Profile :
Partap Singh was born at Kairon, District Amritsar, in 1901. His father, Nihal Singh, was an educationist and a visionary who laid the foundation of the first high school in his village. In this school his young son – Partap received his early education. After completing his schooling at the village, he joined the Khalsa College and left for U.S.A. for higher studies. In the U.S.A. he was introduced to the Indian freedom fighters and was drawn into revolutionary politics. Before finally plunging into politics he accomplished the task for which he came to USA. He successfully completed his course and was awarded the Master’s degree from the Michigan University.
On returning to India he joined the Shiromani Akali Dal, a premier political organization of the Sikhs. For some time he served as the Editor of a well-know rebel Sikh newspaper, Akali. Soon , after resigned his membership of the Akali Dal and joined the Indian National Congress in 1930. Those were the days when the Civil Disobedience movement was in full swing. He actively participated in the independence struggle , arrested and sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for presiding over the banned session of the Punjab Congress Committee at Amritsar in 1932.
Within a short time in the congress, he became a prominent figure in Punjab politics and was elected member of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee. After some years he was placed on the Congress High Command. He held the office of General Secretary of the Punjab Pradesh Congress from 1939 to 1946, later, he was President of the same organization from 1950 to 1952. Besides, he was member of the Congress Working Committee from 1946 to 1953.
After Independence he was included practically in all the governments formed by his Party. From 1947 to 1949 he was Minister in the Gopi Chand Bhargava Cabinet and from 1952 to 1956 he was ministers in the Bhim Sen Sachar Cabinet and held the portfolio of Development.
On January 23, 1956 he was sworn in as the first Chief Minister of the Punjab. As head of the Government, his greatest service to the State was to rid it of factional politics and to establish a strong and stable administration. The state made great strides forward on the path of progress and prosperity during his tenure of power. He resigned Chief Ministership on June 21, 1964. A little later, he was shot dead while travelling by car from Delhi to Chandigarh.
Sardar Partap Singh was a rare combination of strength, character, boldness, honesty of purpose and simplicity.
| |