GANESHA SINGH, BHAI

GANESHA SINGH, BHAI (d. 1888), assistant chief secretary of the Khalsa Diwan, initially called Singh Sabha General, which was established in 1880 to coordinate the activities of the Singh Sabhas at Lahore and Amritsar, was employed in the Amritsar municipal committee as a sarishtadar or clerk. When the Khalsa Diwan was reorganized in 1883, Bhai Ganesha Singh was named one of the two chief secretaries, the second being the better known Bhai Gurmukh Singh. With the split in the Khalsa Diwan in 1885, whereas Bhai Gurmukh Singh left to establish a separate body at Lahore, Bhai Ganesha Singh continued as chief secretary of the Amritsar Diwan.

The constitution, adopted by this Diwan at its Divali session of 1887, provided for two houses Mahan Khand, the upper section comprising Sikh aristocracy, and Saman Khand, the lower section, representing the common people. Bhai Ganesha Singh was nominated secretary of the Saman Khand as well as of the executive committee appointed to carry out official business subject to “confirmation of its proceedings by the Mahan Khand as and when it met.” Bhai Ganesha Singh, however, soon resigned, probably for health reasons. He died at Gujranwala on 11 March 1888 after a long illness.

References :

1. Jagjit Singh, Singh Sabha Lahir. Ludhiana, 1974