Amritsar, January 27
Bhai Nirmal Singh Khalsa (56) has become the first “hazoori raagi” of the Golden Temple to get Padma Shri award. His name was announced on the eve of Republic Day.

Trained in classical music and the art of gurbani kirtan, Bhai Nirmal Singh has been serving the sangat for more than 25 years . His voice is deep, melodious and seasoned by riaz.

The Padma Shri is generally given to Indian citizens in recognition of their contribution in various spheres of activity, including art, education, industry, literature, science, social work, etc.

Interestingly, Bhai Khalsa is contemplating to create history of sorts in the music world by cutting a joint album of shabad kirtan with legendry ghazal singer of Pakistan Ghulam Ali. This would be the first-ever joint album of the “ustad-shagirad” (teacher-disciple) duo even as Bhai Nirmal Singh considers Ghulam Ali his teacher in the field of music. No other “hazoori raagi” has ever sung gurbani with the ghazal maestro so far.

Bhai Nirmal Singh Khalsa was born on April 12, 1952, at Jandwala Bhim Shah village in Ferozepore. He did his diploma in gurmat sangeet from Shaheed Sikh Missionary College, Amritsar, in 1974-76. He has been a music teacher in Gurmat College, Rishikesh, in 1977 and in Shaheed Sikh Missionary College, Sant Baba Fateh Singh, Sant Channan Singh, Budha Johar, Ganga Nagar, Rajasthan, in 1978. From 1979 till date he has been serving as “hazoori raagi”, Sach Khand Harmandir Sahib. He has also performed kirtan at all the five takhts, historical gurdwaras in India and 53 other countries.

The T-Series company, Music Today, Music Memories, Tips, Fine Touch and Saaga have released more than 50 audio cassettes/VCDs/DVDs and MP-3 of Bhai Khalsa. He is also a member of the advisory board of the Punjab Languages Department for selection of awardees in the field of development and kirtan sub-committee member of the SGPC.

Gurdaspur, January 27
Residents witnessed a different kind of event taking place on Republic Day yesterday.

Those who came to the local Government College premises to attend the Republic Day function, found a number of youths approaching them to polish their shoes free of cost to protest against the apathetic attitude of the state government towards their problems.

Hundreds of activists of the Unemployed B.Ed Teachers Union polished shoes of people to show their protest against the failure of the authorities concerned to issue appointment letters to 473 applicants of the district for the post of teaching fellow.

The noble exercise was undertaken by activists to attract the attention of the people, officers and Punjab finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal who unfurled the National Flag on Republic Day.

Union president Ram Singh said the authorities concerned were delaying the issuing of the appointment letters to 473 applicants for the post of teaching fellow for the past one year while such appointments had been made in other parts of Punjab.

He added though they had met a number of ruling politicians and senior bureaucrats, their problems had not been solved. He said if the authorities concerned failed to solve their problems by January 3 they would intensify the agitation.

Information gathered by The Tribune revealed that Manpreet Singh Badal, who met the union representatives after the function was over, talked to the Punjab education minister who had assured that the appointment letters would be issued shortly.

Batala: The 60th Republic Day was celebrated on Monday with enthusiasm at Rajiv Gandhi Memorial Stadium on the Kahnuwan road.

Punjab chief parliamentary secretary Jagdish Sawhney took the salute from the contingents of the Punjab police, home guards, NCC cadets, scouts and colleges and schoolchildren.

Sawhney distributed cheques among sarpanches of his assembly constituencies worth Rs 87 lakh for development.

Hoshiarpur: PWD minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa unfurled the National Flag on the 60th Republic Day and took the salute from contingents of the BSF, the Punjab police, home guards, NCC cadets, scouts and girl guides at the Police Lines on Monday.

Dhindsa said a project worth Rs 1,280 crore had been started for providing potable water to the inhabitants of 3,000 villages of the state. Construction work of water supply schemes in 1,143 villages was already in progress. For promoting industries, a fresh policy had been framed and subsidy of Rs 121 crore would be given to create new atmosphere for the industrial growth. Besides, the state government had sanctioned the mega projects worth Rs 27,667 crore and as many as 5,770 acre had been brought under the horticulture for diversification of the agriculture.

To solve the unemployment problem skill centres were being set up in all the blocks.

He honoured the families of freedom fighters and distributed 16 tricycles, five wheel chairs among handicapped and 20 sewing machines among the needy women provided by the District Red Cross Society.Tricolour was unfurled by income tax commissioner, Jalandhar-I, K.S. Pathania, at Aaykar Bhavan here. Hundreds of income tax assesses from all over the district participated in the function organised by the local income tax department.

Punjab director of health services and family welfare Dr S.P.S. Sohal unfurled the National Flag at the civil hospital. Cultural programmes were staged by students of various schools to mark the celebrations.