Raja Dina Nath

Raja Dina Nath Madan (Razdan) (1795 - 1857) aka Diwan Dina Nath or Dina Nath, who was a Kashmiri, rose to the position of the Privy Seal and finance minister (Diwan) in the Punjab empire of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

Dina Nath was civil administrator and counsellor of considerable influence at the Sikh court for well over three decades, was the son of a Kashmiri Pandit, Bakht Mal, who had migrated to Delhi in 1815, during the oppressive rule of the Afghan governors of the valley and obtained a berth in the Estate Office at Lahore. He was also closely related to Diwan Ganga Ram Raina, head of the military accounts and keeper of the privy seal at Lahore.

In 1815, at the instance of Diwan Ganga Ram Raina, Maharaja Ranjit Singh invited Dina Nath to Lahore and offered him the post of mutsaddi, or writer, in the department of military accounts.

In 1826, when Diwan Ganga Ram died, Dina Nath succeeded him as the head of military accounts department and keeper of the privy seal. In 1834, when Diwan Bhavani Das died, the Maharaja made him the head of the civil and finance office and conferred upon him, in 1838, the honorary title of Diwan.

By his ability and political acumen, Dina Nath rose to the highest position of power and influence in the affairs of the State. Lepel Griffin styles him the Talleyrand of the Punjab. After the Maharaja's death, Raja Dina Nath's influence increased.But Dina Nath knew how to keep his ambition in check and was one man in Lahore who made no enemies at the court.In the turbulent days following Ranjit Singh`s death, he refused to take sides with Rani Chand Kaur or Karivar Sher Singh. Sher Singh upon his succession to the throne, reposed his full trust in him. Dina Nath retained his position at the court during.

He was one of the signatories to the treaty which was concluded between the Sikhs and the British after the First Sikh War. Later, when a council was constituted in December 1846 for the governance of the Punjab, Raja Dina Nath was made its President, with the active support of the British. He was the greatest man alive and most faithful to Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

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Wikipedia