Ludhiana — Prof. Tilok Singh Grewal, a socio-political veteran, died here after a brief illness. He was 71. Prof. Tilok Singh left his mark on whatever he did during his checkered career, touching diverse fields in the tumultuous transition from the colonial imperialism to a half-baked, pseudo-democratic order.
Prof. Tilok Singh was born in 1914 at Lyallpur (Pakistan). After graduating from Khalsa College Amritsar, he joined the Luck now University and completed his M.A.L.L.B, in 1941, His essentially missionary temperament made him opt for the teaching profession and he joined Khalsa College Lyallpur. He taught there till 1947. He organized a voluntary refugee camp at Khalsa College Lyallpur after the creation of Pakistan and remained there till November 1947.
After coming to India, he took charge of the refugee camp at Rohtak as its commandant. With his devotion and hard work, he transformed the camp from a disorderly concentration of a dispossessed and disillusioned people into a decent and pleasant habitation full of determination, verve and hope. His work was highly appreciated by persons like Vinobha Behave and Lady Mountbatten. He later joined Sikh National Newspaper LTD. Amritsar. This organization was publishing two papers — Sher-e-Bharat (Urdu) and Daily Martban (Punjabi). Subsequently he joined the Forward Block which was re-activated by Gen. Mohan Singh of INA and Dalmia. Prof. Tilok Singh bid farewell to active politics when he found his companions discarding principles for petty gains, and when they merged Forward Block with Indian National Congress.
He retired to his farm in 1954 and devoted his remaining life to Gurbani Path Bodh Samagams. He was a Shudh Bani protagonist and organized instructional recitations to this effect. He was deeply touched and hurt by the recent holocaust against Sikhs and was extremely unhappy at the undermining of Sikh prestige.
He leaves behind a family comprising wife, three sons (Including Dr. Gurinder Singh Grewal of Tracy), three daughters and number of grandchildren.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 26, 1985
