Remembering Stalwart Akali Leader Teja Singh Samundri

July

2026

A hundred years after the martyrdom of Akali leader Sardar Teja Singh Samundri, historians continue to regard him as one of the principal architects of the Gurdwara Reform Movement, whose blend of personal sacrifice, organizational acumen, and commitment to education helped shape modern Sikh institutions. Samundri’s association with the movement began in September 1920 when he volunteered in response to an appeal seeking '100 martyrs' for the restoration of the boundary wall of Gurdwara Rakab Ganj in Delhi. The wall had been partially demolished by the British administration to make way for a road leading to the Viceroy’s Palace, after the imperial capital shifted from Calcutta to Delhi. A World War I veteran known for championing public causes, Samundri was the first to enlist for the proposed martyrdom campaign. While pro-government Sikh leaders defended the official action, nationalist leaders mobilized public opinion through publications such as The Sikh Review to raise awareness and funds for rebuilding the wall. Historians view the Rakab Ganj agitation as a precursor to the larger Akali Movement (1920–25), the non-violent campaign to wrest control of historic Sikh gurdwaras from hereditary mahants (priests) and managers accused of corruption and mismanagement. Beyond politics, Samundri viewed education as central to Sikh social reform. Despite receiving limited formal schooling himself, he championed girls’ education and established a network of institutions in the canal colonies of undivided Panjab, including Khalsa High School in Lyallpur, Baar Khalsa High School in Chak No. 41, Khalsa Middle School in Chak No. 140, and Guru Gobind Singh Khalsa High School in Sarhali. The Gurdwara Reform Movement culminated in the enactment of the Sikh Gurdwaras Act,1925, establishing elected management of historic Sikh shrines through the apex Sikh body Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. When several moderate leaders accepted conditional release from Lahore Central Jail, Samundri refused to do so. He remained imprisoned and died in custody on 17 July 1926, becoming one of the movement’s most enduring symbols of sacrifice. On the centenary of his martyrdom, Samundri is remembered not only for his steadfast role in the Gurdwara Reform Movement, but also for helping lay the foundations of democratic Sikh institutions, a vibrant nationalist press and a network of educational institutions that outlived him by generations. The current Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, is Samundri's grandson.