 Nawanshahr has been the stronghold of the Ghorewaha Sikhs was allied to King Akbar via kinship ties.Dewan Banna Mal Misr (Gautam) was born into the Gautam Brahmin family of Nawanshahr.Dewan Banna Mal was a manager with the full sovereign powers of His Highness Maharaja Sir Randhir Singh Bahadur of Kapurthala's Estates in Oudh and served as Chief Minister of Kapurthala State.