Malik (clan)

Malik or Malak is a gotra of Jats found in Pakistan and India.

The Malik Jats were originally called Ghatwal (or Gathwala); they proudly started calling themselves malik ("lord"). They were zamindars (landowners) during the Mughal era.

Gathwala (गठवाला) Khap has 52 villages in Uttar Pradesh, Muzaffarnagar district.

History of Gathwala Malik, Shamli
The Malik Jat principality was established in the 15th century during the reign of Sayyid dynasty. Neya the son of Ch. Pathu Malik was married to the daughter of Rao Bohrang, a Bedha Jat of Kethra (near present Karaina). Rao Bohrang having no son gave his property to his son in law. The envious Bhinders killed Neya. The wife of Neya pleaded to the Maliks of Ahulana for help, the Chaudhary of Ahulana ordered the Malik horsemen to destroy Kethra. Kethra was destroyed and the property of the Tomars seized. The infant son of Neya was given Kethra which was renamed Lisad. Lisad became the headquarter of the Maliks in the Doab. The Maliks spread out and gained control of 52 villages in the vicinity of Lisad. They founded Barla, Fugana, Kurava, Kharad and other places. Fugana soon became the chief town of the territory, it is confirmed by in the Ain-e-Akbari which mentioned Fugana as one of the parganas in the control of Jats under the Delhi Sarkar. By the 18th century the Malik rulers became very strong. They remained semi independent. The principality ended when the Britishers occupied the Doab.

War against Kutbu-d din Aibak (Malik jats of Haryana)
Rai Bahadur Ghasiram Gathwala (Malik) of Ahulana (a village in Gohana in Sonipat district of Haryana) was the head of Gathwala Khap (Khap of Gathwala clan). He was known for his life standards & decisions. He was awarded with the title of 'Rai Bahadur' by Britishers. He had also participated in the First War of Independence in 1857. His ancestors included Raja Jatwan of Hansi who fought Kutbu-d din Aibak and Raja Halu Singh (son of Jatwan) who established the new Gathwala capital of Ahulana.