Our dear brother Gurdev Singh ji, pillar of Gobind Sadan, passed away suddenly on 21 April 2021. Our hearts and prayers go out to the family. Gobind Sadan won’t be the same.
Gurdev Singh devoted his entire adult life to Maharaj ji’s service. After graduating from college as a prize-winning Punjabi poet, he also got the “Gyani” degree. In 1971, his maternal grandfather and Gyani Gurdev Singh took him to Maharaj and asked Him to bless Gurdev Singh for a job. In 1973 he came back to Gobind Sadan and Maharaj told him to stay for a few days to do seva. Then he received a letter offering him the coveted post of Sub-Inspector in Border Security Force. He read the letter to Maharaj ji. Maharaj ji asked him, “Do you really want to go?” His throat filled with emotion, Gurdev said, “I don’t want to leave You.” Maharaj embraced him and said, “Tear it apart and throw it away.”
As his life-long seva with Maharaj unfolded, Gurdev was asked to go to Dubai to work with sevadar Sardar Jaswant Singh in his construction business. Then Maharaj ji called him back and put him in charge of Gobind Sadan’s dairy, which then had hundreds of cows and buffalos. Under his management, with Maharaj’s daily personal supervision and great blessings, there were many prize-winning cows, including the All-Asia prize-winning cow for milk production: She gave 63 litres in a single day.
The next duty that Maharaj assigned to Gurdev Singh was that of accompanying him on his rounds at Shiv Sadan, carrying a large shade umbrella. Maharaj ji was overseeing each and every detail of that huge farm, often walking up to 20 kilometres a day. The umbrella was unwieldy and heavy, but Gurdev Singh never complained, and always kept his full concentration on where the umbrella shade was falling, lest any hot sun should be upon Maharaj ji.
In the 1990s, Gurdev Singh twice accompanied Maharaj ji to the United States, where his ability to speak English was helpful. His variegated seva during those trips including pressing Maharaj’s complicated chola. He explained, “I will do whatever is needed for Maharaj ji’s mission.”
When Mary Fisher started to write a book about Gobind Sadan, Maharaj ji assigned Gurdev Singh to translate for her and explain all aspects of the mission. Often this happened while they were walking through the fields at Shiv Sadan, while Gurdev was also holding the umbrella over Maharaj.
When Maharaj returned to live in Gobind Sadan, Delhi, he gave Gurdev Singh the duty of managing the huge Shiv Sadan farm. After that, he got the duty of managing the dera in Sarawan Bodla, Maharaj’s childhood home.
Gurdev’s next assignment was to return to Gobind Sadan in Delhi in order to assist Mary in her duties and help in the work of arranging seminars, celebrations, and publications for Gobind Sadan Institute for Advanced Studies in Comparative Religion, which Maharaj had started in 1990. He was also given the duty of Gaddinasheen of Shahidata Darbar dera in North Delhi. After Balwant Singh passed away, during Maharaj’s final months in his physical body, Gurdev Singh was made his personal assistant.
After Baba Virsa Singh Ji left his physical body in 2007, Gurdev Singh became a member of the Baba Virsa Singh Ji Maharaj Memorial Trust. Up to his untimely death, he played major roles in trying to protect and advance Maharaj ji’s mission. His passing leaves a huge hole that no one else can fill, but surely he is at last getting long-needed rest in Maharaj’s embrace.
Please leave your messages/tributes below.
Some memories of Gurdev Singh ji standing next to Maharaj ji holding umbrella.
A great soul!
Helped me a lot!
Gurdev Singh Poet, Scholar, and Servant of Gobind Sadan
4-30-2021
We will miss your poetry – your smiling face – and laugh – your deep thoughts.
We will miss your dedication – to be ever in waiting to serve.
Ever ready to step up.
Ever ready to put yourself on the line.
He loved creating wonderful poems to Praise Mji and convening the Kavi Darbars
We will miss the sound of his beautiful Jaap Sahib each day in the Havan.
To serve in whatever capacity from dairy to farm manager to umbrella bearer to GS management.
We should remember Kapur Singh – who served w the horses while sitting on the throne – first of Shahi Data Darbar then as a key part of GS administration.
Writing and researching always wanting to expand on what I had done w Baba Siri Chand ji documenting the 2 gaddis of Guru Nanak Dev ji – Guru Angad Dev ji and Baba Siri Chand ji. Of pulling together the Udasi leadership to celebrate Baba Siri Chand ji in Gobind Sadan. Connecting with Sikh leadership and gov’t leadership as well.
Gurdev should be remembered for his role in “Loving God” having translated Maharaj ji’s bachans for Marypat and made sure they were read back to Maharaj ji just as they were dictated!
He loved Editor Sahib and the whole idea of putting Mji forward in the Punjabi Press. When I brought Kuldip Nayar to Maharaj ji and Kuldip ji wrote a tribute for M’s b’day, Gurdev was dancing.
He worked behind the scenes with L.L. or in front of the Sangat trying to keep the message clear and the seva going even under the most difficult circumstances.
But I will miss Gurdev Singh most as a brother navigating the difficult period of Maharaj ji’s illness whether on trips here or in India.
The Gobind Sadan family will miss him.
– the dust of Gobind Sadan and all its farms and deras will miss him.
And I will miss my brother of so many battles together. One of our pillars has passed and it will take many to replace our 1 Gurdev Singh.
To our Sister Gurjinder Kaur, and son Arjun Singh (Mani), know that the whole sangat will always stand with you as you carry your father’s legacy forward. I fondly remember you sitting at your father’s feet on the veranda listening to Maharaj ji’s bachans and then becoming a star in my youth groups. You still are a star!!
With love and blessings – and endless memories til we meet again
Ralph Singh and Family