Veer Manpreet Singh
Veer Manpreet Singh was born in Jhansi, a town famous for its Jhansi Fort in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India.
Having spent most of his foundation years in India, the seed of spiritualism was planted in him by his parents. This blossomed when he left his ancestral home, at the tender age of 14, to study at the Akal Academy in Baru Sahib. This is a science based institution where spiritual learning is a major part of the curriculum. Here his spirituality was further developed under the meticulous and astute guidance of Dr Iqbal Singh Ji. He learnt Kirtan and the recitation of the Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji scriptures, relating the values of Sikhism in daily life through sewa (service to others), kirt kamayi (working hard and honestly) and vand ke chakna (sharing one’s earning with the needy).
After acquiring 5 years of spiritual and mainstream education in Baru Sahib, he joined Jwaddi Kalan, in Ludhiana. This is an institution managed under the prudent directorship of the late Baba Sucha Singh Ji, whereby he acquired additional knowledge of Gurmat Sangeet. Veer Manpreet Singh attained classical training in music under the guidance of Ustad Jaswant Singh Bhanwra. He carried on with his studies alongside this and gained an academic degree in Commerce after 5 years.
His experiences at Baru Sahib and Jwaddi Kalan gave him a concrete foundation to improve his achievements in kirtan, religious sermons, discourses on mind and matter. He travelled extensively around India spreading the wisdom of Shri Guru Granth Sahibji.
A few years later he got the opportunity to come to the UK as a Minister of Religion. He once again got a chance to broaden his horizons through further education, his chosen course ….. Comparative Studies of World Religion; under the expert mentorship of Dr Sukhbir Singh Kapoor, a well-known writer on Sikh faith. This inspired him to spread the word and enlighten others about the universal message of the Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, applicable to one and all, going beyond caste and creed, resting on the mind and its potential.
All along Veer Manpreet’s heart was set on kirtan and its essence, soon enough the Sadh Sangat penned the term ‘Tuhi Tuhi walle’. ‘Tuhi Tuhi’ being his signature shabad. Early on he realised, particularly in the Western world, many youngsters are unaware of the power and depth of the Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. His mission is to make people aware of the teachings of our Gurus and how we can use these to enrich our daily life.
For him, being human is having a fulfilling sense of love, life, generosity and compassion. Not only is he a Minister of Religion, he also actively represents Sikhs as a human rights campaigner speaking for just causes in Geneva at UNO summits. He believes that our way of life, as laid out by our Gurus, begins with humility. They lived their lives as normal, down-to-earth human beings but the wisdom they acquired brought out their divines qualities to the fore.
Veer Manpreet Singh gives the credit for all he is today to Waheguru Ji. His blessings have seen him travel the world over for kirtan, lectures, as a facilitator for youth camps, as a counsellor. He runs an academy of Gurmat Sangat teaching kirtan, musical instruments and more importantly, bringing out the best in his students by guiding their personal development. Recently releasing a studio recording of shabads aptly titled ‘The Journey Begins’ … for him it all began with ‘Tuhi Tuhi’ and flows on with ‘Tuhi Tuhi’.