Zaildar
Zaildar (ज़ैलदार )(ذیلدار) is upprmost surname in jatt community , and a grand jagirdar of the area, in charge of a Zail in the colonial rural administration of Punjab in British India. Each Zail was an administrative unit, extending between 6 to 25 villages.[1](p xxv) They are mainly landlords among that villages.
Appointment Criteria
Zaildars were equivalent to the Sardar, Chaudharis (feudal zamindars) of earlier times
Role and Remuneration of Zaildar
Zaildars were essentially revenue minister and representatives of the British Empire who enjoyed remuneration for their duties, life grants of either fixed amount[2] or grant equal to one per cent of the revenue of their zails from the assessment of any single village that they chose.[3]
Safedposh
In addition to these life inams, or grants, there were some Safedposhi grants of a semi-hereditary nature enjoyed by some of the leading agricultural families. They were semi-hereditary because one of the conditions of the grant was that on the death of an incumbent, his successor should, if possible, be a member of the same family.[3] If, however, there was no fit member of the same family, the grant could be awarded to some deserving Lambardar of the same tribe, who was not already in the enjoyment of such a grant.
Influence of Zaildari System
The position was quite important as it extended the influence of the colonial state right into the villages.[1]
Abolishment
Post [Indian independence]] in 1947, the system of Zails, Zaildars and Safedposh continued to exist till 1948 but were finally abolished in 1952 by the Government of India.[4]
Examples of Zaildar
- Chaudhary Pritam Singh was Zaildar of village Thol, District Kurukshetra, Haryana.
- Chaudhary Pritam Singh was Zaildar of village Thol, District Kurukshetra, Haryana.
Zaildars of Ludhiana
- Most prominent Zaildars in Malwa district were from Ludhiana Zaildar Harnam Singh Gill, succedeed by Zaildar Devinder Singh Gill who was also bestowed the title of Hon Sardar Sahib by Lord Wavell on 1st Jan 1944 for his services in the British Army (British Raj). Lord Wavell was the Viceroy of India till 1947 and then was replaced by Lord Mountbatten of Burma. After Sardar Sahib Zaildar Devinder Singh Gill the Zaildari was succeeded by Zaildar Harbans Gill who also served few years in the Indian Army.
- Khan Sahib Ghulam Ahmed Khan Zaildar of (Village Soita) Jalandhar. He was son of Khan Bahadur Alam Khan Sherwani (Member District Board Jalandhar, Assessor in Session Court Jalandhar and owner of 12,000 Acres). Khan Sahib Ghulam Ahmed Khan was grandson of Khan Bahadur Ghulam Haider Khan (Chief of Sherwani Tribe).
- Abdul Aziz Tarar. He belongs to Vanike Tarar, district Hafizbad, Punjab, Pakistan.
- Ch. Sohrab Khan was Zaildar of Mewat Area in Haryana Badgujar Pall (Singaria)
- Pandit Sansar Chand was Zaildar of Nawanshahar region of Punjab (Centre Seat Village Rahon)
- Chaudhary Bostan Khan was Zaildar of Rawalpindi and Islamabad region of Punjab,Pakistan.
He was the Owner of 84 Villages of Islamabad(The capital territory) and Rawalpindi. Chaudhary Bostan Khan belongs to a Royal Family of Punjab,Pakistan.
- Chaudhary Vishwatam Saroop was zaildar of 18 villages of Banur, Tehsil Rajpura, Punjab.
- " Chaudhary Nathu Singh Tewatia S/O Rai Sahab Badam Singh Tewatia (Sihi)" was Jaildar of Sihi , Tehsil Ballabgarh, Haryana.
He belongs to Royal and Powerful Family. He was the owner of 110 villages.
See also
References
- 1 2 The Indian Army and the Making of Punjab, Rajit K. Mazumder, Permanent Black
- ↑ Revised Settlement of Hisar District, p37-40
- 1 2 Final Report of Revised Settlement, Hoshiarpur District, 1879-84 By J. A. L. Montgomery
- ↑ Haryana Gazetteers Organization (1987). "Gazetteer of India: Haryana, Hisar, pp.168" (PDF). Chandigarh: Controller of Printing and Stationery.