Supreme

S. Bahadur Mann Singh was founder of Major Hodson's Horse regiment (4 Horse Regiment), which he raised in June 1857 on the request of Mr. Robert Montgomery, who was greatly impressed by his vast experience of wars being an officer of the Sikh cavalry. He was Commander of elite Ghorcharas of the Khalsa Army and later adjutant of a brigade. Initially the force was known as "Montgomery Sahib Ka Risala" It was, under the command of S. Mann Singh, that on 23rd June 1857 three Risalas were sent off to Delhi for capturing it.

His ancestors belonged to Gajni who founded Distt. Gujranwala (Pak), as many districts of Punjab (Pakistan) were founded by the Sikh Sardars. In 1822 at the age of 25 he joined cavalry of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. He took part in the battles of Afghanistan and capture of Peshawar and later on in Anglo Sikh wars fought at Ferozshah, Sabhrao and Mudki. His major role in capturing king of Delhi Bahadar Shah and his sons and finally to win Delhi on 22-9-1857 and capture of Lucknow on 13-3-1858 were golden pages of Hodson Horse Regiment. At the age of 60 he fought war of Oudh (1858-59). In this war when Hodson and his many officers were killed by the enemy, S. Mann Singh took command of the regiment and reversed the scene though he was badly wounded. He was appointed India's first ever Risaldar Major of Army (9th Bengal Lacers/ cavalry) on March 9, 1866. After that he was appointed Assistant Commissioner and Honorary Magistrate of Amritsar in 1879 and thereafter Sarbarah (Manager) of Darbar Sahib, Amritsar till the end of his life. He died on March 16, 1893 and was cremated in Parikarma of Harimandir Sahib. He was decorated with 1. Order of Merit Class I (I.O.M.) on 24th June 1859 for conspicuous gallantry shown in the field on 13th June 1858, 2. Companion of the order of Indian Empire First type (C.L.E.), 3. Order of British India 1st Class (O.B.L), 4. Mentioned in despatches (honourably mentioned in despatches for his gallantry shown in Oudh campaign in 1858-59), 5 Sardar Bahadur. He was also awarded Jagir at Kot Bara Khan in Punjab and of seven villages in Oudh (near Lucknow).

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