Bhai Mahtab Singh Bir alias Rukan Din (1888 -?), son of Bhai Lakhbir Singh alias Maulwi Karim Bakhsh, resident of village Bakapur, near Phillaur (district Jullundur). On June 13-14, 1903, Maulwi Karim Bakhsh (Bhai Lakhbir Singh after initiation) and whole of his family got initiation in a specially arranged function at Bakapur.
In 1919, Bhai Mahtab Singh organised Khalsa Baradari Karaj Sadhak Dal and served as its President for some time. This organisation arranged initiation of several low-caste people into the Sikh faith. It was one of the functions of this organisation (held on October 10-12, 1920 at Jallian Wala Bagh Amritsar) which led to freedom of Akal Takht and Darbar Sahib from the corrupt Mahants, followed by the formation of the S.G.P.C. and the Shiromani Akali Dal. Bhai Mahtab Singh served the Sikh Panth throughout his life. His son Bhai Gurcharan Singh Sakhi (died 1973) too made his contribution to the Sikh cause.
(Dr Harjinder Singh Dilgeer)