sikhpride

Harinder Singh Khalsa is a unique role-model of the Sikh community as he held top positions in state Government, Central Government and then remained Member of Parliament and as Akali Dal candidate and presently serving as Member of Parliament from Fatehgarh Sahib as Aam Aadmi Party’s representative. He was born on 12th June 1947 in Ludhiana, Punjab, India. His father S. Gopal Singh Khalsa was an Akali Dal politician. S. Harinder Singh obtained his M.A. English degree from Government College Ludhiana and started his career as an English lecturer at the G.G.N. Khalsa College, in Ludhiana. In May 1974, he joined the Punjab Civil Service. In July 1974, he joined the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and worked as a Second Secretary in Jakarta. Later, he served as a first Secretary in Bangkok and Norway. In June 1984, while posted in Norway, he resigned in protest against the Operation Blue Star. As the Congress Government filed some cases against him, he decided to stay in Norway, running a small eating joint and working as a postman in Norway. He returned to India in 1990, after being assured that the cases against him would be dropped. During 1990-91, he served as the Chairman of Punjab Human Rights Organisation, an NGO that highlighted the excesses committed by the state government during the anti-insurgency operations. During 1991-2003, he served as a secretary of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee (SGPC). Then he became MP on Shiromani Akali Dal ticket from Bathinda in again 2014 he became MP from Fatehgarh Sahib on Aam Aadmi Party ticket. He has also been a member of the third National Commission of SC/ ST under the Atal Bihari Vajpai Government. S. Harinder Singh Khalsa is a devout Sikh. He had left the prestigious Indian Foreign Service as he could not tolerate Government’s attack on Sri Harmandir Sahib in 1984. He had to suffer because of this bold action, but he never gave in and carried on his fight against injustice and oppression against the Sikhs. His intelligence, his holding of high position and his love for religion, distinguish him from others and give him the status of a role-model of our community.