Jat Mehar Singh

Mehar Singh Dahiya (1916–1945) commonly known as Fauji Mehar Singh and Jat Mehar Singh, was a Haryanavi poet. He was born in the Dahiya clan of Jats in the village Barona in the Kharkhoda tahsil, in the district of Sonipat. In addition to Haryana, his ragnis are still popular in Delhi, Western Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. According to the records of the Jat Regiment, he was born on 15 February 1916. His father, Nand Ram, was a farmer. Due to the economic conditions of the house, his education ended after Class-III. From Childhood, he was fond of singing ragnis. His father was irritated by his son's propensity of singing ragnis, but he was unable to dissuade him from this pastime. He was married to Prem Kaur. In 1937, Mehar Singh joined the army where he kept singing and recording ragnis. During the Second World War, he and his army colleagues allied with the Azad Hind Fauj. In 1945, he died while fighting for the cause of India's freedom.²