Ahluwalia

Ahluwalias are one of the most progressive community of Punjab. Ahluwalias are an elite community of Kshatriyas. Ahluwalias are renowned for energy, enterprise and obstinacy. Its an old proverb “Death may budge but they won’t”.Walia is shortform of Ahluwalia. Ahluwalias have abandoned their hereditary occupation Distillers and taken up agriculture,commerce,army,civil administration and other commodities. Ahluwalias are in more exalted commercial enterprise particularly in government service where many have achieved notable success. Some have achieved prominence in the army. Others have done so in literature and the universities, earning for themselves an acknowledged reputation as intellectuals.

History and Traditions

The term Ahluwalia came into use after the rise of a resident of the Ahlu village (located 11 miles SE of Lahore), Jassa Singh Ahluwalia as a misldar of the Sikh Kingdom of Punjab. Hence his descendants came to be known by this term. Later, descendants of other residents of the village also came to be known as Ahluwalias.

Ahluwalia’s are basically Chandravanshi Kshatriyas.This is the correct name of our Varuna.

Please Permit me to quote ,Late Shri Kashi Prasad Ji Jaiswal M.A,D.Litt.,Bar-at-Law of Bankipur ,Bihar who had been a Research scholar of International Repute in the subject of History .Dr Jaiswal had been the Editor of a monthly Magazine Galwar Gazette for two years.He served our community with devotion through the media of his a/m Gazettte.Dr Sahib quoted the German Encyclopeadia of Sanskrit,in which the ‘Lok Prakash Granth” written by Maha Pandit Kashmindra,the “Kalya Pals”were the high Raj Darbar Officials to take charge of Ration supplies to the Raja’s Army,the duty once Nawab Jassa Singh Ahluwalia also performed during the reign of Nawab Kapoor Singh in the erstwhile princely State of Kapurthala. Following is the exact quotation for ready reference:(from book referred to above)

Rajiy-Kule Sanya-Lik Kalya-Pal-Biti Raja-dhi-Karni Kau Bhaijye-Sabhi-Dhae Kau.

Mr Kalson,son of Prime Minister Campak Prahba of the restwhile princely state of Kashmir(JandK) has written in the 4th and 5th chapters of ‘Raj Trangani’that the Kalya Pals ruled Kashmir for about one hundred years .These Kalya Pals had twelve thrones to rule the state of KashmirBut the literate meaning of word ‘Kalya’ is ‘Food’and ‘Pal’ means ‘feeder.

Pandit Hari Prashad Shastri M.A.A.C.I.E., research scholar of Calcutta,also wrote that in Hindu Royal Houses of restwhile Princes ‘Kalya Pals’ were the over-all in-charge of food arrangements.These are the very people who have been quoted in the holy Vedas as Keelals.They were to deal with corn,the basis of staple food.They were to prepare sugar-cane juice to be mixed with som rasa,which invited the heavenly Gods to participate in the Yajanas.This important function of preparing and supervising food and ‘rasa’ preparations was intrusted to the trusted community,at present also called ‘AHLUWALIAS’ in this part of the country.But Chandra-Vanshi Kshtriyas is the Main stream of our sacred Varun –Ahluwalia Kshtriyas to quote Late Mr. Gurdas Singh Editor Ahluwalia Kshtriya Patrika New Delhi is equally correct.

Ahluwalia Chiefs

Kapurthala 1777 Kapurthala state founded Rulers (title Sardar) Ahluwalia dynasty

• 1777 - 20 Oct 1783 Jassa Singh (b. 1718 - d. 1783)
• 20 Oct 1783 - 1801 Bagh Singh (b. 1747 - d. 1801)

Rajas Ahluwalia dynasty

• 1801 - 20 Oct 1837 Fateh Singh (b. 1784 - d. 1837)
• 20 Oct 1837 - 13 Sep 1852 Nihal Singh (b. 1817 - d. 1852)
• 13 Sep 1852 - 12 Mar 1861 Randhir Singh (b. 1831 - d. 1870)

Rulers (title Raja-i Rajgan) Ahluwalia dynasty

• 12 Mar 1861 - 2 Apr 1870 Randhir Singh (s.a.)
• 2 Apr 1870 - 3 Sep 1877 Kharrak Singh (b. 1850 - d. 1877)
• 3 Sep 1877 - 12 Dec 1911 Jagatjit Singh Bahadur (b. 1872 - d. 1949)

Maharaja Ahluwalia dynasty

• 12 Dec 1911 - 15 Aug 1947 Jagatjit Singh Bahadur (s.a.)

Common Ahluwalia Names

• Aakre
• Bhawrishi
• Bhagat
• Bhandari
• Bhar
• Bimat
• Bontra
• Caprahaan
• Channi
• Dhaul–
• Diwan
• Harshyaan
• Hoon
• Jaardi
• Jaiswal
• Janvathiya
• Jaspal
• Joshan
• Judge or Jaaj
• Josh
• Kandel
• Kent
• Kher
• Ludhatia
• Malhi
• Malihan
• Malik
• Mumick or Mamik
• Nagi
• Neel
• Mali
• Pabra
• Paintal
• Paul or Pal
• Rana
• Rekhi
• Rosha
• Sand
• Sikand
• Shrikant
• Sulhyan
• Tulsi
• Yashpal

Regal Ahluwalias

• H H Maharajkumari Bibiji Ash Kaur Sahiba of Kapurthala
• H H Maharaja Brig(Retd)Sukhjit Singh MVC of Kapurthala,won Maha Vir Chakra the second highest gallantry award in the 1971 Indo-Pak War.Global Head of Ahluwalias.
• H H Maharani Gita Devi of Kapurthala.
• HH Tikka Raja Shri Shatrujit Singh of Kapurthala,Chief Representative in Asia for Moet-Hennessy and Group Advisor to the French firm, Louis Vuitton, he has pioneered the entry of Moet Hennessy, LVMH perfumes and cosmetics and the LVMH fashion group into India, he is also actively involved in various restoration projects in Punjab and has had other initiatives undertaken for the protection of India's Heritage monuments, he was awarded "The Order of Mohammed" by King Hasan II of Morocco for developing outstanding relationships, both cultural and economic, with the Kingdom of Morocco.President Guru Ka Lal Sultan Ul Quam Nawab Jassa Singh Ahluwalia Memorial Trust (Regd).
• H H Maharajkumari Gayatri Devi of Kapurthala.
• H H Maharajkumari Preeti Devi of Kapurthala.
• H H Maharaj Kumar Suryajit Singh of Kapurthala.
• Kunwar Shri Hari Singh Bhaghat.
• Kunwar Shri Arun Singh of Kapurthala Former Union Minister of State for Defence
• Kunwarani Nina Singh of Kapurthala.
• Kunwar Shri Hanut Singh of Kapurthala Ace Jewelry Designer.http://hanutsingh.com/
• Kunwar Shri Anirudh Singh of Kapurthala.
• Kumari Devaki Kaur of Kapurthala.
• Kunwar Shri Martand Singh of Kapurthala Chairman INTACH UK Trust,Celebrated Textile Designer.
• Kunwar Billy Arjan Singh of Kapurthala Oldest Wildlife Conservationist of India
• Kumari Xenia Ranbir Singh of Kapurthala, Trustee Marwar Animal Protection Trust (UK). m. at St Mary's Church, Westow, North Yorkshire, 16th July 2005, as his second wife, The Hon. Thomas Philip Watson (b. 7th May 1958), younger son and triplet of Captain The Rt. Hon. Joseph Rupert Eric Robert (Watson), 3rd Baron Manton, late 7th Queen's Own Hussars, former gentleman rider, of Houghton Hall, Sancton, York, by his wife, The Rt. Hon. Mary Elizabeth, Baroness Manton, twin daughter of Major Thomas Denehy Hallinan, of Ashbourne, Giounthaune, co. Cork. She is from the line of Raja Harnam Singh of Kapurthala who had embraced Christianity his daughter Rajkumari Amrit Kaur of Kapurthala was the first Union Health Minister of India.
• Kumari Anita Singh of Kapurthala, Founder of the Indian Music Society, Member of the Kapurthala Heritage Trust, Member of the Governing Council of the Punjabi Academy for the Government of Delhi, Member of the Governing Council of the National Media Centre, Member of the Governing Council of the Punjab Sangeet Natak Academy, Advisor on Culture and Heritage in the Government of Punjab.
• Kunwar Shri Vishvjit Prithvijit Singh of Kapurthala Former MP Rajya Sabha
• Kunwar Shri Chandrajit Singh of Kapurthala Businessman.
• Kunwar Shri Aniljit Singh of Kapurthala Computer Scientist, Businessman
• Kunwar Shri Mukuljit Singh of Kapurthala Secretary of the Tiger Haven Society, Rifle Shooting Champion.

Prominent Personalities

The following is the list of the prominent people from this community:

Sultan ul Quam Nawab Jassa Singh Ahluwalia

• Sultan ul Quam Nawab Jassa Singh Ahluwalia - (1718-1783)Supreme Commander of Dal Khalsa,Founder of erstwhile Kapurthala princely state Eighteenth Century Sikh Misldar (Baron)

• Sardar Bagh Singh Hallowalia maternal uncle of Nawab Jassa Singh Ahluwalia prominent Sikh Warrior whose jatha Nawab Jassa Singh Ahluwalia inherited after his death and in true sense he is the founder of Ahluwalia Misl of Dal Khalsa.

• Montek Singh Ahluwalia - Former World Bank economist and Deputy-Chairman of Planning Commission of India.

• R K Ahluwalia - Former Registrar Delhi High Court, Chief Consultant Delhi Legal Services Authority.

• Isher Juge Ahluwalia Director and Chief Executive Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations Deputy Chairperson Punjab Planning Board.http://www.icrier.res.in

• Surendrajeet Singh Ahluwalia - Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha (Upper House), Govt. of India [ 1986 - date.], Former Urban Development Minister, India. Former Parliamentary Affairs Minister, India.

• Premindra Singh Bhagat - Lt. General (Retd.) in the Indian Army and Victoria Cross winner.

• Waris Ahluwalia - Hollywood Actor and Jewellery Designer.

• Kiranjit Ahluwalia Ash - Famous female figure portrayed by Ashwariya Rai in the film Provoked. ^{[citation needed]}
• Dr. Bhupinder Walia - One of the youngest Canadian/American doctors. ^{[citation needed]}
• Dr. Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia- Punjabi bureaucrat,acclaimed&awarded by the U.N.(United Nations)as the promoter of sikhism through his literary works like "Liberating Sikhism from The Sikhs"&literary works on The Akal Takht.

• Rajesh Walia- Ex Squadron Leader In the Indian Air Force awarded VM (Vayu Sena Medal ) Gallantry. Gallantry award winner for Kargil conflict. Carried out Day and Night bombing missions during 1999. Deviced a new mode of attack which reduced IAF attrition rate.

• Baba Kharak Singh, The uncrowned King of the Sikhs,First President of Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee,Famous Sikh Leader before and after Partition.

• Dr. Avtar Singh Paintal - Famous Indian Doctor and Scientist.

• S S Ahluwalia, Awarded Presidents Police Medal for Gallantry and Bar by the President of India in 1974 and in 1983 while serving Nagaland Police from 1967 to 1992 for Acts of rare Gallantry.

• Ravi Walia - Cinematographer and Bollywood Producer.

• Dolly Ahluwalia Tewari - Chandigarh-based costume designer who bagged her first Filmfare award for “Omkara”.A national award winner for her costumes in Shekhar Kapur’s “Bandit Queen” (1993-1994), Dolly has been an integral part of Deepa Mehta’s trilogy, “Fire”, “Earth” and “Water”. For “Water”, Dolly even bagged a nomination in the Genie Awards. And now “Water” is running for the Oscars .

• Shabbir Ahluwalia - TV Actor of Star Plus Kahin Toh Hoga Fame.

• Gursheel Walia - Creative Director of Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin Sony TV Serial.

• Harmohan Singh Walia - from Kellyville an Olympic Torch Bearer in the Sydney 2000 Olympics Games and is former General Secretary of the Australian Sikh Association in Glenwood.He is first Sikh Person to run on a Labor Party at any level of Government in Baulkham Hills Council’s north ward.

• Poonam Ahluwalia - Director World Youth Job Summit.

• Kiran Ahluwalia - Vocal Musician.http://www.kiranmusic.com/

• Sonu Walia Sharma - Former India and Bollywood Actress.

• Air Vice Marshal H.S.Ahluwalia - YSM,VM.

• Air Marshal P.S. Ahluwalia - Director General Flight Safety and Inspection of the Indian Air Force at Air Headquarters, New Delhi.

• Jasjit Singh Ahluwalia - Chief Commissioner of Income Tax (retd.), Indian Revenue Service.After superannuation he is working as Vice President, Worldwide Immigration Consultancy Group (which is a Canadian Group).

• Manmohanjit Singh Ahluwalia - Director (Retd.), Indian Statistical Service.

• Sudarshanjit Singh Ahluwalia - Accountant General Punjab (Retd.) Indian Audit and Account Service.

• Dr. Parmjit Singh, M.D.Mohali based Eminent Skin Specialist .

• Nona Walia - Assistant Editor Times of India.She also handles their women's section called Rouge.

• K T S Tulsi Leading Supreme Court Lawyer, a veteran Public Prosecutor and a former Additional Solicitor General of India. He has been associated with a number of social service organizations, including rotary club, bar council of india, Asia pacific lawyers association, etc. he has written extensively on criminal law, patents law, human rights law and environmental law and also lectured on these in india and abroad.

• Birinder Singh Ahluwalia from Toronto, Canada "Birinder Singh Ahluwalia hails from Amritsar, where he completed his medical degree in 1982 before immigrated to Canada in 1986. He is the President of BSA Diagnostic Ltd, one of the largest Radiological Diagnostic Centres of its kind in Canada. Dr Ahluwalia is widely known as a philanthropist and a patron of education, arts and culture in the Sikh-Canadian community, especially in his role as founder and patron of many of its institutions including Khalsa School in Malton and the Spinning Wheel Film Festival to name a few." -www.centennialfoundation.org."CEO of a chain of Canada's leading medical diagnostic-clinics, Dr Ahluwalia is also a philanthropist and community leader. He is co-founder of The Spinning Wheel Film Festival." -sikhchic.com

• Sardar Bahadur Sir Teja Singh Malik - first Indian Chief Engineer of the Central P.W.D Order of the British Empire father Kaval Malik Singh and father in law of Khushwant Singh.

• Shri Koer Singh Kalal Gurbilas Pathshahi - a Sehajdhari Sikh.

• Rajkumari Amrit Kaur was an eminent Gandhian and freedom fighter. First female cabinet minister of India. She was assigned the Ministry of Health. She was also elected the president of World Health Assembly in 1950, a position held by only two women in the first 25 years of WHO’s history. She was also instrumental in setting up the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi.

• Prof Puran Singh Ahluwalia is universally acclaimed as one of the founders of modern Punjabi poetry.

• Pran Kishan Sikand - Bollywood actor.http://www.pransikand.com

• Prof Deepak Paintal - VC Delhi University.

• Major H.P.S Ahluwalia - Mountaineer.He climbed Mt Everest on 29 May 1965.In 1965 Indo Pak war he was injured and confined to the wheel chair.He set up Indian Spinal Injury Society in 1993.He was awarded Padma Bhushan award in 2002.Major Ahluwalia is also the chairman of Rehabilitation Council of India and is a recipient of several awards like Padamshree, Arjuna award, National Award for the best work done in the field of Disability, order of the Khalsa (Nissan A Khalsa).He has written several books like ‘Higher than Everest’, ‘Beyond the Himalayas’, ‘Everest is within you’.

• Charanjit Singh Walia - Former MP(LS).President International Ahluwalia Sabha
• Satinder Kaur Ahluwalia alias Sindi Hawkins Minister British Columbia Canada.http://sindihawkinsmla.bc.ca
• Jagsharanjit Singh Ahluwalia alias J J Valaya Czar of India Fashion Industry. http://valaya.com

• Maj. Gen. Gurdayal Singh Ahluwalia - Awarded Ati Vishist Seva Medal (AVSM) and former Director ONGC.

• Guneet Singh Walia alias Bunty Walia Bollywood Producer.http://www.gsentertainment.com

• Dr. Sarbjit Neel alias Freedom and Leela International Kirtan Singers. http://www.freedomandleela.com
• Inderjeet Walia Director HR Mittal Steels.

• Harbhagwan Singh Ahluwalia Former Advocate General Punjab and Arun Walia son of Harbhagwan Singh Senior Additional Advocate General Haryana.

• Kishwar Ahluwalia Desai Editor Roli Books and Former CEO Alpha Punjabi.

• Gurdeep Singh Pall Corporate Vice President Microsoft,Real Time collaboration group based at Microsoft Corporate Headquarters in Radmond US.He belongs to Chandigarh.

• Sundeep Sikcand,Sony’s Senior Creative Head.

• Arvind Walia CEO of Porteck Corporation, an MNC [1]

• Jagjit Singh Ahluwalia Director Press and Publication Guru Nanak Dev University Amritsar,President Sultan ul Quam Sardar Jassa Singh Ahluwalia Memorial Society Punjab.

• Puneet Walia Zee Punjabi 2006.

• Ashim Ahluwalia Director of Part documentary and part fiction feature, "John & Jane" a film set in the call centers of Mumbai.He was born in Bombay, India, on June 3, 1972, where he grew up on a nutritious diet of Hindi-movie extravaganzas and B-grade American films. He studied film at Bard College in New York under experimental filmmakers Peter Hutton and Peggy Ahwesh. His previous film, A Short Season, has been to several film festivals, including the 19th Asian-American Film Festival (New York), the Bangkok International Film Festival and the Bombay International Documentary and Short Film Festival. Ashim Ahluwalia lives and works in Bombay.

• Bikramjit Ahluwalia - CMD of Ahluwalia Contracts (India) Limited (ACIL)
• Dr. Harmeet D. Walia is an American endodontist.

References

• http://www.4dw.net/royalark/India/kapurth.htm
• http://www.uq.net.au/~zzhsoszy/ips/k/kapurthala.html
• http://hanutsingh.com/
• http://www.kiranmusic.com/
• http://www.pransikand.com
• http://sindihawkinsmla.bc.ca
• http://valaya.com
• http://www.gsentertainment.com
• http://www.nikiwalia.com/
• http://www.poojabatra.com/
• http://www.reenaahluwalia.com/profile.htm