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Dr. Gurcharan Singh catches up with death
on way to gurdwara
WSN Bureau

PLAINVIEW, NY: A beloved professor, the counsellor of a whole community, a role model worthy of emulation in every sphere of life, a scholar who was a sage. Dr Gurcharan Singh was all this and more. As the Sikhs in the United States mourn the death of the man who was always there for an individual or the community, everyone realises that the gulf will be difficult to bridge. Dr Gurcharan Singh died in a hit-and-run accident on Long Island. He was 77, and had the unique ability to bring people of different faiths and nationalities together.

In a touching report, WNBC.com quoted his Paul Kandhari as saying: “He is the gem of our community...If there was a family problem, he'll be there. If the father and son have a problem, he'll be there.”

The Plainview father of three and grandfather was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver while walking from his home to the gurdwara Friday night. Dr. Gurcharan Singh was crossing Old Country Road in Plainview just after 8 p.m. headed for the gurdwara when a red or maroon car traveling westbound ran a red light, struck him and kept going.

He was airlifted to Nassau University Medical Center with multiple fractures and head trauma, but did not survive.

His son Surinder Singh described the great soul as a "very selfless man who served his community and society with all his heart."

Once a professor at Columbia University, Dr Gurcharan Singh taught political science and international studies at Marymount Manhattan College for more than three decades and continued to teach part-time. In a statement, the Marymount Manhattan College said the “community is deeply saddened by the news of Professor Singh's death. He served as a devoted teacher at the college for many years, and his loss will be felt by all of our faculty, staff, students and alumni. Our thoughts are with his family during this difficult time."

Dr. Singh's friends said they have no doubt the selfless humanitarian would have forgiven the hit-and-run driver who took his life. They said they hoped that would help whoever is responsible to come forward.

(Anyone with information about the mishap was asked to call Nassau County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS.)

4 April, 2007
 

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