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UPDATE
Surrey, BC, Canada, Oct. 08, 2010: Tribute to Professor Pritam Singh
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Prof.
Pritam Singh’s Death Shocks the Literary World
Los Angeles, Oct. 26, 2008
Gary Singh
Prof. Pritam Singh, an eminent scholar, a teacher of teachers,
writer and author of over sixty books died of cardiac arrest on
Saturday, October 25, 2008 at his residence in Patiala. His daughter
Dr. Rupinder Kaur of Ludhiana and his physician son-in-law Dr. Gurpal
Singh, his next door neighbor, were at his bedside while he breathed
his last. His son, Dr. Jai Rup Singh, Vice Chancellor of Guru Nanak
Dev University and other family members also reached soonsoon after
hearing his sudden demise.
Pritam Singh started his teaching career as lecturer in Punjabi
at Doaba College Jullunder in 1941 on obtaining two M.A. degrees
in English and Persian. He joined Sikh National College Lahore as
the Head of Persian and Punjabi Department. After partition of Punjab,
he started working with Punjab University, Simla. In 1950, he joined
Mahendra College Patiala as Head of the Post-Graduate Department
of Punjabi. He served as principal of some Government Colleges including
Government College, Ludhiana, Faridkot, etc. From 1972 to 1980,
he served as the founder-chairman and head of the Centre for Guru
Nanak Studies at Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar. He was the
most revered Professor of Punjabi.
Prof Pritam Singh, was a well-known and highly respected figure
in literary circles, a scholar of great repute, a well-known author
and editor of reputed journals in both English and Punjabi. He had
served the cause of Punjab and Punjabi by collecting and preserving
old manuscripts of Punjabi and has left a rich personal library
with rare manuscripts. He had done in-depth research on Guru Granth
Sahib and also had done commendable work in children literature.
He was a linguist, a successful translator and author of over 60
books.
Prof Pritam Singh had been a towering figure and was known as
“Bhisham Pitama” of Punjabi language. He received numerous
honors and awards including Shiromani Sahitya Award, Fellowship
by Punjabi Sahitya Akademi, World Punjabi Writers Conference, Government
of India, Emritus Fellowship, Bhai Vir Singh International Award
and by the President of India. In January 2008, Panjab University
conferred honorary D.Litt degree on him. In 2005, Doordarshan, Jalandhar
honored him with the "Panj Pani Award" which is given
to eminent personalities in the field of literature, arts, music
and agriculture. In 2003, Provost and Vice-President of San Jose
State University, San Jose (California), Dr Marshal R. Goodman honored
Prof. Singh for his outstanding and sustained contribution to Punjabi
and Sikh Studies in India and abroad. In April 2001, Prof. Pritam
Singh received Punjabi Sahit Akademi’s prime award for high
literary merit and creative qualities.
Prof. Pritam Singh taught M.A. students for about forty years,
had been guide for Ph.D students and had numerous students, admirers
and scholar friends both in India and overseas. He had many times
visited United States, Canada and some other countries to speak
at conferences and seminars at the invitation of universities and
institutions.
Parkash
Singh Badal CONDOLES THE SAD DEMISE OF EMINENT SIKH SCHOLAR PROF.
PRITAM SINGH
The
Education and Languages Minister Punjab Dr. Upinderjit Kaur CONDOLES
THE DEATH OF PROF. PRITAM SINGH
His
cousin in Los Angeles,
NRI, Inder Singh,, President Global Organization
of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO), is planning a religious ceremony
in Los Angeles in memory of late Pritam Singh.
Updated - LA
NRIs holds religious ceremony in memory of late Pritam Singh

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