From being a petty chieftain to becoming the most powerful Indian ruler of his time, Ranjit Singh's empire extended from Tibet to the deserts of Sindh and from the Khyber Pass to the Sutlej. His army was one of the most powerful of the time in Asia and was the first Indian force in a thousand years to stem the tides of invasion from the north-west frontiers of Hindustan. In this first detailed biography of the first and only Sikh ruler of the Punjab, Khushwant Singh presents Ranjit Singh as he really was. Based on Persian, Punjabi and English sources and drawing upon the diaries and accounts of European travellers, this is a memorable account of the pageantry and brilliance of the Sikh kingdom at the height of its power and a lively portrait of one of the most colourful characters in Indian history.
About the Author
Khushwant Singh is Indias best known writer and columnist. He has been founder editor of Yojana and editor of the Illustrated Weekly of India, the National Herald and the Hindustan Times. He is the author of classics such as Train to Pakistan, I Shall Not Hear the Nightingale and Delhi. His latest novel, The Sunset Club, written when he was 95, was published by Penguin Books in 2010. His nonfiction includes the classic two volume A History of the Sikhs, a number of translations and works on Sikh religion and culture, Delhi, nature, current affairs and Urdu poetry. His autobiography, Truth, Love and a Little Malice, was published by Penguin Books in 2002.
