Hardev Singh (23 February 1954 – 13 May 2016), also known as Nirankari Baba,[1] was an Indian spiritual guru and chief leader of the Sant Nirankari Mission from 1980 until his death.
Hardev Singh | |
|---|---|
 Hardev Singh with his wife Sawinder Kaur in 2011 | |
| Born | 23 February 1954 Delhi, India |
| Died | 13 May 2016 (aged 62) Beauharnois, Quebec, Canada |
| Other names | Nirankari Babaji |
| Occupation(s) | Head of the Sant Nirankari Mission (1980–2016) |
| Spouse |
Sawinder Kaur (m. 1975–2018) |
Early life and education
editHardev Singh was born on 23 February 1954 to Gurbachan Singh and Kulwant Kaur in Delhi.[1][2] He completed his elementary education from Yadvindra public school, Patiala, Punjab and later schooling from Rosary public school, Sant Nirankari Colony, Delhi. He graduated from Delhi University.[3]
In 1975, he married Sawinder Kaur during an annual Nirankari Sant Samagam in Delhi.[3]
Spiritual career
editHardev Singh became a member of the Nirankari Seva Dal in 1971. After the assassination of his father Gurbachan Singh, who headed the Sant Nirankari Mission in 1980, he succeeded as the chief leader (satguru) of the organization. In 2005, he established the Nirankari Museum in Sant Nirankari Sarovar complex in New Delhi.[2] Sant Nirankari Mission was established in 1929,[4] by Buta Singh who previously belonged to the Nirankari sect. He was succeeded by Avtar Singh. The mission flourished after it shifted base to Delhi from West Punjab, after partition of India in 1947.[5][6] As of 2016, the organization has 2000 centers and millions of followers all over the globe.[7]
Death
editHardev Singh died on 13 May 2016 in a car accident on Autoroute 30 near Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home minister Rajnath Singh, and Congress leader Sonia Gandhi among others expressed their grief over sudden demise of Hardev Singh.[8][9] He was cremated on 18 May 2016 at Nigambodh Ghat crematorium.[10]
On 17 May 2016, Hardev Singh's wife Sawinder Kaur became the fifth chief leader of the mission.[11]
Bibliography
edit- J. R. D. Satyarthi (1988). Gurudev Hardev (Biography). Sant Nirankari Mandal.
- Shiri Ram Bakshi; Sangh Mittra (2002). Saints of India: Sant Nirankari Baba. Criterion. ISBN 9788179380123.
- Hardev Singh; Jaganath Sharma (2011). Stream of Thoughts. Sant Nirankari Mandal.
References
edit- ^ a b Nivedita Dash. "Nirankari mission head Baba Hardev Singh dies in Canada car crash". India Today. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
- ^ a b "Baba Hardev Singh dead: Who was he". The Indian Express. 13 May 2016. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
- ^ a b "Chief Priest of Nirankari sect, Baba Hardev Singh, killed in a car accident in Canada". Jagran. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
- ^ J. Gordon Melton; Martin Baumann (2010). Religions of the World, Second Edition: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices. ABC-CLIO. pp. 2528–. ISBN 978-1-59884-204-3. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
- ^ Raj Pal Singh (1 April 2004). The Sikhs : Their Journey Of Five Hundred Years. Bhavana Books & Prints. pp. 157–. ISBN 978-81-86505-46-5. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
- ^ Roshen Dalal (2010). The Religions of India: A Concise Guide to Nine Major Faiths. Penguin Books India. pp. 324–. ISBN 978-0-14-341517-6. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
- ^ "Nirankari sect head Baba Hardev Singh killed in Canada accident". The Indian Express. 13 May 2016. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
- ^ "Nirankari spiritual head Baba Hardev Singh dies in road accident - The Economic Times". The Economic Times. Archived from the original on 16 May 2016. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
- ^ "Nirankari spiritual leader Baba Hardev Singh dies in road accident in Canada | The Asian Age". The Asian Age. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
- ^ Abhishek Singh. "Nirankari Mission head Baba Hardev Singh cremated". merinews. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
- ^ "Baba Hardev Singh's wife Sawinder to head Nirankari sect". 18 May 2016. Retrieved 19 May 2016.