Rana Talia Muhammad Khan


Khan Bahadur Rana Talia Muhammad Khan, O.B.E. was the first Muslim Inspector-General of Police in British India, serving as Inspector-General of Police of Patiala State and the North-West Frontier Province and a former British Indian Army officer. He served famously as Superintendent of Police, Kohat and District Officer, Frontier Constabulary, Hangu and, during the Second World War, as a Major in Queen Victoria's Own Corps of Guides, British Indian Army.

Early life

Rana Talia Muhammad Khan was born on 14 December 1884 in a Muslim Naru Rajput family in Patiala, Punjab, British Indian Empire.

Police career

Rana Talia Muhammad Khan joined the Indian Civil Service as Deputy Superintendent of Police.
A famous incident in his life, whilst serving as Superintendent of Police, Kohat, became the basis of a story in M. M. Kaye's novel, The Far Pavilions, which was also made into a movie. The incident is narrated in Victoria Schofield's book Afghan Frontier: Feuding and Fighting in Central Asia. Schofield writes:
He retired as Inspector-General of Police in 1937.

Military service

At the outbreak of the Second World War, Rana Talia Muhammad Khan was called out of retirement by the British Indian Government and made a Major in Queen Victoria's Own Corps of Guides, British Indian Army.

Recognition

For his meritorious services, Rana Talia Muhammad Khan was conferred the medal and title of "Khan Sahib" and later "Khan Bahadur" by the British Indian Government.
On 1 January 1945, for his meritorious services, Rana Talia Muhammad Khan, was conferred the title of "Additional Officer of the Military Division" of the Order of the British Empire by King George VI.

Family

Rana Talia Muhammad Khan had three sons and three daughters. He was the father of Lieutenant General Bakhtiar Rana, Chief Martial Law Administrator and Commander, I Corps, Pakistan Army and father-in-law of Amir Habibullah Khan Saadi, the pre-1947 Indian freedom fighter and post-1947 Pakistani political leader.