Eminent Kashmiri Sikhs - The Sikh Review

Eminent Kashmiri Sikhs
Dr. Jasbir Singh Sarna*
* Noted historian: Res. Near Superbazar, Baramulla. Kashmir.
Kashmiri Sikhs have contributed a lot to their community in particular and humanity in general.
Their work and achievements are remarkable. Some of the prominent Kashmiri Sikhs include
Akali Kaur Singh, Bhai Sher Singh, Jathedar Kapur Singh, Budh Singh Tyagi, Sant Singh Tegh,
Kartar Singh Komal and Kirpal Singh Headmaster.
Akali Kaur Singh: Akali Kaur Singh was born in 1890, in a small village Padder-Chakar, in the
valley of Kashmir. His father Mohan Singh and mother, Karam Kaur were generous persons.
One of his ancestors Amolak Singh received Amrit (initiation) at the hands of Guru Gobind
Singh Sahib at the age of 8. Since then the family has remained devout Sikhs.
Akali Kaur Singh contributed several books about Sikhs religion. Sri Guru Shabad Rattan
Parkash (1923) is his magnum opus. Besides this great work, he has contributed the following
books to Sikh studies: Tatkara Varan Bhai Gurdas (1929), Istri Sankat Mochan (1925) and six
more books. He also wrote articles, 18 published and 13 unpublished. Though Akali Kaur Singh,
was a writer of Punjabi language, yet he was also well versed in English and Urdu.
Akali Kaur Singh was also the founder of Guru Nanak Ashram and Boarding House. This
institute was the premier educational institute of the Kashmiri Sikhs up to 1947. Famous Sikh
elite, Bhai Vir Singh, Ishar Singh Majhail were among those who visited the Ashram and
delivered lectures. Akali Kaur Singh also published a newspaper "Kashmir Sikh Samachar"
which continued up to 1947.
Akali Kaur Singh influenced religious, political, social and economic aspects of the Kashmiri
Sikhs. He is known as a veritable gem among the Kashmiri Sikhs. He died in 1953.
Bhai Sher Singh: Bhai Sher Singh was born on September 4, 1893 at Rawalpindi. In 1899 his
father died. At the age of seven, in 1900, he joined the Mission High School in Rawalpindi. He
got first position throughout his educational career. He completed his M.Sc. in 1916 with first
position in the Punjab.
Bhai Sher Singh started his career as a lecturer in Khalsa College at Amritsar. He joined Kashmir
Forest Department in 1920. Later, he was promoted as Deputy Conservator. During the later part
of his career he went to Sri Lanka on deputation.
Bhai Sher Singh was a scholar of Sikh studies. He presented a research paper on the Sikh
religion at the World Religions Conference, Chicago in 1921. He wrote some books on Sikh
philosophy, viz. Atam Darshan, Waheguru Darshan, Dasmesh Darshan, etc. He translated Japuji
Sahib and Sukhmani Sahib in English verse. He wrote several articles in English. Most of these
articles remain unpublished.

Bhai Sher Singh constructed gurdwaras at Ramban, Udhampur, Doda and Banihal. He spent last
days of his mortal life at Baramula.
Jathedar Kapur Singh: Jathedar Kapur Singh was born in 1901 at village Ambor
(Muzaffarabad). His father Subedar Ram Singh Rism and mother Dharam Kaur were devout
Sikhs. Throughout his life Jathedar Kapur Singh remained associated with practical service to the
Sikh community in Kashmir. He was barely 22 when he courted arrest during the Gurdwara
Reform Movement (1920-1926). At the age of 30 years he became the President of the Akali
Jatha, Muzaffarabad, as well as the gurdwara management of Chevin Padshahi Gurdawara at
Nulchi. He participated in the agitation for Sopore gurdwara in 1935. He was elected the first
President of the Jammu and Kashmir Khalsa Darbar on August 4, 1941. Two historical Sikh
conferences (Srinagar 1943 and Muzaffarabad 1944) were held under his presidentship. In
September 1943 Shiromani Khalsa Darbar Jammu and Kashmir started an agitation against the
corrupt mahants (managers) of the gurdwaras of the valley.
Under his presidentship, in July 1945, and with the cooperation of Bhai Budh Singh Tyagi, Bhai
Lochan Singh (R.S.Pura), the gurdwara Guru Nanak Sahib, Narbal, Anantnag was renovated. He
remained the president of Gurdwara Punja Sahib (Hasan Abdal) for several years.
Jathedar Kapur Singh dedicated himself to service of the Sikh community. One day during the
1947 riots, when he was returning home, he was hurt by a barrel gun around his shoulder. He
died near village Kakarwara, now under the control of Pakistan.
Bhai Budh Singh Tyagi: Bhai Budh Singh Tyagi was born in 1884 at Mirpur (Pakistancontrolled
area of Kashmir) in a sehajdhari Sikh family. His grandfather Lala Ganesh Das was a
treasurer of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. He started his career as an employee in the department of
Bandobast and later became Tehsildar in 1912. Against his will he was elected as a member of
Praja Sabha from Mirpur and Poonch. He became Deputy Commissioner in 1925, but resigned
and joined the freedom struggle. A good orator and a writer, he used to deliver lectures in the
gurdwaras, and was made stage secretary (Master of Ceremony) of the Akali Conference held in
Srinagar in 1928. He published several pamphlets, viz. Mulazmat ki-Zindagi, Faryad-i-Rayiet,
Kisan Ki Dastan, Darde-Dil, Garibon Ke Dukh Ka Ilaj, Meri Karachi Yatra, etc.
Bhai Budh Singh was one of the five prominent Sikh who laid the foundation stone of the new
building of Gurdwara Punja Sahib. The others include Bhai Jodh Singh, (Sant) Ranbir Singh and
(Sant) Wisakha Singh.
In 1930 he took active part in the freedom movement. It was because of Bhai Budh Singh and
Raja Mohamad Akbar Khan of Mirpur that Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah changed the entire
complexion of the freedom struggle by giving it a national character in 1939, throwing its doors
open to Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims alike. Also associated with All Jammu and Kashmir Dogra
Sabha he was elected President for three consecutive terms and elected the President of the
Jammu and Kashmir National Conference twice in 1942 and 1944. This office was never held by
any Sikh before or after Bhai Budh Singh.

His reformist work was his crusade against "begar" (slavery) in Kashmir. Begar was prevalent in
Kashmir in those days. The credit for abolition of this goes to the endless efforts of Bhai Budh
Singh and his associates. He was a great orator and he exhibited his eloquence and candidness
wherever and whenever he spoke. He participated in the freedom struggle and was gaoled
several times.
On March 18, 1948 he was appointed Minister for Health and Rehabilitation. In 1952 he was
elected to Parliament. He represented Kashmir for 12 years. During these 12 years he delivered
45 speeches. He died in 1974.
To quote Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah: "with his crusading zeal, courage of conviction, radical
views, capacity to undergo hardships and fire-brand eloquence, Budh Singh could be described
as the father of political change in Jammu and Kashmir. He raised his banner of revolt against
the monarchical rule long before any organised party started in the state, with his non-sectarian
and cosmopolitan outlook, he also sought to bridge cultural and regional diversities that abound
in the State".
Sant Singh Tegh: Sirdar Sant Singh Tegh was born on April 13, 1909 at the village Hattian
Dupatta (Pakistan-controlled area). He passed Matriculation examination and achieved good
command over several languages. He was married twice; to Lakshami Kaur in 1928 and Tirath
Kaur in 1945.
At the age of 10 he was an eye-witness to Jallianwala Bagh Massacre. He started his political
career at the age of 20. He was elected President of Kisan Sabha in 1933 and President of local
gurdwara in 1934, and joined National Conference, becoming member of its General Council
from 1938 to 1950. In 1950 he became the first President of the State Akali Dal and continued
till 1957. In 1945 he was elected General Secretary of Gurdwara Chhati Padshahi. Before 1947
he started a crusade against the hereditary mahants (managers) of the gurdwaras. The mahants
tried to have him killed but failed. The credit for bringing an end to centuries old hegemony of
the mahants goes to Tegh and his associates. Among Sikhs he was known as Sher-i-Kashmir. As
a social worker Tegh’s work is no less remarkable. He worked hard for settlement of the
refugees after 1947. He was a bold, courageous man of sacrifice. Hindus and Muslims loved him
and the Sikhs of the State depended upon him.
Kartar Singh Komal: Kartar Singh Komal has born in 1913 at Fujipur (Srinagar). He passed his
Matric and Gyani examinations and adopted the career of teaching. During his job as teacher in
Khalsa School he was closely associated with the Shiromani Khalsa Darbar and Kashmir Central
Sikh League.
He participated in freedom struggle and was gaoled several times. Before 1947 he had been
publishing a fortnightly Urdu paper "Karam Veer". He was editor of "Shamsheer" too. He wrote
a couple of books, viz. Dharam Dhwaj (1936), Komal Hularey (1958), Samaj Sudhar Bare
Anmol Gurmat Vichar (1982).

Komal was instrumental in the enactment of Kashmir Gurdwaras Act, for which he, along with
other leaders of the Sikhs, struggled very hard. Komal wasa dedicated and unassuming social
worker. Until the age of 79 years he served the Kashmiri Sikhs. He breathed his last in 1992.
Kirpal Singh Headmaster: Kirpal Singh Headmaster was born in c. 1925 at the village
Bhatpura (Baramula). His father Nambardar Sirdar Singh was a man of religious disposition and
charitable habits. Kirpal Singh received his early education from Baramula School and stayed in
Guru Hargobind Boarding House. He passed his F.Sc. examination from Sri Partap College,
Srinagar. He was a good hockey player and represented the valley in Lahore Hockey matches.
After passing F.Sc. he was appointed Headmaster of Khalsa Middle School, Satima (Rafiabad).
He was a popular teacher and people of different religious backgrounds respected him.
He participated in freedom struggle by awakening the people. In 1947, when Pathan tribals
attacked the village he, along with some Sikhs, fought against them. According to local people a
bullet hit his leg. In the evening he disappeared along with other 14 Sikh soldiers. His
whereabouts were never known. Nobody knows as to how and where he died. The death of this
great social worker, educationist and freedom fighter remains a mystery. S. Kirat Singh Inquilabi
has established an award in his name, given to the best Punjabi student of Kashmir every year.