By Bobby Singh,
Special to The Post

The bust of the Sikh emperor Maharaja Ranjit Singh famously known as ‘Sher-e-Punjab’ was unveiled at Allard Square in St Tropez in the south of France on Saturday the 17 September 2016.

The unique military ceremony was attended by over 300 guests from various countries among numerous dignitaries and local French officials.

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had handed over the bust to the French ambassador to India, Alexander Ziegler during the latter’s visit to Punjab Bhawan in Chandigarh on the 12 July earlier this year.

The project was initiated in 2015 by Bobby Singh Bansal - writer, filmmaker and President of S.K Foundation (UK) with Ranjit Singh Goraya representative of ‘Sikhs des France’ based in Paris along with St Tropez Municipal Council and Tourism Department.

The 110kg bronze bust was installed with a military guard of honour at St Tropez which was the birthplace of the French General Jean Francois Allard who served in the Maharaja’s army.

General Allard was one of the most trusted officer’s of the Maharaja who played a key role in modernising the Sikh army and arrived with General Ventura, an Italian in 1822 becoming Ranjit Singh’s most loyal confidante, especially on foreign policy.

The ceremony was well attended by French officials, India’s former chief of Army, General JJ Singh, Indian ambassador to France Mohan Kumar, Colonel Harinder Singh Attari and Dinesh Singh Attari (both descendants of Sham Singh Attariwala) Mayor of St Tropez – Jean Tuveri, French historian Jean Marie Lafont, Henri Allard (fifth descendant of General Allard) and son Federick Allard, Jean Muselier and Ranjit Singh Goraya (Sikhs des France).

Bobby Singh Bansal, of S.K Foundation (UK) said “It was an honour for us to have the bust of Maharaja Ranjit Singh installed here in France. General Allard though born in St Tropez in 1785 died in Peshawar in 1839, just six months before the Maharaja and was buried in his own garden in Lahore”.

He was one of the few officers not only respected by his own regiment but the Maharaja also arranged his marriage to a Punjabi princess Bannu Pan Dei from Chamba, whose bust was also unveiled during the ceremony.

General Allard’s grandson Henri Allard who is now the deputy Mayor of St Tropez prepared our proposal which was instantly approved by the local French authorities.

The national anthems of France and India were also played on the occasion which marked the historic occasion.