Giani Gurmukh Singh Mussafir
Encyclopedia
Giani Gurmukh Singh Musafir (15 January 1899-18 January 1976) was an India
n politician and Punjabi
writer. He was the Chief Minister
of Punjab from November 1, 1966 to March 8, 1967.
He was posthumously decorated with Padma Vibhushan
, the second highest Indian civilian award.
of Punjab Province
in Pakistan
).
He completed primary education from the village primary school and then went to Rawalpindi
to pass the middle school examination. In 1918, he became a teacher at Khalsa High School, Kallar. His four years there as a teacher earned him the epithet Giani, Musafir being the pseudonym
he had adopted. In 1922, he gave up teaching and joined the Akali agitation for Gurudwara reform. For taking part in the Guru ka Bagh agitation in 1922, he underwent imprisonment.
He was appointed to the highest religious office of Sikhism Jathedar
of the Akal Takht
from March 12, 1930 to March 5, 1931.
movement in 1930. He became the head of Sri Akal Takht, central seat of religious authority for the Sikh
s. He held this office from 12 March 1930 to 5 March 1931. He also served for a time as secretary of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee as well as general secretary of the Shiromani Akali Dal
. He also courted arrest as part of Satyagraha
and Quit India movements.
In 1949, he became the President of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee
. He held the office of the President for 12 years and was also an elected member of the Congress Working Committee
. He was elected to the Lok Sabha
in 1952, 1957 and 1962, representing Amritsar constituency
. In 1966, he resigned from the Lok Sabha and became the Chief Minister of Punjab state after its re-organization. In 1967, he contested the Vidhan Sabha
election from Amritsar constituency, but he was defeated by Satya Pal Dang of the Communist Party of India
. He was the member of the Rajya Sabha
from 1968 to 1974. Musafir died in Delhi on 18 January 1976. He was posthumously awarded Padma Vibhushan
in 1976.
Musafir was a member of the Indian delegations to the International Peace Conference
in Stockholm
in 1954, World Peace Conference in Helsinki
in 1965, and the World Peace Conference in Berlin
in 1969. He also led the Indian delegations to the World Progressive Writers Conference in Japan
in 1961 and the Indian Writers Afro-Asian Conference in Baku
in 1965.
He recorded the reminiscences of his association with Mohandas Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru
in two separate volumes – Vekhya Sunya Gandhi (Gandhi as I knew him), “Vekhya Sunya Nehru” (Nehru as I knew him). His book Martyrs of 20th Century is the result of 30 years of research. Most of his poetry and short stories were written while in jail. He also translated Gandhi Gita and James Allen
’s By Ways of Blessedness titled Anand Marg.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n politician and Punjabi
Punjabi language
Punjabi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by inhabitants of the historical Punjab region . For Sikhs, the Punjabi language stands as the official language in which all ceremonies take place. In Pakistan, Punjabi is the most widely spoken language...
writer. He was the Chief Minister
Chief Minister
A Chief Minister is the elected head of government of a sub-national state, provinces of Sri Lanka, Pakistan, notably a state of India, a territory of Australia or a British Overseas Territory that has attained self-government...
of Punjab from November 1, 1966 to March 8, 1967.
He was posthumously decorated with Padma Vibhushan
Padma Vibhushan
The Padma Vibhushan is the second highest civilian award in the Republic of India. It consists of a medal and a citation and is awarded by the President of India. It was established on 2 January 1954. It ranks behind the Bharat Ratna and comes before the Padma Bhushan...
, the second highest Indian civilian award.
Early life
Musafir was born on 15 January 1899 at Adhval, in Campbellpore district of Punjab province in British India (presently Attock DistrictAttock District
Attock District is a district in the north-west Punjab Province of Pakistan.The district was created in April 1904 by the merger of Talagang Tehsil in the Jhelum District with the Pindigheb, Fatehjang and Attock tehsils from Rawalpindi District of the Punjab province of British India.Attock...
of Punjab Province
Punjab (Pakistan)
Punjab is the most populous province of Pakistan, with approximately 45% of the country's total population. Forming most of the Punjab region, the province is bordered by Kashmir to the north-east, the Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan to the east, the Pakistani province of Sindh to the...
in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
).
He completed primary education from the village primary school and then went to Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi , locally known as Pindi, is a city in the Pothohar region of Pakistan near Pakistan's capital city of Islamabad, in the province of Punjab. Rawalpindi is the fourth largest city in Pakistan after Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad...
to pass the middle school examination. In 1918, he became a teacher at Khalsa High School, Kallar. His four years there as a teacher earned him the epithet Giani, Musafir being the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
he had adopted. In 1922, he gave up teaching and joined the Akali agitation for Gurudwara reform. For taking part in the Guru ka Bagh agitation in 1922, he underwent imprisonment.
He was appointed to the highest religious office of Sikhism Jathedar
Jathedar
Jathedar means "leader" and refers to a leader of a jatha . Among the Sikhs, a Jathedar is an ordained leader of the clergy and leads a Takht, a sacred and authoritative seat....
of the Akal Takht
Akal Takht
The Akal Takht of the Timeless One or Seat of God. It is one of the five seats of temporal authority of the Sikhs equivalent to any parliament of world sovereign country. Akal means The Timeless One - another term for God. Takht means 'seat' or 'throne' in Persian...
from March 12, 1930 to March 5, 1931.
Political career
Musafir joined the freedom movement in the early 1920's and courted arrest several times till 1947. He courted arrest in the Civil disobedienceCivil disobedience
Civil disobedience is the active, professed refusal to obey certain laws, demands, and commands of a government, or of an occupying international power. Civil disobedience is commonly, though not always, defined as being nonviolent resistance. It is one form of civil resistance...
movement in 1930. He became the head of Sri Akal Takht, central seat of religious authority for the Sikh
Sikhism
Sikhism is a monotheistic religion founded during the 15th century in the Punjab region, by Guru Nanak Dev and continued to progress with ten successive Sikh Gurus . It is the fifth-largest organized religion in the world and one of the fastest-growing...
s. He held this office from 12 March 1930 to 5 March 1931. He also served for a time as secretary of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee as well as general secretary of the Shiromani Akali Dal
Shiromani Akali Dal
The Shiromani Akali Dal , translation: Supreme Akali Party) is a Sikh nationalist political parties based in Punjab. The current party to be recognized by the Election Commission of India is the one led by Parkash Singh Badal...
. He also courted arrest as part of Satyagraha
Satyagraha
Satyagraha , loosely translated as "insistence on truth satya agraha soul force" or "truth force" is a particular philosophy and practice within the broader overall category generally known as nonviolent resistance or civil resistance. The term "satyagraha" was conceived and developed by Mahatma...
and Quit India movements.
In 1949, he became the President of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee
Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee
Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee is the affiliate of the Indian National Congress in the state of Punjab. It is presently headed by Captain Amarinder Singh, a former Chief Minister of Punjab....
. He held the office of the President for 12 years and was also an elected member of the Congress Working Committee
Congress Working Committee
Congress Working Committee is the executive committee of the Congress Party in India, it typically consisting of fifteen members elected from the All India Congress Committee or AICC, and is headed by the Working President....
. He was elected to the Lok Sabha
Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha or House of the People is the lower house of the Parliament of India. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by direct election under universal adult suffrage. As of 2009, there have been fifteen Lok Sabhas elected by the people of India...
in 1952, 1957 and 1962, representing Amritsar constituency
Amritsar (Lok Sabha constituency)
Amritsar Lok Sabha constituency is one of the 13 Lok Sabha constituencies in Punjab state in northern India.-Assembly segments:Amritsar Lok Sabha constituency comprises nine Vidhan Sabha segments, which are:# Ajnala...
. In 1966, he resigned from the Lok Sabha and became the Chief Minister of Punjab state after its re-organization. In 1967, he contested the Vidhan Sabha
Vidhan Sabha
The Vidhan Sabha or the Legislative Assembly is the lower house or the sole house of the provincial legislature in the different states of India. The same name is also used for the lower house of the legislatures for two of the union territories, Delhi and Pondicherry...
election from Amritsar constituency, but he was defeated by Satya Pal Dang of the Communist Party of India
Communist Party of India
The Communist Party of India is a national political party in India. In the Indian communist movement, there are different views on exactly when the Indian communist party was founded. The date maintained as the foundation day by CPI is 26 December 1925...
. He was the member of the Rajya Sabha
Rajya Sabha
The Rajya Sabha or Council of States is the upper house of the Parliament of India. Rajya means "state," and Sabha means "assembly hall" in Sanskrit. Membership is limited to 250 members, 12 of whom are chosen by the President of India for their expertise in specific fields of art, literature,...
from 1968 to 1974. Musafir died in Delhi on 18 January 1976. He was posthumously awarded Padma Vibhushan
Padma Vibhushan
The Padma Vibhushan is the second highest civilian award in the Republic of India. It consists of a medal and a citation and is awarded by the President of India. It was established on 2 January 1954. It ranks behind the Bharat Ratna and comes before the Padma Bhushan...
in 1976.
Musafir was a member of the Indian delegations to the International Peace Conference
International Peace Conference
The International Peace Conference was an anti-war conference held on December 10, 2005. It was organised by the Stop the War Coalition , and included speakers from Iraq, the United States, and Italy....
in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
in 1954, World Peace Conference in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
in 1965, and the World Peace Conference in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
in 1969. He also led the Indian delegations to the World Progressive Writers Conference in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in 1961 and the Indian Writers Afro-Asian Conference in Baku
Baku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
in 1965.
Offices held
- Member of A.I.C.C, since 1930
- Member of Constituent Assembly – 1947-50
- Member of Provisional Parliament – 1950-52
- Member of Lok Sabha – 1952-57, 1957-62, 1962-66
- President, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee- 1947-59
- Member, Working Committee A.I.C.C – 1952-57
- Member, Executive Committee of the Congress Party in Parliament – 1952-1966
- Member Jallianwala BaghJallianwala BaghJallianwala Bagh is a public garden in Amritsar in the Punjab province of India, and houses a memorial of national importance, established in 1951 to commemorate the murder of peaceful celebrators on the occasion of the Punjabi New Year on April 13, 1919 in the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre...
Memorial Committee since its inception - Chairman Reception Committee, Sixty- first session of the Indian National Congress held at Amritsar in 1956
- Member, Legislative Council Punjab – 1966-68
- Chief Minister, Punjab – 1966-67
- Rajya SabhaRajya SabhaThe Rajya Sabha or Council of States is the upper house of the Parliament of India. Rajya means "state," and Sabha means "assembly hall" in Sanskrit. Membership is limited to 250 members, 12 of whom are chosen by the President of India for their expertise in specific fields of art, literature,...
member in April 1968 and April 1974
Writer and poet
Musafir was also a poet and writer. His published works include nine collections of poems Sabar de Ban, Prem Ban, Jivan Pandh, Musdfaridn, Tutte Khambh, Kdv Sunehe, Sahaj Sell, Vakkhrd Vakkhrd Katrd Katrd and Dur Nere; eight of short stories Vakkhn Duma, Ahlane de Bot, Kandhdn Bol Paidn; Satdl Janvari; Allah Vale, Gutdr, Sabh Achchhd, and Sastd Tamdshd; and four biographical works Vekhid Sunid Gdndhi, Vekhid Sunid Nehru, BaghlJamail and Vthvin Sadi de Shahid. He represented Indian writers at international conferences at Stockholm in 1954, and at Tokyo in 1961.He recorded the reminiscences of his association with Mohandas Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru
Jawaharlal Nehru , often referred to with the epithet of Panditji, was an Indian statesman who became the first Prime Minister of independent India and became noted for his “neutralist” policies in foreign affairs. He was also one of the principal leaders of India’s independence movement in the...
in two separate volumes – Vekhya Sunya Gandhi (Gandhi as I knew him), “Vekhya Sunya Nehru” (Nehru as I knew him). His book Martyrs of 20th Century is the result of 30 years of research. Most of his poetry and short stories were written while in jail. He also translated Gandhi Gita and James Allen
James Allen
James, Jim, or Jimmy Allen may refer to:*James Allen , American football linebacker*James Allen , American football running back...
’s By Ways of Blessedness titled Anand Marg.
Further reading
- Duggal, Kartar Singh (1999). Giani Gurmukh Singh Musafir, New Delhi: National Book Trust, ISBN10: 8123727658.