Banda Singh Bahadur

Who was Banda Singh Bahadur?

Banda Singh Bahadur was a Sikh military commander. He is revered as one of greatest Sikh warriors as well as one of the most hallowed martyrs of the Khalsa Army. He lead the struggle against the Mughal Empire in early 18th-century India after meeting Guru Gobind Singh, who gave him the new name of Banda Singh Bahadur as a replacement for his birthname. He is best known for the sack of the Mughal provincial capital, Sirhind. His agrarian uprising against the Mughal administration in Punjab was a critical event that led to the development Dal Khalsa and the Sikh Misls by Nawab Kapur Singh which eventually led to Ranjit Singh capturing Lahore in 1799 and establishing the Sikh Kingdom of the Punjab. After establishing his authority in Punjab, Banda Singh Bahadur abolished the zamindari system, and granted property rights to the tillers of the land.