- Born
- 25 June 1951, Nagpur
- Passed away
- 9 May 2026, Ahmedabad
- Parents
- Mr. Peshawar Singh (Indian Air Force, retd.) and Mrs. Basant Kaur
- Family roots
- Rampur, near Ludhiana, Punjab
- Education
- B.Sc., Delhi; Electronics Engineering, Government College, Chandigarh
- Career
- Airports Authority of India — Communication, Navigation & Surveillance; retired as Assistant General Manager (CNS)
A life of listening
S. Rajpal Singh Mangat was born in Nagpur in 1951 to Mr. Peshawar Singh, who served in the Indian Air Force, and Mrs. Basant Kaur. The family’s roots lay in Rampur, near Ludhiana, and Sikh values were part of the rhythm of home life.
He studied science in Delhi and electronics engineering at Government College, Chandigarh, and went on to a long career with the Airports Authority of India in Communication, Navigation and Surveillance — the systems that guide aircraft safely. He retired as Assistant General Manager (CNS). His later postings included Amritsar, and he spent his final years in Ahmedabad with his family.
His connection with Gurbani
Throughout his life he read Gurbani daily and kept notebooks of interpretations, questions and cross-references between verses. He brought an engineer’s precision to his reading — careful with words, patient with meaning — and he held that a Sikh is, above all, a student.
His conviction was simple: Gurbani belongs to everyone, and it should be explained so clearly that a grandchild and a grandparent can understand the same verse.
His writing and vision
GurVichaar exists to preserve that intellectual contribution and to carry his vision forward: making Gurbani understandable and practical for the next generation, regardless of age, language or familiarity with Gurmukhi. His own writings are being edited for publication with the family’s approval.
A respectful tribute
ਜਿਨੀ ਨਾਮੁ ਧਿਆਇਆ ਗਏ ਮਸਕਤਿ ਘਾਲਿ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਤੇ ਮੁਖ ਉਜਲੇ ਕੇਤੀ ਛੁਟੀ ਨਾਲਿ ॥੧॥
Jinee naam dhiaaiaa gae masakat ghaal. Naanak te mukh ujale ketee chhuttee naal.
Those who contemplated the Naam, and gave their effort to it, depart with their work complete. Their faces shine — and many others are freed along with them.
ਜਿਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੇ ਨਾਮ ਨੂੰ ਧਿਆਇਆ ਅਤੇ ਉਸ ਲਈ ਮਿਹਨਤ ਕੀਤੀ, ਉਹ ਆਪਣਾ ਕੰਮ ਪੂਰਾ ਕਰਕੇ ਜਾਂਦੇ ਹਨ। ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦੇ ਚਿਹਰੇ ਚਮਕਦੇ ਹਨ — ਅਤੇ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਹੋਰ ਬਹੁਤ ਸਾਰੇ ਵੀ ਮੁਕਤ ਹੋ ਜਾਂਦੇ ਹਨ।
Offered in remembrance.
Share a memory
Family, friends and colleagues are invited to share a memory or photograph. Messages go privately to the family and are published only with permission.