Chandigarh, September 16
On Sunday when Sherdils, a team of Sikh Polo players that drives its name from the Regiment of Bodyguards of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, takes on the British Army in Princess Camilla Charity match in London, it will revive the traditional Polo rivalry between the Sikhs and the British Royalty that otherwise has been dormant for over 70 years now.

A four-member Sherdil team comprising Lieut-Col Navjit Singh Sandhu of 61st Cavalry, Angad Singh (grandson of Amarinder Singh), Jai Inder Singh (grandson of Maj-Gen RS Sparrow and the son of Lieut-Gen TS Shergill) and Dr Pawandeep Singh (Tony) (son of Tarlochan Singh, a former MP) left for London yesterday.

Pawandeep, a doctor by profession and the captain of the team, told The Tribune that Sherdils are carrying the Saragarhi Cup carrying an emblem of the Sherdil Regiment of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. At present, 16 Grenadiers of Pakistan Army are known as Sherdils.

Talking about the event, Pawandeep says that on arrival Sherdils will have a practice game on Saturday at Tidmouth Army Polo Club.

“The occasion for the revival of the rivalry is a charity match dedicated to the infamous Saragarhi battle. Winners will keep Saragarhi Cup that they will have to defend every two years. Proceeds from the event would go to the Princess Camilla Charity for Punjab farmers,” says Pawandeep Singh.

The Battle of Saragarhi, one of history’s most famous last stands, was fought during the Tirah Campaign on September 12, 1897, between twenty-one Sikhs of the 4th Battalion (then 36 Sikhs) of the Sikh Regiment of British India, defending an army post, and 10,000 Afghan and Orakzai tribesmen. The battle was fought in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, now in Pakistan, which then formed part of British India.

The contingent of the twenty-one Sikhs from the 36 Sikhs that was led by Havildar Ishar Singh chose to fight to the death. Sikh military personnel and Sikh civilians commemorate the battle every year on 12th September as Saragarhi Day.

Prince Charles and Princess Camilla would watch the September 18 game between the Sherdils and the British Army. Also, among the guest of honours for the match will be HS (Satnam) Chadha, the main sponsor of the Sherdils.

Prince Charles, one of its foremost activists in British Royalty polo, had announced on November 17, 2005, that he had played his last chukka. He retired from polo at the age of 57. Many thought his retirement was a loss to the polo circuit that prides itself on its royal connections as well as to the charities for which Charles has raised several millions over the years. On his last visit to Punjab, he had announced a charity for the small and marginal farmers of Punjab. Incidentally, Prince Charles did, after all, meet a young Camilla Shand, then aged 23, during a polo match in 1970.

“The last time Sikhs (with turbans) played the British Royalty was about 70 years ago when Patiala Tigers comprising Jaswant Singh and General Chanda Singh took on the British Royalty,” reveals Pawandeep Singh.

He said that the credit for raising a memorial event for the brave Sikhs of Saragarhi goes to Harbinder Singh Rana of the Sikh Heritage Trail that hopes to set up a Sikh Museum at Elvedon Hall, the last palace of Maharaja Duleep Singh.

Incidentally, Elvedon Hall will be the venue of sit in dinner for 300 odd special invitees on September 19. At present, the palace is with the Royalty. Maharaja Duleep Singh Trust is hosting the dinner.