[3][4] The Misl was founded by Dasaundha Singh Shergill a leader of Tarna Dal.

[5] The leaders of this Misl used to carry the blue nishans (the flags) of the Sikh army during the battles; hence their name become Nishanwalia.

[8] The role assigned to carry the flag in procession was considered an honourable one.

[8] Dasaundha Singh, son of Chowdhry Sahib Rai Shergill, of village Mansurwala (near Kot Issa Khan) was the first chief of this Misl.

[9] The Nishanwalia Misl had strength of twelve thousand soldiers; by 1765, it had captured Ambala, Shahbad-Markanda, Sarai Lashkari Khan, Doraha, Amloh, Zira, Singhanwala and some area around Sahnewal too; Dasaundha Singh died in a battle against Zabita Khan in 1767; he was succeeded by his brother Sangat Singh; Sangat Singh shifted his headquarters from Ambala to Zira where he died in 1774.