Mr Jodh Singh, formerly of All India Radio, Jalandhar, India, has left for his heavenly abode on Oct.13, 1993, in Jalandhar, India.

A man of great vision and wisdom, Sardar Jodh Singh was a pioneer in broadcasting kirtan from the Harmandar Saheb in Amritsar and other places of the Sikhs. He was instrumental in recording and releasing special kirtan albums on the centennial of Guru Nanak Dey Ji and Guru Tegh Bahadar ji in 1969 and 1975 respectively. A special album of various Ragis based on 31 ragas in Guru Granth Sahib was also recorded and released under his guidance by Guru Nanak Foundation, New Delhi. These albums brought a revolution in Sikh kirtan. Jodh Singh served as consultant to Shromani Gurdwara Prabhandhak Committee on hiring the Ragis for Harmandar Sahib and improving the quality of kirtan in Darbar Sahib.

He was very involved in religious, educational and cultural activities of the Sikhs. Recently he had launched a special project to promote Punjabi and Sikh literature for the libraries and the Sikh families living abroad.

Jodh Singh was recognized by many Sikh religious institutions in India. He was honored at the Sikh Educational Conference by Chief Khalsa Diwan in 1991 in Ludhiana. He was very knowledgeable and impressive speaker and frequented many gurdwaras in the U.S. Guru Gobind Singh Foundation had launched a Sikh Study Circle program last year which was inaugurated by him.

Jodh Singh was a contemporary and closely associated with many great Sikh personalities of the time, like Prof. Sahib Singh, Prof Gurbachan Singh Talib, and Dr Jodh Singh, He was the revered father of Dr.Surjit Kaur, Chairman of Guru Gobind Singh Foundation in Washington, D.C.

Article extracted from this publication >>  November 12, 1993