Greatness is best defined not by what one has, but what one gives. Through his lifestyle, beliefs and actions, Baba Iqbal Singh has achieved something close to greatness. His entire life captures the essence of “gurusikhi’’— serving humanity with love and devotion. He is my father’s contemporary, and my father and I had the fortune […]

Greatness is best defined not by what one has, but what one gives. Through his lifestyle, beliefs and actions, Baba Iqbal Singh has achieved something close to greatness. His entire life captures the essence of “gurusikhi’’— serving humanity with love and devotion.

He is my father’s contemporary, and my father and I had the fortune of meeting him on a few occasions; and I’ve always been struck by how such a fragile and soft spoken human can possess such a strong character.

After a remarkable tenure as the director of agriculture in Himachal Pradesh, where he was one of the architects of the green revolution, Baba Iqbal Singh decided to follow an inner calling, and joined the Kalgidhar Trust.

The institutions he has built and inspired through this Trust—the Akal Akademy and its network of schools, charitable hospitals, orphanages, de-addiction centres, women care centre—are a testament to his commitment, passion and piety. Thousands across India have benefitted from the Trust’s philanthropy, in different fields over the years.

Today, many schools in India don’t even have moral science as a subject; yet the network of Akal Akademies show how modern education can yield rich dividends when rooted in a spiritual core. In fact, many Sikh families from around the world today send their children to the Akal Academy at Baru Sahib to connect with their roots and to receive value based education. Equally important, Akal Academies are a unique amalgam of different faiths, and parents of Hindus and Muslims also send their children here in large numbers. At an early age, they understand the tenets of tolerance, which is the founding stone on which Indian civilisation has flourished.

Through the chapters of this book, the author has woven a wonderful tapestry around the life, the times and the beliefs of a remarkable leader.

Sunil Kant Munjal