Sikh luminary Baba Iqbal Singh passes away at 96

By Asia Samachar | India |

Baba Iqbal Singh, who oversees a string of education outfits from their headquarter in Baru Sahib, Himachal Pradesh, passed away today. He was 96.

Some describe him as the chief executive of the largest Sikh NGO in the world for the 129 schools, two universities, nursing college and drug rehabilitation centres under his care.

“With deep personal sadness, but monumental pride in the goodness of of humanity, we announce Baba Iqbal’s passing,” commented one of the many volunteers in his outfit.

Iqbal, the president of the Kalgidhar Trust, was recently recently conferred Padma Shri awards on the eve India’s Republic Day 2022 for his contribution in the field of social work. This is the fourth-highest civilian award of the Republic of India.

Iqbal retired as the director of agriculture in the Himachal Pradesh government in 1986 and the very year started Akal Academy, a school on the foothills of Baru Sahib in the Indian state.

The school which had five students at the beginning, is today a chain of 129 CBSE affiliated English medium schools. He also set up two private universities which now have around around 70,000 rural students, according to information at the institution’s website.

In 2013, the Kalgidhar Trust established Akal Academy, Himachal’s first International Baccalaureate (IB) authorised residential school at its headquarters in Baru Sahib.

In 2018, he was conferred the title of ‘Shiromani Panth Ratan’ (Crowning Jewel of the Sikh cause) by by Takht Patna Sahib jathedar Giani Iqbal Singh.

RELATED STORY:

Baba Iqbal Singh of Baru Sahib bestowed with Shiromani Panth Rattan (Asia Samachar, 10 July 2018)

ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond.Facebook | WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 | Email: editor@asiasamachar.com | Twitter | Instagram | Obituary announcements, click here