A Biographical Sketch of SARDAR JODH SINGH by his daughter Dr SURJIT KAUR SARDAR JODH SINGH MEMORIAL TRUST (Regd.) Deep House, 4-Green View, Patiala. 199^ Imprimis The life story of Sardar Jodh Singh is a saga of success of a self-made man surviving all the accidents, all the time one would come across in the process of seeking pasture anew in his favourite fields of activity as an educationist, broadcaster (AIR), theologian and a social reformer, all rolled into one. To many of us and his old students and friends he became a living legend during his life time. Some of his old colleagues found him going stronger even after his retirement from All India Radio after twenty five lurbulant years of selfless and dedicated service to the nation as a whole and to the Punjabis and Punjab’s cultural heritage in particular; whether any of us would live like Man-the-man, facing the ups and downs half as cheerful as he did all these years. Human in his assessment, humane in his approach, undaunted in his courage of conviction, not afraid of treading a lonely path in pursuit of his ideals, embroiled in all pervading patriotic outlook - supported by unquestionable integrity as he was - Sardar Jodh Singh - was very young amongst literary veterans and a veteran among young literati . A globe trotter as he was himself, his family represents a mini international family of man. As a crusader and promoter of Sikh ethos and culture he deserved widest possible acclaim from the ‘Sikh Jagat’ His efforts to popularise the message of Guru’s bani through the media of Sangeet, his sincerity of purpose, enlightened approach and dedication are the facts which had won him a niche in the hearts of his friends. S. Jodh Singh had a strong and abiding conviction that religion is the mainspring of human life. He held that a human beign ought to be perpetually striving to overcome his innate propensity as to put himself at the service of mankind. He believed in the reality of ‘Karma’ and gave it a special meaning of an ethical ‘bank account’ in which the balance is constantly being changed by fresh credit or fresh debit entries during a human being’s psychosomatic life on earth. This volume deals with the account of S. Jodh Singh’s life and time. As a tribute to the person < for his perennial love for Gurmat Sangeet some essays on the subject have been included. These essays, I trust, point to vast wealth of knowledge that await the attention of the interested 'v scholars and lovers of ‘Gurmat Sangeet’. i !• t :. October 9,1994. Inderjit Singh Patron -t S. Jodh Singh Memorial Trust, (Regd.) i • Patiala. r • 1 Digitized to Paniab Digital Library I www.DaniabdiaUib.ora / f, -J ’ . _ J. _ ^ if .. ■ _■ «■ ■■ 'L L :■ : -. _■■ H - ' r d i i ■ ji.) * ■■ 1 tiM ih y -i1 i pIV - - - -I i1*---. a ; I, :!1!] l.iLI >' ,:_w^7 -,f 1 ' l,,Lf.V uri. ■ a - , . i ■ ^ »■ iii! * ■ 'i y i : ■ -p? ?. t '-.J i - ■! T. ■ w ;i , f t ■-■’ ■■■■■.■■ ,■- * ■ ' ■■ y 1 - - H, Hu ■ •** • ; V 'i " - ‘ -Si •=•' ■’ "1 ■ "»♦ - 1 ■,,tf V bi. -"'f- T- lr : J' ,, - " j . A* V luitg' ■ B n « -■ ■ ■ ■ l ;■ LJ . ^aj ^ 'j i r .---- ? 1 - / *■■>. !,V! , ia ■ , r f L ^ - J ' • rV* '£ J rl 1> b- ■' : . .'i nci jh ,jj - / . r;d ■ 'I^Tj -1 -i , I" V^ ' ' '»•■>' -'• ‘ ■i#A ^ r . V n =■ '/ .fc r"-0 ■' ' [,, ia. / . ■ ■ >... 4 : ^ 1'«. ,^~r' , ? m » . -■■*■'-■*-''■'■■I^Ja** ■ I - J i « j ■ a -._.... ■ . d.i. p-Jfk J ; V . -Ft £_• > -.-: i; ..niyj..,-. r t;-j f f " r,,-FP|. t : : ,i ' i - r' •-■ ■' ' ^ .. ,"), j- T ■* . !■' I ' ■' 1 1. 1 ■' "i- ' ' i.l ll rtf"" ■ J f ■ i a a . ; ■ ■f ■- -1 » V f l . ■ - l'' ,W '1, - j j 11 ' , ' 1 ■ ^ -Aii-JiV," l -p; 1 i ■■ ■ r # ! ! T i I 19 ■»■ ■ * ■_ : i- ■ -.'■ ■ Foreword Sardar Jodh Singh (1911-93) was one of those rare personalities of this century the like of which have appeared but rarely on the sacred soil of the Punjab. As a matter of fact he represented all that is best in Sikh culture. He was a product of those fruitful times when Sikhism was re-emerging with full force due to the Sikh Renaissance generated by Singh Sabha Movement late in the nineteenth century. He was born in 1911 when the Khalsa was beginning to rediscover its glorious past. The great Sikhs of this period - whether in political, religious or cultural fields- were fired with single aim of bringing back to the Panth its lost glory. Sardar Jodh Singh belonged to that small group of devotees who dedicated their lives to the field of education and culture. He was a prominent figure amongst educationists of western Punjab who worked with dedication in the service of the youth in some of these Sikh institutions. He belonged to that group which is now practically extinct; who worked not for money but under religious compulsions. The result was that Sardar Jodh Singh and the like of him produced in these institutions such men of zeal and genius who helped in the reconstruction of the Punjab after partition. He himself continued to work in the new environment with the same attitude on life. As a Senior Program mer^ All India Radio, he helped recreate live interest in Sikh religion and culture by producing Sikh- oriented programmes such as frequent Gurbani Sangeet Sammelans, running commentaries on some important Sikh functions etc. He was also responsible for producing many Gurbani LPRs. He did all this great work quietly and honorarily. I had the honour of watching him work from close quarters. My admiration and respect for him grew everytime I met him. As a matter of fact he possessed such a charming and irresitible personality that he could practically hypnotise with his love and affection all those who came in contact with him. I never heard him speak ill of anyone. From his mouth came only things positive. He was indeed a true Gursikh. I take this opportunity of thanking many of his friends and admirere who have joined hands in producing this tribute to him. Besides his children - Dr. Surjit Kaur, Mrs. Satnam Kaur, Mrs. Manjit k Kaur, S. Harjit Singh, S. Jagjit Singh and S. Harcharan Singh including their families. I should like in particular to thank Dr. Inderjit Singh, Dr. Gursharan Singh, Mrs. Dan Kaur, Sardar Brijinder Singh Hamdard and one of his pupils Sardar K.S. Raju, IAS (Retd.) who have all helped in producing this Volume which I hope will continue to inspire coming generations of our youth. Gurcharan Singh (Chairman) S. Jodh Singh Memorial Trust, (Regd.) Patiala. WWW. 1 - ■ 1 (HI 4V+-T "I _f,' J^r ^ > , ■ ? ii Jiili rrH i^-f y.. ■'■; ^.:i ■. ■ V " ■■- !M t ■ ■_ j'j i ^ . l n i 1, M ■’■■ : ■ i h«= ■ -. j : J m U h c'l IT 7J| ■Jl' - t - r ,. .ii'' '-■hHr-Irr^.-j.'ijf ^ -Hi " " -"■■ i5"--r-!"t p-j~'J -rj i t - - - ^ 4 i j i s v r ■ flL'- 7 . ■ ■■? ■■■ ■>->■ -f-.T-H.yiii -T JV l: -.'■ I: - - w 4 fc tr ^ ■ ■i-iy. i J/. b l - V _ ^ ii r / ^ i :;H KiT. .-bd 7 :.; (3 -■ .■ .1 ■ r ■] -«j ^ V 'it - i i i -.ST v i " :* ■ 4 Tk! J r ■ -hr O ' J .'- - iqv JJ-- ’jjUtvnW ^ ^ V IJflftV-L Thfri- j ■ fr/ t r i c ■:- _3-! -I [■ Sfo ^ -4= < /* s A*8 / * - -!"■" ■ . » ■■ _ ^ V . :. r_-- V ■ v > . 1 n J PREFACE Thanks to S. Jodh Singh’s intimate relation with Prof Gurcharan Singh and his elder brother late Prof. Gurbachan Singh Talib that we came to know of him. S. Jodh Singh’s memorable career as an educationist, theologian and social worker or as a programme executive w'ilh A.I.R. was imbued with ideals at once pure, transparent and full of fragrance. It was this that took possession of him in his early life, which grew with his growth and strengthened with his strength. His dedication towards the assigned job is a fact which has inspired number of his students, fellow colleagues, friends and family memebers. His gift of five long playing records of Guru Nanak’s bani, Guru Teg Bhadur s bani and Baba Farid’s verses are the testimony of hard work and his meticulous care for details. With this bounty in our hand we can visualise in him a musician and theologian who seems to understand and obey the melodious rhythm in its complete serenity and absolute sanctity. His dictum "real recitation of the shabad is performed through words, mind and actions" is amply translated in these L.P.Rs. His personality, as expressed through his aims and objects and achievemnets of the institutions he had created and fostered shows him singularly as the great lover of humanity and culture. S. Jodh Singh was full of grace, dignity and glow. By reason of his good habits he remained active, alert and assiduons in the discharge of his numerous self imposed duties, almost to the last days of his life, which was a valuable asset to the ‘Sikh Jagt’ particularly. Tennyson must have had in his mind eye some one of the type represented by S. Jodh Singh Ji when he visualined him in his "In Memoriam" in these inspiring lines:- ‘Some divinely-gifted man Whoes life in low estate began, And on a simple village green, Who breaks his birth’s invidious bar, And grasps the skirts of happy chance, And breaks the blows of circumstance, Who makes by force his merit known, And moving up from high to higher, Becomes on fortune’s crowning hope, The pillar of a people’s hope, The centre of their heart’s desire.