Jathedar Kapur Singh

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Jathedar Kapur Singh was born in 1901 at village Ambor (Muzaffarabad). His father Subedar Ram Singh Rism and mother Dharam Kaur were devout Sikhs. Throughout his life Jathedar Kapur Singh remained associated with practical service to the Sikh community in Kashmir. He was barely 22 when he courted arrest during the Gurdwara Reform Movement (1920-1926). At the age of 30 years he became the President of the Akali Jatha, Muzaffarabad, as well as the gurdwara management of Gurdawara Chevin Padshahi at Nulchi. He participated in the agitation for Sopore gurdwara in 1935. He was elected the first President of the Jammu and Kashmir Khalsa Darbar on August 4, 1941. Two historical Sikh conferences (Srinagar 1943 and Muzaffarabad 1944) were held under his presidentship. In September 1943 Shiromani Khalsa Darbar Jammu and Kashmir started an agitation against the corrupt Mahants (managers) of the Gurdwaras of the valley.

Under his presidentship, in July 1945, and with the cooperation of Bhai Budh Singh Tyagi, Bhai Lochan Singh (R.S.Pura), the gurdwara Guru Nanak Sahib, Narbal, Anantnag was renovated. He remained the president of Gurdwara Punja Sahib (Hasan Abdal) for several years. Jathedar Kapur Singh dedicated himself to service of the Sikh community. One day during the 1947 Riots, when he was returning home, he was hurt by a barrel gun around his shoulder. He died near village Kakarwara, now under the control of Pakistan.

Reference

  • Article by Dr. Jasbir Singh Sarna, Noted historian, Baramulla. Kashmir.