▁pr inc ely ▁army , ▁and ▁Raj ▁De vi ▁Dal pat ia . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁a ▁distinguished ▁Raj put ▁military ▁and ▁royal ▁cl an ▁which ▁had ▁served ▁the ▁Dog ra ▁r ul ers ▁of ▁Jam mu ▁and ▁K ash mir ▁for ▁gener ations . ▁Des c ended ▁from ▁a ▁cad et ▁branch ▁of ▁the ▁r uling ▁Path ania ▁Raj as ▁of ▁Nur pur , ▁his ▁pat ernal ▁grand father , ▁Major - General ▁S ard ar ▁Bah ad ur ▁Ni hal ▁Singh ▁Path ania ▁( 1 8 5 3 - 1 9 2 6 ), ▁had ▁been ▁the ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁Jam mu ▁and ▁K ash mir ▁army , ▁leading ▁them ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 9 1 ▁Hun za ▁campaign ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁Black ▁Mountain ▁Ex ped ition ; ▁his ▁mat ernal ▁grand father ▁B aj ▁Singh ▁Dal pat ia ▁had ▁been ▁a ▁general ▁during ▁campaign s ▁in ▁Ch it ral . ▁Path ania ' s ▁father ▁was ▁killed ▁during ▁the ▁First ▁World ▁War ▁in ▁Tang any ika ▁while ▁leading ▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁K ash mi ri ▁R if les ▁during ▁the ▁East ▁African ▁Camp aign . ▁ ▁Path ania ▁had ▁two ▁elder ▁brothers , ▁Bal dev ▁Singh ▁Path ania ▁( 1 8 9 7 - 1 9 8 5 ), ▁who ▁served ▁as ▁Military ▁Secretary ▁to ▁Mah ar aja ▁H ari ▁Singh ▁and ▁who ▁eventually ▁retired ▁as ▁de wan ▁of ▁the ▁pr inc ely ▁state ▁of ▁Po on ch , ▁and ▁H arn am ▁Singh ▁Path ania