Sulehria

Sulehri or Sulehria سلہریا

Written Sulahria / Salaria / Suleri / Sulehri are a sub-caste of Rajputs.They are found among Muslims Sikhs and Hindus living in India and Pakistan .
The history of the Sulehria is well documented in the Census Report of the Punjab 1883 by Denzil Ibbetson , and the Census report of the Punjab 1892 as well .H A Rose records cquote|a tribe of Sombansi Rajputs who trace their descent from one Raja Saigal or Shal of fabulous antiquity, and from his descendent Chandra Gupta . They say that their eponymous ancestor came from Deccan in the time of Sultan Mamdah as commander of a force sent to suppress the insurection of Shuja *(*Shaikha is the usual form of his name )and settled in Sialkot ;and that his descendents turned Musalman in the time of Bahlol Lodi .They are for the most part Muhammadan , but still employ Brahmans , and do not marry within the tribe . [Denzil Ibbetson, Edward MacLagan, H.A. Rose "A Glossary of The Tribes & Casts of The Punjab & North-West Frontier Province", 1911 AD, Page 349, Vol II1,]

=1 =They are descendants of migrants who belonged to the Arabian Quraysh tribe who claim to have came to northern India in the Middle Ages for Islamic scholary purposes to seek spiritual knowledge in India, eventually the Quraysh migrants ended up fighting under Bahlul Khan Lodhi the first Sultan of the Lodhi Dynasty in India. The Quaraysh migrants were awarded the distinct title Sulehria for their valiant efforts, bravery and for their amazing swordsmanship ability they possessed that set them apart from the other soldiers who served and fought for Bahlul Khan Lodhi. Today many of their descendants carry this title as their surname or use it to identify their heritage.

The Sulehria's as they came to be known settled around Sialkot during Bahlul Lodhi's rule and then intermarried amongst the various Indian Rajput tribes. Over time some descendants of the Sulehria lost their Sulehria roots and instead claimed Rajput heritage through the maternal blood line.

Sulehris were mainly followers of the Islamic faith due to their paternal ancestory being from the Quraysh, however there were some voluntary conversions to the Sikh faith due to the rise of Sikhism in the Punjab and due to the Sulehris settling and mixing with the people of Punjab for so many generations. There are many well educated successful Sulehris in India today, they go by the name Salaria and identify strongly from their Rajput heritage. Many Sikh Sulehris successfully work in the fields of medicine and commerce.

Today Sulehrias are mostly found around the northern part of the Indian Sub-Continent. They are the inhabitants of a long chain of border villages in Sialkot and Narowal districts along the working boundary between Pakistan and the province of Jammu (Indian Administered Jammu-Kashmir). In India Sulehris are known to reside in the areas of Gurdaspur and Himachal Pradesh (where they even have a stadium with the name).

There is also a strong affluent population of Sulehris (who are adherents of the Islamic faith) in Pakistani Administered Kashmir in Kotli and Muzzaferabad.

Sulehri's can be found all over the West in countries like Germany, Sweden, United Kingdom and the USA. The presence of Sulehri's in various parts of the USA can be considered by litigation involving Sulehri's as plaintiffs.

Sulahrias are considered to be part of a martial race and take pride in having served in the British Armed Froces during British rule in India and serving the Armed Forces of the Indian sub-continent since the independance of India and Pakistan.

Sulehris are generally well educated, very progressive, known for their valour, straightforwardness, and hard work.

Notable Sulehrias

One of the most notable Sulehrias in Pakistan is the journalist writer Farooq Sulehria who currently resides in Sweden.

Ziauddin Ahmad Suleri a notable journalist and writer from Pakistan. He served as Editor of Dawn and The Pakistan Times and founded the Times of Karachi.

Professor Sara Suleri Goodyear who teaches English at Yale in the USA.

Fatima Salaria writer and television producer for British television.

Dr. Khalid Sulehri a renowned human rights activist and social worker in Pakistan.

PAF Wing Commander Waqas Ahmed Sulehri has the honour of being the top graduate of all F-16 related fighter combat courses of Pakistan Air Force.

In India Gurbachan Singh Salaria is the most notable Sulehria Hindu DograFact|date=August 2008. Rajput who is remembered to have the qualities of a typical Sulahria of bravery and valour. Captain Gurbachan Singh Salaria, who was awarded the highest wartime medal in India the Param Vir Chakra, posthumously.

ee Also

*Gurbachan Singh Salaria
*Ziauddin Ahmad Suleri
*Sunny Salaria singer Rajput Hunde Surme fame=References=