The Guiding Light: T.S. Mann,
on his Eleventh 'Barsi'
19 August 2014
On The Eleventh Death
Anniversary of Sr. TS Mann, SIRSA NEWS brings you brief life sketch of Sr. Mann, the
guiding light and inspiration that drives this Web Site.
A Rare Video of 2003 TS Mann with LK Advani will posted soon
<< Late Sardar
Tirlok Singh Mann (HPS- I Retd. Supdt. Jail)
Sardar Tirlok
Singh Mann was born at Village Mannawala Distt. Shekhupura. (Now in Punjab of Pakistan)
on 20th July 1920 in the famous Mannawala Family (A chapter is devoted to Mannawala Family, in the book The Chiefs of
Punjab, by a British Author. A family
tree from 1700AD up to the name of Sr T.S. Mann also exists in
this book as well as the Gazette of Punjab)He was the eldest son of S. Sahib Singh
Mann (Ex MLC of Punjab Assembly 1952) His education started
from Guru Nanak Khalsa High School Nanakana Sahib. He did his Graduation in
1942 from Khalsa College Amritsar. Six feet tall and well built; he was a good
athlete & sportsman. He won the Punjab University’s ‘One Mile’ race twice.
At that time the Punjab University was the biggest university in the North
India and was located at Lahore. Even then he represented the Punjab
University’s Volleyball team.
Above: S. Sahib
Singh Mann MLC in a Group Photo of 1952 Members of The Punjab Legislative
Council SIMLA
TS Mann with the
famous Khalsa College Amritsar in the Back Ground
British Professors
taught English in Khalsa College at that time. He had good command over
English, Punjabi, Urdu, Hindi and even some working knowledge of French. He
visited Sri Harmandir Sahib every morning during all 4years of his hostel life
at Khalsa College Amritsar He held his teachers and professors in high esteem.
Prof Sahib Singh, who is known for the most authenticated TIKA of Sri Guru
Granth Sahib was one of his favourite professors.
In 1943, he joined the Jail department by appointment through
Punjab Services Commission. His first posting was probably at Multan Jail as
Asstt. Supdt. Jail. At time of partition in 1947, the family was allotted land
at Sirsa; he was made a camp commandant for some time to take care of partition
refugees at SIRSA. He resumed his jail department post in post partition India.
During his service in the Jail Dept he did not distance himself from the
prisoners, rather he understood their psychology and interacted with them to
resolve their problems as and when these surfaced. He was very particular about
the ration and good hygienic food of the Jail prisoners, and daily ensured that
the right quantity and rightly cooked food was served on time. He also took
care of the welfare possibilities of all the prisoners. He was very popular
with the inmates and many of them used to thank him on and after completion of
their jail terms. Besides many jails of Punjab & Haryana he was also posted
at Tihar Jail Delhi in early fifties.
TV Shots from
Aaj Tak telecast of 2003
All pictures can
be clicked to enlarge or right click to open link in new window
In 1975 to 1977
during the national emergency, he was
Superintendent of Rohtak Jail. Many senior political leaders were detained in
Rohtak jail under his tenure. {To name a few: Sh Bhairon Singh Shekhwat
Ex. Vice president of India, Sh LK Advani Ex. Deputy Prime Minister
of India, Sh Chander Shekhar Ex PM of India, Ch. Devi Lal Ex DPM India (and Ex
CM Haryana), Sh. Sikander Bakht Ex Governor of KERALA, Dr Bhai Mahavir Governor
of MP. Sh. Pillo Modi MP, Sh Ashok Mehta MP, Samar Guha, Sh Biju Patnaik Ex CM Orissa,
Major Jaipal, Bakshi Jagdev and many more…………} All of these were
satisfied with the humane behavior of Sr. TS Mann. Many of them called upon him
personally at his official residence soon after attaining political posts and
ministries in The Janta Party in 1977. Even today many of them remember him
fondly. He was being offered a seat for becoming a MP in the elections of 1977,
but he refused as he was a non Political Man and never took any advantage of
his such closeness to these leaders. May it be recalled that in 1977 elections
it was landslide victory for the JANTA PARTY, and anyone who was nominated by
Janta Party was sure to win. After a gap of 28 years, Sh. LK Advani DPM of
India recalled him at Rohtak jail on 26 June 2003. An exclusive
video film on LK Advani and TS Mann was produced by AajTak news channel in
Rohtak Jail; it was telecast at prime time on 26 June 2003 under ‘VISHESH’ Sh
Advani specifically mentioned in this telecast the good treatment he got from
Mr. Mann during detention under MISA. [see Pictures above] After 35 years of meritorious
service he retired in 1979 as Supdt. Distt. Jail Rohtak, at that time this was
the second senior most post in the Jail Deptt. The Govt. gave him four
increments for his honest & dedicated services. He had ample regards for
his officer: I.G. Prisons, Late Sh. SK Puri. That’s why he refused a promotion
to the rank of The IG (the Highest Post of Jail Deptt. In those days) during
the last few months of his service, as this would have put the then IG Mr. Puri
in trouble, and would have jinxed the last phase of service (career) of Sh.
Puri, due to certain political reasons.
He took up
farming at his farm at village Kirpal Patti, in Ellenabad Sub Division of District SIRSA after retirement. He did
co-operative farming by indulging 20 families with him. He made sure that basic
needs of these families (Housing, food and clothing) were fulfilled. He
arranged money for them also. He discouraged these families to consume alcohol
or any kind of intoxicants. He imparted moral and social teachings to all the
people associated with him. He himself was a teetotaller and vegetarian throughout
his life. Along with farming he took up many social projects. From 1994, he
gave a new momentum to the already Established ‘LOK PANCHAYAT’ (A regd.
body) in the Rania-Ellenabad Jeevan Nagar area of SIRSA. Lokpanchayat
is a non-religious, non-political, non-factional, social body. [NGO]
In 2001 he had joined the move initiated from the Districts
of Karnal & Kurukshetra, for the formation of separate SGPC for Haryana
(now known as HSGPC: Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee Adhoc). He
motivated and apprised people of Sirsa district about the necessity of separate
SGPC for Haryana. His foresight and the ideas instilled in the minds of the
crusaders of HSGPC, kept the demand for HSGPC alive & the efforts continued
long after his death. Sikh population and Sikh leaders of Haryana kept on
pressing for this demand. Efforts of Dr Ashok Tanwar and Avantika Tanwar in persuading
the rightful demand of Separate Gurdwara Committee finally bore results; a bill
for Separate Gurdwara Committee was presented in the Haryana Assembly and the
same was passed. The separate body for management of Sikh Gurdwaras has been hence
formed by an act of Haryana Govt in the recent assembly session in July 2014 to
which Governor Haryana gave an assent.
He was stern
follower of the teachings of Guru Granth Sahib. He always cherished his
parents.
In 1986, the untimely demise of his elder son: Sh. Gurinder
Mann, perturbed him for a while but he took this great loss as will of The
Almighty and consoled rest of the family. It is worth mentioning here that Sh.
Gurinder Mann was highly educated [M.A. LL.B. BJ, member HUJ] He was a highly
talented budding photo-journalist and art photographer whose pictures were
published in international journals.
Rajan Gurinder
Mann
Gurinder Mann
was a keen musician and a talented painter as well. He was elder brother of
Author of this website.
Sardar T.S.
Mann’s life was highly disciplined and he was highly health conscious. Even at
the age of 83 years, he took long walks daily and visited his fields daily. He
never needed much medical care throughout his life, as he believed that nature
takes care of petty ailments. He was a die-hard optimist. Sardar Tirlok Singh
Mann passed away on the 19th day of August 2003, peacefully.
He is remembered
for his principled life, honesty, integrity, philanthropic, and outspoken
nature.
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