Sikh Community in Nagpur: A Century of Growth and Prominence

thenewsdirt
Sep 1
6 min read

Nagpur, the central Maharashtra city in the Vidarbha region, has hosted a Sikh community for over a century. The first Sikh settlers arrived not after Indian independence, but in the early 1900s, drawn by railway work and other opportunities.

These pioneers were skilled carpenters and craftsmen (often Ramgarhia Sikhs) recruited by the Bengal Nagpur Railway (BNR) around 1898–1911. They initially worshipped in temporary shelters until a permanent gurdwara was built. Local contractor Karam Singh donated land near the railway workshops, and on 9 November 1927, the Sikh Sangat (community) laid the foundation stone of what became Nagpur’s first gurdwara.

This simple brick shrine (later painted white and crowned with the orange Nishān Sāhib flag) stood in the “Punjabi Line” railway colony, which even today marks the site of that first gurudwara.

Growth through the Mid-20th Century

Once established, the Sikh community grew steadily in Nagpur during the early 20th century. Several early immigrants became entrepreneurs.

For example, Sher Singh arrived in 1898 as a railway worker and later founded the engineering firm J. Sher Singh & Co. with a lathe machine. Another early settler, Kirpa Singh, opened a truck body-building business and even owned a small aeroplane. His son Makhan Singh became a commercial pilot.

In 1927, Sajjan Singh came to Nagpur and opened a furniture shop that gained a fine reputation. His “Sajjan Singh & Co.” brand supplied handcrafted teakwood furniture to the city's Parsi, Maharashtrian and Christian homes.

As the community expanded, it built a second gurudwara on Kamptee Road, with Sajjan Singh himself serving as its first president. Other businessmen arrived as well. Pritam Singh Renu opened a sawmill in 1935, and Bhagat Singh Rehal later set up a construction firm. These pioneers earned respect across Nagpur for their craftsmanship and hard work, integrating into civic life and often taking part in city affairs.

The community’s profile broadened further after India’s Partition in 1947. In that period, many Sikh families arrived from what is now Pakistan, especially Punjabi Khatri traders and cooks.

For instance, Hazarilal from Peshawar (known as “Hazari Halwai”) became famous for his sweets and made himself indispensable at Punjabi weddings. Another immigrant, Kapoor Singh Tuli, came via Sheikhupura (in Punjab) and settled permanently in Nagpur.

Even in local politics, Sikhs began to play a role. Amar Singh Dhillon was the first Sikh elected to the Nagpur Municipal Corporation, and the city honoured him by naming a road near Kadbi Chowk in his memory.

Atal Bahadur Singh, another community leader, rose to become the Mayor of Nagpur. Throughout these decades, Sikh families placed a high value on education. Children often studied at missionary schools such as St. John’s (Mohan Nagar), St. Francis de Sales or St. Joseph’s Convent. By sending their children to English-medium schools, even early Sikh settlers helped the next generation gain professional qualifications.

Cultural Diversity and Community Life

Nagpur’s Sikh community has always been diverse and maintained its cultural traditions. Multiple generations would gather at the gurdwaras for prayers and festivals, and older customs persisted in daily life.

In the mid-20th century, the community still relied on travelling cooks and craftsmen. The arrival of Hazari Halwai as a resident sweet-maker is a noted anecdote of that era.

On a broader note, Vidarbha’s Sikhs include not only Punjabi migrants but also local tribal groups that embraced Sikhism. One example is the Sikkalgar (or Sikligar) community at Talegaon in Wardha district, about 100 km from Nagpur.

These Sikhs – descendants of traditional weapons-makers – proudly keep Sikh faith and customs. As a local elder said, “We have a glorious past,” noting that their ancestors were brought from Rajasthan by the Gurus for their skill with swords and cannons. Many Sikkalgar families observe all five K’s of Sikh identity and revere the Gurus and the Granth Sahib, yet they often live in poverty.

The 1947–48 partition drove hundreds of Sikkalgar families out of Nanded (then part of Hyderabad State), and they scattered across Marathwada and Vidarbha. Today, they still eke out a living by selling iron daggers and tools, and their story is a reminder that Nagpur’s Sikh milieu includes a variety of backgrounds beyond the mainstream Punjabi diaspora.

Throughout its history, Nagpur’s Sikh community has supported its own institutions. In addition to the early Punjabi Line and Kamptee Road gurudwaras, the city now has several Sikh places of worship and community halls where weddings, Langar (community meals) and religious events are held.

Annual celebrations such as Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary (Gurpurab) attract large congregations. Community leaders and committees have arranged free kitchens and community services, keeping alive the Punjabi-Sikh ethos of seva (service).

Elders in the community often recall how gatherings used to be informal, with no event managers or caterers. Family and friends pitched in for every marriage or festival. Such memories highlight the early Sikhs’ self-reliance: for decades, a devoted cook like Hazarilal catered home-style food for weddings, and carpenters or millworkers like Sajjan Singh furnished the community’s needs out of their own shops.

Present-Day Community and Leadership

Today, Nagpur’s Sikh community is a well-established minority in the city. Many grandchildren and great-grandchildren of the founding families now run the businesses created by their forebears or work as professionals.

As The Hitavada reported, “the third and fourth generations…are doing excellent jobs in varied fields. They have diversified and have become manufacturers. They are employing local talent and contributing to society.”

Notable modern Sikhs include college principals, chartered accountants and entrepreneurs who are part of Nagpur’s mainstream commerce and public life.

The community often contributes to philanthropic causes in the region and supports education and healthcare initiatives. It has also become more involved in the city’s public institutions.

A clear sign of the community’s evolution surfaced in 2025, when a Sikh woman made history in Nagpur. For the first time in the city, Sardarni Kashmir Kaur was unanimously elected as Pradhan Sewadar (head caretaker) of a gurdwara management committee.

This milestone was “unanimously elected…reflecting the growing gender inclusion” in Nagpur’s Sikh institutions. Kashmir Kaur herself remarked that her victory “symbolises the strength and capability of Sikh women,” noting that women are “capable of contributing meaningfully to community service, spiritual life, and organisational leadership.” This event was widely celebrated in the Sikh neighbourhood, and leaders said it embodied the egalitarian spirit taught by Guru Nanak.

Looking forward, Nagpur’s Sikhs continue to build on their community foundations. The city’s gurudwaras remain centres for religious life and social support, teaching the Punjabi language and Sikh values to young people.

Sikh cultural groups organise faith-based education and celebrate Vaisakhi and other festivals that foster a sense of identity. At the same time, Sikhs in Nagpur increasingly pursue wider careers: many join civil service, defence, medicine or technology fields. In recent years, Sikh youth have also founded local forums and clubs to document their community’s history and encourage ties with Sikhs elsewhere.

In many ways, the story of Nagpur’s Sikhs is one of steady perseverance and adaptation. A community that began with a few craftsmen at the turn of the 20th century has now integrated fully into the social fabric of Nagpur, even as it holds fast to its distinct identity.

There have been disagreements and growing pains, as in any community, but those are part of a normal life.

What stands out is the sense of continuity, from the first tent gatherings to well-built langar halls, from local trades to modern professions.

Nagpur’s Sikh population may always be a small minority, but its members describe a strong sense of belonging and purpose.

As one third-generation Sikh entrepreneur put it, the community simply “carries forward the ideals of service and faith” established by its early settlers. In this way, the Sikh community of Nagpur continues writing its history: rooted in tradition, active in civic life, and looking ahead with confidence.