Sardar Bahadur Gopal Singh
Sardar Bahadur Gopal Singh was the first M.L.C (Member of Legislative Council) from the Lobana community. He was born in 1860 to Subedar Major Dharam Singh in village Nurpur Lubana, district Kapurthala. He did his schooling at Mianmir cantonment, district Lahore, where his father was posted at those times. He obtained knowledge of Urdu, Farsi, English and Gurmukhi in his early career. He was a middle school graduate and in 1878 he joined the army.
His father was awarded 150 acres of land by the British government for his services. This land was earlier the grazing land for horses of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, was called “Rakh” and was situated in village Wagah, district Lahore. His father went back to Mianmir cantonment after acquiring this land and later on he was ordered to move to Naushera cantonment with his platoon. His father passed away when they were moving to Naushera. Sardar Bahadur Gopal Singh left the army after the death of his father so that he could manage the estate awarded to his father in Lahore district. The estate was named as “Gopal Singh Wala”.
Participation in politics, etc
He actively participated in political, social and communal events. He was a very reputed personality in society and was respected by the British government. During the First World War, he sent maximum recruits from the Lobana community for the British war effort. Recognising his services, 50 acres of land in Chak No. 4 Valtoha in Chunnian tehsil of Lahore district was rewarded to him.
Also, he was honoured with the title of 'Sardar Bahadur' in 1916. In 1920, Governor of Punjab nominated him for the position of member of legislative council. From January 8th 1921 to October 23, 1923 he served as a member of the Punjab Legislative Council and was rewarded with 125 acres of land in Chak No. 5, Okara tehsil of Montgomery district.
Did not help British in the "Keys" agitation
During the Babbar Akali movement, British officials selected him to be the government witness for the “Chabiya Da Morcha” (The Keys Agitation) but he refused to participate. At that time Mr. Ogly was deputy commissioner of Lahore who was his good friend but after his refusal to be a government witness, he was pretty upset with him and there was rift in their relationship.
Later on Mr. Ogly became Lieutenant Governor of Punjab and he troubled him a lot by taking strict actions against him and acquiring his land which was temporarily given to him in “Rakh Bhuni Ke”, Shaangha Maangha, district Lahore.
Upliftment of Lobana community
Gopal Singh supported the planned programs for the upliftment of Lobanas. He did a lot to establish Guru Gobind Singh Khalsa Lobana High School at Tanda in 1921. He participated in the "VIHAR SUDHAR LEHAR". He arranged Vihar Sudhar Conference at Chak No. 37 Pattoki in Lahore district.
In this conference many prominent personalities of the Lobana community participated. Sant Prem Singh contributed a lot to make this conference successful.
Demise in 1947
He died in September, 1947 at village Nurpur Lobana, district Kapurthala. His sons and grandsons were allocated land in village Bassi, district Kapurthala after the partition. His grandson Sardar Jagjit Singh Bassi was a Taksali leader and remained a member of S.G.P.C for 15 years.
See also
Article on Sir Bahadur Gopal Singh
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