Author: Harjinder Singh Dilgeer
Born: 1947
Bio: Dr Harjinder Singh Dilgeer – A man, a scholar, an Institution

Dr. Harjinder Singh Dilgeer is not just a man or a scholar; he is a gigantic institution. With contribution of more than 40 books to the studies of Sikhism and the Punjab, he is known as an authority on Sikh philosophy and history, and, it is not possible to find any serious work of Sikh studies without quotations from his works.

Dr. Dilgeer is known for walking through unknown paths of scholarship and research. He was the first to write about the concept and the history of Akal Takht Sahib, the Sikh Culture, Shiromani Akali Dal, history of Anandpur Sahib, Keeratpur Sahib etc. “The Sikh Reference Book” is his magnum opus. Since Bhai Kahan Singh Nabha (Mahan Kosh completed in 1926), no single pen has produced an encyclopaedia without any one else’s support. He has kept up this sumptuousness by producing Sikh Encyclopaedia CD-ROM, another gem from his treasure of knowledge. His latest works Encyclopaedia of Jalandhar and Dictionary of Sikh Philosophy prove that he is not going to stop till his last breath. 

According to a great Sikh scholar, it is very rare to find some one who has depth in both history and philosophy, and, he proudly said, ‘Dr. Dilgeer has both’. According to another scholar, ‘Dr. Dilgeer’s writings have chivalrous boldness, spiritual fragrance, saint’s scholarship and seer’s humility’. 

Dr. Dilgeer was honoured by several institutions and organisations and was presented Shan-i-Punjab award, in Denmark, in 1995 and Giani Garja Singh Award, in Ludhiana, in 2004. Dr. Dilgeer is former Professor of Sikh Studies (Canada), former Director of Sikh History Research Board (SGPC). At present, he is International Director of Guru Nanak Institute of Sikh Studies and President World Sikh Writers’ Conference.

Dr. Harjinder Singh Dilgeer was born in the family of Gurbakhsh Singh and Mata Jagtar Kaur, at Jalandhar. Originally from Jaisalmer (Rajasthan), this family has a glorious history of hundreds of years of participating in various battles fought for its national honour. After having been uprooted from Jaisalmer by the Muslim invaders, this family spent a couple of centuries in Bahia (Malwa) zone and later moved to canal colony of Montgomery (now Sahiwal). In 1947, this family moved to Jalandhar and later to Jalalabad (Firozpur). 

Dr. Dilgeer began his career as a language teacher in private academies as well as in a couple of high schools. In 1971, he passed his M.A. in English and started teaching English language at different colleges in the Punjab. He worked as a Lecturer in English in colleges at Narur Panchhatt, Nakodar and Banga. He taught post-graduate classes at the Panjab University, Chandigarh from 1979 to 1982. In July 1983, he visited England, where, in October 1983, he joined as the Editor of the Punjab Times, Southall (London). In October 1984, he moved to Norway, where he was granted political asylum. During this period he engaged himself in research in Sikh history and wrote several books and research papers. In 1989 and 1990 he was invited to address several gatherings in Canada. In October 1990, when he visited Canada for the third time, he was requested by the Sikhs of Toronto to stay there for academic work. In October 1990, he established Guru Nanak Institute of Sikh Studies in Missisauga. He left in Canada in March 1991. He spent the next two years in Norway. In early 1993, he was invited to address gatherings at New York USA. In April 1993, he moved to Denmark and stayed there for four years. He was the International Director of Guru Nanak Institutes of Sikh Studies from 1983 to 1997. On January 12, 1998 he returned to his homeland (after an exile of 14½ years). During his tour he was offered Directorship of Sikh History Research Board, Amritsar. During this period, he organised the Sikh Reference Library (which had been stolen by the Indian army in June 1984), launched Web-site of the SGPC and published a large number of research books. He resigned his job in March 1999 and returned to England to join as the Editor of the Punjab Times, Derby. Again, in year 200, he spent one whole year in his homeland and completed his precious research work Guru De Sher. He came back to England in January 2001 where he began teaching in the City College Birmingham. He is also the Founder editor of the Sikh Times, an English-Punjabi weekly published from Birmingham, England. He served as its Editor from January 2001 to December 2001. 

Dr. Dilgeer has been associated with journalism since long. In late 1960s, he launched a monthly journal in the name of Ham Rahi. In 1977 he began a weekly Punjabi magazine Akali Reporter from Jalandhar but had to close it down as he had joined as Senior Research fellow of the University Grants Commission, at the Panjab University Chandigarh, in 1979. In 1983, he joined Punjab Times London as its Editor. In 1991 he began publishing a research journal The Sikhs: Past & Present from Oslo, Norway. He continued editing it for two years. (Now it is published from Canada). Besides books and journalism, he has also contributed hundreds of articles to various reputed English and Punjabi journals of the world. 

Dr. Dilgeer has had a long social, religious and political career too. He was Secretary of Akali Dal (district Jalandhar) in 1966-68. He was the General Secretary of the Sikh Students federation (1972-74). In 1977, he founded Naujawan Akali Dal, which was merged in the Dal Khalsa in 1978.  He is the founder of the Dal Khalsa (1978) and the Akal Federation (1983). In April 2004, he founded the World Sikh Writers Conference and became its first President. Dr Dilgeer is also the founder of the Guru Nanak Institute of Sikh Studies (1983). He established its branches in England, Norway, Canada, Denmark and Belgium. He established the Sikh University Press in Belgium in 2003.

Dr. Dilgeer has written and edited more than 50 books. He began his "pen journey" with poetry and fiction. His first book was Bewafaian (1966), a book of romantic poems. It was followed by another poetry book Eskimo Smile (1972), a novelette Kamu Ronda Rahega (1973) and a book of stories Ikki Ghante (later published under the title of Yaaran Kahanian Te Ikk Novelette in 1977. In 1973, he edited a book 1960 Ton Baad Di Navin Punjabi Kavita.

His books on Sikh studies include: 
1. Emergency Ke Atyachar (1977, Hindi)
2. Shiromani Akali Dal: A History (1978. Revised and enlarged in 2000, Punjabi)
3. The Akal Takht (1980 English, revised and enlarged in 1995) 
4. Constitution of Khalistan (1983, English) 
5. Kesari Kitab (1984, Punjabi)
6. Akal Takht Sahib (1986, revised and enlarged in 2000, Punjabi)
7. Khalistan Di Twarikh (1988, Punjabi)
8. Sikh Hijackers (1989, Punjabi)
9. Who Are the Sikhs? (mini book in 1991, English)
10. India Kills the Sikhs, with 2450 photographs (1992, reprinted in 1994 and 1996, English)
11. The Sikhs' Struggle for Sovereignty (1992, English)
12. Khalistan Da Sacho Sach (1992, Punjabi)
13. Kharhku Lekh (1992, Punjabi)
14. Jujharu Kalam (1992, Punjabi martial poetry)
15. Sikh Jujharvad Te Hor Lekh (1992, Punjabi)
16. Sikh Culture (1992, and an enlarged edition in 1994 and 1996, Punjabi)
17. Hvem Er Sikherne? (Translation of the mini book Who Are the Sikhs? in Danish language, 1994)
18. Wie Zijn De Sikhs? (Translation of the mini book Who Are the Sikhs? in Dutch language, 1994)
19. The Sikh Reference book (1996-97, English) [an encyclopaedia]
20. Sikh Masley (1998 Punjabi)
21. Akali Lehar Da Kalam (edited, 1998, Punjabi) 
22. Anandpur Sahib (Punjabi 1998, Hindi 2000)
23. Sikh Kaun Han (Punjabi edition in 1999, English edition as Who Are the Sikhs? in 2000, French edition as Qui Sont Les Sikhs, in 2002; Spanish edition as Quienes Son Los Sikhs, in 2004. Hindi and Urdu editions to be published in 2004-05)
24. 1955 Da Punjabi Suba Morcha, with 400 photographs (1999 Punjabi), 
25. Anandpur Sahib (Light & Sound play).  Played daily at Anandgarh fort, Anandpur Sahib.
26. Anandpur Sahib, a history (Punjabi 1998 & 2003, and English, 2003)
27. Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee Kiven Bani (2000, Punjabi) 
28. Akal Takht Sahib: Falsfa Te Twarikh (2000, Punjabi; it is a revised and enlarged edition of the first edition published in 1986 from Oslo, Norway) 
29. Shiromani Akali Dal, 1920-2000 (2000, Punjabi; it is an enlarged edition of the first edition of 1978), 
30. Guru De Sher (2001 Punjabi), 
31. Sikh Philosophy Ki Hai Te Hor Lekh (2001, Punjabi. It is an enlarged edition of Sikh Culture). 
32. Keeratpur Sahib Da Itihas (2002, Punjabi) 
33. (The) Sikh Culture (2002, English) 
34. Anandpur Sahib: A History (2003, fully revised and enlarged, in English and Punjabi)
35. Sikh Sabhayachar (2003, Hindi; published by the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee) 
36. Encyclopaedia of Jalandhar (2004, English)
37. Encyclopaedia of Kapurthala (2004 English)
38. Dictionary of Sikh Philosophy (English 2004). 

His edited works include: 
1. Jaito Morchey De Akhin Ditthe Hal (2000, Punjabi)
2. Sikh Te Sikhi (original by Harinder Singh Roop), 
3. Jangan (original by Principal Satbir Singh), 
4. Babar Akali Lehar Te Is De Agu (original by Gurbachan Singh),
5. Punjabi Suba Morcha 1955 (original by Mohinder Singh & Karam Singh Zakhmi), 
6. Master Tara Singh De Lekh, 2 volumes
 
He has written some small tracts as well. These include: 
1. Gurdwara Alamgir da Itihas 
2. Master Tara Singh (Life & Work), 
3. Anandpur Sahib Ate Keeratpur Sahib De Gurdware (335,000 copies of this work were published in Punjabi, Hindi and English, in 1999 in connection with the tercentenary of Khalsa).
 
Unpublished works of Dr Dilgeer include: 
1. Guru Ghar De Lasani Sewadar (Punjabi)
2. Dictionary of Sikh Biography (English & Punjabi)
3. Sikh Nuktay (Punjabi) 
4. Japuji Sahib: Its Hermeneutics (English) 
5. Guru Nanak Sahib Ate Unhan De Gurdwarey (English, Punjabi and Hindi) 
6. Sikh Jathebandian (Punjabi), 
7. Dunian Nikki Jehi, a travelogue (Punjabi) 
8. Dilgeerian (poetry, Punjabi and Urdu) 
9 & 10. Sikh Kaun Hain? (Hindi & Urdu) etc. 
He is, nowadays, engaged in preparing another magnum opus Dilgeer Kosh, an encyclopaedia (in Punjabi). 

Dr. Dilgeer has toured several countries of the world, including England, Canada, U.S.A., Germany, Holland, Belgium, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Turkey, Pakistan etc. and addressed several conferences and congregations. 
- Dr Gurdev Singh Sidhu