Sudhan
Sudhun tribe members live in Pakistani administered Kashmir, primarily in the Poonch District of Azad Kashmir, the Poonch area in Jammu and Kashmir, Kahuta, Murree, Kotli Sattian . Sudhans stronghold and capital is the city of Rawalakot in Poonch district of Azad Kashmir.
Internationally Sudhuns have a large expatriate community in New York, New Jersey, Texas, and Utah in the United States, Toronto and Calgary in Canada, and London and Manchester in Great Britain. Sudhun settlers moved to the various cities from Poonch in search of jobs and freedom from the oppression of Pakistan Government.
Some Sudhun tribe members claim to be of Afghan origin while some of tribe members claim to be part of the lost tribes of the Jewish Diaspora, but this has yet to be ascertained by historical or genealogical proof. The only credence given to this theory is through oral traditions.
A lot of Sudhans are of the opinion that they could be decendants of Hindu Brahmins. A lot of research on this subject was conducted by Col. Dr Khalil, see references below. There are a lot of Hindus and Sikhs who are members of the Sudhan tribe, most of these live in Indian Occupied Kashmir. Sudhan are a tribe of Sud Brahmans converted to Islam by Aurangzab. See references below.
A research project comprising DNA lineage study has been commenced to determine the ancestry of the Sudhans. Initial DNA results show that Sudhans have nothing in common with Sudazai, rather Sudhan linage is from Southern Russia, while Sudazai are from Southern Persia.
Sudhan means "perfect people" in Sanskrit.
Education
Sudhuns are a tightly knit community. Female education is very high in Sudhan areas. The first Sudhan woman, Maqbool Hamidullah Khan received a Masters Degree in English from Punjab University in 1962. She retired as a professor of English from Government College for Women in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Both of her sons are Physicians in the United States.
Her recently published auto biography "Budhi Budhay say Shakespeare Tak Ek Safar" captures the struggle of a woman for higher education. Her brother Dr. Yunus Khan is an eminent eye surgeon in the Wales, United Kingdom and trained many eye surgeons now holding high positions in Pakistan Army.
Dr. Rehana Kausar MD, was the first woman doctor from the Sudhan tribe. She graduated in 1972 and is a practicing Anesthesiologist in the State of Texas, USA. She was the past President of the Islamic Medical Association of North America Imana. She is active in community affairs. She hails from Rawalakot.
Colonel Iftikhar another prominent Sudhan is a cancer specialist from Hurnamaira now serving in Rawalpindi Military Hospital.
Ambassador Masood Khan, the former spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Pakistan and current Ambassador of Pakistan to United Nations at Geneva. He is one of the finest examples of an intellectual-diplomat hailing from Rawalakot.
Dr. Ifthkhar Khan received his PhD from Tokyo in Electircal Engineeing and is an Assistant Professor at the University of Alabama (USA).
Just to name a few Sudhun woman who have won awards in their fields:
Nasreen Tasadaq Khan currently residing in Utah USA was the first one to win a gold medal in the Masters of English in the Punjab University. Thereby starting a flood gate of men and women of the sudhun tribe who won medals in the fields of study and scholarship.
Sudhuns have produced a high number of PHDs from various Universities.
Sudhan have excelled in business in the countries where they have settled, they operator oil and gas companies, hotels, restaraunts and communications companies, mining and other enterprises among others.
Language
Sudhan residents of Azad Kashmir generally speak the Pahari language, a variant of the Punjabi language. Sudhuns generally learn and speak the language of the area of settlement but are usually adept at the pahari language and take pride in speaking it. A common joke being that when a Sudhun is in a good mood he speaks pahari and when his temper is on the rise he usually starts with Urdu and when he is on the warpath he speaks English. Sudhans living in Karachi and other elite classes have become accustomed to using English and Urdu. While Sudhan communities in foreign lands generally speak the local language.
Traditions
The Sudhans have the same beliefs and traditions as the tribal people of NWFP and Afghanistan One of their forefathers was Nawab Jassi Khan who settle in Tehsil Rawalakot area in around 1760. They used to live in smaller domains in the villages of Sudhnoti, Rawalakot and Bagh before they were crushed and dominated by the Punjabi forces of Ranjit Singh in 1832.
There was a time in the 18th century when they use to live in their lands with self-styled government called AAp Raji, but this didn't last long due to the invasion by Ranjit Singh and later the British Raj. During the time of Colonialism they were taken into various jobs like Subedars, bearers, guards, infantry soldiers, and soon as King Commissioned officers in the British Raj.They are born fighters and this is obvious in Independent War in 1947-48.They evacuted now called Azad Kashmir from Dogra Raj.They are heroic freedom fighters.
Famous Tribal Members
Some of the members of the tribe are:
Sardar Muhammad Ibrahim Khan Founder and First President of (Free) Azad Kashmir.
Major General (Retd.) Muhammad Hayyat Khan former President of Azad Kashmir.
Major General (Retd) Muhammad Anwar Khan former President of Azad Kashmir.
General (Retd) Muhammad Aziz Khan former Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (JCSC) Pakistan Army. He was instrumental in the coup that brought dictatorship and led to the appointment of Pervez Musharaff as President of Pakistan.
General (Retd) M. Rahim Khan, the former Division Commander Pakistan Army in East Pakistan, Chairman Pakistan International Airlines, former Chairman Pakistan Chrome Mines Ltd and Secretary General Ministry of Defense.
M. Rashid Khan Chairman Pakistan Banking Council.
Lt. Col. Tassadaq Hussain Khan former Chief of the Military of the Sultanate of Oman
Sardar Khan Muhammad Khan of Thorar a political leader.
Khan Mohammad Khan of Palandri a political leader and reformer.
Captain Hussain Khan Shaheed a former British Army Officer.
Uprising against Maharajah of Kashmir
Sardar Irfan Khan Of Palandri was one of the leaders of the revolt against Maharaja of Kashmir. He and his family moved to the State of Illinios and are now residing in suburbs of Chicago.
Sudhun's contributed greatly in the uprsing against the Maharajah of Kashmir during 1947-1948 and were instrumental in the creation of Azad Kashmir. Prior to the creation of Azad Kashmir they were suppressed by the Maharaja of Kashmir. In 1832 the Sudhan tribe was crushed by the army of Ranjit Singh, a lot of women were taken as captives and twelve Tribal Leaders were hanged and skined for their rebellion at Tararkhel. (Skined alive).To name a few of the leaders flayed alive were Subz Ali Khan, Malli Khan,and Shammas Khan. They were said to have been skinned alive from the toe up. Ranjit Singh's son is said to have witnessed the scene and was so harrowing a sight that he ran away to avoid seeing it and was forced by the commanding officer to see it. He is said to have remarked "If you want to rule these sarkash(restless)sudhuns you would have to be this brutal". There are a few slabs in the town of Mong in Poonch that bare witness to the site where the flaying took place. Incidently, about a hundred years later this was the same sight some Dogra solders got nervous and shot and killed three sudhuns who where climbing up the hill to go home. Thus acted as a catalyst and a rebellion began a month before the war of independence was declared by Sardar Ibrahim.
Later during the British Raj Sudhan being considered a warrior race by the British were taken in recruited in the British Indian Army. Few Sudhans allied with [[Maharaja of Kashmir], Most of the officers in support of the Maharaja of Kashmir rebelled during 1949, one such notable person was Captain Hussain Khan and his followers, who were instrumental in overthrowing the government of the Maharajah in Poonch.
During 1947, Sardar Muhammad Ibrahim Khan was the political and tribal elder of the Sudhans in 1947 and was the first President of Azad Kashmir.
Sudhuns are fiercely independent people, where every individual considers himself as the leader, as such Sudhans do not have a hereditary chief, but in the past they used to have tribal elders like Khan Mohammad Khan of Palandri and Sardar Muhammad Ibrahim Khan who were respected as elders of the Sudhan tribe for over 50 years.
In Sudhan society, being a democratic society, every individual has a right to lead and voice his or her independent opinion.
Sudhan Rebellion against Pakistan Army
Sudhans rebelled against Pakistan Army. Pakistan sent the Punjab constabulary along with a Brigade of Pakistan Army, to crush the rebellion. However, to the surprise of the Paki's the invading Pakistan Army surrendered and never again ventured to Sudhan territories.
This rebellion damaged the carreers of some sudhans however, Sudhans supported the rebellion against the Punjabi Pakis led by Indian Muhajirs.
Sudhans were not given security clearance until 1972, and were not accepted in the Pakistan Military Academy regular course until 1965. Sudhans have sufferred by the oppression of Pakistan occupation.
Religion
Sudhuns are Sunni Muslims of the Hannafi branch of Islam. There is lately, Wahabi influence, that has crept into Sudhans which they brought from outside. They have been a very God conscious and spiritual people by tradition who revere and respect Holy Men and Saints.
Employment
Poonch District Area (850 km²) [1000persons/sqkm].
Area of Sudhnuti is 550 square kilometers.
Current population figures are approximately half a million sudhan tribe
Having a few natural resources resulted in Sudhuns joining the military, initially joining the British Indian Army during the First World War and later during the Second World War.
After the Second World War the veterans of the war revolted against the Maharajah of Kashmir which resulted in the formation of Azad Kashmir.
Greatest resources of the Sudhans being their intellect.
Earthquake of 2005
The city of Rawalakot, the capital of the Sudhan tribe suffered significant damage from the 2005 Kashmir earthquake; although most of the buildings were left standing, many of them were rendered uninhabitable, and some of the population was left homeless. Most of the buidlings have been reconstructed, though without the help of the Governments of Pakistan or Azad Kashmir.
In district Rawalakot the Press for Peace team in the supervision of divisional coordinator, Sardar Abid Siddique started its rescue and relief work soon after the disaster.
Cuba along with other countries provided medical assistance to the population of Rawalakot for which the populace is forever grateful.
References
Under the main heading of Brahmas of Khatris, Sudhan is shown as one of the 12 tribes in Hazara during the Vedic age. Sodhan is described as a Rajput tribe. Sud race is settled in East Punjab. The history of POONCH tribes written by Mohammad din fok: A Glossary of the Tribes & Castes of Punjab & North West Frontier Province by Ebbetson.
Sudhan are a tribe of Sud Brahmans converted to Islam by Aurangzab.
Reigning Family of Lahore by Carmichael Smyth.
Sud were originally called suwdik, one of the nomadic tribes who settled in Iran in 900 BC. The name changed to Sogdian-Sulik-Sud due to dialects of Chines, Sogdian & Punjabi writers. Sudrakas (sud race in South Punjab) fought battle with Alexander the Great and gave Alexander a tough time in Sogdian (Summarkand).
Political & Social Movements in Ancient Punjab by Buddha Prakash
Sogdiana (Summarkand & Bokara) and Sogdae (Thar), Sogda (Rohri). The resemblance of names of the places shows that the Sogdian people lived in Sind.
Alexander the Great by Hammond
Sogdiana was Iranian province. Iranian tribes were present in Punjab & Summerkand.
Alexander the Great by Robin Lane
Darius conquered Sogdiana (521 BC), Punjab & Sind (512 BC)
History of Persia by Percy Sykes.
Chibhal. An important and high caste is Sudhan
Jammu & Kashmir. Territories by Frederic
Migrated from Ghazni to the present location in 14th century.
The Sudhan Revolt (The News 19 October 1997.) By Sardar M. Saleem Khan.
Sudhan, and important and high caste of Chihalis-Rajputs (Aryans).
Gazetteer of Kashmir & Ladakh (1890)
Lehr Muni (ancestor of Sudhan) s/o Bawa Muna (chief of Katas Tirath) migrated from Katas to Poonch in 11th century. One of his descendants Sudh Sain/Pal is the patriarch of Sudhan. Sudhan Chander Bansi dynasty ruled from the capital of Sudhnuti. Sudhan are Muslims as well as Hindus
Rajgan J&K and Rajputan Punjab by Tahakar Kahan Singh.
Mohammedan Rajas of Poonch losely resemble Khakhas.
Ancient Geography of Kashmir by Cunnigham.
Sulikas were present in North & Northwest of India in Vedic age.
Alberunis' India by Sachu.
History of Sudhuns. by:
Colonel Retired Dr. Muhammad Khalil 10-C St 1, New Lalazar Rawalpindi Cantt. Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
Modern academic studies that mention the Sudhans include Alexander Evans's 2005 article in Asian Affairs: http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/routledg/raaf/2005/00000036/00000001/art00003
External links
- Official
- Azad Jammu & Kashmir rawalakot
- Official website of the Government of Azad Kashmir
- Official Azad Kashmir tourism site
- Rawalakot
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Sudhan's around the world
<gallery> Image:Raw_(7).jpg|Sudhan family Rawalakot Image:100_1484.jpg|Proud Sudhan Azad Kashmir Image:Peshawar.jpg|Sudhan family Peshwar Image:102 0993.JPG|Sudhans in New Jersey United States Image:Picture 137.jpg|Sudhans Eatontown New Jersey USA Image:Picture 136.jpg|Sudhans Delaware United States Image:Picture 099.jpg|Sudhans Reno, Nevada United States Image:Sudhanssaltlake.jpg|Sudhans Salt Lake City United States Image:100 1147.jpg|Sudhans Sierra Mountains, California United States Image:100 0204.JPG|Sudhans Family in US
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