Fateh Singh (Sikh leader)
| Fateh Singh | |
|---|---|
| Born |
October 27, 1911 Punjab (British India) |
| Died | October 30, 1972 (aged 61) Amritsar, Punjab (India) |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Known for | key figure in the Punjabi Suba movement |
| Title | Sant |
| Political party | Shiromani Akali Dal |
Fateh Singh (27 October 1911 - 30 October 1972) was an Indian Sikh religious and political leader, and a key figure in the Punjabi Suba movement. He was revered as Sant Fateh Singh among his followers.
Fateh Singh was the son of Channan Singh, a resident of Badiala in Bathinda district of Punjab. Fateh Singh did not have any formal schooling, but he started learning to read and write Punjabi language at the age of 13. He expressed deep interest in the Sikh scriptures, as a result of which his father apprenticed him to a Sikh scholar named Ishar Singh. Later, Fateh Singh migrated to the Ganganagar in the princely state of Bikaner (now in Rajasthan). He toured the nearby villages, preaching the Sikh faith. He also promoted education among the citizens, and established several gurdwaras and schools, besides an orphanage.
In the 1950s, Singh entered politics when he started supporting the concept of "Punjabi Suba", a separate state for the Punjabi speakers in India. By the late 1950s, Fateh Singh had become the senior vice-president of the Shiromani Akali Dal, and had led several marches supporting the Punjabi Suba movement. On 18 December 1960, he started a fast-unto-death in support of his demand. Several prominent Indian leaders tried to convince him to abandon his fast. He ended his fast on 9 January 1961, after the Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru issued a statement indicating the support for establishment of a Punjabi Suba. Paul R. Brass, the Professor Emeritus of Political Science and South Asian Studies at the University of Washington, opines that the Sikh leader Fateh Singh tactically stressed the linguistic basis of the demand, while downplaying the religious basis for the demand—a state where the distinct Sikh identity could be preserved.
In July 1962, Fateh Singh broke away from the prominent Sikh leader Master Tara Singh, and formed his own Akali Dal. On 2 October 1962, his party gained control of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee. In the Gurdwara elections on 17 January 1965, Fateh Singh's party annexed 90 of the seats, while Master Tara Singh's party could manage only 45.
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