Jammu, June 29 -- Maharaja Gulab Singh, the founder of the princely State of Jammu and Kashmir, was a remarkable soldier, statesman and visionary. Born on October 21, 1792, into the Jamwal Rajput family of Jammu, he rose from a relatively small hill principality to establish one of the most significant princely states in the Indian subcontinent. His successful career continues to evoke admiration, and historians have often described him as the "Ulysses of the Hills" and the "Talleyrand of the East" for his diplomatic acumen and political foresight.
Maharaja Gulab Singh's life has an aura of adventure and romance. At the age of sixteen, he distinguished himself during the defence of Jammu against forces sent by Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Driven...