<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>SOHAN SI&#7748GH SANT (1902-1972)</TITLE>
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<p class="C1">&#65279SOHAN SI&#7748GH, SANT (1902-1972), born Ude Si&#7749gh was the youngest of the four children of Pañj&#257b Si&#7749gh and Prem Kaur who lived at the village of Ph&#363l in the former princely state of N&#257bh&#257. The family moved to Cha&#7789&#7789hev&#257l&#257, near Damdam&#257 S&#257hib (Talva&#7751&#7693&#299 S&#257bo), during the influenza epidemic of 1918-19. Ude Si&#7749gh was a good-looking youth and was for this reason named Soha&#7751&#257, i.e. handsome. His original name was soon forgotten and he came to be known as Sohan Si&#7749gh. He studied the Sikh sacred texts with Sant Har&#299 Si&#7749gh at the village of Jio&#7751 Si&#7749ghv&#257l&#257, in present-day Ba&#7789hi&#7751&#7693&#257 district. Young Sohan Si&#7749gh tried his hand at versifying as well and got up a <i>kav&#299shar&#299</i> troupe (singers of ballads and odes) which recited heroic poetry at religious congregations. In 1925 he was arrested at Ludhi&#257&#7751&#257 as he, with his troupe, was reciting an inflammatory poem inciting people to join in the Gurdw&#257r&#257 reform agitation. After his release, he proceeded to Malaya where he became, in November 1927, a <i>granth&#299</i> or Scripture-reader at the Malacca <i>gurdw&#257r&#257</i>. In November 1932, he returned to the Punjab to train under Pa&#7751&#7693it Kart&#257r Si&#7749gh of D&#257kh&#257 at Gurmat Upadeshak College, Damdam&#257 S&#257hib. He studied logic and philosophy and mastered Sikh religious lore, obtaining the title of Mah&#257 (Senior) Gi&#257n&#299. Returning to Malacca in June 1934, he dedicated himself completely to the propagation of Sikh faith and became a leading figure in Sikh religious and social circles. He was associated with a large number of institutions including the Malayan Granth&#299 Prach&#257rak Sabh&#257, Malayan Naujav&#257n Sabh&#257 and Singapore <u>Kh</u>&#257ls&#257 Association. During World War II, he organized volunteers to look after the destitutes and war widows.</p>
<p class="C1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;During one of his tours, Sohan Si&#7749gh fell ill and died in the General Hospital at I poh on 24 May 1972. To perpetuate his memory, a Vidy&#257l&#257 commemorating his name has been established close to the Malacca <i>gurdw&#257r&#257</i> to train Sikh missionaries and <i>granth&#299s</i>.</p>
</ol><p class="CONT">Meherv&#257n Si&#7749gh Singapore<br></p><BR>
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