ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>JODH SI&#7748GH BH&#256&#298 (1882-1981)</TITLE> <style type="text/css"> .BODY { background-color: #EAF1F7; background-image: url('images/gtbh.jpg'); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-attachment: fixed; background-position: center; color: #0066CC;} .C1{text-align: justify;color: #0066CC;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .BIB{text-align: center;color: #000099;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} .CONT{text-align: right;color: #FF0000;FONT-size: SMALL;FONT-family: Tahoma;} </style><META NAME="keywords" CONTENT="JODH,SIDGH,BH*,Person,Person"> <META http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"></HEAD> <BODY class="BODY" oncontextmenu="return false" ondragstart="return false" onselectstart="return false"> <FONT ALIGN="JUSTIFY" FACE="Tahoma"> <p class="C1">&#65279JODH SI&#7748GH, BH&#256&#298 (1882-1981), patriarchal figure for many years in the fields of Sikh theology, education and politics, was born on 31 May 1882 at Ghu&#7749gr&#299l&#257, in R&#257walpi&#7751&#7693&#299 district, now in Pakistan, the son of R&#257m Si&#7749gh and Gul&#257b Dev&#299. Named Ra&#7751b&#299r Si&#7749gh at birth and later called Sant Si&#7749gh, Jodh Si&#7749gh lost his father when he was barely two years old. Of his cleverness at studies, he gave evidence at the village primary school from which he passed out standing first in the district. At R&#257walpi&#7751&#7693&#299 where he joined high school, his mind was exposed to the revitalizing influence of the Si&#7749gh Sabh&#257 renaissance. Si&#7749gh Sabh&#257 lectures stirred him deeply and he gave himself to the study of the Sikh sacred texts. While still at school, he had himself started delivering sermons on Sikhism. This was his introduction to the art of public speaking which became his <i>forte</i> as he grew up. On 30 December 1897, he received the rites of baptism at the hands of Gi&#257n&#299 &#7788h&#257kar Si&#7749gh, a renowned scholar and interpreter of Sikh lore. At the ceremony, Sant Si&#7749gh was given the name of Jodh Si&#7749gh.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; After passing the matriculation examination, Jodh Si&#7749gh joined the Mission College, R&#257walpi&#7751&#7693&#299, where he studied for two years. Doing odd jobs for brief intervals in the Postal and Supply and Transport departments, he came to Amritsar to become a private tutor to the children of Sir Sundar Si&#7749gh Maj&#299&#7789h&#299&#257 which enabled him to resume his studies. He took his Bachelor's degree in 1904 at the <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 College, winning the top position in the Pañj&#257b University. He stood first again in his M.A. in Mathematics which examination he passed from the Forman Christian College at Lahore in 1906. Simultaneously, he expanded his study of Sikh Scripture and theology.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Jodh Si&#7749gh started his career at the <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 College as a lecturer in Sikh religion. This turned out to be a most fruitful association with that premier institution of the Sikhs of which he eventually became principal. In the struggle to rid the college of British management, he played a notable part and was made to sever his connection with it. Upon the withdrawal of the British control from its management in 1924, he returned to the college. An additional pre-occupation now was membership of the Punjab Legislative Council where he displayed exceptional parliamentary talent in carrying through the Punjab Legislative Council the Sikh Gurdw&#257r&#257s Act of 1925. He served on the various bodies of the Punjab University, and played an active part in laying down the educational policy in the Punjab. On three different occasions, he presided over the deliberations of the Sikh Educational Conference.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Bh&#257&#299 Jodh Si&#7749gh occupied in his day the most honoured place in Sikh learning. As an exegete of the Holy Writ, he had few equals. He was regarded by his contemporaries as the most authoritative interpreter of Sikh faith and tradition. His commentaries on scriptural texts, marked by a catholic knowledge of Eastern and Western schools of thought and by clarity of expression, have already become classics. Besides his books, both in English and Punjabi, he contributed essays on Sikhism to several learned publications and reference works, including the <i>Encyclopaedia Britannica</i>. Among his more famous works in Punjabi are <i>Sikkh&#299 k&#299 Hai</i>? (1911), <i>Gur&#363 S&#257hib ate Ved</i> (1911), <i>&#7788&#299k&#257 Japuj&#299 S&#257hib, Bhagat B&#257&#7751&#299 Sa&#7789ik</i> (1913), <i>Gurmat Nir&#7751ay</i> (1932), <i>Pr&#257ch&#299n B&#299&#7771a&#7749 B&#257re Bhull&#257&#7749 d&#299 Sodhan</i> (1947), and <i>Sr&#299 Kart&#257rpur&#299 B&#299&#7771 de Darshan</i> (1968); in English, <i>Japji</i> (1918), <i>Life of Sri Guru Amardas Ji</i> (1921), 33 <i>Savaiyas</i> (1953), <i>Some Studies in Sikhism</i> (1953), <i>Gospel of Guru Nanak in His Own Words</i> (1969) and <i>Kabir</i> (1971).</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Bh&#257&#299 Jodh Si&#7749gh served as a member of the Punjab Legislative Council after Independence. He was a member of Indian S&#257hitya Ak&#257dem&#299 and the founder-president of the Punjabi S&#257hit Ak&#257dem&#299. He represented Punjab on the Council for National Integration set up by Jaw&#257harl&#257l Nehr&#363. In 1962, at the age of 80, he took over as the first Vice-Chancellor of Punjabi University, Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257. He was awarded the title of Padma Bh&#363shan in 1966. He was also awarded honorary degrees of Doctor of Literature by Pañj&#257b University, Cha&#7751&#7693&#299ga&#7771h (1961), and Punjabi University, Pa&#7789i&#257l&#257 (1979).</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Dr Bh&#257&#299 jodh Si&#7749gh died in Ludhi&#257&#7751&#257 on 4 December 1981.</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1"><li class="C1"> Pi&#257r Si&#7749gh, <i>Bh&#257&#299 Jodh Si&#7749gh : J&#299van te Rachn&#257</i>. Patiala, 1983<BR> <li class="C1"> Ga&#7751&#7693&#257 Si&#7749gh, ed, <i>Bh&#257&#299 Jodh Si&#7749gh Abhinandan Granth</i>. Patiala, 1962<BR> <li class="C1"> Jagg&#299, Rattan Si&#7749gh, <i>Khoj Patr&#299k&#257 : Bh&#257&#299 Jodh Si&#7749gh Simrit&#299 A&#7749k</i>. Patiala, 1982<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">G. S. Mansukh&#257n&#299<br></p><BR> </font><img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""></HTML></BODY>