He was born in
Majitha to Sardar Attar Singh of the
Sher-Gill Jat clan. With his father, he participated in many campaigns under
Ranjit Singh. In 1843 he succeeded his father. During the
First Anglo-Sikh War he was responsible for maintaining order in
Naushera. He was a notable advocate of rebellion prior to the start of the
Second Anglo-Sikh War. On Sher Singh leaving
Multan, he was placed in command of one division of his army, consisting of two thousand men and two guns. He led a march to
Jalalpur which was noted for its excesses, including the defilement of mosques at
Chiniot and
Jhang, and plundering two lakhs of government money. After the
Battle of Gujrat, his jagirs were confiscated and he was banished to
Benares on a pension of Rs. 720 per annum. At the start of the
Indian Rebellion of 1857, Surat Singh remained in exile in Banaras. In June 1857 a corps of Ludhiana Sikhs serving in the
37th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry in Benares was accused of disloyalty and had guns directed at them. This incensed the corps who charged at the guns, suffering many loses. Nearby a Sikh regiment was guarding the Benares treasury, and on hearing the treatment of the Ludhiana Sikhs, threatened to mutiny. Surat Singh visited the regiment and using his personal influence discouraged them from rebelling. Later in the rebellion he commanded troops on various occasions in the field, and on 6 July was wounded by a sabre to the thigh by a body of Rajputs who had attacked Benares. For his services in 1857, he was awarded a pension of Rs. 4,800 per annum, and awarded a jagir in perpetuity in
Dumri,
Gorakhpur. He was also allowed to return to the Punjab. In 1875 he was made an Honorary Magistrate and granted civil-judicial powers in Majithia. In 1877 he was awarded the title of
Raja and made a
Companion of the Star of India. He died in 1881 and was succeeded by his eldest son
Umrao Singh Sher-Gil. His granddaughter through Umrao Singh was the artist
Amrita Sher-Gil. His younger son
Sundar Singh Majithia became a prominent politician in the Punjab. ==References==