SGPC condoles death of Bhai Nirmal Singh, community mourns rare classical singer

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Gobind Singh Longowal has expressed his condolences over the demise of Bhai Nirmal Singh Khalsa, a former

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Gobind Singh Longowal has expressed his condolences over the demise of Bhai Nirmal Singh Khalsa, a former hazoori ragi (permanent gurbani singer) of Harmandar Sahib, and called it a great loss to the Sikh community. He was a Padma Sri. Akal Takht jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh also expressed grief.

The wider community also paid its tributes to him. “The community will miss Khalsa, who was a master of singing gurbani in classical style,” said Giani Raghbir Singh, jathedar, Takht Kesgarh Sahib.

Born to farmer Chanan Singh and Gurdev Kaur at Jandwala village in Ferozepur district, after completing his primary education, he came to Shaheed Sikh Missionary College, Amritsar, where Prof Avtar Singh, an expert of Gurmat Sangeet tradition, taught him raagas mentioned in Guru Granth Sahib.

“He joined as hazoori raagi of Harmandar Sahib in 1979. He was among those rare kirtanis, who were proficient in singing gurbani on the basis of 31 raagas in which the Gurus created hymns,” said Tirath Singh Dhillon, a close aide of Khalsa and former news reader of Doordarshan Jalandhar.

Khalsa authored two Punjabi books entitled ‘Gurmat Sangeet De Anmol Heere’ (Invaluable gems of gurmat sangeet) and ‘Parsidh Kirtankar Bibian’ (famous female traditional gurbani singers) and was conferred the Padma Shri in 2009 for contribution to music. He was also a member of the kirtani selection committee of the SGPC.

“His memory was so sharp that he had memorised over 500 shabads of the gurbani. He also used to perform at DD Jalandhar and All India Radio. He was also on good terms with legendary Pakistan-based ghazal singer Ghulam Ali,” added Dhillon.

“Khalsa did not stop giving his performances even after his retirement and he remained popular among those fond of kirtan,” SGPC chief secretary Roop Singh added.