Koom Singh Doad

Koom Singh Doad was a Nihang of a Doad Rajput family of village Jalwehra. He was the son of a Hindu, Ghomandi (or Ghamandi). He converted to Sikhi and was administered amrit by Akali Baba Phula Singh Nihang. Koom Singh was one of the first Sikhs, if not the first, in the Doad clan in Doaba area.

He fought in many encounters against the Mughals and Afgans and also participated in the daring midnight raids on the plunderers of Punjab's treasures (gold, silver, jewels and its future—its children and women folk who were being taken to be sold as slaves and a forced converion to another religion.)

He was born in village Jalwehra, Garhshankar tehsil, district Hoshiarpur in Punjab around 1810-1815. His descendants include Shaheed Bhai Manjit Singh Babbar (Sikh hijacker and Shaheed) and Sukhdev Singh Jalwehra (President of Khalistan Council, Brussels).

Koom Singh Doad was the decendant of Shankar Sahai Doad who ruled the whole Doaba, who in turn was a direct descendant of Deo Chand Doad, who was once the ruler of Orissa.

The name Doad came into being in the late 8 or 9th century when the Doads, back then a tribe in Orissa, defeated an army 1.5 times bigger than themselves, so they became to be known as Deoda (Derh in punjabi means one and a half). Slowly, when the Doads migrated to Punjab, intermarried with locals, etc the name slowly changed to Doad.