When all the paths in life seem to close, courage often opens the door to a new hope. Difficult circumstances and sudden disasters usually leave a person mentally shattered, but there are a few rare warriors who transform their pain into their greatest strength.
Padma Shri Gurvinder Singh, a resident of Haryana’s Sirsa district, is a living example of such an extraordinary personality. He never allowed his physical disability to become a weakness. Instead, he turned it into a source of strength for thousands of helpless, sick, and needy people.
The 1997 Accident and a New Turning Point in Life
Until 1997, Gurvinder Singh was living an ordinary life. He was the youngest of five siblings in his family. At the time, he worked as a contractor operating concrete mixer machines used in roof construction and also ran a workshop for repairing agricultural machinery. Like any ordinary person, he dreamed of earning well and building a secure future.
However, a devastating road accident in 1997 completely changed his life. The lower half of his body was paralysed, confining him to a wheelchair. A young man who had once been fully mobile suddenly became dependent on others. Yet this very accident became the beginning of a new chapter in his life.
The Inspiration and Beginning of Seva
During his treatment, Gurvinder Singh remained admitted to DMC Hospital in Ludhiana for nearly four months. There, he observed volunteers from an organisation called the Dudh Seva Samiti visiting the hospital every morning and evening to distribute milk, datun sticks, and bread to patients.
Watching these volunteers, Gurvinder Singh realised that true service is the service offered to those who are needy and trapped in difficult circumstances. He prayed that if he recovered even slightly and returned home, he would begin a similar service in his own city, Sirsa.
Establishment of the Bhai Kanhaiya Manav Seva Trust
On 1 January 2005, Gurvinder Singh gathered a few of his friends, including Rishipal Jindal, Hariwant Lal Jindal, and Hardev Singh, and shared his vision with them. They began enrolling monthly members who contributed ₹1, ₹2, or ₹5 to help people in need.
Through this small initiative, the Bhai Kanhaiya Manav Seva Trust began its work by distributing 200 grams of milk to every patient in Sirsa’s government hospital during the night.
Expansion of Services: Ambulances and Blood Donation
After beginning the milk distribution service, the Trust organised its first blood donation camp on 28 September 2006. Milk distribution was later extended to a school for children with hearing and speech disabilities.
To assist people during accidents and emergencies, the Trust purchased its first ambulance on 20 April 2008. The service was kept completely free for road accidents, medical emergencies, heart attacks, and maternity cases requiring urgent transportation to hospitals. Today, the Trust operates 15 ambulances. Apart from Sirsa, these ambulances provide free services in Rania Mandi, Ellenabad, Dabwali, Fatehabad, and Hisar.
Ashrams for the Destitute and People with Mental Illness
One day, a mentally distressed woman died on Sirsa’s Mal Godown Road because she had neither shelter nor access to medical treatment. The incident deeply disturbed Gurvinder Singh. Inspired by Pingalwara in Amritsar, he established the first ashram for destitute people in Sirsa in 2012. In 2016, a second ashram was established on one-and-a-quarter acres of land on Hisar Road.
Today, nearly 480 destitute people, elderly persons, children, and people living with mental illness reside in these two ashrams. The Trust bears the entire cost of their accommodation, food, and medical treatment.
Free Education and Skill Development
Since 2022, the Trust has also been operating a school where nearly 400 poor and needy children receive free education. The children are provided with free bus transportation, meals, notebooks, and pens.
Gurvinder Singh believes that BA or MA degrees alone are not enough. His future goal is to expand the school up to Class 12 and provide students with ITI-based and vocational training in skills such as plumbing, electrical work, and computers, so that they can become self-reliant.
True Humanity Beyond Religion and Caste
According to Gurvinder Singh, the teaching of Guru Nanak Dev Ji—
“Aval Allah Noor Upaya, Kudrat Ke Sab Bande;
Ek Noor Te Sab Jag Upjaya, Kaun Bhale Ko Mande.”
—is the central foundation of his service. No one’s caste or religion is considered by the Trust.
If a Muslim resident dies at the ashram, their final rites are performed according to Muslim customs. Through his work, Gurvinder Singh is putting into practice Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s message:
“Manas Ki Jaat Sabhai Ekai Pehchanbo.”
Recognise the entire human race as one.
The Padma Shri and a Greater Responsibility
In 2024, Gurvinder Singh was honoured with the Padma Shri by the Government of India. The most remarkable aspect was that he had never applied for any award. He received one of the country’s highest civilian honours directly, without first receiving any district-level or state-level award.
Gurvinder Singh believes that receiving the Padma Shri has increased the responsibility of both him and his team. They are now engaged in their service work with twice the dedication, effort, and vigilance.
Gurvinder Singh believes:
“True service is that in which there is no greed, selfishness, discrimination based on religion or caste, or hatred.”
By transforming his physical disability into a life dedicated to serving humanity, Padma Shri Gurvinder Singh has created a journey that stands as an inspiration for the entire world.
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