I was born in Jhansi, a town famous for Jhansi Fort, in the state of Uttar Pradesh, in India.

The seed of spiritualism was planted in me by my parents and blossomed when I left home at the 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. My development was under the meticulous and astute guidance of Dr Iqbal Singh Ji. Here I learnt kirtan, recitation of the Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, 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 5 years, I joined Jwaddi Kalan, in Ludhiana, an academy managed under the prudent directorship of the late Baba Sucha Singh Ji.  Consequently, acquiring additional knowledge of Gurmat Sangeet and attaining classical training in music under the guidance of Ustad Jaswant Singh Bhanwra.   During this time, I also carried  on with my academic studies and gained a degree in Commerce.

My experiences at Baru Sahib and Jwaddi Kalan gave me a solid foundation to improve in kirtan, religious sermons, discourses on mind and matter; thereby, giving me the opportunity to travel extensively around India spreading the wisdom of Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.

A few years later, a chance arose for me to come to the UK as a Minister of Religion.  Once again, enhancing my horizons through further education, by studying Comparative Studies of World Religion,  under the expert mentorship of Dr Sukhbir Singh Kapoor, a well-known writer on Sikh faith. This inspired me to spread 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.

My heart has always been set on kirtan and its essence. Soon enough the Sadh Sangat penned the term ‘Tuhi Tuhi walle’, ‘Tuhi Tuhi’ being the signature shabad.

Realising early on that many of us are unaware of the power and depth of the Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. My mission is to raise the awareness of the teachings of our Gurus and how we can use these to enrich our daily life.  Being human is having a fulfilling sense of love, life, generosity and compassion. 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 divine qualities to the fore.

I give all the credit to Waheguru Ji, His blessings have given me the opportunity to travel the world over for kirtan, lectures, as a facilitator for youth camps and a counselor. It all began with ‘Tuhi Tuhi’ and flows on with ‘Tuhi Tuhi’ , ‘Tuhi Tuhi’,  ‘Tuhi Tuhi’ …………

Veer Manpreet Singh