Shaheed Bhai Gurcharan Singh Ji
Shaheed Bhai Gurcharan Singh Ji was born at the house of Bhai Daleep Singh Ji, an agricultural inspector and Narain Kaur on 10th October 1946 in Rurka Korad in Jullunder. Bhai Daleep Singh was transferred to Ludhiana when Gurcharan Singh was about three years old, and the whole family took Amrit at Narangwal. Bhai Gurcharan Singh’s father, Bhai Daleep Singh was one of the close associates of Bhai Sahib Bhai Randhir Singh Ji.
Bhai Gurcharan Singh’s primary education was in Gidarwaha, Tehsil Mukhtsar and he studied up to the ninth class at Nathana in Batinda. He passed his tenth class in his village Nangal, Tehsil Moga at Guru Nanak High School and then left studying to do farming. In 1965 he was admitted into the Agricultural University and after passing his exams he was employed in Malowal (Ferozpur) in 1967 and in a block in Ferozpur in 1968. Then he started doing government service and was sent to Hargobindpur in Gurdaspur. In 1972 he left this and in 1973 was again employed by the Punjab Agricultural University.
The young Gursikh enjoyed doing Langar Sewa of the Sangat during Smagams and would never get tired of doing Sewa day and night. From a young age he enjoyed going to the Sangat to listen to Kirtan and would always sit right in front of the Kirtani Gursikhs. He would go around the houses to call youngsters who were interested in listening to Kirtan and would sit them on the front and rear of his bicycle and take them to join the Sangat.
With Guru Ji’s Grace he learnt the Nitnem of the Panj Banis by memory in his seventh class, and when he went to the village of Nangal in Faridkhot he would do the Sewa of reading Sukhmani Sahib at the Gurdwara Sahib at Amrit Vela. Bhai Gurcharan Singh never had any bad feelings for anyone and if some person did not speak to him due to some differences then he would personally go around to their house and humbly talk to them.
Once when he was about five or six years old the whole family went to Narangwal to meet Bhai Sahib Bhai Randhir Singh. Everybody lovingly embraced Bhai Sahib and Bhai Sahib picked up all the children. When his turn came he embraced Bhai Sahib in such a way that he would not let go of him and they did Naam Simran together for a long time.
He would help the needy without any hesitation and used to take responsibility of Sewa of sending food to patients in hospital in the morning and evening. His would do this Sewa twice a day, go to work and would go to study in evening classes and also found time to come and join the Sangat. He had a very close and loving relationship with Bhai Fauja Singh Ji and was greatly influence by his fearless attitude.
He gave more importance to meeting and doing Darshan of Gursikhs than even to his most important duties. On 15th April 1978 he was to attend the first exam for his degree, but he thought it more important to go to join the Sangat at the Akhand Kirtani Smagam for Vaisakhi in Amritsar on 12th April where his father, Daleep Singh was also present. To Bhai Gurcharan Singh the best revision and preparation for life was Gurbani which he followed to the letter such as:
‘Gur Kee N;nda Suna; No Kaan’, and ‘Sura So Pachanyeh)o Lara;
Deen Keh Heth. Purja Purja Kut Mora; Kabhoo No Shada; Keth’
By Jasbir Singh (son of Shaheed Bhai Hari Singh Ji)