Teja Singh was a Sikh scholar, teacher, author and translator.[note 1][1] He was a Camridge and Columbia University-educated humanitarian, intellectual, and Sikh community leader.[2] He became a role model and trailblazer for the Sikh community due to his Western-education and knowledge in the Sikh religion.[2] Teja Singh was reportedly treated like a “veritable demigod” by his co-religionists.[2]
Teja Singh | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 2 June 1894 Adiala, Punjab, India |
| Died | 10 January 1958 (aged 63) |
| Occupation | Writer, scholar |
| Language | Punjabi |
| Education | Master's degree in English literature |
| Genre | Essays, critical |
Biography
editIndia
editTeja Singh was born on June 2, 1894, in Adiala village, Rawalpindi district, Punjab Province, British India to parents Bhai Bhalakar Singh and Srusti. He grazed livestock and studied within the village until 1908, then he moved to Rawalpindi city to garner a further and better education.[3]
Canada
editHe eventually moved overseas to Canada, where he assisted the local Sikh community and acted as a community leader.[2] In 1908, Teja Singh helped stop a secret Canadian government plan to mass-deport all of its South Asian residents to Belize.[2] Teja Singh also helped kickstart Sikh-Canadian organizations, such as the Khalsa Diwan Society and the Guru Nanak Mining & Trust Company.[2] He provided assistance to Sikhs attempting to immigrate to Canada and fought for the right-to-vote.[2] He helped establish the first purpose-built gurdwara in Victoria in 1912.[2] During the commemoration of the opening of the Khalsa Diwan Sikh Temple in Vancouver in 1912, Teja Singh led the procession to 1210 Topaz Ave. from Government and Herald streets on horseback, with the event being attended by one-fifth of all Canadian-Sikhs at that time.[2] Though tensions between South Asians and White-Canadians had been high, the procession was peaceful and without incident.[2] By the end of the procession, there were more White-Canadians in the crowd than South Asians, as the drawn-in crowds of White folk were curious.[2]
Books
editBooks in English
edit- Growth of Responsibility in Sikhism (1919)
- The Asa-di-Var (1926)
- Highroads of Sikh History, in three volumes (1935), published by Orient Longman
- Sikhism: Its Ideals and Institutions, published by Orient Longman
- Punjabi-English Dictionary, revised and edited for Lahore University
- English-Punjabi Dictionary, Vol.1 (Punjabi University Solan).
Legacy
editThe province of British Columbia declared 1 July 2023 as Sant Teja Singh Day to commemorate his life and accomplishments toward racial equality and justice.[2]
In October 2024, photographs of Teja Singh at a procession commemorating the establishment of the Khalsa Diwan Sikh Temple in Victoria in 1912 that were discovered in the City of Victoria's archives by Jindi Singh and Paneet Singh were revealed to the public.[2]
Notes
edit- ^ His personal name is alternatively spelt as 'Tejah'.
References
edit- ^ "Professor Teja Singh". www.sikh-history.com. Retrieved 15 February 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Lo, Michael John (6 October 2024). "Community historians unearth photo of legendary Sikh figure in 1912 Victoria parade". Times Colonist. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
- ^ "Principal Teja Singh". www.roopinder.com. Retrieved 15 February 2012.
External links
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