Dyal Singh Majithia
Born	1848 Varanasi
Died	1898 Lahore
Occupation	Banker
Religious beliefs	Brahmo, Sikh
Spouse(s)	Rani Bhagwan Koer

Raja Rammohun Roy's greatest follower in Upper India was Sirdar Dyal Singh, in whose person the two strands (of Western ideas and Indian thought) seem to have been fused. Born nine years after Ranjit Singh's death and fifteen years after Rammohun Roy's demise, this scion of the family that helped Ranjit Singh carve out a Sikh kingdom was one of the greatest Brahmos in the Punjab.^[1]

Dyal Singh is notable because:

• He founded / owned the Punjab National Bank. The Bank was founded on May 23 1894 (its first meeting was held at 6:30 PM at Dyal Singh's house). At the second meeting on May 27 1894, Dyal Singh was appointed Chairman and Harkishan Lal was Secretary of the Board.
• He founded The Tribune newspaper (now HQ in Chandigarh)
• He was closely associated with Punjab University
• Many colleges all over Upper India were founded by him.
• The Privy Council Judgement for his succession is a leading judgement on "Who is a Hindu?"
• He was a founding Trustee of the Sadharan Brahmo Samaj

[edit] Summary

Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia (1848-98) was a champion of progressive and social reform measures in Punjab. Born in Varanasi, Dyal Singh was the only son of General Lehna Singh. He lost his parents at the age of six. He got his early education in the Mission School at Amritsar and was later self-educated. He founded the newspaper "Tribune". He managed the affairs of the Harmandir Sahib ("Golden Temple") for nearly thirty years. Being a Brahmo Samaji he cut off his hair and lived in European style. He took up business in real estate and diamonds and earned huge wealth. He was the first president of the Indian Association of Lahore and continued in that capacity till his death. He was Chairman, Board of Directors of the country's first indigenous bank, the Punjab National Bank. He was also a pillar of the Brahmo Samaj and donated liberally for educational institutions and libraries.

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