Manmohan Kaur is a popular name of a Gurmat Sangeet Teacher in Amritsar. She was born in Amritsar
on 04.01.1951 in the house of S. Gurbax Singh and Sdn. Amarjeet Kaur. She was very young when the
family shifted to Nangal and she had her school education there. Later on she did Giani from Punjabi
University, Patiala, MA Music from Parveen Prayag Sangeet Samiti, Allahabad and Light Music Diploma
from Pracheen Kala Kendra, Chandigarh. Those who taught her music included Master Raseed Ahmed and
Nazeer Ahmed of Talwandi and Patiala Gharana respectively. She also got Music training from Rooplal Ji
and Ustad Laxman Dass Ji of Kirana Gharana. In fact, Music was already there in the family as her father
used to write and recite poems, religious songs and patriotic songs and also gave music for many stage plays
staged in Khalsa College, Amritsar. After extensive learning, training and practice, Manmohan Kaur started
her teaching career and performed the said duties for about 31 years. She taught music and Punjabi at JCT
and ITI Schools at Nangal and Anandpur Sahib, then at Model School Nangal followed by to a large number
of students of Khalsa College Sr. Secondary Girls School, Amritsar and Miri Piri Academy, Amritsar.
Gradually Manmohan Kaur became too popular as a Gurbani singer herself that she was invited to give
performance at Akashwani Jalandhar and Doordarshan Jalandhar. She not only sang Gurbani Keertan, but
also varieties of Lok Sangeet like Koffian, Ghorian, Suhaag etc. Her students also started giving performances
at different platforms and won prizes. Manmohan Kaur also got an opportunity to do keertan in London
where she sang Gurbani along with her brother S.Narinder Singh and the sangat there was highly impressed
by the Keertan of duo brother and sister. A number of her cassettes related to Gurbani and devotional
songs have become popular (eg. Guru Gobind Singh Aaye Ne & Guru De Laadle). Amritdhari Manmohan
Kaur is a role model in the sense that she is not only an excellent singer and a teacher of Gurbani, but also
a poet. She has recited many of her own poems and those written by her father at various Kavi Darbars
including the Kavi Darbars periodically at Darbar Sahib Diwan Hall, Manji Sahib, Amritsar. She has won
many honours and awards from various organizations eg. Guru Ramdass Gurpurab Committee & Guru
Nanak Gurpurab Committee. Her awards and honors include Nishkam Sewak Adhiapka Award, Kalaratan
Award, Bibi Bhani Sewa Award, Suran Di Malika Award & Suthri Gayaki Di Gayaka Award. She has opened
“Sur Taal Sangeetak Acadamy”, where she is still teaching music, mostly free of charge. She feels proud
to remember a number of her trained students, who are now popular singers of Gurbani, Folk etc. and
some of them are further training the children. She remembers many such students like Dilip Kaur of
Canada, Sukhmani Kaur, Jasjeet Kaur, Paramjit Kaur, Harmanpreet Kaur, Ranbir Rana (of Awaaz Punjab Di), Lopoke Brothers, Sain Brothers (Sufi singers), Bhai Boota Singh Veer Singh Ragi Jatha, Bhai Navtej
Singh – Hazoori Ragi Gurdwara Shaheed Ganj and many others. She also trained her own children, two
sons and one daughter and her daughter Professor Harleen Kaur has won fame in various TV Programmes
and after doing her M.A. and M.Phil is working as Professor of Music and has released many music albums.
The role model gursikh Manmohan Kaur appreciates her husband S. Gurparsad Singh (M.A. B.Ed), who
always encouraged her in her persuit and is residing with her family at Amritsar.
