Jassa Singh was born in 1718. Two years after the fall of Banda Bahadur's Sikh state, and passing away in 1783, just under 20 years before Ranjit Singh's Sikh kingdom, Jassa Singh lived his entire life during the worst period in Sikh history. The fact that the Sikhs emerged from the trying 18th century stronger than when they arrived is a credit to Jassa Singh's leadership, who guided them through it.

When Jassa Singh was five years old, his father passed away, and his mother committed him to the care of Bhai Mani Singh, one of the most respected Sikh academics, and Mata Sundari, the widow of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru. The young Jassa Singh received a political and spiritual education from Mata Sundari, and Mani Singh taught him the Sikh scriptures' hidden meanings. When Jassa Singh reached adulthood, Nawab Kapur Singh, the Sikh chieftain, was appointed as his guardian. Jassa Singh was given combat training by Kapur Singh, who also imparted his understanding of Shaster Vidhya (the art of fighting/weaponry), and appointed him as the troop's storekeeper.

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Jassa Singh soon started displaying the fighting prowess and valour on the battlefield that would catapult him to the top of Sikhi. During his conquest of India in 1739, the Persian conqueror Nadir Shah marched across the plains of Panjab. The Sikhs remained unnoticed in the mountains and woods and provided the Shah with a direct route to Delhi, where the Persians humiliated the Mughals. The Persian warriors left the imperial treasury after plundering it and started returning to present-day Iran. The Persians were bringing back the most valuable convoy the Indian subcontinent had ever seen, which included the renowned Koh-i-Noor diamond and Peacock Throne. The Shah had stolen so many valuables that he had to suspend taxation in his nation for more than three years. However, as soon as the caravan entered Panjab from Delhi, roving Sikh bands started to rob the Persians of their money. The Sikhs would attack in the middle of the night, yelling battle cries, robbing the Persian camps of their goods, and then galloping off into the night sky nearly as swiftly as they arrived because they refused to engage the experienced and sizable Persian army in a fight. This was done night after night until the Shah's army fled Panjab. Nadir Shah became furious and told the governor of Panjab that people who lived in the jungles will eventually rule the country. a loud message that the Sikhs were not simply a band of outlaws as the Mughals had portrayed them.

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Jassa Singh was only 21 years old when Nadir Shah invaded, yet for his valour, he was given leadership of a small army. Following a battle with Mughal forces that resulted in Jaspat Rai, the Mughal commander, being beheaded, this was increased in 1746. In response, the Mughals sent a sizable imperial force under the command of Jaspat's brother Lakhpat Rai into the Panjab. While the Sikh army attempted to flee back to their encampment in the highlands and forests, Sikh civilians were beheaded on the spot. The Sikhs travelled 60 kilometres as Lakhpat Rai followed in their wake, but after fording two rivers, they discovered a group of hill rajas waiting on the other side. Due to being trapped between these two armies, a fourth of the Sikh population at the time perished, and the Sikhs were completely decimated. Some Sikhs who were able to escape the cordon were washed downstream by the river. After travelling 150 miles to the Lakhi Jungle in the south, the others were able to find sanctuary under the protection of the trees there. The Chota Ghallughara (the lesser Holocaust) is the name given to this incident. Lakhpat Rai was detained and given to Jassa Singh less than a year later by Mir Mannu, the new governor of Panjab. He was imprisoned by the Khalsa for six months before being executed.

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Nawab Kapur started getting sick in 1753. He divided the Khalsa army into 12 Misls and gave Jassa Singh command of one of them. Also divided into the Buddha Dal (elders) and Taruna Dal (youth) were the Nihang Singhs. At a meeting of all Sikhs known as the Sarbat Khalsa on April 10, 1754, following the passing of Kapur Singh, the nation unanimously elected Jassa Singh Ahluwalia as its leader. Each Misl would be independent and have its leader, but during times of national emergency, the Misls would combine their troops into a single Dal Khalsa (Army of Sikhs), with Jassa Singh granted overall command.

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The Sikhs resumed their successful campaign in 1759 by working along with the Marathas to raid Sirhind. The year 1761 marked a turning point for the Sikhs. They ultimately took control of Lahore, the Panjab capital, after fifty years of persecution, led by Jassa Singh, who had vanquished Mir Mohammed Khan. Even Banda Bahadur had not been able to find the city. Before they could solidify their victories, a fresh threat materialised when Afghan forces under Ahmed Shah Abdali entered Panjab to seize Delhi. In one of the greatest wars ever fought on Indian territory, the Afghans defeated the Mughals and Marathas in Delhi after the Sikhs once more abandoned the towns and withdrew to the highlands and forests at Panipat. 

The Mughals were badly damaged by the setback, which effectively put an end to Maratha's hegemony in northern India. The money the Afghans brought back was immense. But the Sikhs immediately reverted to their old strategies and started robbing the Afghans of their money as soon as they left Delhi and entered Panjab. The Sikhs would attack the Afghan camps every night, but this time they started releasing the captured slaves. By the time the Sikhs' activities were over, they had liberated nearly 2000 Hindu girls and given them back to their families. Jassa Singh was given the nickname Bandi Chor, or "the deliverer," for this deed.

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Ahmed Shah Abdali returned with the express purpose of annihilating the Sikhs because he was dissatisfied with how the Sikhs were acting. The Sikhs once more resorted to fleeing their cities and making their way to the mountains and jungles as word of Ahmed Shah's return reached Panjab. The Afghan general, who was aware of their strategies, made a spectacular march, covering a lot of ground in a short amount of time, overtaking and surprising the Sikhs. The majority of the Sikh caravan comprised of noncombatants, therefore they were mostly caught off guard. They decided to attempt to march the sizable Sikh contingent to Barnala, where they anticipated assistance from their ally, the ruler of Patiala. the Afghans would break through the cordon and butcher thousands of Sikh women and children but the Sikh fighters would regroup and repulse the invaders. This continued for hundreds of miles until eventually, the Afghans grew tired of killing. The Sikhs had been utterly destroyed, losing about two-thirds of the entire Sikh population at the time. The Afghans turned to Amritsar and destroyed Harminder Sahib. Jassa Singh Ahluwalia himself suffered 64 different cuts on his body. This event is known as the Vadda Ghallughara or the Great Holocaust.

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Instead of putting a stop to Sikh dominance, the Sikhs rapidly bounced back. Within four months, they overcame the Governor of Sirhind and celebrated Diwali in Harimander Sahib that year after thwarting another Afghan invasion in Amritsar. The Khalsa Army once more defeated Zain Khan in Sirhind by 1764, and a year later they did the same to Kabli Khan before reentering Lahore. The title of "Sultan-ul-Quam" was conferred upon Jassa Singh Ahluwalia, and Sikh-sovereignty-proclamation coins were produced.

Ahmed Shah Abdali returned in 1766, this time enraged by the Sikhs' increasing dominance since they were now more numerous and powerful. Despite leaving Lahore once more, they managed to defeat Jahan Khan, his general, in a fierce conflict in Amritsar. Ahmed Shah went back to Afghanistan, and the Sikhs seized the city again. Ahmed Shah realised that his power only extended as far as his horses. He attacked Panjab once again out of frustration, but by this point, his forces were worn out from battles with the Sikhs, who continually humiliated him. 

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After the external threat subsided, the Sikhs started squabbling among themselves for control. Each Misl fought for their own region, with the venerable and ageing Jassa Singh establishing his headquarters in Kapurthala. For all of his bravery and leadership in battle during times of war, Jassa Singh did not prove to be the capable administrator that the Sikhs needed during times of peace. He also engaged in conflict with other Sikhs on several occasions (including forcing Jassa Singh Ramgharia out of Panjab at one point), but even though many Sikh leaders perished in this inter-Misl warfare, Jassa Singh Ahluwalia was still held in high regard. Jassa Singh Ahluwalia was apprehended by the opposing Misl after accidentally wandering into Ramgharia land one day while out hunting. However, the group's commander and namesake, Jassa Singh Ramgharia, discovered what his men had done right away and apologised before releasing the elderly Ahluwalia. The Bhangi, Kanheya, Phulkia, and Sukherchak Misls were all regarded as being stronger at the time of Jassa Singh's death, while some of his competitors Misls expanded their territory at his expense.

Eventually, Jassa Singh Ahluwalia retired from active political life spending the last few years in service of the nation as a member of the Panj Pyare.

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