It is worth mentioning that in the year 1914, Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya had travelled to Mastuana barefoot from Sangrur Railway Station to invite Sant Attar Singh for laying the foundation stone of Banaras Hindu University. Sant Attar Singh accepting his request had accompanied him to Varanasi. Rather a train, full of affluent people including Sikh rulers of Jind, Patiala and Nabha alongwith prominent religious heads of all faiths and political figures of that era arrived at Varanasi for this ceremony.

Accompanied by the religious chantings, the foundation stone of Sanskrit College was laid by Sant Attar Singh by placing eleven bricks of gold. Prior to this Five Akhand Paths were conducted at same place and after holding prayer (Ardas), the revered Sant also sung divine hymns (Kirtan).

Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya in the month of July 1919 requested Sant Attar Singh to send Teja Singh as Principal at the start of the first Teachers Training College of the University. Sant Attar Singh asked Teja Singh to take charge of the college as Principal and the same was humbly followed by Teja Singh.

A year later, rulers of Patiala, Nabha and Jind requested Sant Attar Singh Mastuane Wale to recall Teja Singh back from Banaras Hindu University; to direct him to establish centers of higher education at Gur Sagar Mastuana.

After serving for a year at Teachers Training College of Education at Banaras Hindu University, on directions from Sant Attar Singh, Teja Singh returned back and took charge of Akal Degree College Gurusagar Sahib Mastuana. He remained the Principal of the college from 1923- 1926.

After getting residency rights for Indians in Canada, he again returned to USA for completion of AM Degree in Columbia University. But he was barred from studying there on the plea that he had participated in a movement against Canadian Government; and that as such he had lost right to study there.

Then Teja Singh took admission in Harvard University for which he had applied whilst he was in India itself. Since no such report or complaint had been received by Harvard University against him; so the admission was granted. Teja Singh completed his A.M. degree in 1913 with his Sikh identity intact.

On his return to India, at the behest of his Mentor, Sant Attar Singhji, in pursuance of his faith, Professor Teja Singh shunned comfort to find riches in poverty and started teaching in a Primary School in an ashram at Mastuana Sahib.

Later he served as Principal of Gujranwala College from 1917-1919 on the instructions of Sant Attar Singh.

In early 1900s, The Canadian government decided to ship out all Indians to Honduras in South America, infested with yellow fever and uninhabitable. As this word spread, the Indians residing in Canada identified and requested Teja Singh to help bail them out since they were being forced to move out of Canadian mainland.

After discussing the emerging situation from all possible aspects and giving due credence to the Canadian Government’s orders, Professor Teja Singh met up with the employers where Indians worked and requested for their testimonials. Each one of them came forward saying that Indians worked harder and far better skilled than the natives of Canada.

Professor Teja Singh believed that this visit of his to Canada was not by chance but for a purpose, which shall shape the destiny of millions in Canada during times to come. He convinced the local Sikhs to form and register a Mining and Trust Company, which bought one-fourth of the shares in a gold mine at Jacksonville.

Being a remarkable planner and organizer, he successfully rallied around the Sikhs to purchase 250 acres of prime land near Eagle Harbour for a princely sum for establishing a Sikh colony and Sikh University. All this helped build a good image and a firm position of Sikh community in Canada. Strong financial strength of Sikhs became a public knowledge and there was no reason for them to become a public charge.

Many seminars were planned to educate Canadians about the Sikh Community. This gathered momentum and was published in leading Canadian dailies, adding to Professor Teja Singh’s faith that all this is being shaped by the will of the Almighty.

Armed with a stronger faith, the Government of Canada was petitioned that Indians in Canada were industrious, possessed good wealth and better working skills thus bringing strength to the economy. Faced with these facts the authorities had to reconsider giving permanent residency rights for the Indians in Canada and allow them to become as integral as Canadians to this North American nation.

His organisational, legislative and constitutional skills gave shape to one of the most important turnarounds in Canadian history.

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During his stay in UK, he motivated the Sikh students studying there to build a Gurdwara in Shepherd Bush. In Canada too, he built a Gurdwara in Surrey, B.C.

Similarly he gathered the revered Sikhs who took part in freedom of India like Baba Vaisakha Singh, Baba Jawala Singh and others. As such, he established a Gurdwara at Stockton USA with the help of these Sikh Saints.

He decided to complete half of the studies of A.M degree during summer vacations and the remaining course of four and half months to be completed later for obtaining AM degree.

And thus, he planned to complete the sixth term of Cambridge University in the next year and simultaneously appearing for the final exam of AM degree, Columbia University.

With this plan in mind, Teja Singh thus got admitted in Columbia University with a scholarship due to his extraordinary talent and studied there from 1908-1913.

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Sant Attar Singh gave a mandate to Sant Teja Singh Ji to go abroad for higher studies and mission for Sikhs in the West. He guided him to remain intact in his faith and humility of the highest levels.

As Sant Teja Singh went to Britain, he first took admission in course of Doctor of Science in University College London. On a suggestion, he went to Cambridge University for taking admission to change the precedent of Sikhs having to shed their Turban for studying there.

At Downing College, Cambridge University, he met the Vice Chancellor – Tutor Jackson and explained to him the tenets of Sikh faith and importance of turban for Sikhs. His logic was very impressive and articulate and reflected the spiritual Sikh way of Life. And thereafter all Sikh students were allowed to study with their turbans intact. He took admission for degree course of stream of Science (Tripose).

Thus, he was the first Sikh student, who introduced turban in the Cambridge University.

Based on his academic achievements, He became vice-principal of Khalsa College in 1904 and later its Principal, at the unprecedented young age of 27 years and the first Sikh to do so, since this benchmark was only met by British Teachers prior to this.

At Khalsa College he started as a totally materialistic, atheist, non-religious and a disbeliever person. He had turned snobbish on an ego-trip due to his western education. He would scoff at any known practices such as bowing to Guru Granth Sahib, preachers or saints, because he thought it was idolatry. On the other hand he was extremely honest, sensitive and sympathetic to the cause of needy people.

The Transformation

But the accumulated spiritual wealth of past-life brought about a deep spiritual transformation in Niranjan Singh, who took to baptism after meeting Sant Attar Singh in 1905. After baptism he was given the name of ‘Teja Singh’ by his spiritual mentor. Sant Attar Singh valued education and wanted to establish institutions that provide a blend of spiritual as well as modern education.

During his stint in Khalsa College Amritsar, Teja Singh felt elevated, subdued and purified. He was drawn towards Guru Granth Sahib as if it was a magnet. “Thy name brings glory Nanak seeks good of all.”

Sant Teja Singh Ji scored a gold medal in M.A. in 1900 and then cleared LLB in 1901 and started his law practice but could not work for more than 7 days, since he could not accept himself resorting to fabricated lies to win cases. In the in the interim, he got an offer of Headmastership of an Anglo Sanskrit School. He labored for one year in the school. At that point he tested the civil services exam in the Salt division. In 1902, he was appointed as the Assistant Superintendent at Sanbhar Lake.

He was clear only about one thing that he would serve the commoners for the rest of his life. As a Salt officer three thoughts bothered him too much: “that the salt which for miles has come out of the ground, only needy ones make it for their use. My duty was to catch them and imprison them. It came into my mind that the nature had given a free gift to the poor and being instrumental for their arrest just for earning wages became a repulsive idea.” “One day I thought that it was better to educate the poor than to brag about my status as a Salt officer.”

He decided to quit the job because it was not his way to lord over poor and helpless people.

On first impression, Niranjan Singh Mehta seemed to have everything well set up for a highly visible career as a Civil Servant. Born in the rich family of Doctor Ralla Singh he was surrounded comfortably by a retinue of servants.

He scored a gold medal in M.A. in 1900 and then cleared LLB in 1901 and started his law practice but could not work for more than 7 days, since he could not accept himself resorting to fabricated lies to win cases. In the interim, he got an offer of Headmastership of an Anglo Sanskrit School. He labored for one year in the school. At that point he tested the civil services exam in the Salt division. In 1902, he was appointed as the Assistant Superintendent at Sanbhar Lake.

He was clear only about one thing that he would serve the commoners for the rest of his life. As a Salt officer three thoughts bothered him too much: “that the salt which for miles has come out of the ground, only needy ones make it for their use. My duty was to catch them and imprison them. It came into my mind that the nature had given a free gift to the poor and being instrumental for their arrest just for earning wages became a repulsive idea.”

“One day I thought that it was better to educate the poor than to brag about my status as a Salt officer.

But the accumulated spiritual wealth of past-life brought about a deep spiritual transformation in Niranjan Singh, who took to baptism after meeting Sant Attar Singh in 1905. After baptism he was given the name of ‘Teja Singh’ by his spiritual mentor. Sant Attar Singh valued education and wanted to establish institutions that provide a blend of spiritual as well as modern education.

During his stint in Khalsa College Amritsar, Teja Singh felt elevated, subdued and purified. He was drawn towards Guru Granth Sahib as if it was a magnet. “Thy name brings glory Nanak seeks good of all.”

Niranjan Singh Mehta, who later came to be known as Sant Teja Singh, was born in the family of Sardar Ralla Singh and mother Sadda Kaur on 14th May, 1877.

In early childhood, Niranjan Singh was taught learning of Maths and Urdu language by Mian Mohammed Deen and later got completed his primary education from Fazilka Municipal School. His father Sardar Ralla Singh was a renowned doctor serving the British Government and was a rich man.

Later, his father was transferred to Lahore Central Jail and Niranjan Singh to DAV School Lahore, where he completed his matriculation with a good score. In October 1894 he got admission into the Government College wherein he completed his LLB degree and then cleared Masters in Arts in year 1901 with a Gold medal.