History News Desk!! Giani Gurmukh Singh Musafir (English: Giani Gurmukh Singh Musafir, born- January 15, 1899; died- January 18, 1976) was an Indian politician and a famous litterateur of Punjabi language. He was posthumously awarded the ‘Sahitya Akademi Award’ in 1978 for ‘Urvarpar’, a story collection written by him. Giani Gurmukh Singh Musafir was related to the Indian National Congress. He was also the Chief Minister of Punjab from November 1, 1966 to March 8, 1967.
Introduction
Giani Gurmukh Singh Musafir, a prominent leader of Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal, was born on January 15, 1899 in district Campbellpur (now in Pakistan). After getting education, he worked as a teacher for 4 years, since then he started being called ‘Gyani’. The Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 1919 had a major impact on him and he became an opponent of the British Empire.
revolutionary activities
In those days, there was a widespread movement in Punjab to hand over the management of Gurudwaras to the Sikh community and to improve it. Gurmukh Singh added more life to it with his poems in Punjabi language. He also left teaching for this. Later the British government arrested him.
leader of gurudwara movement
Now Giani Gurmukh Singh Musafir was the main leader of the Gurdbara movement. In 1930, he became the Jathedar of Akal Takht and later the minister of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. He was closely acquainted with Jawaharlal Nehru and visited jail several times during the freedom struggle.
iron will
While he was in jail during the Quit India Movement, his father, a son and a daughter died. Even in this time of personal crisis, he did not accept to come out of jail on ‘parole’. All this was proof of his strong will power.
Chief Minister of Punjab
After independence, Giani Gurmukh Singh Musafir was elected a member of the Congress Working Committee. He was a member of the Constituent Assembly and was elected a member of the Lok Sabha in 1952. He was later elected to the Legislative Council of Punjab and became the Chief Minister of Punjab. Punjab progressed all round during the tenure of Gyani ji as Chief Minister.
