Bhai Nirmal Singh Khalsa
Nirmal Singh Khalsa
Born/Date of Birth: April 12, 1952
Place of Birth: Ferozepur, Punjab
Died: April 2, 2020 (aged 67), Guru Nanak Dev Hospital
Cause of death: Cardiac arrest, Coronavirus disease 2019
Alma mater: Shaheed Missionary College, Amritsar
Occupation: Music teacher and Ragi
Children: 3
Awards: Padma Shri
Record labels: T-Series, Music Today, Shinestar Intl, Frankfinn Entertainment, Shemaroo Entertainment Ltd.
Bhai Nirmal Singh Khalsa was a former "Hazoori Ragi" (residential priest/singer) at Darbar Sahib in Punjab, India.
Born in 1952 in Ferozepur, Punjab, he obtained a diploma in gurmat sangeet from the Shaheed Missionary College, Amritsar in 1976. He served as a music teacher in Gurmat College, Rishikesh, in 1977 and in Shaheed Sikh Missionary College, Sant Baba Fateh Singh, Sant Channan Singh, Budha Johar, Ganga Nagar, Rajasthan, in 1978. From 1979, he started serving as ‘Hazoori Raagi’, at Sach Khand Sri Harmandir Sahib. He has also performed Kirtan at all the five Takhts, historical Gurdwaras in India and 71 other countries. He is one of the finest raagis having knowledge of all the 31 Raags in Gurbani of Dhan Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.
For his services in the field of "arts", he was awarded the Padma Shri award (India's fourth highest civilian award) by the government of India in 2009. He was the first hazoori raagi to receive this award. On April 2, 2020 Bhai Nirmal Singh ji Khalsa died due to complications arising out of COVID-19.
