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Sage Wadhawa Singh Gill is no more
WSN Network

SACRAMENTO: A well known spiritual leader for Northern California's Sikh community, Wadhawa Singh Gill, is no more. Gill (87) passed away on Tuesday after suffering from pneumonia-related complications. He was widely credited for his positive role after the Sept. 11 attacks when, because of confused idenities in American minds who often mistook Sikhs for Arab terrorists, community members suffered racial attacks. he led from the front efforts to tie up with other inter faith bodies to explain to the Americans who the Sikhs are and how they stand for values that are universal and embody the spirit of Sarbat Da Bhala. Along with his wife, Swaran Kaur Gill, Gill took to the airwaves making his point and for his community what was the real need of the hour.

He was famously a part of the World Peace March attended by over 5,000 people.

A Sikh leader and a peacemaker, Gill had many saintly, calming qualities. The Sacramento Bee quoted David Thompson, president of the Interfaith Service Bureau of Sacramento, as saying that Gill's "wisdom and depth of his mind were legendary. He was always peaceful, gentle and appropriate."

Gill is survived by his wife, Swaran Kaur Gill of Sacramento; son, Jaspal Singh Gill of Granite Bay; daughters Herbans Sandher and Rajbans Bahia of Modesto; three brothers, Amrik Gill of Stockton, Kulwant Gill of Seattle and Baljit Gill of Sacramento; and eight grandchildren.

He was a graduate from Forman Christian College in Lahore and later did his master's in Punjabi language from the University of Punjab. He moved to Stockton, Calif., in 1974, worked as a Head Granthi for over a decade at Gurdwara Sahib in Stockton and elsewhere before taking over as Head Granthi of the West Sacramento Sikh Gurdwara. He was a trouble shooter, a counselling force, and someone who could be discrete when the need arose. The US Sikh community will miss his calming presence and sage advice.

4 March 2009
 

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