Raj Kaur
Raj Kaur, d. 1789, Sikh princess’, mother of Ranjit Singh. Daughter of Gajpat Singh of Jind, she was married to Maha Singh of Gujranwala, when her husband was only 14. She gave birth to Ranjit Singh in November 1780, and came to be called Mai Malwain (`Malwa Mother’). When her husband died in 1792 at the age of only 27, she was nominated as the regent to her minor son, then only 12. She was assisted by Lakhpat Rai as dewan, though Sada Kaur, the mother-in-law of Ranjit Singh exercised more control over the administration. Raj Kaur did not exercise any wholesome influence over Ranjit Singh and he became completely alienated from her when he took the direct control of the state at the age of 17, and dismissed the dewan. The story of the liaison between Raj Kaur and her dewan, and of her assasination at the hands of Ranjit Singh is now regarded as fictitious.
