Amar Singh Thapa (born 1759)

This article is about Sino-Nepalese war veteran and father of Bhimsen Thapa.. For the commander of Anglo-Nepalese war, see Amar Singh Thapa.
Sanukaji General
Amar Singh Thapa
सानुकाजी जनरल
अमर सिंह थापा
Governor of Palpa[1]
In office
1806-1814
Preceded byestablished
Succeeded byUjir Singh Thapa[2]
Personal details
Born1816 Bikram Samvat (1759 AD)
Gorkha
Died7th Kartik, 1871 Bikram Samvat[2] (October 1814 AD)
Palpa Province, Kingdom of Nepal
SpouseSatyarupa Maya
Parent
Relativessee Thapa dynasty; see Rana dynasty
Residence(s)Bag Durbar
Thapathali Durbar
Military service
Allegiance   Nepal
RankGeneral
Battles/warsSino-Nepalese War; Battles of Unification of Nepal

Amar Singh Thapa (1759 – October 1814), distinguished as Sanukaji Amar Singh Thapa[3] (Nepali: सानुकाजी अमर सिंह थापा Sānukājī Amar Siṃh Thāpā) was a Nepalese military commander, courtier, minister and regional administrator. He was born as the youngest son of one of the leading Gorkhali Bharadar (state-bearing officer) Birabhadra Thapa. He led battles against many independent principalities in Nepal and a battle against Tibet. He was a Governor of Palpa and retained the post till his death in 1814.

Sanu Amar Singh had many influential descendants. He was the father of Mukhtiyar Bhimsen Thapa, Kaji Nain Singh Thapa, Kaji Bakhtawar Singh Thapa and acting Mukhtiyar Ranabir Singh Thapa. He was the grandfather of the first titular Prime Minister of Nepal Mathabarsingh Thapa, Queen Mother Tripurasundari of Nepal, Colonel Ujir Singh Thapa and great-grandfather of Maharaja Jang Bahadur Kunwar Ranaji, Bam Bahadur Kunwar, Ranodip Singh Kunwar and other Jang brothers & their descendants, all through his second son Nain Singh Thapa.

Family

Further information: Thapa dynasty

He was born as the third and youngest son of Kaji Bir Bhadra Thapa. His two elder brothers were Jeevan Thapa and Bangsha Raj Thapa of which Jeevan Thapa died in the Battle of Kirtipur with Kalu Pande.[1] He had two wives one of whom was Satyarupa Maya and the other remains unnamed.[4] His sons fwith Satyarupa Maya were Bhimsen, Nain Singh, Bakhtawar Singh, Amrit Singh, and Ranabir Singh.[5] From his second wife, he had two sons—Ranbam and Ranzawar.[5]

Career

He took part in the war against the Tibet.[1] He fought at Kerung Axis during the Sino-Nepalese War under the leadership of Chautariya Balbhadra Shah and alongside Kirtiman Singh Basnyat and Bhotu Pande.[6][7] He was sent with Balbhadra Shah, Pratiman Rana Magar and all Thargars and Oomaras for defence of Adijgarh.[8] He also fought battles against many independent principalities of Nepal.[1]

When Rana Bahadur Shah abdicated the throne in 1799, Sanu Amar Singh and his son Bhimsen Thapa were promoted from Subedar to the rank of Sardar.[9] Sanu Amar Singh and his father Birbhadra Thapa were in close military affiliations with Kaji Abhiman Singh Basnyat due to which his son Bhimsen obtained the position of personal secretary of ex-King Rana Bahadur Shah from the patronage of Abhiman Singh's nephew Kirtiman Singh.[10] He was appointed as Administrator of Palpa Gauda (Province) in 1806 AD.[1] In 1811 AD, he was promoted to rank of General.[11] He died on 7th Kartik, 1871 V.S. (October 1814 AD) while serving as Governor of Palpa District.[2] He was subsequently replaced by his teenager grandson Ujir Singh Thapa as Governor of Palpa.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Pradhan 2012, p. 22.
  2. ^ a b c d "उजिरसिंह थापाको सालिक". Archived from the original on 2017-10-06. Retrieved 2017-10-08.
  3. ^ He was distinguished from Bada Amar Singh Thapa by distinguishing terms Sanu and Bada meaning junior and senior.
  4. ^ Pradhan 2012, p. 22-23.
  5. ^ a b Pradhan 2012, p. 23.
  6. ^ "Nepalese Army | नेपाली सेना". Archived from the original on 2016-12-20. Retrieved 2017-04-01.
  7. ^ IBP USA 2012, p. 77.
  8. ^ Hasrat 1970, p. 150.
  9. ^ Acharya 2012, pp. 24–25.
  10. ^ Whelpton 1991, p. 35.
  11. ^ Pradhan 2012, p. 28.

Sources