There were many warriors who kept the flag of the unflinching will of Khalsa, flying high. Akali Phoola Singh's life superbly examplifies the kind of commitment to the Sikh ideal that the Khalsa practises. Akali Phoola Singh was one of those Sikhs who came to be called Nihangs in the time of Guru Gobind Singh. The word Nihang is derived from Persian which means 'crocodile'. The appellation, Nihang, was coined by Dasam Pita Guru Gobind Singh , for that section of the Khalsa, who were not only ready to die fighting for the supremacy of His Will, but also cared little for their own comfort and life when it came to serving others. Thus the only purpose of their lives is to live and die for the well-being of those inhabiting this world. Many historians call Nihangs as "Suicide Squads" of the Sikhs; this is utterly wrong. Suicide is an act seen as against His Will by the Sikhs. The fearlessness of Khalsa in the face of death cannot be called suicidal. Nihangs' only purpose is to fight for the supremacy of Waheguru's Hukam. And in serving this purpose they don't think twice even in endangering and even losing their lives.

Akali Phoola Singh was born on January 14, 1761 CE in the village named Shinh, in Amritsar. He became a Nihang at an early age where he got all the martial training. Later, when he was 18 years old he shifted to the fort of Gobindgarh, became a leader of one of the band of Nihang fighters of the Khalsa. When Maharaja Ranjit Singh extended his sovereignty over Amritsar, the Nihangs under Akali Phoola Singh still maintained their headquarters at the Akal Takht, and did so all through the Sarkar-é-Khalsa period. This single fact signifies two very important points. One that Maharaja Ranjit Singh never felt powerful enough to take on the Nihangs. And two, that the Nihangs enjoyed a respect amongst the Sikh Panth which gave them the final say in the spiritual matters.

This latter fact is borne out by the incident when Ranjit Singh had married a Muslim woman, named Moran of Lahore. Akali Phoola Singh declared at the Akal Takht that Maharaja Ranjit Singh was a Tankhaiya meaning under punishment for violating a Sikh principle. He ordered the Maharaja to present himself at Akal Takht before the community. Ranjit Singh came and admitted that he had made a mistake. Akali Phoola Singh ordered 50 lashes as punishment for the Maharaja right there. Ranjit Singh took off his shirt and bowed down to receive his punishment, at this Akali Phoola Singh asked the community (Sadh Sangat) to forgive the Maharaja as he had bowed down in front of the Sadh Sangat for this mistake. And thus Maharaja was pardoned, but not before he promised never to violate a Sikh principle again.

There is another interesting incident of those times, which ultimately made the Maharaja to organise his forces on the European style. On the day of Muharram on February 25, 1809 CE, Shia Muslims of British army under Metcalf, a British general who was visiting Amritsar along with his forces, decided to take out a procession on the streets of Amritsar, even though in Amritsar among Muslims, majority were Sunni Muslims. It also happened to be the day, when Nihangs were celebrating Hola Mohalla (Mock Battles) along with their celebrated leader Akali Phoola Singh. The Shia procession wended its way through the streets of Amritsar, beating their breasts to the chants of "Hasan, Hussein, Ali" They came in front of Darbar Sahib, where the Akalis were in prayer. The Akalis remonstrated with the processionists to go elsewhere. Arguments led to scuffle and Shia Sepoys under General Metcalf came to a head on collision with Akalis. The contemporary historical accounts say that Metcalfe conceded that the first shot was probably fired by one of his Shia escorts (Metcalfe No. 72, of 7.3.1809). There were about 50 casualties on both sides, mainly amongst the Shias. In the end the full-blown battle stopped when Ranjit Singh personally intervened. He also went to Metcalfe and apologized for the incident. Ranjit Singh was impressed by the discipline shown by the Shia Sepoys under Metcalfe and he promptly decided to Europeanize his Army.

Akali Phoola Singh was against Europeanizing the Khalsa forces, as he foresaw that this would ultimately lead the Khalsa into serving the interests of the State rather than fighting for the supremacy of Waheguru's Hukam. Ranjit Singh, however, was more concerned about making the Khalsa obey his dictats and thus not create any problems for him when he went against the Sikh weltanschauung. But he did realise that to subdue the whole of Punjab and to face the British, he could not antagonise the Khalsa. Then in the same year of 1809, at Ropar Maharaja Ranjit Singh signed a treaty with British to make Satluj a permanent border between the Sarkar-é- Khalsa and British. Akali Phoola Singh wanted Maharaja to tear up this treaty, he even threatened to move against the Maharaja. Maharaja Ranjit Singh explained to him that first they will subdue the area this side of Satluj, and later they will confront the British. This treaty was to mark the border between the Sikh kingdom and the British protectorate. Satluj was decided as boundary.

Akali Phoola Singh and his command helped Maharaja in the campaigns of Kasur, Multan, and all over Punjab. Nihangs under his command at Multan surpassed all bravery when they one by one gave their shoulder under a canon which had a wheel broken, but was crucial to break through the fort walls. Thus many of them attained martyrdom. By 1822 all the regiments of Sarkar-é- Khalsa were Europeanized. Maharaja Ranjit Singh decided to turn towards North West Frontier province. In 1815 CE, Maharaja attacked NWFP and levied tribute on number of principalities. Since 10 centuries Pathans and tribesmen had held sway over these areas, lundering these at will, this was the first time that anybody took the battle to their homes. In 1823, the Governor of Peshawar did not give tribute to Maharaja Ranjit singh. Khalsa forces led by Akali Phoola Singh, Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa, Sardar Fateh Singh Attariwala, and other Generals of Khalsa marched towards Peshawar.

Battle of Naushehra in 1823 CE, in which thousands were killed was fought with the tribes of Yusufzais, Khattaks and Afridi tribes of Pathans. Prince Sher Singh and Hari Singh Nalwa led the advance columns early in 1823. They spanned the river Attock by means of a pontoon bridge and occupied the fort of Jehangiria. Then Maharaja Ranjit Singh along with Akali Phoola Singh led the rest of forces upto the Eastern bank of River Attock, but by this time, tribals had destroyed the pontoon bridge and had besieged Prince Sher Singh and Hari Singh Nalwa in the fort. Hastily, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, who had crossed this river umpteen number of times, decided to cross it and came to the rescue of his son and Hari Singh Nalwa just in the nick of time. Khattaks and Yusufzais were pushed back and they entrenched themselves on an eminence called Pir Sabak or Tibbi Tiri on the plains between Jehangiria and Peshawar. The main Afghan force under Azim Khan's brother was separated from the tribal ghazis by a small but swift-running stream, the Landai. The Khalsa artillery, led by Mian Ghausa, bypassed the tribesmen, and reached the bank of Landai, and trained its heavy guns on the opposite bank. Azim Khan made a dash from Peshawar and joined the forces of Afghans on the opposite Bank of Landai. He could not cross the stream due to the heavy bombardment by Khalsa forces from this side of Landai. On the second front, Sarkar-é-Khalsa launched an offensive at Pir Sabak Hill. This war was not evenly matched, but Khalsa was outnumbered by the Afghans. Khalsa forces made up for this by their disciplined and well-trained army. Tribal forces fought desperately but were overcome by the Khalsa. Then Akali Phula Singh and his nihangs moved up to give them the coup de grace . They drove the Khattaks and Yusufzais before them, four thousand Afghans were left dead on the field. Khalsa's casualties were in hundreds, but still this was too much, because in those 500 or so soldiers there was one who equaled hundreds of thousands, Akali Phoola Singh. While pursuing Afghanis, Akali Phoola Singh's horse was shot under him. He took an elephant and pressed on. This presented the enemy marksmen a clear target. Afghanis saw the man who had so often humbled them, and trained their muskets on him. Phoola Singh was riddled with bullets. He collapsed in his howdah, exhorting nihangs with the last breath of his body not to give way. Mohammed Azim Khan retreated to Peshawar but was too ashamed to face his people and thus he returned to Afghanistan and died soon.

Even though Khalsa paid a heavy price in the loss of a great warrior like Akali Phoola Singh, but it was a crushing defeat for Afghans, and it convinced the Pathan tribesmen of the superiority of the Khalsa soldiers. Three days later Maharaja entered Peshawar at the head of his victorious troops. The citizens welcomed him and paid homage with nazaranas.

A most important aspect of Akali Phoola Singh's life was that he and the Nihangs under him fought on the side of Ranjit Singh only when latter was involved in a battle with non-Sikhs. Whenever Ranjit Singh was involved in fight with other Sikh missals, Akali Phoola Singh scrupulously maintained a neutral stance. However, his agony can be imagined when he saw Sikhs fighting Sikhs for petty material gains instead of fighting for the supremacy of Waheguru's Will. Thus, Akali Phoola Singh represents that pure strain of Akal Purakh ki Fauj which dedicated its life only for righteousness.