Today, with a heavy heart, I share the passing of my dear friend, guide, and elder Sardar Nanak Singh Ji Nishtar, who left for his heavenly abode this morning, 16 May 2025, in Hyderabad.

For decades, he has been more than just a friend to me. He was a source of inspiration, a mentor whose words carried the weight of history and whose actions reflected a lifetime of unwavering service to Sikhs and humanity alike.

Today, as I own these words, I am in Hyderabad and was planning to meet him this evening. Alas, destiny had other plans. That meeting, which I so eagerly looked forward to, was not to be.

His passing is not just a personal loss—it is a loss that reverberates across the Sikh community and beyond.

Sardar Nanak Singh Ji was the embodiment of Sikh virtues. A devout and dedicated Sikh, his commitment to the Panth was visible in every aspect of his life. As a scholar and a writer, his thoughts were deeply rooted in Sikh philosophy yet embraced the universality of human values. He had an extraordinary gift of articulating the spiritual and historical commonalities between Sikhism and Islam, building bridges of understanding and friendship where others saw walls.

A scholar in Urdu, Persian, Punjabi and English, he wrote many books in all these languages.

As I bow my head in prayer, I pray to Akalpurakh to bless his noble soul with eternal peace and grant his family and admirers the strength to bear this irreparable loss

Jagmohan Singh

A champion of Sikh-Muslim brotherhood, he often reminded me of the old Dakhni Sikh tradition, where the spirit of co-existence was not an ideal but a lived reality. He was a living example of that ethos—always reaching out, always fostering harmony.

He took immense pride in being one of the last descendants of the Risaldars sent by Maharaja Ranjit Singh to support the Nizam of Hyderabad. Yet, his sense of identity was never confined to lineage or region. He was a roving ambassador of the Sikh Nation, carrying the message of Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s universal teachings to every corner of the world he touched.

A scholar in Urdu, Persian, Punjabi and English, he wrote many books in all these languages.

His contributions to education were no less remarkable. As a reformer, he worked tirelessly to uplift the Dakhni Sikh community, advocating for meaningful education that preserved cultural identity while embracing modernity. He believed that true empowerment lay in nurturing minds grounded in their heritage yet open to the world.

Today, as we mourn his loss, I find solace in knowing that even in death, he chose to serve humanity. As per his wishes, his body will be donated to a medical institute later today—a final act of sewa, in line with the life he so selflessly lived.

Sardar Nanak Singh Ji was the embodiment of Sikh virtues. A devout and dedicated Sikh, his commitment to the Panth was visible in every aspect of his life. As a scholar and a writer, his thoughts were deeply rooted in Sikh philosophy yet embraced the universality of human values.

Words feel inadequate to capture the void his departure has left. His presence was reassuring, his counsel profound, and his humility disarming.

It will be a long time before the Sikh community is blessed with another soul of his stature, vision, and kindness.

As I bow my head in prayer, I pray to Akalpurakh to bless his noble soul with eternal peace and grant his family and admirers the strength to bear this irreparable loss.

While his mortal journey has come to an end, his life’s work will continue to guide us. Let us honour his memory by living the values he cherished—service, unity, and love for all humanity.

Farewell, my beloved friend. I will miss you deeply.