Bhagat Ji was of the firm opinion that the combined efforts of the society were capable of achieving the impossible. Pingalwara is a house for destitutes in Amritsar in northern Indian state of Punjab. It is housed in a three storey building near the main Amritsar bus stand on the National Highway no. 1, also known as G.T. H I S T O R Y:
Pingalwara was founded informally in year 1924 by a then 19
year old Ramji Das who later became famous as Bhagat Puran Singh (June 4, 1904 – August 5, 1992). Pingalwara is officially registered as All India Pingalwara Charitable Society under the Act 1960, Reg No130. Since death of Bhagat Puran Singh in 1992, it is headed by Dr. Inderjit Kaur who is a physician by training and also runs a private maternity clinic in Sangrur, Punjab. S E R V I C E S:
Currently Pingalwara has facilities for 1080 patients who are fed, housed and looked after thanks to generous support of various philanthropists. The unclaimed bodies of the deceased are donated to Government Medical College, Amritsar for research and teaching purposes. The main branch houses the Administrative Complex, A Female ward, Children's ward, Rehabilitation Centre, Printing Press, Dispensary, Medical Lab, Dental Centre and the Common Kitchen. Pingalwara also operates a free drug dispensary, a blood bank, a shelter for intellectually disabled children and a free primary school in a slum area in Amritsar city. Poor and abandoned children raised by Pingalwara are helped re-establish themselves in society at completion of their school education. An ambulance and a basic operation room is available for trauma care of accident victims. BHAGAT PURAN SINGH JI (MOTHER TERESA OF INDIA):
Bhai Puran Singh ji in undoubtly the single Sikh Hero of this century who worked totally selflessly all his life to provide the last hope to the mentally and terminally ill patients. Whenever he use to see a deserted dead body (human or animal) immediately he would prepare (by his own hand) a grave and him human/animal a deserving respect of death. He was to Sikhism, what Mother Teresa is to Catholicism. Against the backdrop of violence and poverty in 1947 he established a premier institute which takes care of sick, disabled and forlorn persons. Whatever money and financial resources he could gathered he used it to establish this institute. It is also believed that he was almost nominated to receive Nobel Peace Prize in 1990 but by not giving him prize it was the loss of sick and disabled persons as well as nobel Prize committee. His life story is a saga of grit, determination, faith in the almighty and unending love for the suffering humanity. A very brief sketch of Bhagat Ji's life is given below
Bhagat Puran Singh, born at Rajewal, Distt. Ludhiana on June 4 1904., at the house of Chaudhari Chibu Mal and Mehtab Kaur. In an interview to Patwant Singh Bhagat Puran Singh discloses how he became a Sikh ,in his early life he use to travel a lot from village to village and would stay at a Hindu Temple. One day when he was staying at a Temple Brahmins told him to clean the temple and then when he was done they sat in front of him and ate the food without offering him., Incidentally next time he had to stay at a Gurdwara and Bhai ji of Gurdwara not only gave him good food but also a cot and a glass of milk afterwards., without asking for any sewa for Gurdwara. After this Bhagat Puran Singh didn't even thought twice and became a Khalsa.He set out in life for the service of the suffering humanity- the greatest religion. He founded Pingalwara in 1947 with a few discarded patients. He was also a writer as well as publisher and an environmentalist. Pingalwara is a very big home of human service. Bhagat Ji's contribution in spreading awareness about the global dangers of environment pollution, increasing soil erosion etc are also commendable. His dedication was awarded with heaps of honours by many quarters. Prestigious among these was the Padamshri award in 1979, which he surrendered in the wake of the army attack on the Golden Temple in 1984. He left for his heavenly abode on August 5, 1992. We request you to kindly display the attached appeal at the maximum number of places so that the Sadh Sangat is made aware of the efforts being put up by this Society. B R A N C H E S:
Pingalwara has branches in Jalandhar, Sangrur, Chandigarh, Goindwal and Manawala (Amritsar district). Its Manawala branch was having an area of 25 acres (100,000 m2)comprises a Senior secondary school, SOS homes, wards for mentally ill patients as well as for old aged and a Physotheripic centre. Pingalwara in the year 2006 bought 35 acres (140,000 m2) of land near Jandiala, 20 km from Amritsar. There is an organic farm. Fresh fruits and vegetables are grown without using pesticides. D O N A T I O N S:
Bhagat Puran Singh Ji was of the view that the combined efforts of the society are much more powerful than the efforts of the government or private parties. Pingalwara is grateful to all the donors who have given a concrete shape to all the visions of Bhagatji. Donations to pingalwara can be made through cheque/ demand draft in any currency. Donations in Cash are accepted in any of the Pingalwara branches. Please address your donations to:
All India Pingalwara Charitable Society (Regd)
G T Road Amritsar 143 001
FOREIGN DONORS
Donations can also be sent directly through Cheque/DD in favour of “ All India Pingalwara Charitable Society ”
into our Foreign Contribution Savings
Account no. 01562010002890 SWIFT CODE ORBCINBBASR
at Oriental Bank of Commerce, Sharifpura Amritsar. INLAND DONORS
Donations can also be sent directly through Cheque/DD in favour of “ All India Pingalwara Charitable Society ”
into our Inland Contribution
Savings SB Account No. 01562010003720
at Oriental Bank of Commerce, Sharifpura Amritsar.
