Maharaja’s story told in new book by city writer
FILLING IN A GAP IN SIKH HISTORY
THE latest book by an award-winning writer from Leicester will hit the shelves this summer.
Bobby Singh Bansal, 51, studied business management and economics at the University of Leicester before embarking on his writing career.
In 2009, he switched his efforts to writing about Sikh culture, history, heritage and conservation work.
The Punjab Chiefs – The Lost Glory of the Punjab Aristocracy in India and Pakistan is his fifth publication on the theme.
The volume updates an original version first published in 1865 by Sir Lepel Griffin and last updated in 1940.
It has already been launched in India and Australia and comes to the UK in July.
The book gives readers an insight into the lineage of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, who ruled the Sikh empire from 1799 to 1849.
It also delves into the lives of the Muslim, Hindu and Sikh courtiers who served him. Descendants of
It took me five years to compile all the material and slowly track down the families of over 70 noble families
Bobby
some of the families attended the Indian launch in Chandigarh.
Bobby said: “I started researching for this project back in 2015.
“It took me five years to compile all the material and slowly track down the families of over 70 noble families, stretching from Lahore in Pakistan to Delhi in India.
“I met 99 per cent of the families featured in the book, spent hours with them and shared many stories that had been passed down by their forefathers which had never been shared or told.
“I feel that the hard work since starting the book seven years ago has finally paid off.
“Especially when the book caused a frenzy at the launch – the publisher had to order more copies because a lot of people wanted several for their own collections.
“I think the book is important because there has been a huge void since the last version was published over 80 years ago.
“I wanted to fill that gap of history so future generations of students or researchers can go back to my book.
“A lot of the families and descendants have died in the past five years, but I was fortunate enough to meet a lot of them.
“If I hadn’t, a lot of their history would have gone with them to their graves.”