Chief Khalsa Diwan

The Chief Khalsa Diwan is a 117-year-old Sikh organisation, which is the central Organization of various Singh Sabhas spread across Punjab, India.[1][2] Unlike the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee, the Diwan is an apolitical body and only concerns itself with religious, educational and cultural issues.[3]

Chief Khalsa Diwan Charitable Society
AbbreviationCKDCS
Formation1902
TypeSingh Sabha Gurdwaras Management Organisation
HeadquartersChief Khalsa Diwan Charitable Society, G.T. Road, Amritsar, India
Location
President
S. Nirmal Singh (2019-present)
Websitechiefkhalsadiwan.com
Formerly called
Chief Khalsa Diwan

At present, the Chief Khalsa Diwan Charitable Society runs

  • 47 schools
  • 3 colleges
  • Orphanages
  • Old age homes
  • Khalsa Advocate - newsletter
  • Hospitals and clinics

The organisation was founded with the active efforts of Bhai Vir Singh.

History

As with other Sikh organisations, the Chief Khalsa Dewan strongly opposed the partition of India, which many Sikhs thought would create an environment of possible persecution.[4]

Presidents
  • S. Sunder Singh Majithia (1967-1982)
  • S. Sujan Singh Sadana
  • S. Kirpal Singh (former M.P.) remained the president for 17 consecutive years until his death, without any selection (through election), because of his goodwill with other members.
  • Charanjit singh Chadha
  • Dhanraj singh
  • Dr. Santokh Singh
  • S. Nirmal Singh (since 2019)

Honorary secretary
  • S. Sant Singh
  • S. Bhag Singh Ankhi
  • S. Santokh Singh Sethi
  • S. Narinder Singh Khurana
  • S. Swinder Singh Kagthunangal, former M.L.A. (current)
  • S. Surinder Singh, (Rumalaye Wale, current)

Local committees and presidents

The Chief Khalsa Diwan Charitable Society has numerous branches, each autonomous but directly responsible to the Diwan Headquarters at Amritsar.

References
  1. "Chief Khalsa Diwan Charitable Society". Chief Khalsa Diwan. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  2. Offensive, Marking Them (29 March 2016). "Chief Khalsa Diwan announces to set up university". The Times of India. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  3. Service, Tribune News (28 March 2016). "Chief Khalsa Diwan passes Rs150 crore budget". www.tribuneindia.com/news/amritsar/chief-khalsa-diwan-passes-rs150-crore-budget/214407.html. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  4. Kudaisya, Gyanesh; Yong, Tan Tai (2004). The Aftermath of Partition in South Asia. Routledge. p. 100. ISBN 978-1-134-44048-1. No sooner was it made public than the Sikhs launched a virulent campaign against the Lahore Resolution. Pakistan was portrayed as a possible return to an unhappy past when Sikhs were persecuted and Muslims the persecutor. Public speeches by various Sikh political leaders on the subject of Pakistan invariably raised images of atrocities committed by Muslims on Sikhs and of the martyrdom of their gurus and heroes. Reactions to the Lahore Resolution were uniformly negative and Sikh leaders of all political persuasions made it clear that Pakistan would be 'wholeheartedly resisted'. The Shiromani Akali Dal, the party with a substantial following amongst the rural Sikhs, organized several well-attended conferences in Lahore to condemn the Muslim League. Master Tara Singh, leader of the Akali Dal, declared that his party would fight Pakistan 'tooth and nail'. Not be outdone, other Sikh political organizations, rival to the Akali Dal, namely the Central Khalsa Young Men Union and the moderate and loyalist Chief Khalsa Dewan, declared in equally strong language their unequivocal opposition to the Pakistan scheme.
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