Nand Ram Tikoo: In1804 He Became Prime Minister Of Afghanistan

Nand Ram Tikoo: The coin of Kashmiri Pandit Nand Ram was once used in the Taliban’s Afghanistan.

After the withdrawal of America from Afghanistan, the Taliban may now be giving gimmicks for the Talibanization of Kashmir.

But it has been forgotten that at one time a coin in the name of Kashmiri Pandit Nand Ram Tikku was used in same Afghanistan.

During the rule of Zaman Shah, Nanda Ram not only did his administrative efficiency in Afghanistan but also minted coins in his name.

Due to his honesty, Nandram rose to the post of Prime Minister in the court of the Afghan ruler Zaman Shah and continued to handle the whole system with his administrative ability.

The treasury of Zaman Shah had become empty due to constant involvement in wars, rebellions, and many other reasons.

In such a situation, Prime Minister Nand Ram Tikku got coins made in his name from the gold deposited with him.

This coin continued in Afghanistan and Kashmir till 1910. Today some people of Nand Ram’s family live in the Awadh region and Lucknow.

On these coins it was written in Persian:

Sikka-e-Jaddoor Mulk-e-Kabul Nand Ram

Aj Muslim Bagoyd Ram Ram

Nandram’s grandfather lived in Habbakadal, Srinagar: Pandit Ramnath Tikku, a grandfather of Nand Ram Tikku, lived in Tikku locality of Habbakadal area in Srinagar.

Ramnath had two sons Bhaskar Ram Tikku and Vishwanath Tikku. Both received education in Urdu and Persian. Bhaskar Ram went to Lucknow in the year 1780 with a convoy of Kashmiri Pandits.

At that time there was the rule of Nawab Asaf-ud-Daula. There he settled in a Kashmiri locality with his relatives. He started business there.

Vishwanath Tikku remained in Srinagar and took over his father’s business. He had three sons – Nanda Ram, Hari Das and Ramchandra. Nand Ram Tikoo was born in 1775.

He also received his early education in Persian and Urdu. After this, he was appointed as a taxpayer in the Revenue Department.

After the death of Timur Shah, Zaman Shah became the ruler: At that time, the ruler of Afghanistan, Timur Shah, was ruling Kashmir. Taimur had made Amir Khan Jansher the Subedar of Kashmir.

Taimur Shah was the son of Pathan invader Ahmed Shah Abdali. Amir remained loyal to Taimur Shah for some time but later became a rebel.

Declaring himself the king of Kashmir, he refused to pay taxes to Kabul. On this Timur sent Haji Karim to Kashmir to quell the rebellion.

Haji Karim Dad Khan became the Subedar of Kashmir in 1776 and appointed Pandit Dila Ram as his Sahibkar for the Kashmiri Pandits.

Timur Shah died in 1787. One of the 21 sons, Zaman Shah, declared himself the emperor.

Ahmed Khan had taken Nand Ram to Kabul: Zaman made Mir Huzur Khan the Subedar of Kashmir in 1792.

Mir Huzur Khan also became a rebel after some time and declared himself the king of Kashmir and started atrocities on Kashmiri Pandits.

To crush his rebellion, Zaman Shah sent his special warlord Ahmed Khan.

Ahmed Khan defeated Mir Huzur Khan and returned to Kabul after being appointed a new Subedar in Kashmir, but took Pandit Nand Ram Tikku with him.

In Kabul, Pandit Nand Ram, with his understanding and administrative efficiency, made his place in the court and became a Diwan in a few days.

The Prime Minister of Zaman, Loyal Khan, seeing the merit of Pandit Nand Ram, appointed him as his Sahibkar.

In 1804, after seeing the work, honesty, and integrity of Pandit Nand Ram, Zaman appointed him the Prime Minister.