Principal Harbhajan Singh Ji: A Life Dedicated to Gurmat, Education and Selfless Service

Principal Harbhajan Singh Ji was a respected personality of the Sikh Panth. He was known for his deep commitment to Gurmat, Sikh education, missionary work and selfless service. He served as the Chairman of Sikh Missionary College, Ludhiana, from 1980 and played an important role in strengthening the Sikh missionary movement.

His life was not guided by personal fame or financial gain. Instead, he devoted himself to the service of the Sikh community, the spread of Gurmat knowledge and the promotion of the correct understanding of Gurbani.

Principal Harbhajan Singh Ji was a skilled organiser, a learned scholar, an effective speaker and a sincere Gurmat preacher. His life shows how education, discipline, humility and faith can come together to serve society in a meaningful way.

Birth and Family Background

Principal Harbhajan Singh Ji was born on 22 April 1947 at Okara, District Montgomery, Pakistan, in the home of Bhai Piara Singh Ji. His father was a religious-minded person who was deeply connected with the Guru’s teachings. The spiritual atmosphere of the family had a strong influence on young Harbhajan Singh Ji from his childhood.

In 1947, the partition of India took place. At that time, Harbhajan Singh Ji was only two or three months old. Due to the difficult conditions created by partition, his parents moved to Ludhiana. The family had to face many hardships after migration. Their life changed completely, and they had to rebuild everything from the beginning.

Childhood Struggle and Love for Education

The early life of Principal Harbhajan Singh Ji was full of struggle. Due to extreme poverty, he had to sell bread during his school days. However, poverty could not stop him from studying. He remained hardworking and focused on education.

When his teacher came to know about his difficult financial condition, he helped him by arranging three tuitions for him. This also shows that his teachers had recognised his intelligence and ability at a young age.

Harbhajan Singh Ji was very sharp-minded. While studying in the seventh class, he used to teach science and English to an eighth-class student. This shows his natural ability to learn and teach. From childhood, he had a strong combination of intelligence, discipline and religious commitment.

At the age of only ten, he took Amrit. This became an important turning point in his life. From a very young age, he chose the path of Gurmat, Sikh discipline and spiritual living.

Participation in the Punjabi Suba Movement

In 1961, during the Punjabi Suba movement at Karnal, police threw Kaka Inderjit Singh into a well, which led to his death. This incident created anger and protests across Punjab.

Harbhajan Singh Ji joined the protest in Ludhiana along with his father. He was arrested and remained in jail for one month. This incident shows his courage, Panthic awareness and willingness to stand against injustice from a young age.

Education and Academic Achievements

Principal Harbhajan Singh Ji completed his matriculation in 1963 from Khalsa National Higher Secondary School. After that, he studied pre-engineering at Government College. Later, he joined Guru Nanak Engineering College and completed B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering in 1969. He also received a gold medal for his academic performance.

Along with studies, he was also interested in sports and played hockey. His personality was not limited to academic excellence only. He was active, disciplined and well-rounded.

Gurmat Knowledge and Religious Examinations

Along with modern education, Principal Harbhajan Singh Ji also gained deep knowledge of Gurmat. In 1960, 1962 and 1964, he appeared in religious examinations conducted by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. He secured top positions in Punjab in the first, second and third levels of these examinations.

These achievements show that Gurmat was not just an interest for him. It was a serious part of his life. His understanding of Gurmat later became the foundation of his preaching, writing, editing and organisational work.

Early Religious Activities

Principal Harbhajan Singh Ji remained active in religious work from an early stage. In 1968-69, he was associated with Sri Sukhmani Sahib Sewa Society. In 1969, he started a Gurmat training centre. Through this centre, children were taught correct Gurbani recitation and Kirtan.

He also involved children in religious programmes in villages. This helped connect the younger generation with Gurbani, Kirtan and Sikh values.

In 1970, he joined Gurmat Parchar Society and edited a periodical named Gurmat Sedhan. Through this work, he gave importance not only to spoken preaching but also to written Gurmat literature.

In 1975-76, he became a member of Gurmat Missionary College, Delhi, and started preaching. Within a short time, due to his dedication and organisational skills, he was appointed in charge of the Punjab and Jammu-Kashmir areas.

Bank Service and Missionary Work

In 1969, Principal Harbhajan Singh Ji started his service in the Central Bank of India. Because of his ability and good work, he was promoted as a Technical Officer and transferred to Amritsar.

Even after moving to Amritsar, he continued his religious and missionary activities from Ludhiana. He travelled regularly between Ludhiana and Amritsar for this work. He used his travel time for writing and planning missionary activities.

During this period, he wrote the book Sikh Dharam Philosophy, which was published by the institution in five parts. He wrote it during his train journeys to Amritsar. This shows his dedication, discipline and ability to use every moment for the service of the Panth.

When the bank prepared to transfer him to Srinagar, he realised that this would badly affect the work of the institution. He chose the mission over personal career growth. Without caring for his financial loss or professional future, he accepted reversion and returned to Ludhiana. This was a major example of his selfless commitment.

At that time, he was involved in organisational work, writing, publication work and the editing of the monthly magazine Sikh Phulwari.

Role in Sikh Missionary College, Ludhiana

Due to differences in the Delhi-based institution, Sikh Missionary College was started from Ludhiana in 1980. The founder members of the institution selected S. Harbhajan Singh Ji as its head. He also became the chief editor of the monthly magazine of the institution.

The responsibility of publishing literature also came on his shoulders. Under his leadership, the activities of Sikh Missionary College expanded beyond Ludhiana and Punjab. Work was carried out in Delhi, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and other parts of India.

He worked more than 14 hours a day for the organisation, preaching activities, literature, editing and management. His work helped give Sikh Missionary College a strong structure and clear direction.

After the establishment of the new institution, one of his first important works was the preparation of Gutkas of Nitnem and Sukhmani Sahib with correct pronunciation guidance. In these Gutkas, spacing was given according to pronunciation so that readers could recite Gurbani correctly and easily. The Sangat appreciated these Gutkas very much.

Dedication to Correct Pronunciation of Gurbani

One of the most important parts of Principal Harbhajan Singh Ji’s life was his dedication to the correct pronunciation of Gurbani. For him, Gurbani was not only to be read. It had to be read with correct pronunciation, correct understanding and correct spirit.

He worked throughout his life to make Gurbani recitation easier and more accurate for the Sangat. His effort to prepare Gutkas and later Sanchees with pronunciation-based spacing was a very valuable contribution.

In his later years, he also prepared Sanchees of the complete Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji for correct pronunciation and Santhya. These Sanchees were still under consideration for printing. This work shows that his dedication to Gurbani continued until the last stage of his life.

A Great Personal Tragedy and Chardi Kala

In 1982, during Vaisakhi, Principal Harbhajan Singh Ji went to Amritsar with his family. A large book stall of the institution had been set up there. While returning, near the local bus stand in Ludhiana, an accident took place. In this accident, his only ten-year-old son, Kaka Prabhjot Singh, died on the spot.

This was an unbearable tragedy for any parent. But Principal Harbhajan Singh Ji showed extraordinary patience and Chardi Kala. He sat on the road, covered his son’s face with a handkerchief and started reciting Japji Sahib.

After reaching home, he encouraged everyone to remain in Chardi Kala. He said that either everyone should read Bani or serve by preparing envelopes for the magazine. Even after such a painful loss, he did not allow the missionary work to slow down.

This incident reflects his deep spiritual strength. For him, Gurbani was not only a subject of study. It was a living support in the most difficult moments of life.

Service Despite Health Problems

In later years, Principal Harbhajan Singh Ji faced many family and health-related difficulties. Due to heavy workload, his health was affected. He underwent heart surgery twice. Because of frequent travelling, he also met with accidents three or four times. His leg was fractured twice.

Despite these problems, he continued his service without interruption. Neither illness nor personal hardship could stop him from serving Sikh Missionary College and the Sikh community.

Early Retirement and Full-Time Service

In 2001, Principal Harbhajan Singh Ji took early retirement from the bank. After that, he gave even more time to Sikh Missionary College. Retirement was not a time of rest for him. It became a time of deeper service.

Even when his health was weak in his later years, he continued to serve Sikh Missionary College with full dedication until his last breath.

Passing Away

After a short illness, Principal Harbhajan Singh Ji passed away on Friday, 7 May 2021. His passing was a great loss to his family, relatives, Sikh Missionary College and the wider Sikh community.

His departure was not only the loss of one person. It was the loss of a selfless worker, organiser, scholar, editor, preacher and devoted Sikh personality.

Inspiration from His Life

The life of Principal Harbhajan Singh Ji teaches us that true service does not depend on publicity, position or fame. True service comes from humility, discipline, patience and complete dedication to Gurmat.

He saw poverty, migration and struggle. He achieved high education and success in his professional life. Yet he chose to dedicate his life to the Sikh community and Gurmat Parchar.

He proved that education and Gurmat can work together to create a useful and responsible person. He connected children with Gurbani and Kirtan, wrote and edited Gurmat literature, worked through Sikh Phulwari, and helped build Sikh Missionary College into an organised movement.

The strongest quality of his life was that he never gave up in difficulties. The death of his only son, health problems, accidents, financial loss and family hardships could not move him away from the path of service.

Conclusion

Principal Harbhajan Singh Ji’s life is a strong example of selfless service, Chardi Kala, Gurmat commitment, love for education and dedication to the Sikh community. He showed that a true Sikh remains steady on the Guru’s path in both sorrow and happiness, gain and loss, honour and hardship.

His contribution to Sikh Missionary College, Ludhiana, Gurmat literature, correct Gurbani pronunciation and Sikh missionary work will always be remembered. His life will continue to inspire the Sikh community and future generations.