Diwan Sawan Mal Chopra


'Diwan Sawan Mal Chopra was the Khatri Diwan of Lahore and Multan. He was originally from Peshawar and was originally a 'Munshi' to Malik Mohan Lal, Subahdar of Multan under the Durranis. Along with Hari Singh Nalwa, he was a top commander in Ranjit Singh's army. As a general under Ranjit Singh, he assisted in wresting the 'subah' of Multan from the Durrani Afghans in 1823, after which he was made Diwan of the region. He instituted improvements in agricultural production through irrigation schemes.
In 1834 he signed an agreement on behalf of the Maharaja with Sardar Karam Khan, a mazari warrior respected highly in his tribe as well as in Sikh army. Sardar Karam Khan was younger brother of Mir bahram Khan, Chief of the Mazari tribe, thereby ending the long war between the Sikhs and the Mazaris of Rojhan. He was succeeded to the governorship of Multan by his son, Diwan Mulraj Chopra, who was the last ethnic Punjabi to administer Multan.