Rao Sahab

**Rao Sahab** is a feudal title of Indian Sub-Continent used by Ahir or Yadav kings. Also among Ahir who belongs to Yaduvanshi Lineage "Rao" is a Sub-caste.

The female varient of the title is Rao Sahabni or Rao Sabani also used to describe the Wife of Rao Sahab.

## Etymology

The _Rao_ word is Synonymous for the Ahirs of Haryana  traced their origin to Hindu deity Krishna and It was also stated that name of the state is also believed to be derived from the Abhirayanas (the original inhabitants of this region). It is also possible that the word Abhirayanas has its origin in the word Abhir or Ahirs.

## History

In the early 15th century, the king of Tijara Ruda Singh Rao, a Yadav Carved out Rewari from the Jungle-Jagir Obtained it from Mughal emperor Humayun. He created Rewari as the Capital of Ahirwal Region. Many people from the caste in this area founded Jagirs. People and other Kings called these Jagirdars Rao Sahab who are Dominant and powerful in the Region.

### Rao Gopal Dev

Rao Gopal Dev was a 19th century revolutionary in Rewari, who along with his cousin Tula Ram fought the British in the 1857 revolt.

### Rao Ruda Singh

Rao Ruda Singh, an Ahir ruler of Tijara, wwas awarded the jagir of the forests of Rewari in 1555 in return for his commendable strategic assistance. Ruda Singh made Bolni village, 12 km south-east of Rewari, his headquarters. He cleared the forests and established new villages.

### Rao Mitrasen Ahir

Rao Mitrasen was the son of Rao Tulsiram and was a Chandravanshi Ahir ruler who ruled Rewari. Rao Raja Mitrasen fought against Muslim invaders, the British, the Kachwahas of Jaipur and the Shekhawat Rajputs etc.

### Rao Gulab Singh

Gulab Singh was the son of Rao Mitrasen Ahir. Gulab Singh planned to establish an independent state near Rewari with Munim Beg. Gulab Singh fought against the Scindia Marathas and defeated the Scindia army in 1790. Then Gulab Singh was defeated by the combined forces of Scindia and Najaf Quli and had to return to Gokulgarh.

### Rao Ram Singh

After Ruda Singh, his son Rao Ram Singh (Ramoji) took over the throne of Rewari.Ram Singh built a fort in Bolni and stationed soldiers there for security purposes. He was a fearless warrior and after a long struggle he was successful in neutralizing the criminals. Ram Singh was on the throne of Rewari during the reigns of Akbar and Jahangir.

In 1784, Rao Ram Singh defeated the Maratha invasion of Rewari. After the death of Rao Mitrasen, the Marathas attacked Rewari again but could not defeat Rao Ram Singh. Rao Ram Singh was martyred in the battle.

### Rao Shahbaz Singh

Rao Ram Singh was succeeded by his son and successor, Shahbaz Singh. Rao was a great warrior and was martyred in a battle with a dacoit named Hathi Singh, a Badgujar of Dhana.

### Rao Balkishan

Balkishan died fighting against Nadir Shah in the Battle of Karnal on 24 February 1739. Pleased with his bravery, Mohammad Shah gave the title of "Rao Bahadur" to Balkishan's brother Gujarmal and gave him a sardar of 5000. The boundaries of his kingdom were expanded and 52 villages of Hisar district and 52 villages of Narnaul were added to it. His fiefdom included Rewari, Jhajjar, Dadri, Hansi, Hisar, Kanaud, and Narnaul, among other important towns. In the year 1743, a few other villages with a mansabdari of Rs. 2,00,578 were also annexed.

### Rao Gujarmal Singh

Gujarmal also had friendly relations with Bahadur Singh's father-in-law, Todarmal of Neemrana. In the year 1750, Todarmal invited Rao Gujarmal on the advice of Bahadur Singh and killed him through deceit. The power of the Ahir family was at its peak during the time of Rao Gujarmal.

The Gurdwara and the Gokulgarh fort are relics of this period. The Gokul coinage was introduced during this period. Gujarmal also built a stupa and a reservoir in his father's name. He founded the villages of Brahmanpur and Morna in Meerut and Ramgarh, Jaitpur and Srinagar in Rewari.

### Rao Bhavani Singh

Rao Gujarmal's son Bhavani Singh succeeded him. Bhavani Singh proved unsuccessful. Parts of his kingdom were captured by the Baloch Nawab of Farrukhnagar, the Nawab of Jhajjar and the Raja of Jaipur, and Bhavani Singh was left with only 22 villages. He was assassinated by a chieftain from his own kingdom in 1758.

### Rao Tej Singh

A rebel chieftain from Delhi, Najaf Quli Khan, captured Gokulgarh fort. The Delhi Emperor Shah Alam II, along with Begum Samru, decided to punish him. On 12 March 1788, Shah Alam camped in Bhadavas and attacked Najaf Quli at night, causing heavy losses to Najaf Quli. Due to the impact of Begum Samru's artillery, Quli Khan was forced to surrender.

The rule of Jauki Ram was unbearable for the entire state. Then Tej Singh, a relative of the Rao of Rewari, who was the ruler of Tauru, came forward at the request of Rao Ram Singh's mother. He attacked Rewari and put Jauki Ram to death and established his own power.

### Rao Tularam Singh

Raja Rao Tularam Singhji (9 December 1825 – 1863), was an Ahir ruler, He was a leading figure in the 1857 independence revolution in Haryana. After the 1857 revolution, he left India and sought help from the rulers of Afghanistan, Iran and the Russian Tsars for the purpose of India's war of independence. But his plan failed due to his death on 23 September 1863 at the age of 38.

### Rao Kishan Gopal

Rao Tula Ram's brother Rao Kishan Gopal was the commander of his Rewari army. He was also an officer in the British East India Company. The freedom struggle started in Meerut under the leadership of Ahir Veer Rao Kishan Gopal and it was he who killed General Timle in the Battle of Nasibpur.