Reported by: Amolak Singh,
New Orleans, LA
Singh Sahib Giani Bhupinder Singh Ji’s departure was March 13, 1995, at 6:00 am in New Delhi, while he was on a visit to his younger son, S. Jaswinder Singh, and was sudden and unexpected. His body was taken to his home town Amritsar, where Sharomani Gurdwara Parbandak Committee had arranged the funeral services at 1:00 pm on March 14, 1995. He served as the Head Granthi (Priest) of Darbar Sahib Amritsar for about 16 years, from 1947 through 1962.
He was born on August 17, 1910, in his mother’s village Chkaar, District Majafrabad, Azad Kashmir. The proud parents were: Father S. Narain Singh and mother Sardarni Bishan Kaur. When he was five years old, he remembered Japji Sahib, Rehras, Sohila, and other daily Sikh Prayers! He married Sardarni Harbans Kaur and got two sons (S. Prithipal Singh, S. Jaswinder Singh) and three daugh- ters (Bibi Baljit Kaur, Bibi
After partition in 1947, when he received the sewa of the Head Granthi of Darbar Sahib, he realized that many Sikhs were not following Sikhism as preached by our Guru-but were following some selfish individuals. He therefore, started to deliver weekly lectures on Sikhism – the first one was “What is Sikhism?”
In July 1955, Bhim Sen Sachar’s police entered the Darbar Sahib’s complex and arrested Singh Sahib and the then Jathedar of Akal Takhat along with many other religious leaders. This was the first time in the Sikh History that police entered in Darbar Sahib. After the news got released by the BBC London, there was a big reaction from the public. Sachar then had to apologize before Akal Takhat and, in addition, he was voted out from the position of the Chief Minister.
During S. Partap Singh Karon’s ruling time, some bad elements were used to throw cigarettes into the Holy Sarovar (pool of nectar). Singh Sahib arranged a large gathering in New
Delhi (on February 2, 1958), where more than 100,000 Sikhs demonstrated peacefully This was the largest gathering ever held in the Sikh history in New Delhi.
During 1962, the Akali dal was split into two groups. Respecting the interests of the Sikh Nation, Singh Sahib resigned from the Sewa of Head Granthi. Later, from 1965 throught
1968, he served as the president of the Sharomani Gurdwara Parbandak Committee. On March 25, 1970, he was elected as a member of Raj Sabha, where he served from 1970 through 1978. During 1981 and 1982 he visited the Sikh Community in U.K.. USA and Canada.
Unfortunately, in 1983 his wife, Sardarni Harbans Kaur, got paralyses. After this, Singh Sahib devoted his life to take care of his wife who had always been a source of inspiration throughout his life. This was a great testing time for Singh Sahib to accept this as a God’s Will. With God’s blessing, Singh Sahib was able to do this sewa till her departure in 1991.
On September 16, 1993, while celebrating Guru Granth Sahib’s day the Sharomini Committee honored Singh Sahib for his services to the Sikh Community. The other great personalities honored on that day were:
Late Giani Kirpal Singh Ji, Giani Mohinder Singh Ji, Giani Chet Singh Ji, Principal Harbhajan Singh Ji, Principal Bhagat Singh Ji ‘Hira,’ Principal Narinder Singh Ji ‘Soach,’ Principal Jagdish Singh Ji, and Principal Nahar Singh Ji (who returned his National Award after June 1984). Singh Sahib always preferred unity in the Sikh Nation. At times when he felt helpless, he resigned. The present writer is thankful to his grandson (Bibi Baljit Kaur’s son) Dr. dig Vijay Singh, a top pulmonary doctor at Tulane University, New Orleans, for providing this information on Singh Sahib.
In dedication to his memory- World Sikh News appreciates the services of Singh Sahib Giani Bhupinder Singh Ji.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 24, 1995
