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Ranjit Singh Obituary
Ten years ago, Ranjit Singh, 49, came to the United States for better opportunities. Once here, he made it his responsibility to take care of everyone who visited the temple.
The temple's secretary, 56-year-old Inderjeet Singh Dhillon, said Monday that Singh made sure guests were well fed, even if he couldn't always express it in English. Dhillon remembered an occasion when five English-speaking visitors stopped in and Singh insisted — using only gestures that made those at the temple who knew him laugh — on "food for everybody."
It was the same with Singh's brother, 41-year-old Sita Singh, who had arrived in the United States a year ago. Though Sita Singh was quieter than his brother, he was no less dedicated to the temple's visitors. Both men lived at the temple.
Dhillon said that the younger Singh would wake up every morning between 4:30 and 5 to read the Sikh holy book. Afterward, he would see which visitors had come in and ensure all had prasad, the food offering given at the end of every prayer session.
"It was very important to him that whoever came always left with prasad," Dhillon said.
The elder Singh brother became a mentor to some of the temple members, including Shehbazdeep Kaleka, a 19-year-old from Racine and the nephew of the temple president.
Kaleka said Monday that he turned to Ranjit Singh when he was down and needed advice, because Singh was a positive person.
Singh's most common advice to the 19-year-old was to sing and sing loudly — it didn't matter what or how well — and that would lift his spirits.
"It worked every time," Kaleka said, pausing. "He was a very good and honest man. He didn't deserve to die."
DINESH RAMDE,Associated Press
GRETCHEN EHLKE,Associated Press
Copyright © 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
2 Entries
Vasilios Emmanuel Glimidakis
November 9, 2012
Dear Singh and other families,
I am sorry for your loss. God bless him and his family.
How you can show support
Amanjeet Kaleka
August 9, 2012
For the the sevadari you did in your short lived life, I honor you and your brother, chachaji and the other victims of this horrible act of violence. Please know that this has brought together the Sikh community and the rest of the world and hopes of more awareness of Sikhi in an international limelight. waheguru ji ka khalsa, waheguru ji ki fateh.
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