CKD recommends name of Bhai Gurmej Singh for Padma Bhushan

GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, September 9

The Chief Khalsa Diwan (CKD) has urged the Centre to consider Golden Temple’s former hazoori ragi Bhai Gurmej Singh’s name for Padma Bhushan award keeping in view his invaluable services in the field of Gurmat Sangeet and Sikh propaganda.

Bhai Gurmej Singh, who himself is blind, is the only one who had transliterated entire Sri Guru Granth Sahib into Braille, the first ever initiative taken by him. He had served the Golden Temple for three decades before he got retired in 1998.

Being blind, he dreamt that many like him should not be bereft of reading Guru Granth Sahib. To realise his wish, he started his work on transliterating Guru Granth Sahib into Braille. It took him 12 years to complete the project.

The first Braille copy having 2,153 pages in 18 volumes, with page size of 11 x 12 inches, was presented to the visually impaired children at CKD orphanage where he had spent his childhood.

The holy script in Braille was accomplished in a few sets. Keeping one for himself, he had presented one set to the Golden Temple for the convenience of the visually impaired devotees and the rest to three other blind home centres.

CKD president Nirmal Singh who wrote the letter to the Centre told that Bhai Gurmej Singh was only eight when he came to the CKD-run Central Khalsa Orphanage where he learnt the gurmat sangeet lessons. “Against all odds, his contributions in propagating Gurbani helped the visionless devotees to read it deserved the honour by the nation”, he said.

Bhai Gurmej Singh was decorated with “Shiromani Ragi” tag by the SGPC, CKD, DSGMC and the Language Department of Punjab. At present he has been contributing his service at Bibi Bhaini Istri Netraheen Kirtan and Sikhlai Cenrtre in Chheharta (Amritsar). The department of Gurmat Sangeet of Punjabi University has awarded Bibi Jasbir Kaur Khalsa fellowship to Bhai Gurmej Singh in recognition of his service to the Sikh community in 2013.

Born in 1940 in Bajidpur village, he had lost vision at the tender age after suffering from the dreaded disease small pox. His father Parsa Singh then sent him to the CKD Orphanage which operates a wing for blind students and impart them vocational training in Kiran. He also learnt the nuances of Braille here only.

CKD’s dharam parchar head Bhag Singh Ankhi told that Bhai Gurmej Singh’s creations would be remembered for generations.

Former hazoori ragi of golden temple

• Born in 1940 in Bajidpur village, Bhai Gurmej Singh had lost vision at a tender age after suffering from the dreaded disease small pox. His father Parsa Singh then sent him to the CKD orphanage which operates a wing for blind students and impart them vocational training in Kiran. He learnt the nuances of Braille here only.
• Bhai Gurmej Singh is the only one who had transliterated the entire Sri Guru Granth Sahib into Braille, the first ever initiative taken by him. He had served the Golden Temple for three decades before he retired in 1998.
• The first Braille copy having 2,153 pages in 18 volumes, with page size of 11 x 12 inches, was presented to the visually impaired children at CKD orphanage where he spent his childhood.
• Bhai Gurmej Singh was decorated with “Shiromani Ragi” tag by the SGPC, CKD, DSGMC and the Language Department of Punjab. At present, he is rendering his services at Bibi Bhaini Istri Netraheen Kirtan and Sikhlai Cenrtre in Chheharta (Amritsar).