Baba Deep Singh Ji: A life of sacrifice and leadership in Sikh History

Chandigarh: Baba Deep Singh ji, a prominent figure in Sikh history, was born on January 27, 1682, in Pahuwind village, Amritsar. At the age of 16, he traveled to Anandpur Sahib with his parents, where he met Guru Gobind Singh Ji and received amrit on Baisakhi in 1699.

In 1705, following Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s last battle, the Guru settled in Talwandi Sabo (Damdama Sahib). Baba Deep Singh, along with his companions, arrived at Sabo Ki Talwandi to meet Guru Ji and sought forgiveness for his absence during the war.

During this period, Guru Gobind Singh Ji established the Damdami Taksal, naming Baba Deep Singh as its first head.

Before his passing at Nanded Sahib, Guru Gobind Singh Ji sent Madho Das Bairagi, later known as Baba Banda Singh Bahadur, to Punjab. Banda Singh Bahadur launched campaigns against Mughal oppressors, and Baba Deep Singh was among the first to join him. In 1709, they liberated Sirhind and Sandaura from Mughal atrocities.

In 1733, Nawab Kapoor Singh appointed Baba Deep Singh as the head of a Sikh squad, and by 1748, he led the Shaheedan Misl following the reorganization of Khalsa Misls.

In 1756, during Ahmad Shah Abdali’s fourth invasion of India, Baba Deep Singh’s forces confronted Abdali’s army at Pipli near Kurukshetra. They liberated approximately 300 enslaved Indian women near the Markanda River.

Baba Deep Singh’s unwavering dedication to Sikh values and his leadership in defending the oppressed remain an enduring legacy for the masses across the world.