Wasil Khan, of Dewaitha, Dildarnagar Kamsar, a Taluqdar and Pradhan.

Muhammad Wasil Khan (1895-1972) , or also known by his full name Talukdar Zamindar Muhammad Wasil Khan Raies, was a significant personality from Kamsar-o-Bar, Dewaitha, he belonged to a Zamindar family, and was the last taluqdar (landlord) of the Daudpur riyasat of Dewaitha. He played a major role in the local governance and development of the region. His contributions spanned across the late British rule and post-independence India. Wasil Khan was the son of Talukdar Zamindar Alam Shah Khan Raies. He was born in 1895 and remained a significant figure throughout his life, up until his death in 1972.

Early life and lenage,

There isn't much information available about Wasil Khan's early life and education, the only we got to know that he completed his Adeeb-e-Kamil in 1917.  He belonged to the Athoghar family of Dewaitha, which was known as a strong and influential landowner family, which played an important role in the 1857 rebellion. This family descended from Yad Ali Khan,(a descendant of Raja Daud Khan) and had produced several prominent figures, including Wasil Khan.

 The Athoghar family was originally the family of Eight cousin brothers, who were the sons of Khuda Bhaksh Khan, Amir Khan and Fatehpur Bahadur Khan. These three were, the grandsons of Raja Yad Ali Khan of Dewaitha, and had played a significant role, during the rebellion of 1857, lead by Kunwar singh, the Raja of Jagdishpur. Originally they were four brothers but the youngest, Akbar Khan was martyred in the rebellion. Among these eight grandsons one was Alam Shah Khan, who had three sons the eldest was Noor Muhammad Khan, the second, Wasil Khan, and the youngest was, Najibullah Khan. The Athoghar family historically have had a strong, influence over the area, especially during Wasil Khan.

The Daudpur estate and it's decline,

During the reign of Raja Daud Khan, the Daudpur estate, once large and renowned, (do see our article on Daudpur estate) shrank considerably under British rule. By Wasil Khan's time, the estate had been reduced to a small portion, consisting only of 18 villages nearby to Dewaitha. The area, which extended from Dewaitha to Zamania, had once been a powerful region. The estate's vastness also spanned parts of Bihar. However, during the British colonial period, it was confined to a few villages around Dewaitha.

In the later years, the estate was governed by seven lambardars (village headmen), each managing local affairs. These headmen were from the villages of Dewaitha, Fufuaon, Karmahari, Kharaicha, Tiyari, Deorhi and Tokawa. Their responsibilities involved managing land records, collecting revenue, and overseeing various administrative tasks. These seven headmen, under Wasil Khan’s leadership, collaborated well and worked together to resolve issues facing the region. The administration was done with great cooperation, and meetings were held in the kot of Dewaitha ,where discussions took place, and justice was dispensed. During these meetings, the local landowners called Zamindars and their tenants (riayyat) would offer tribute (known as nazrana) which was then collected and sent to the British revenue officers. 

By the time of Wasil Khan, the total area of  Talukdari rajswa mauza of Dewaitha was around 13,030 bigha (or 8138 acres). While the geographical area of Dewaitha was 1750 bigha (or 1093 acres ).

Post-Independence Era and Contribution to Development: 

After the independence of India in 1947, the zamindari system was abolished in 1956. Dewaitha, which had been a large and influential zamindari, transformed into a Gram Panchayat. Despite this change, Dewaitha continued to be a major gram panchayat, encompassing nearby 7-8 villages and exerting significant influence in the region. Wasil Khan became first pradhan of Dewaitha . Under his leadership, the village maintained its importance.

Wasil Khan was inspired by Khan Bahadur Mansur Ali Khan, of Gorasara (who founded Anjuman-Islah Kamsar-O-Bar in 1910),  and established the first primary school in Dewaitha, which marked the beginning of formal education in the village. Wasil Khan became the first Pradhan (village head) of Dewaitha and led it through a period of modernization and growth. His leadership focused on the betterment of the village and the surrounding region.

The Role of His Family:

Wasil Khan had four sons: Afzarul Haq Khan, Mushtaq Khan, Muhammad Yunus Khan, and Jalaluddin Khan. Muhammad Yunus Khan, his third son, went on to become a Naib Tehsildar (deputy administrative officer) and his first posting was at Zamania. Yunus Khan was frequently involved in addressing the challenges faced by the Kamsar-O-Bar region, including those related to agriculture, education, and healthcare. Yunus Khan on command of Wasil Khan, would often write letters to senior officials, advocating for improvements in these areas.

Irrigation and Infrastructure Development:

Under Wasil Khan’s leadership, several significant infrastructure projects were undertaken, particularly in the area of irrigation. Such as, 14.8km long, Dewaitha Canal , which transfer water from Razia Bandh to, Dewaitha and beyond to Zaburna and other villages, Kusi Minor Canal, which brought water from the Eknaiya River to the village of Kusi and Phooli, was constructed during his time. With this, all, the small canals which are connected from Dewaitha Canal were also build during his region.  Additionally, the 40.5km long, Zamania Canal was also proposed during his period, although later it was renovated and rebuild in 1984, and continues to serve the region with irrigation for agriculture. These canals, facilitated the flow of water to agricultural fields in the region, benefiting areas from tehsils of  Zamania and Seorai. 

In addition to these canals, there were also improvements in road infrastructure. Roads connecting Zamania to Dewaitha, Dildarnagar to Dewaitha, and the surrounding villages, such as:Tiyari, Fufuao, Zaburna, Saraila, Tajpur, Mircha, Sihani, Karmahari, Nirhauakapura etc, were also constructed during his time. These roads significantly contributed to the overall development of the Kamsar-o-Bar region and improved connectivity within the area.

Wasil Khan’s legacy lives on through the lasting changes he brought to Dewaitha and its surroundings. His leadership and initiatives in education, agriculture, and infrastructure laid the foundation for the region’s development. His influence continued long after his passing in 1972, though no other member of his family contested the position of Pradhan after his death. The Gram Panchayat of Dewaitha has since diminished in influence and became small consisting only the village of Dewaitha, but the work done by Wasil Khan remains a vital part of the region’s history.