
The foundation stone of 32nd Akal Academy was laid at village Jhandiana Garbi, Distt. Moga, Punjab on 1 December, 2007, this being the 10th amongst the new plan of establishing 150 Akal Academies in the next few years announced by the Kalgidhar Trust.
Baba Iqbal Singh Ji, Dr. Khem Singh Gill, S. Sital Singh (Chief Parliamentary Secretary to the Government of Punjab), Prof. Ram Singh Kular, Bhai Balwant Singh Nandgarh (Jathedar, Takhat Sri Damdama Sahib), Bhai Gurjant Singh Ji Saleena, Baba Fateh Singh Khesian, S. Karamjit Singh, Baba Baldev Singh Ji Jogay and a large number of eminent personalities and residents of surrounding villages graced the occasion with their presence.
The land measuring 7 Acres for the academy has been donated by Gurdwara Management Committee, Jhandiana Garbi. The historic occasion began with the rendering of Shabad Kirtan by the students of Akal Academy - Muktsar. Thereafter, Akal International Dhadi Jatha - Baru Sahib enthralled the gathering by singing Dhadi Varan from glorious Sikh history. The students of Akal Academy - Muktsar also apprised the gathering about the life of Sant Attar Singh Ji and the philanthropic activities of The Kalgidhar Trust.
Bhai Balwant Singh Nandgarh appreciated the noble cause undertaken by the Trust, saying, "Akal Academies are inculcating moral values in the children just as Gurmat is taught in the Gurdwaras. Spiritual education is equally important as scientific education, and Akal Academies are playing an important role in this direction."
Baba Gurjant Singh Ji said, "Imparting of spiritual education along with the worldly scientific education is making the children benevolent as well as successful professionals. Rural Education Revolution is being created in Punjab with the establishment of these Akal Academies."
S. Sital Singh (Chief Parliamentary Secretary to the Government of Punjab) promised all kinds of cooperation for the establishment of more Akal Academies in the state. He said, "The establishment of this Akal Academy is a mile-stone in the field of education in this backward and far-flung area."
Prof. Ram Singh Kular said, "Akal Academies are working in the direction of `Welfare unto All`. With the establishment of Akal Academies, we can perceive a better society with the creation of good global citizens."
Dr. Khem Singh (Vice-President of The Kalgidhar Trust) apprised the gathering about the various philanthropic activities being undertaken by The Kalgidhar Trust. He said, "Sant Teja Singh Ji established The Kalgidhar Trust in 1965 to realize the vision of Sant Attar Singh Ji. The establishment of chain of Akal Academies began in 1986 with just 5 students at Baru Sahib. At present, 23,000 students on the rolls of 23 Akal Academies receiving high class English medium 10+2 CBSE education are making a deep social impact on the under-privileged rural population of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh. Akal Academies in the rural areas of Punjab have been helpful in putting a halt to the social-vices like Drug-addiction, Female Foeticide and Patitpuna."
Blessing the gathering, Baba Iqbal Singh Ji said, "The vision of Sant Attar Singh Ji envisaged in 1906 with the establishment of Girls College at Mastuana, is being realized with the creation of chain of Akal Academies in Northern India. Due to meditation on Divine Name in the ambrosial hours, the students are able to study with much more concentration as compared to other students which has been proven by the high aggregate achieved by them in the Board examinations. The high scoring students of Akal Academies are being sent for higher education in the renowned universities abroad." He said that The Kalgidhar Trust has planned to establish 150 more Akal Academies in the coming years in rural areas of Northern India. He urged all to join hands with The Kalgidhar Trust to spread Guru Nanak`s mission by sharing Daswandh (one-tenth of one`s righteous earning) for the philanthropic activities being undertaken in different parts of Northern India.
Thereafter, the foundation stone of Akal Academy was laid in the presence of `five beloved ones`. They included Baba Gurjant Singh Ji, Baba Baldev Singh Ji Jogay, Baba Fateh Singh Ji, Dr. Khem Singh and Baba Iqbal Singh Ji. This was followed by Ardaas and Guru Ka Langar with hundreds of residents from surrounding villages participating in this historic occasion.
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