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<p class="C1">&#65279GOP&#256L SI&#7748GH (1883-1941), an Ak&#257l&#299 reformer, was born in November 1883 at the village of S&#257gar&#299, in R&#257walpi&#7751&#7693&#299 district, now in Pakistan. His father, Sundar Si&#7749gh (d.1895) was a small shopkeeper. Within three years of Gop&#257l Si&#7749gh's father's death, his two elder brothers also passed away and the responsibility of looking after the family fell on him. He worked hard to see the family business flourish, and simultaneously started participating in the Si&#7749gh Sabh&#257 activity in the district. A more active phase of his career began as the Ak&#257l&#299 agitation for the reformation of Gurdw&#257r&#257 management picked momentum. He had been nominated a member of the first Shiroma&#7751&#299 Gurdw&#257r&#257 Parbandhak Committee constituted in 1920. He was a member of the <i>jath&#257</i> or band of volunteers sent to liberate the <i>gurdw&#257r&#257</i> at Pañj&#257 S&#257hib from the control of the <i>mahants</i> or priests who had become the target of public censure. For canvassing support for the Gur&#363 k&#257 B&#257<u>gh</u> agitation, he was arrested in 1922 and prosecuted on the charge of inciting people and spreading hatred against the British government. He was again arrested in 1923 when the Shiroma&#7751&#299 Ak&#257l&#299 Dal and the Shiroma&#7751&#299 Gurdw&#257r&#257 Parbandhak Committee were banned by the government. Totally, he spent 13 years of his life in jail. When the Shiroma&#7751&#299 Ak&#257l&#299 Dal split after the Gurdw&#257r&#257s Act had been passed in 1925, Gop&#257l Si&#7749gh joined the faction led by B&#257b&#257 Kha&#7771ak Si&#7749gh. He died in 1941, and a motion condoling his death was passed by the Shiroma&#7751&#299 Gurdw&#257r&#257 Parbandhak Committee at a meeting of its general body held on 26 October 1941.</p>
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BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"> Mohinder Singh, <i>The Akali Movement</i>. Delhi, 1978<BR>
<li class="C1"> Prat&#257p Si&#7749gh Gi&#257n&#299, <i>Gurdw&#257r&#257 Sudh&#257r arth&#257t Ak&#257li Lahir</i>. Amritsar, 1975<BR>
</ol><p class="CONT">Gurcharan Si&#7749gh Gi&#257n&#299<br></p><BR>
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