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 Dr.
Bhagat Singh Thind was born on October 3,
1892 in a well-known military Kamboj
Sikh Thind family of village Taragarh/Talawan in the
District Amritsar. His father, S. Boota
Singh Thind, was retired as Subedar Major from the British
Indian Army. His mother, Icer Kaur, died when Dr. Thind
was only a young child, but left an indelible memory with
him.
Dr.
Thind's ancestors had earlier served in the Sikh army of
Maharaja Ranjit and even before that, in the Marjeewra Sikh
fauj of 10th Lord. This earned a good name as a Warriors'
family.
S.
Boota Singh Thind, his family, and all his relatives were
very dedicated Sikhs and had actively participated in Sikh
Morcha for possessions of lands belonging to Gurudwara Pheru,
at Lahore in 1924 and earlier in Nankana Sahib Morcha of
1921 (In which out of 86 Singh Shaheeds, 32 were the Kamboj
Singhs). S. Boota Singh Thind was jailed for several years
and lost his military pension as a consequence. He had also
persuaded numerous other Kamboj Singhs of Shekhupuru to
actively participate in the movement. Thus it is clear that
Dr. Bhagat Singh Thind had inherited the love for Sikhism
and humanity from his devoted Sikh parents and relatives
as mentioned above.
After
his high school graduation in 1908, Dr. Thind enrolled at
Khalsa College in Amritsar and obtained his college degree.
While a student, Dr. Thind had already ardently studied
American history and its literature (Emerson, Whitman, and
Thoreau) and developed a keen interest in America and it's
people. He was soon inspired to travel to America for a
higher education and to fulfill his destiny as a Spiritual
Teacher. Dr. Thind left Calcutta, India bound for America
at the age of 19. He landed in Manila and stayed for 9 months
before departing for the United States on the Vessel Minnesota
and finally landed in Seattle, Washington July 4, 1913.
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Boota
Singh Thind
Dr. Thind's father who was a very spiritual man was
a wonderful example for his son, being bold, brave,
idealistic and pragmatic said to his son on the day
he left for America at the railway station at Amritsar:
"Promise
me four things:
First, neither beg nor borrow, no matter what happens.
Second, never commit adultery.
Third, neither smoke, nor have anything to do with
any kind of intoxicating drinks or drugs or narcotics
or drugs.
Fourth, never live in the past, live always in the
eternal One and start life ever anew.
His father looked him in the eyes and said, "I
hope if you follow these teachings I have given you,
you will make a success in life. If you cannot, the
sooner you perish the better for you and for me and
the rest of the world, because I do not want a weakling
to survive me. My children should not be weaklings
or jelly-fishes".
Dr. Thind as a young man of 19 years and five months
looked back at his father and said: “Father,
your heroic blood runs in my veins. I will be faithful
and true and I cannot fail.”
Then Boota gave Dr. Thind two thousand rupees. He
said: "Son, this is all I can give you now.
I have given you an education and an example. Make
your own way in life."
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