As on March 31, 2008

Rev. Man Singh ‘Maan’ was born in 1926 even though on record his date of birth has been shown as December 10, 1931.  His parents – Shri Labh Singh and Smt Bhagwanti were the residents of village Latifal, district Jhelum (now in Pakistan).  His father was a goldsmith.  It was here that Man Singh Ji was blessed with Brahm Gyan (God-knowledge) in 1939 by Bhai Santokh Singh Ji of Garhi Khairo, district Jacobabad in Sindh, on behalf of Baba Buta Singh Ji.

Rev. Man Singh ‘Maan’ was married to Parkash Kaur Ji in 1945.  They have four sons and two daughters – all well-established and devout followers of the Sant Nirankari Mission.  After the partition of the country in 1947, Man Singh Ji along with his family migrated from Hyderabad Sindh to India via Rajasthan and settled in Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar (Kingsway Camp) in Delhi.  In the beginning he worked as a goldsmith.  Later, on the introduction of Gold Control Act in 1960, he left his work as a goldsmith and joined LIC as Development Officer. 

Rev. Man Singh Ji’s active association with the Sant Nirankari Mandal dates back to October 1964, when he became the Editor of ‘Sant Nirankari’ – Punjabi.  In 1984, he left LIC and dedicated his services to the Mission on whole-time basis.  In 1986, he was made Editor of the fortnightly ‘Ek Nazar’ – Punjabi.  Thereafter, he was given the charge of Editor ‘Sant Nirankari’ – Urdu also.  Alonsg with these three journals Rev. Man Singh Ji was editing the Mission’s other literature.

With the kind blessings of His Holiness, Rev. Man Singh Ji was given the responsibility of the Addl. Member Incharge in the Patrika Vibhag in 2002.  In 2005, he became the Member Incharge of the Education Department to look after the Mission’s College at Sohna in Haryana and all the aided schools.  Since May 2007, he has been looking after the newly created department of Counseling for Family Matters of the devotees of the Mission. 

Ever since Rev. Man Singh ‘Maan’ joined the Mission, he has been known for his scholary editorials and thoughtful, subtle and fine poetry including Ghazals and devotional songs in Punjabi and Urdu.  He has not only devoted his pen to the Mission but created a place of honour in the field of Punjabi poetry outside also.  His first collection of Punjabi poems was published by the Sant Nirankari Mandal, in 1979.  Titled ‘Gila Keeta Na Kar’ it was first published in Devanagari and then in 2000, in Gurmukhi script.  ‘Ahsas Di Awaz’ is another collection of his Ghazals in Punjabi, published in 2004 both in Devanagari as well as Gurmukhi scripts.  In 2005, another book containing his poems in Punjabi ‘Shukrana’ was brought out by the Sant Nirankari Mandal, first in Gurmukhi and then in Devanagari script.

As mentioned above, Rev. Man Singh ‘Maan’ has been writing powerful editorials on contemporary matters and articles on the Mission’s philosophy also. His first collection of editorials in Punjabi was published by the Mandal in 1994 under the title ‘Prashan Chinh’.  The second one ‘Abhivyakti’ was brought out in 1996.  Another collection of articles in Hindi – ‘Sakshi’, was published in the year 1999. 

Several audio-cassettes of Ghazals and songs written by Rev. Man Singh ‘Maan’ have also been released from time to time.  Out of these, the more prominent are: ‘Ghazal Punjab Di’, ‘Geet Sajan De’,  ‘Geet Mahi De’, ‘Shukrana’, ‘Qawalis’, ‘Rooh Nachdi Phire’, ‘Ik Tu Beranga Sajna’, ‘Gila Keeta Na Kar’, ‘Main Kamli Da Piyar’ and ‘Tu Jovi Bakshia Ey Shukrana Hor Pade’.  He is also an approved poet of All India Radio and Delhi Doordarshan’s, Punjabi Section.  In A.I.R., he is approved for Urdu Majlis also.  He has accredited as the Editor-cum-Correspondent by the Government of India during 1998-99.  He has also translated and edited various books from Hindi and Urdu into Punjabi.

Rev. Man Singh ‘Maan’ received ‘Gurbachan Sahitya Puraskar’ by His Holiness Baba Hardev Singh Ji Maharaj in 1982.  In 1996, ‘Baba Bulleh Shah Puraskar’, consisting of 6000 Danish Caronas was awarded to him by Asian Writers’ Association, Copenhagen (Denmark).  In the year 1998, he received an award for poetry by Asian Writers’ Forum, Kuwait.  ‘Naye Dastkhat – 2000’, an award for Journalism was given to him on behalf of the New Generation Cultural and Literary Forum, New Delhi by Ch. Prem Singh, Speaker, Vidhan Sabha, Delhi on November 24, 2000.  ‘Pride of India’ another award was given to him by Maseeh-ul-Mulk Hakim Ajmal Khan Memorial Society, New Delhi and ‘Protsahan Puraskar’ consisting of Rs. 25,000 was conferred upon him by Indian Welfare Association, Kuwait.  Rev. Man Singh ‘Maan’ was also honoured with ‘Baba Farid Literary Award’ and an ‘Award of Honour’ by Ekta Sahit Manch, Bhatinda, Punjab in 2003. 

Rev. Man Singh ‘Maan’ was also honoured by His Excellency R.C. Shukla, Ambassador of India, in Denmark in 1987, ‘Bazm-e-Adab’ Copenhagen, Denmark in 1987, Mayor of Slough, London in 1992, Nirankari Sahitya Sabha, Ludhiana in 1995, Asian Citizen Council, Wolverhempton, U.K. in 1996, Haryana Kavi Sabha, Sonipat in 1997, Punjabi Kavya Sammelan, Talwandi Bhai, Punjab in 2000, Sahitya Sabha, Bathinda, Punjab and Sahitya Sabha Mansa, Punjab.  In 2001, he received an award of honour from the Social and Cultural Group, Leicester in UK in the memory of Puran Singh ‘Bhaur’. 

Along with serving the Sant Nirankari Mission as well as fulfilling family responsibilities, Rev. Man Singh ‘Maan’ has also been participating in various writers’ conferences.  A few of them are: Punjabi Writers’ Conference, Ludhiana -1993; Writers’ Conference, Avtar Enclave, New Delhi; Writers’ Conference, Chandigarh; Bengali Writers’ Conference, Siliguri, West Bengal; Uttar Pradesh Writers’ Conference, Allahabad; Madhya Pradesh Writers’ Conference, Gwalior; and ‘Aalmi Mushaiyra’ Copenhagen, Denmark. 

His literary activities have never been a hurdle in the way of Rev. Man Singh ‘Maan’ for the preaching of the Mission’s message of Truth, love and peace.  He has accompanied Baba Ji on several spiritual tours abroad as well as in India.  May he keep rendering his service to the Mission as well as humanity through his selfless deeds, inspiring poetry and thought-provoking articles in future too!

Rev. Man Singh ‘Maan’ was born on December 10, 1931 in Village Latifal, District Jehlam (now in Pakistan) in the family of Shri Labh Singh and Smt. Bhagwanti.  His father was a goldsmith by profession.  He completed his Gyani (Hons. in Punjabi) from Panjab University.  In 1945, his marriage was solemnized  with Prakash Kaur.  He has four sons and two daughters. He received Gyan (God-knowledge) from Bhai Santokh Singh Ji of ‘Garhi Khairon’ in a place called Usta Mahammad in Baluchistan (Pakistan) during the time of Baba Buta Singh Ji.

After the partition of the country in 1947, Man Singh Ji migrated to India via Rajasthan and settled in Guru Teg Bahadur Nagar (Kingsway Camp) in Delhi.  In the beginning he worked as a goldsmith.  Later, with the introduction of Gold Control Act in 1960, he left his work as a goldsmith and started working as LIC Development officer.  In the year 1964, he joined Sant Nirankari Mandal’s Patrika Vibhag as Editor.  In the year 1984, Man Singh Ji left his job to devote his full time to the service of the Sant Nirankari Mission.  In the year 1985, he was appointed as the Editor of ‘Ek Nazar’ fortnightly.  Thereafter, he was also appointed as the Editor of ‘Sant Nirankari’, Additional Incharge Patrika Vibhag as well as Member Incharge Higher Education for Sant Nirankari Schools as well as college in Punjabi and Devanagri. 

Rev. Man Singh ‘Maan’ is a sensitive and fine poet.  He has composed a large number of poems which have been published in compiled form as various books.  In 1979, ‘Gila Keeta Na Kar’, a collection of poems was published in Punjabi and later in Devnagri in 2000.  In the year 1994, ‘Prashan Chinh’, his book on articles on various contemporary and urgent topics in Punjabi was published.  In 1996, ‘Abhivyakti’ – another book consisting of articles in Hindi and in the year 1999, ‘Sakshi’ were published.  ‘Ahsas Di Awaz’ – his collection of Gazals in Punjabi and Devanagari, was published in 2004 and ‘Shukrana’ – a collection of poems in 2005, in Punjabi and Devanagari.

* * * * * * *