Brave & Kind Heroes
Sikh history is full of people who were brave, kind and fair. Here are some of them.
Bhai Kanhaiya
1700s
During battles, he gave water to all wounded soldiers — even enemy soldiers! When others complained, Guru Gobind Singh Ji praised him and gave him medicine to help them too. He is often called a forerunner of the Red Cross.
Mai Bhago
1705
A brave woman who led forty Sikh soldiers back into battle to defend Guru Gobind Singh Ji at Muktsar. She later became one of the Guru’s bodyguards.
Banda Singh Bahadur
1670–1716
A great leader who set up the first Sikh rule in Punjab. He gave land to the poor farmers who worked on it.
Baba Deep Singh
1682–1757
A scholar who copied Guru Granth Sahib Ji by hand. At age 75 he fought to protect Sri Darbar Sahib (the Golden Temple), and the story says he kept fighting even after a terrible wound, holding his head in his hand.
Hari Singh Nalwa
1791–1837
The bravest general of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, famous for defending the Khyber Pass.
The 21 of Saragarhi
1897
21 Sikh soldiers, led by Havildar Ishar Singh, defended a small outpost against around 10,000 attackers. They fought to the very last man.
Sikh soldiers in the World Wars
1914–1945
Sikhs fought bravely all over the world, even though they were a tiny part of India’s population. Over 83,000 turbaned soldiers gave their lives in the two World Wars.
Princess Sophia Duleep Singh
1876–1948
The granddaughter of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, she fought for women in Britain to have the right to vote.