<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>BIKRAM&#256 SI&#7748GH KA&#7748VAR (1835-1887)</TITLE>
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<p class="C1">&#65279BIKRAM&#256 SI&#7748GH, KA&#7748VAR (1835-1887), one of the pioneers of the Si&#7749gh Sabh&#257 movement, was born in 1835. He was the son of R&#257j&#257 Nih&#257l Si&#7749gh of Kap&#363rthal&#257. As he grew up, he developed interest in classical learning and music. He received several honours and distinctions from the British government. During the 1857 uprising, he commanded a Kap&#363rthal&#257 contingent of 300 men, horse and foot, and 2 guns to defend Hoshi&#257rpur. He also assisted in the subjugation of Oudh at the head of a Kap&#363rthal&#257 contingent. He was awarded the title of Sard&#257r Bah&#257dur and a large <i>j&#257g&#299r</i> in land, with a <i><u>kh</u>ill'at</i>. He was an honorary magistrate at Jalandhar and in 1879 was appointed an honorary assistant commissioner and was decorated with the title of Companion of the Star of India (C. S. I). He also served as president of the newly created Municipal Board of Jalandhar for a term.</p>
<p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Well versed in English, Persian, Sanskrit, and Punjabi, Ka&#7749var Bikram&#257 Si&#7749gh was a strong advocate of Western learning. He equally supported the cause of women's education. In 1882, he initiated the proposal for the establishment of a <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 college. He also felt concerned about the state of Sikh faith in his day and was one of the three original founders of the Si&#7749gh Sabh&#257 established at Amritsar on 1 October 1873, the other two being Sard&#257r &#7788h&#257kur Si&#7749gh Sandh&#257&#7749v&#257l&#299&#257 and B&#257b&#257 Khem Si&#7749gh. His more important, though indirect, contribution to the Si&#7749gh Sabh&#257 movement was his patronage of the renowned Bh&#257&#299 Gurmukh Si&#7749gh. Gurmukh Si&#7749gh was the promising son of one of his family servants whom he had brought up and educated with loving care. He now helped Bh&#257&#299 Gurmukh Si&#7749gh with funds for setting up <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 Press at Lahore. This led to the launching in 1886 of the Punjabi weekly, <i><u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 A<u>kh</u>b&#257r</i>, which played a major role in spreading Si&#7749gh Sabh&#257 ideology. Ka&#7749var Bikram&#257 Si&#7749gh stood by Gi&#257n&#299 Ditt Si&#7749gh and helped him financially when he became involved in a defamation case for the publication of his <i>Svapan N&#257&#7789ak</i> (q. v.), a satirical work which gave offence to the patrons of the <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 D&#299w&#257n of Amritsar. Ka&#7749var Bikram&#257 Si&#7749gh, as president of the Jalandhar Si&#7749gh Sabh&#257, always took the part of the Lahore <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 D&#299w&#257n. Besides the patronage, encouragement and active assistance he gave to scholars like Bh&#257&#299 Gurmukh Si&#7749gh and Bh&#257&#299 Ditt Si&#7749gh, he himself wrote a book, <i>Upm&#257 S&#257r Granth</i>. Ka&#7749var Bikram&#257 Si&#7749gh died, after a short illness, on 8 May 1887.</p>
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BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"> Jagj&#299t Si&#7749gh, <i>Si&#7749gh Sabh&#257 Lahir</i>. Ludhiana, 1974<BR>
<li class="C1"> Ganda Singh, ed. , <i>The Singh Sabha and other Socio-Religious Movements in the Punjab</i>. Patiala, 1984<BR>
<li class="C1"> Harbans Singh, <i>The Heritage of the Sikhs</i>. Delhi, 1983<BR>
</ol><p class="CONT">Gurdarshan Si&#7749gh<br></p><BR>
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