MAHTAB SINGH HEADMASTER

Headmaster Mahtab Singh (1894 – 17.8.1953), son of Bhai Bhag Singh, was born at village Kuri (district Rawalpindi, Pakistan). He started his career as a teacher at Rawalpindi. In 1919, he was appointed as the headmaster of the newly established Guru Arjan Sahib Khalsa School at Tarn Taran. He was one of the first members of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (S.G.P.C.) formed on November 15, 1920. He was present at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib at Tarn Taran on January 25, 1921 when the Mahant (manager) of the Gurdwara attacked the Sikhs. He was wounded in this attack. Mahtab Singh was selected to the first executive of the S.G.P.C. On October 12, 1923, the S.G.P.C. was declared as an unlawful organisation. He was arrested the follwing day. He remained in jail for about two and half years. He was released on January 25, 1926 on agreeing to act upon the Gurdwara Act. After this he renounced active political particiation. He spent rest of his life in academic and missionary activities. He worked for the initiation of hundreds of the low-caste people into the Sikh faith. He wrote several books including Navan Te Thavan Da Kosh, Dictionary of Punjabi Proverbs, Itihasak Kahanian etc. He was one of the editors who prepared the Shabdarath, an annotated edition of Guru Granth Sahib (though most of the work was done by Principal Teja Singh, Bawa Harkishan Singh and Professor Narain Singh).

(Dr Harjinder Singh Dilgeer)