<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>HARCHAND SI&#7748GH RA&#298S (1887-1954)</TITLE>
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<p class="C1">&#65279HARCHAND SI&#7748GH RA'&#298S (1887-1954), philanthropist and Sikh reformist, was born the only son of Arjan Si&#7749gh a police sub-inspector, in 1887 at the village of Sursi&#7749gh, in Amritsar district of the Punjab. He learnt Urdu and Punjabi at home and did not have any formal education. At the turn of the century, the family shifted to Lyallpur where Arjan Si&#7749gh had been granted by government land in the newly developed canal colony. Harchand Si&#7749gh grew up a rich landlord, and started taking interest in public affairs. When the outer wall of Gurdw&#257r&#257 Rik&#257bgañj in Delhi was demolished by the government in 1913 to secure symmetry in their construction plans for the main buildings of New Delhi such as the Viceroy's house and the secretariat, Harchand Si&#7749gh spearheaded a movement for the restoration of the masonry. To carry on his campaign, he launched from Lahore in 1914 an Urdu weekly, the <i><u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 A<u>kh</u>b&#257r</i>. Among his coworkers were Master T&#257r&#257 Si&#7749gh, Tej&#257 Si&#7749gh Samundr&#299 and Master Sundar Si&#7749gh Lyallpur&#299. This group, popularly known as the Lyallpur group, took a pioneer role in the Gurdw&#257r&#257 Reform movement in early twenties of the century. Harchand Si&#7749gh also helped Master Sundar Si&#7749gh Lyallpur&#299 in sponsoring the <i>Ak&#257l&#299</i> (Punjabi) in 1920. In 1921, he officiated as president of the Shiroma&#7751&#299 Gurdw&#257r&#257 Parbandhak Committee during B&#257b&#257 Kha&#7771ak Si&#7749gh's absence in jail. He represented Lyallpur (rural) constituency in the Punjab Legislative Council from 1923 to 1926.</p>
<p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Harchand Si&#7749gh died on 20 February 1954 at Ko&#7789&#257 in R&#257jasth&#257n.</p>
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BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"> Pi&#257r Si&#7749gh, <i>Tej&#257 Si&#7749gh Samundr&#299</i>. Amritsar, 1975<BR>
<li class="C1"> Nirañjan Si&#7749gh, Principal, <i>J&#299van Y&#257tr&#257 Master T&#257r&#257 Si&#7749gh</i>. Amritsar, 1968<BR>
<li class="C1"> Prat&#257p Si&#7749gh, Gi&#257n&#299, <i>Gurdw&#257r&#257 Sudh&#257r arth&#257t Ak&#257l&#299 Lahir</i>. Amritsar, 1975<BR>
<li class="C1"> Mohinder Singh, <i>The Akali Movement</i>. Delhi, 1978<BR>
</ol><p class="CONT">Nirañjan Si&#7749gh<br></p><BR>
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