Pritam Singh
Pritam Singh | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | November 16, 1881 Sialkot, Pakistan |
| Died | August 25, 1959 Amritsar, Punjab, India |
| NSA member | India & Burma ???? - ???? |
Pritam Singh (November 16, 1881 - August 25, 1959) was an Indian Bahá’í who served on the National Spiritual Assembly of India & Burma. He was the first Sikh to become a Bahá’í.
Biography[edit]
Singh was born into a Sikh family in Sialkot in what is now Pakistan. His father was a judge. In his youth Singh studied in Amritsar and Lahore then completed a degree at the University of Punjab. In 1905 he became a teacher at Achison College in Lahore remaining in the position until 1908. While teaching at the college he met Mírzá Mahmúd-i-Zarqání and was introduced to the Bahá’í Faith for the first time and he later declared in Mumbai after studying the religion more from Mirza Mehram.[1]
In 1909 enrolled for postgraduate studies at a University in Calcutta completing a Master's Degree in Economics and he then began teaching Economics at the University of Allahabad in 1917 serving until 1920. He served as a professor at various universities until 1927 when he retired in order to devote himself to full-time service to the Bahá’í Faith. His family began exerting pressure on him to resign from the Faith or to at least stop publicly promoting the religion which he refused.[1]
In addition to teaching the Faith through public lectures and teaching tours Singh established a Bahá’í periodical which was one of the earliest in the Bahá’í world. He also contributed papers to the World Order magazine. He assisted visiting Bahá’í travel teachers to India including Keith Ransom-Kehler, Martha Root, and Siegfried Schopflocher by serving as a translator. He was elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of India & Burma at some point and served on the body for several years often as secretary.[1]
At some point Singh pioneered to Amritsar and he passed away at his pioneer post in 1959.[1] The Custodians conveyed the following message after his passing:
"Grieve loss outstanding Indian believer Pritam Singh, distinguished teacher administrator Faith much loved praised by beloved Guardian. His devoted, untiring services so long period so many fields unforgettable. Praying shrines rich reward Kingdom.[2]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1970). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 13 (1954-1963), Pg(s) 875. View as PDF.
- ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1970). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 13 (1954-1963), Pg(s) 876. View as PDF.
