Tuesday, September 22, 2020

Inderjit Singh Bakhshi : Tribute to Eminent Sikh Personality On His 11th Death Anniversary

         

Inderjit Singh Bakhshi was a Member & Secretary of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee till 1964 (when Committee used to be of 21 Members only). 

He migrated to Delhi along with his family in the year 1930 from Rawalpindi. 

His father Avtar Singh Bakhshi was also a Member of Delhi Gurdwara Committee when committee consisted of 5 members and then 11 members only.

Inderjit Singh Bakhshi advised & assisted Sardar Bahadur Narain Singh (one of the contractors of Rashtrapati Bhawan) to build the present building of Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib during the British rule. 

He was solely instrumental to force the then Mahant of Gurdwara Bangla Sahib to hand over this shrine to Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee. 

He gave assistance & helped in the rehabilitation to Sikh & Punjabi refugees from Pakistan after Partition to settle in Delhi during  1947-48.

Inderjit Singh Bakhshi was close associate of Master Tara Singh (who led the Sikhs for 40 years), Sant Fateh Singh, S. Buta Singh, S. Surjit Singh Barnala, Sirdar Kapur Singh ICS, Sardarni Nirlep Kaur, S. Manjit Singh Calcutta, S. Tarlochan Singh Sarna etc.

Due to the influence of Akaali Morchas, he always wore only Blue and Black colour turbans throughout his life.

Inderjit Singh Bakhshi was the founder editor of reputed Punjabi weekly newspaper “Panth Parkash” since 1963. He got awards of “Best Punjabi Journalist” from the Punjabi Academy Delhi Government and Delhi Gurudwara Committee & many other Organizations.

He participated in many Sikh struggles such as Punjabi Subha Morcha in June 1960 & remained in Jail for 80 days, anti pseudo Nirankari movement, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Reform Movement etc. and had been arrested many times during these movements. He had to face many cases for his fearless writings against the loot and mismanagement in Delhi Gurdwara Committee as well.

He gave great contribution in making the present Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Act. 

He was also the president of Delhi’s reputed Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Karol Bagh, New Delhi.

He was the only Sikh reporter who covered the announcement of Independence of India during the intervening night of 14-15 August, 1947 in the then constitute assembly (presently Rashtarpati Bhawan) as a founder editor/owner of Daily "Baljit"- an Urdu daily newspaper then published from Delhi.

At the age of about 91 years,he left heavenly abode on 22 September, 2009.

We salute him for his tireless, selfless & great contributions to the Society.

 

Dr. Bhupinder Pal Singh Bakhshi,
Hony. Editor "Panth Parkash" Punjabi Weekly,
SGND Khalsa College, University Of Delhi ,Dev Nagar , New Delhi.
M: 9810080340.

 

2 comments:

Dr. Bhupinder Pal Singh Bakhshi said...

Thanks for posting the write-up on your esteemed blog.

ramneet singh said...

Salute to the great personality who lived inspirational life with selfless contribution to society for the greater good. May God bless his soul.