Giani Harpreet Singh: Another Jathedar from Muktsar

Archit Watts
Tribune News Service
Muktsar, October 22

Giani Harpreet Singh, the 45-year-old who was made acting Jathedar of Akal Takht, was previously Jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib in Talwandi Sabo—a position he was appointed to on April 21 last year.

Originally from Muktsar’s Gidderbaha town, he spent his first two years as 'parcharak' of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee before he was appointed head granthi Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, Muktsar, in 1999. He held that position until his appointment to Damdama Sahib.

He has a Master’s Degree in Comparative Religion from Punjabi University, Patiala, and holds a diploma in Divinity. He is currently pursuing his doctorate.  

Singh and Mohammad Habib recently translated the Quran from Urdu to Punjabi.

His father was a ‘paathi’ who passed away a few years ago and has two siblings—a younger brother who works at the PSPCL and a sister who is a teacher. He’s married and has an 11-year-old daughter.

Singh is the second Jathedar of the Akal Takht from Muktsar, after Giani Gurbachan Singh, who quit the position two days ago. Interestingly, both have served at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Muktsar. Giani Gurbachan Singh served here was head granthi until 1995, before his elevation to SGPC as head granthi of Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar. He was appointed Jathedar of Akal Takht—the supreme temporal seat of Sikhs—in 2008.