ÿþ<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>SHAH&#298D SIKH MISSIONARY COLLEGE</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="SHAH*D,SIKH,MISSIONARY,COLLEGE"> <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">&#65279SHAH&#298D SIKH MISSIONARY COLLEGE, at Amritsar, a college for training Sikh preachers, was opened in October 1927 in memory of the <i>shah&#299ds</i>, i.e. martyrs, who had on 20 February 1921 laid down their lives at Nank&#257&#7751&#257 S&#257hib, birthplace of Gur&#363 N&#257nak, during the campaign for the reform of the management of Sikh shrines. The idea of starting such a college originated with the managing committee of the Gurdw&#257r&#257 Nank&#257&#7751&#257 S&#257hib formed in consequence of the passage of the Sikh Gurdw&#257r&#257s Act of 1925. A Shah&#299d&#299 Fund (martyrs' fund) had in fact been opened and a Sikh Mission Society formed in 1921 at Nank&#257&#7751&#257 S&#257hib, the former to raise a memorial in honour of the martyrs and the latter to spread Sikh teaching. Both objectives found fulfilment in the establishment in 1927 of the Shah&#299d Sikh Missionary College at Amritsar, under the auspices of the Shiroma&#7751&#299 Gurdw&#257r&#257 Parbandhak Committee. Ga&#7749g&#257 Si&#7749gh, well versed in the art of oratory and with perfect mastery of Persian, Urdu and Punjabi languages, became its first principal. With gaps from 1932 to 1935 and from 1938 to 1943, the College has continued to this day. In June 1936, it was revived under a new management, the Sarab Hind Sikh Mission, formed by the Shiroma&#7751&#299 Gurdw&#257r&#257 Parbandhak Committee, and Dharam&#257nant Si&#7749gh, learned in philosophy and theology, was named the principal. Eminent theologians, S&#257hib Si&#7749gh and T&#257ran Si&#7749gh, were also associated with the institution.</p> <p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The college is now run by the Daram Prach&#257r Committee of the Shiroma&#7751&#299 Gurdw&#257r&#257 Parbandhak Committee which is also the examining authority. The curriculum includes Sikh sacred texts, philosophy, history and music. Three diploma courses, each of two years' duration, are offered with a view to training preachers, <i>granth&#299s</i>, i.e. scripture-readers and <i>r&#257g&#299s</i>, i.e, musicians. Some of the College graduates have distinguished themselves in fields as far apart as theology and politics. Gi&#257n&#299 Zail Si&#7749gh who was elected President of India in 1982 is an alumnus of this College.</p> </font> <p class="BIB"> BIBLIOGRAPHY<p class="C1"><ol class="C1">Ashok, Shamsher Si&#7749gh, <i>Shiroma&#7751&#299 Gurdw&#257r&#257 Prabandhak Committee d&#257 Pañj&#257h S&#257l&#257 Itih&#257s</i>. Amritsar, 1982<BR> </ol><p class="CONT">Bh&#257n Si&#7749gh<br></p><BR> </font><img src="counter.aspx" width="1px" height="1px" alt=""></HTML></BODY>