Ammy Virk

 

Amninderpal Singh Virk,

 better known as Ammy Virk

Amninderpal Singh Virk, better known as Ammy Virk, is an Indian singer, actor and producer associated with Punjabi Music and subsequently in Punjabi and Hindi films.^[2] He started the production house Villagers Film Studio and a distribution company In House Group. He is best known for playing the role of Nikka in Nikka Zaildar series, Shivjit in Qismat & Qismat 2, Harjeet Singh in Harjeeta, and Haakam in Angrej.

He started his acting career with the role of Hakam in the historical romance Punjabi film Angrej (2015) for which he won the Best Debut Actor Award at PTC Punjabi Film Awards.^[3] Also, he had starred in other films including Bambukat, Ardaas, Nikka Zaildar, Laung Laachi and Qismat. Gurnaaz Kaur of The Tribune described Virk as Nikka as one of the most loved characters of Punjabi cinema.^[4] He is known for his Patiala-Shahi turban.^[5] His films Angrej and Qismat are two of the highest grossing Punjabi films of all time.^[6] He made his Bollywood debut with film Bhuj The Pride Of India (2021) directed by Abhishek Dudhaiya.

Early life

Born as Amninderpal Singh Virk on 11 May 1985 to a Sikh Jat family in the village of Lohar Majra in Nabha, Patiala. He did a BSc in Biotechnology at the Punjabi University in Patiala. In an interview with The Tribune he said, "It was my mother who told me that I should try singing. I have learned it. I am a singer because of my mother and I love her for having faith in me."^[1] He completed his education in Msc Biotechnology in 2009. Virk’s ancestral village is in Sheikhupura original named virkgarh district, Pakistan from where his grandfather migrated while 1947 subcontinent partition.

Career

Virk started his film career with Angrej produced by Rhythm Boyz Entertainment and released in 2015. He played the role of Haakam which shows a negative role. Jasmine Singh of The Tribune said, “Angrej is also the ground for singer Ammy Virk, who opens his innings here. If it were just looks, the singer gets a five on five; as far as dialogue delivery goes, there is more work that needs to be done. All the same, he makes his character look and sound real.”^[7] Also, he won Best Debut Actor Award at PTC Punjabi Film Awards for his role in the film.^[8]

In 2016, his second film Ardaas directed by Gippy Grewal was released. In the film he played the supporting role of Agyapal Singh(Aasi). Divya Pal of News18 said, “It is interesting to see how the film’s supporting actors serve up strong performances. Ammy Virk is suitably striking as Aasi [...]”^[9] Uttam of Punjabi Teshan said, “[...] Ammy Virk has improved so much, he acted like a good theatre artist. [...]”^[10] Later in July, his film Bambukat was released being his second collaboration with Rhythm Boyz Entertainment. The film was directed by Pankaj Batra and was Virk's first film as a lead Actor. Gurlove Singh of BookMyShow said, "Ammy Virk is a revelation. He has proven that he chooses his scripts carefully. [...] he packs a solid punch in Bambukat. He has definitely grown as an actor. He is exceptional in the emotional scenes. [...] your heart goes out to Channan, and that’s only because of Ammy Virk’s effective portrayal."^[11] He won Best Actor Award at PTC Punjabi Film Awards shared with Amrinder Gill for his role of "Channan Singh" in the film^[12] and Best Actor Critics Award at Filmfare Awards Punjabi shared with Gurpreet Ghuggi.^[13] In September, he starred in Nikka Zaildar as Nikka.

In 2017, he started with playing a special appearance in the Tarsem Jassar's starrer Rabb Da Radio song "Akh Boldi". In May, his thriller film Saab Bahadar was released. Jasmine Singh of The Tribune, said "Now, it’s time for the Saab Bahadur to come in- Punjabi singer-actor Ammy Virk plays the real cop, the Saab Bahadur in the film [...] he nails it this time too."^[14] Gurlove Singh of BookMyShow said, "There’s no denying the fact that Ammy Virk is the heart and soul of Saab Bahadar. He is portraying the titular role and has introduced us to a new brand of a cop with his spellbinding performance. He enacts his character with earnestness and authenticity. He is brilliant in every frame and charges assertively throughout the film. His portrayal of Saab Bahadar stamps the fact that he is one of the most sought-after actors in the Punjabi film industry these days."^[15] The film was critically praised but commercially it was not that good.

History Of VIRKs

 

 History

The Virks are one of the most important clans.^{[citation needed]} They are mentioned by Pāṇini and V.S. Agrawal identified the Virks with the Jats. The same identification was mentioned by Buddha Prakash [1]. Mahabhasya mentions Vrika and its derivative Varkenya, the Varkan of the Persians, and Hyrcan of the Greeks. The Caspian sea was once called the Sea of Vrkans (Hyrcanian). The identification of Hyrcan with Varkan has also been mentioned by Rawlinson in his "History of Herodotus". He mentions that, even in the thirteenth century, their country in Central Asia was mentioned as Urkanich in Yakut. According to Herodotus, they fought in the battle of Thermopylae under their leader, Megapanus, who afterwards was a Satrap of Babylonia [2]. They are one of the earliest clans to enter India and, up to the sixth century A.D., they were ruling in Malwa under their king Vishnuvardhana, Vrik. The Vriks are remembered in the Brahma, Vaman and Markandeya Puranas. Their antiquity goes very much deep in the past.

A country called Uruk, or Wark, is mentioned in Sumeria along with a country called Gutium. In fact, Trigan, the last Gutian king in the twenty-second century B.C. was defeated by Utu-Khegal, the ruler of Wark country. It is possible that this country has been named after them.

The word Vrik in Sanskrit means "wolf" - the same meaning as the Russian word volka, after which the river Volga is named.

In the Kushana period, an officer of Vima Kadphises was a Vrika, according to K.P.Jayaswa.

According to Patan Jali Bhashya 4.6-114, Ashtadhyayi l-6-155 Mahabhasya 4-2-154 and Kashika varti 1-1-175, Raja Virk Vardhan had his forts in Kasrud (Mandsaur), Central India, Shakil (Sialkot) Sosaph, Dathaaprastha, Naudipur, Koak, Kandewa, Mula, Pava Datt, Karkar, Virkgary, etc.

According to historians, the present day Sheikhupura was the site of Virkgarh.

According to Th. Yugendrapal, Virks are Vahikas who are mentioned in the Mahabharata and who took one-sixth of the income of King Shalya. In the fourth century AD, they had a powerful kingdom. They were contemporaries of the Gupta rulers. According to Brij Indra Bhaskar, in 428 AD, the Virk rulers performed a big Yagya near Bayana and constructed a Pillar, on which they are mentioned as Virks. Rock inscriptions of Yasodharman have been found in Mandsaur. Their reign in Malwa came to an end in 462 AD.

King Singhavarma belonging to this dynasty and ruled from 535 AD to 585 AD. He had two sons, Narvarma and Chandravarma. Chandravarma's son was Yasovarman. According to a rock inscription found in Gandhara, he was an independent ruler. He had two sons, Bhimvarma and Bondhuvarma. Bondhuvarma was defeated by the Gupta rulers and Bhimvarma was appointed the savant of a principality near Kausambhi but, once again, he became independent and, allying himself with Anu Gupta, fought the Huns. This has been referred to in the "Chandra Viyakaran".

Bhandhuvarmas's son was Yasodharman and his son Shiladitya.

The Virk Jat Kapur Singh founded Kapurthala and made it his capital. Before Punjab's partition, Sir Shahab-ud-Din, member of the Punjab Assembly and Secretary of Jat Sabha belonged to Tar in Sialkot. Jandiala in Amritsar belonged to the Virks.

The Virk tribe was designated by the British as a Martial race.

  Yasodharman was Virk Clan Jat

The Bijayagadh Stone Pillar Inscription of Vishnuvardhana shows that Yasodharman, the father of Vishnuvardhana, was a king of Virk gotra.^[1][2]Thakur Deshraj and C.V. Vaidya concluded that the inscription of Bijaygarh and Mandsaur proves that Yasodharman, the ruler of Malwa, was a Jat king of the Virk gotra.^[3][4]

  Manhas and Virk linkage

Traditionally, Virk have been associated with horse and buffalo trading throughout Punjab. This account of the Virk clan's historical role in Punjab has recently gained increasing support with the discovery of 17th century texts written by Bhai Gurdas. However, speculation remains regarding the extent of these actions as well as the accuracy of this account.

The headquarters of the Virk appear to be the Gujranwala and Sheikhupura districts, especially the former in which they have 132 villages. They claim origin from a Rajput called Virk, who left Jammu and settled at Ghuchli in Amritsar, Sheikhupura and, Gujranwala,. Nearly a third of them have returned as Rajputs, but they marry freely with the Jat tribes in their neighbourhood. They say that their ancestor, Virk, had descended from Raja Malan Hans Dev of Jammu, the founder of the Manhas or Minhas clan of Rajputs. Leaving Paragowal (the founder of paragowal was Raja parago Minhas) in Jammu, Virk settled in Amritsar and married a Gill Jat girl. His descendants, shortly afterward, moved westwards into Gujranwala. There are three main sections of the tribe, the Jopur, Vachra, and Jan. The tribes rose to some political importance about the end of last century, ruling a considerable tract in Gujranwala and Lahore, till subdued by Ranjit Singh.

  Sheikhupura

According to the historians, the present-day city of Sheikhupura in the province of Punjab (Pakistan), was the site of Virkgarh till the Mughal emperor, Jahangir built the city of Sheikhupura. The epical ancestor of the Virks, Raja Virk Vardhan, was a ruler of the area with its capital in the present-day city of Sialkot, Punjab (Pakistan). The eastern extent of his Raj included Amritsar (India) which still belongs to the Virks. The Virks are still strong in this area politically and economically. There are 132 villages in this area which belong to the Virks.

  Muslim and Sikh Virk

Whether Muslim, Hindu or Sikh, Virks always took pride in being members of the Jat community. The majority of Virks on the western side of Punjab converted to Islam while the majority of Virks on the eastern side of Punjab converted to Sikhism. The Virk chieftain, Nawab Kapur Singh founded the Dal Khalsa and later divided it into twelve Misls. He belonged to "Fyzallapur" village which remained his headquarters. This village was later renamed Singhpur. The Misl that he headed was, consequently, known as the Singhpuria Misl.

  Notable people

• Nawab Kapur Singh Virk was a famous Jat Sikh Misl warrior and leader in the 18th century in Punjab.

The History of Virk Caste & City Sheikhupura

The History of Virk Caste & City Sheikhupura. In this video you will learn about History of Virk caste and city Sheikhupura. Virk caste is an old caste which originated from the time of the Vedic period. The people of this caste are known for their hardworking nature and they are also known for their loyalty and devotion to their families. Virk caste is known for its agricultural background and its members are mainly engaged in farming and related activities. The members of this caste are known to be very hardworking and it is said that they never give up on their dreams and ambitions. Virk caste is a sub-caste of the Jat community and is mainly found in the districts of Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur, Punjab, and some parts of Himachal Pradesh. The main language of Virk caste is Punjabi and the people of this caste speak the language fluently. Sheikhupura is a city in the province of Punjab in Pakistan. It is the capital of the Sheikhupura district and is a major industrial and agricultural center of Pakistan. The city has a rich history and culture and it is known for its monuments, heritage sites, and forts. Sheikhupura is also known for its art, music, and literature.

Virk caste is known for its traditional values and its hardworking nature. Its members are devoted to their families and they are very proud of their heritage and culture. The people of this caste are very friendly and welcoming to outsiders. Sheikhupura is a rapidly developing city with a population of around one million people. It is an important city in the country and is very well connected with the other parts of the country. It is a major transport hub and is connected to the other parts of the country via road, rail, and air. It is also known for its numerous educational institutions, including universities and schools. Virk caste is mainly engaged in farming and related activities and its members are devoted to their families. Sheikhupura is a city in the province of Punjab in Pakistan and is a major industrial and agricultural center. It is a rapidly developing city and is well connected with the other parts of the country. It is also known for its art, music, and literature and its numerous educational institutions. Virk caste is a traditional caste of people in the state of Punjab, India and Sheikhupura is a city in the province of Punjab in Pakistan. People from both these places should be aware of their traditional values and heritage and should make use of the opportunities that are available in these places. Explore the traditional values and hardworking nature of Virk caste and the rich history of Sheikhupura and make use of the opportunities available in these places.

 

Virk Family History

Virk Name Meaning

Indian (Punjab): Sikh name based on the name of a Jat clan. The founder of the clan is believed to have been a Rajput called Virak. Slovenian: variant of BIRK .

Similar surnames: Vik, Birk, Vial. Dirk. Kirk. Vora , Vick. Wire. Sirk. Turk.. 

For other uses, see Virk (disambiguation).

Jat Clan: Virk
Distribution	Malwa (Punjab)
Branches:	Sheikhupura, Gujranwala, Chichawatni, Faisalabad and Sialkot (Pakistan) Ludhiana, Jalandhar in Punjab, Panipat, Kurushetra and Karnal in Haryana (India)
Religion	Sikhism, Islam
Languages	Punjabi
Owner	Dhaliwal
Surnames:	Virk (ورک)(विर्क) Wirk (विर्क) Birk (برک)(बिर्क) Vrik (वृक) Varika (ویرکا) (वरिक)

Virk (ورک) (विर्क), also spelled as Wirk (विर्क), Birk (बिर्क), Vrik (वृक), and Varika (वरिक), is a gotra of the Jat clan found in the Punjab region of India and Pakistan. In western Punjab, and some parts of Haryana (for example, in Karnaal and Kurukshetra), Virks are supposed to belong to the Mahe dynasty, and Manhas or Minhas are considered to be brethren of the Virks. Birk and Virk gotras are of the same origin. The pronunciation is different only due to linguistic differences.

History of Virk Cast

 

History of Virk

VIRK

 Virk is a Jat gotra or clan. The clan is spread across the Punjab region in Pakistan and Northern India. The name is pronounced as "Veerk".

Etymology

The name "Virk" could have been derived from the name of the epical ancestor of the gotra, Raja Virk Vardhan

Virks in the Rigveda

According to the Jat historian, Bhim Singh Dahiya's book "Aryan Tribes and the Rig Veda", a prince named Dasyave Vrika, is mentioned in the Rigveda (Vlll/51/2, Vlll/55/1, Vlll/56/1). He can be identified with the Virk clan of the Jats and also with the Virk people of Iranian history, who gave their name to the province of Varkania /Hyrcania in Iran.

In other ancient texts

As mentioned earlier, the name of one of the ancestors of the Virk gotra was Virk Vardhan. According to the Patanjali Bhashya (4.6-114), Ashtadhyayi (l-6-155), Mahabhasya( 4-2-154) and Kashikavarti (1-1-175), Raja Virk Vardhan had built forts in:

1.         Kasrud (present-day Mandsor) in Central India 

2.         Shakil (Sialkot)

3.         Sosaph

4.         Dathaaprastha

5.         Naudipur

6.         Koak

7.         Kandewa

8.         Mula

9.         Pava Datt

10.       Karkar

11.       Virkgary.

According to Thakur Yugendrapal, the Virks are the Vahilkas (they are believed to be the founders of Bahawalpur) who are mentioned in the Mahabharata and who took one-sixth of the income of king Shalya, who was the king of the Madras and ruled over Madradesa (modern-day Sialkot). In the fourth century AD, they had a powerful kingdom. They were the contemporaries of the Gupta rulers. According to Brij Indra Bhaskar, in 428 AD, the Virk rulers performed a big Yagya near Bayana and constructed a pillar, on which they mentioned themselves as Virks. Rock inscriptions of Yasodharman have been found in Mandsor. Their reign in Malwa came to an end in 462.

Physical Attributes

Historically , the Virks had unique physical attributes. In history books, they have been described as tall, muscular, courageous and loyal. These physical and mental attributes made them ideal candidates for recruitment for the armies of different kings and Maharajas. They served in British Army, and still make a sizeable portion of Pakistani and Indian armies.

Virks in the Punjab

Sheikhupura

According to historians, the present-day city of Sheikhupura in the province of Punjab (Pakistan), was the site of Virkgarh till the Mughal emperor, Jahangir built the present city of Sheikhupura. The epical ancestor Raja Virk Vardhan was a ruler of a the area with its capitol being presentday Sialkot, Punjab Pakistan. The eastern extent of his raj included Jandiala in Amritsar, India. Still, Jandiala belongs to the Virks.

Muslim and Sikh Virks

Whether Muslim or Sikh? Virks always took pride in member of the Great Jats. The majority of Virks on the western side of Punjab converted to Islam while majority of Virks on eastern side of Punjab converted to Sikhism. The famous Virk Chieftan, Nawab Kapur Singh founded the Dal Khalsa and later divided it into twelve Misls. He was from "Fyzallapur" which remained his headquarter, this village was later rename as Singhpur. The Misl that he headed was consequently known as the Singhpuria Misl.

Virks in the British period

In Punjab (British India), the Virks held very high positions in the British Indian Army. Before the Partition of India, Sir Shahabuddin, a member of the Punjab Assembly and Secretary of the Jat Sabha, was a Virk Jat who belonged to Tar in Sialkot.

Virk Jats today

Today, one can find Virk Jats on both sides of the Punjab. In Punjab (Pakistan), a majority of Virks live in the Sheikhupura district. Virks still control the city of Sheikhupura (the ancient Virkgarh), politically and economically.

History of VIRKS

History

The Pandavas, when they returned from forest, had demanded: "give us even Kusasthala, Vrikasthala, Makandi, Varanavata and, for the fifth, any other that thou likest (see -Udyoga Parva/Mahabharata Book V Chapter 31: Vrikasthala was one of them: (Bickram Virk)

कुश स्थलं वृकस्थलम आसन्थी वारणावतमअवसानं भवेथ अत्र किं चिथ एव तु पञ्चमम (V.31.19)

It is one of the most important clans. It is mentioned by Pāṇini and V.S. Agrawal has identified Virks with the Jats. The same identification has been mentioned by Buddha Prakash [1]. Mahabhasya mentions Vrika and its derivative Varkenya, the Varkan of the Persians, and Hyrcan of the Greeks. The Caspian sea was once called the Sea of Vrkans (Hyrcanian). The identification of Hyrcan with Varkan has also been mentioned by Rawlinson in his "History of Herodotus", he mentions that, even in the thirteenth century, their country in Central Asia was mentioned as Urkanich in Yakut. According to Herodotus, they fought in the battle of Thermopylae under their leader named Megapanus which, afterwards, was a Satrap of Babylonia [2]. They are one of the earliest clans to enter India and, up to the sixth century A.D., at least they were ruling in Malwa under their king Vishnuvardhana, Vrik. The Vriks are remembered in the Brahma, Vaman and Markandeya Puranas. Their antiquity goes very much deep in the past.

A country called Uruk/Wark is mentioned in Sumeria, along with a country called Gutium. In fact, Trigan, the last Gutian king in the twenty-second century B.C. was defeated by Utu-Khegal, the ruler of Wark country. It is possible that this country has been named after them.

The word Vrik in Sanskrit means a wolf - the same as Russian word Volka which also means the same and after which the river Volga is named.

In the Kushana period, an officer of Vima Kadphises was a Vrika, according to K.P.Jayaswa.

According to Patan Jali Bhashya 4.6-114, Ashtadhyayi l-6-155 Mahabhasya 4-2-154 and Kashika varti 1-1-175, Raja Virk Vardhan had his forts in Kasrud (Mandsaur), Central India, Shakil (Sialkot) Sosaph, Dathaaprastha, Naudipur, Koak, Kandewa, Mula, Pava Datt, Karkar, Virkgary, etc.

According to historians, the present Sheikhupura was the site of Virkgarh.

According to Th. Yugendrapal, Virks are Vahikas who are mentioned in the Mahabharata and who took one-sixth of the income of King Shalya. In the fourth century AD, they had a powerful kingdom. They were contemporaries of the Gupta rulers. According to Brij Indra Bhaskar, in 428 AD, the Virk rulers performed a big Yagya near Bayana and constructed a Pillar, on which they are mentioned as Virks. Rock inscriptions of Yasodharman have been found in Mandsaur. Their reign in Malwa came to an end in 462 AD.

King Singhavarma belonging to this dynasty ruled from 535 AD to 585 AD. He had two sons Narvarma and Chandravarma. Chandravarma's son was Yasovarman. According to a rock inscription found in Gandhara, he was an independent ruler. He had two sons, Bhimvarma and Bondhuvarma. Bondhuvarma was defeated by the Gupta rulers and Bhimvarma was appointed the savant of a principality near Kausambhi but, once again, he became independent and, allying himself with Anu Gupta, fought the Huns. This has been referred to in the "Chandra Viyakaran".

Bhandhuvarmas's son was Yasodharman and his son Shiladitya.

The Virk Jat Kapur Singh founded Kapurthala and made it his capital. Before Punjab's partition, Sir Shahab-ud-Din, member of the Punjab Assembly and Secretary of Jat Sabha belonged to Tar in Sialkot. Jandiala in Amritsar belonged to the Virks.

The Virk tribe was designated by the British as a Martial race.

The headquarters of the Virk

The headquarters of the Virk appear to be the Gujranwala and Sheikhupura districts, especially, the former in which they own 132 villages. They claim origin from a Rajput called Virk, who left Jammu and settled at Ghuchli in Amritsar, Sheikhupura and, Gujranwala, nearly a third of them have returned themselve as Rajputs, but they marry freely with the Jat tribes in their neighbourhood. They say that their ancestor, Virk, had descended from Raja Malan Hans Dev of Jammu, the founder of the Manhas or Minhas clan of Rajputs. Leaving Paragowal (founder of paragowal was Raja parago Minhas) in Jammu, Virk settled in Amritsar and married a Gill Jat girl. His descendants, shortly afterward, moved westwards into Gujranwala. There are three main sections of the tribe, the Jopur, Vachra, and Jan. The tribes rose to some political importance about the end of last century, ruling a considerable tract in Gujranwala and Lahore, till subdued by Ranjit Singh.

Sheikhupura

According to the historians, the present-day city of Sheikhupura in the province of Punjab (Pakistan), was the site of Virkgarh till the Mughal emperor, Jahangir built the city of Sheikhupura. The epical ancestor of Virks, Raja Virk Vardhan, was a ruler of the area with its capital being the present-day city of Sialkot, Punjab (Pakistan). The eastern extent of his Raj included Amritsar (India) which still belongs to the Virks. The Virks are still strong in this area politically and economically. There are 132 villages in this area which belong to the Virks.

Muslim and Sikh Virk

Whether Muslim, Hindu or Sikh, Virks always took pride in being members of the Jat community. The majority of Virks on the western side of Punjab converted to Islam while the majority of Virks on the eastern side of Punjab converted to Sikhism. The famous Virk chieftain, Nawab Kapur Singh founded the Dal Khalsa and, later, divided it into twelve Misls.He belonged from the "Fyzallapur" village which remained his headquarters. This village was, later, renamed as Singhpur. The Misl that he headed was, consequently, known as theSinghpuria Misl..

Engineer Tariq Mahmood Virk

 Admin & Markzi Media Advisor APNA VIRK WORLD ITTEHAD