Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the founder of the Sikh empire in Punjab, was a pragmatic statesman. He had a great quality to distinguish between right and wrong. He neither fought a war with the British nor let their army enter into his territory owing to his skilful statesmanship. Maharaja Ranjit Singh is reckoned amongst the great figures of the 19th century despite the fact that he faced opposition from the Afghans, the British and some of the Sikh generals.