Ilahi Bakhsh

ILAHI BAKHSH, an officer in Maharaja Ranjit Singh's army who commanded the special artillery wing of FaujiKhas and a portion of the artillery corps named DerahiIlahi Bakhsh. General Ilalu Bakhsh's lopkhdnd look part in most of the military campaigns of the Maharaja. It was employed to great effect during the conquest ofMultan in 1818, and, two years later, in the pacification of Hazara and Dera Gha/T Khan. The Maharaja often called upon General Ilahl Bakhsh to display, on ceremonial occasions, the skill and effectiveness of his batteries. At the lime of tlie Ropar meeting in Octo ber 1831 between the Maharaja and Lord William Bentinck, GovernorGeneral of India, Ilahi Bakhsh arranged a demonstration of his artillery as well as of his own firing skill in the course of evening entertainments and the review of troops. Sir Lepel Griffin described him as "the best artillery officer in the Sikh army."