Obituary: Dr. Jaggi will always be remembered as a prominent Sikh scholar of Punjabi and Hindi literature; Bhog on Sunday

Obituary: Dr. Jaggi will always be remembered as a prominent Sikh scholar of Punjabi and Hindi literature; Bhog on Sunday

Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ May 30,2025

The Antim Ardas and Bhog  of the prominent Sikh scholar of Punjabi and Hindi literature Padma Shri Dr. Rattan Singh Jaggi, who passed away recently, will be held on 1st June between 12 noon and 1 pm at Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha (near Fountain Chowk) on Mall Road, Patiala.

Dr. Rattan Singh Jaggi was a prolific author who authored more than 150 books. It was due to his immensely valuable contribution to the literature and academic spheres that he was honoured with the Padma Shri & Sahitya Akademi Award by the Government of India apart from Punjabi Sahit Shiromani Puraskar by the Government of Punjab. His long list of felicitations also comprises the bestowal of honours by the Governments of Delhi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh & Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC). The Punjabi University, Patiala and Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar conferred D. Litt degrees on Dr. Jaggi who was also awarded Gyan Rattan Puraskar by Panjab University Chandigarh. He also got the Language Department’s first award 8 times besides numerous honours bestowed by various academies, educational, literary, religious institutions and Government & Non-Government organizations.

Dr. Rattan Singh Jaggi devoted his entire life to studying, writing and critical analysis from different perspectives regarding medieval literature besides researching from varied standpoints about the sacred Bani of Sikh Guru Sahiban & Bhakti Movement (In both Punjabi and Hindi).

Born on July 27, 1927, he devoted more than 6 decades of his life with a wholehearted commitment to serving the cause of medieval literature. He obtained a PhD in 1962 from Panjab University, Chandigarh with the subject “Dasam Granth Da Pauranik Addhyan” (Critical study of Pauranik compositions in Dasam Granth). Dr Jaggi was awarded a D.Litt. degree from Magadh University, Bodhgaya in 1973 where the subject in Hindi was ‘Sri Guru Nanak: Vyaktitatva, Krititva Aur Chintan’ (Guru Nanak: His personality, works & teachings). He retired as Professor and Head of the Punjabi Literary Studies Department of Punjabi University, Patiala in 1987.

He edited the ‘Punjabi Sahit Sandarbh Kosh’ (Reference Dictionary of Punjabi Literature), ‘Punjabi Sahit da Sarot Moolak Itihas’ (History of Punjabi Literature)’ & ‘Guru Granth Vishavkosh (Encyclopedia)’. Dr. Jaggi rendered a big service to the Sikh religion with a comprehensive commentary on Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji namely ‘Bhav Prabodhini Tika-Sri Guru Granth Sahib’ in 8 volumes.

His other notable endeavours included “Sikh Panth Vishavkosh” (Encyclopedia of Sikhism) and a five volume Sub-Commentary of Sri Guru Granth Sahib titled “Arthbodh Sri Guru Granth Sahib” which was released by Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee. During the 550th Prakash Purb celebrations of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the Punjab Government published “Guru Nanak Bani: Paath at Vyakhya” authored by him, in Punjabi and Hindi.

Obituary: Dr. Jaggi will always be remembered as a prominent Sikh scholar of Punjabi and Hindi literature; Bhog on Sunday . He is survived by his wife Dr. Gursharan Kaur Jaggi (Retd. Principal, Government College for Women, Patiala), and a Son Malwinder Singh Jaggi (Retd. I.A.S.).