Kurukshetra University mourns death of its alumni 'Ghazaljeet' Singh

11 October, 2011

Pal of gloom hovers over the holy city of Kurukshetra after the news of Ghazal King Jagjit Singh spread in the town and university. Condolence meetings were held in History Department, Music Department and in Administrative Block to pay tributes.

CHAIRMAN OF the History Department, Dr Chattar Singh, shared the sad moments of Jagjit’s death with Anoop Lather, Director, Youth & Cultural Affairs Department who cherished fond memories of the late singer. He said Jagjit was honoured with the degree of Ph. D. (honorus causa) by Kurukshetra university when it celebrated its 40th foundation day in the university auditorium. He also sang some popular ghazals on the request of his friends in the evening programme.

His close friends Jagdish Sharma, Vijay Sabharwal both press reporters, Professor K.K.Rishi , Dr. Ishwar Chand Mittal, and many others shared the moments they used to enjoy under the banyan tree near university market. Jagdish Sharma said the moonlit nights used to be the favourite ones for ghazal singing under that tree where his fans would sit in a circle to applause him saying Wah-Wah. This group used to play lead roles in dramas ans other cultural activities organised by the university which used to be of the residential nature. He said he popularised ghazals amongst the students most of whom used to hate ghazal that time saying it was considered to be a feast for the old and retired persons in leisure time. Dr DDS Sandhu and Dr Surinder Deswal, Vice Chancellor and Registrar of Kurukshetra University mourned the death of Jagjit Singh an alumini of the university.

Paying tributes to the departed soul the Kurukshetra University Vice-Chancellor said that it is an irreparable loss to the world of ghazal singing particularly in Urdu and Punjabi. As a student of History department during the session 1963-64 Jagjit Singh brought laurel to the University by securing positions in music and drama. He was very fond of singing Urdu and Punjabi ghazals. As an alumni Jagjit Singh was honoured by the University with the degree of Doctor of Literature (Honorus Causa) in 1994 during a convocation held to mark the 40th foundation day of Kurukshetra University. He also sang some Ghazals on the request of his old friends who had come to meet him in the University Auditorium.

Jagjit was also interested in sports. His room mate in the hostel Dr. K.B. Singh had to hear Jagjit for almost twelve hours a day listening to his new lyrics and ghazals. Both were fond of ghazals. His other fans and friends now have tearful eyes with reminiscences of campus days. Dr Surinder Deswal, Registrar of the University, addressed a condolence meeting in the university in which hundreds of teachers, students and employees expressed their sorrow over death of Jagjit Singh 'Maharaj'. He said university has lost a star alumni in the death of the ghazal king Jagjit Singh whose photographs with former president of India Dr.S. Radhakrishnan still adore the walls of the registrar office.