DHARAM SIṄGH, SARDĀR BAHĀDUR (1881-1933), Sikh philanthropist, was born at the village of Koprā, in Siālkoṭ district, now in Pakistan, on 18 January 1881. His father, Bhāī Natthā Rām, was a sahajdhārī Sikh who became Natthā Siṅgh after receiving the rites of amrit.

         Dharam Siṅgh learned Gurmukhī characters at the village dharamsālā from Bāvā Narāyaṇ Siṅgh. He had a religious bent of mind, and could read fluently the Gurū Granth Sāhib before he was 8 years of age. For his primary education, he joined the Mission School, Wazīrābād, later passing his matriculation from Khālsā High School, Gujrāṅwālā. In 1901, he qualified to be a sub-overseer from Thompson Engineering College, Roorkee, and got a job in Burma. In 1903, he was married to Sadā Kaur of Sodhrā. In 1905, he returned to the Punjab, and took over as a sub-overseer on the Upper Jehlum Canal. In the Punjab, he came under the influence of Sant Atar Siṅgh of Mastūāṇā. In 1912, he resigned his government post to become a contractor. He supplied red stone for New Delhi buildings, including the secretariat and the viceregal lodge. In 1928, he was given by the British Government the title of Sardār Sāhib, followed by Sardār Bahādur in 1930. True to his name, Dharam Siṅgh helped humanitarian causes and contributed to public charity. For promoting education among the Sikhs, he founded a trust called Gurū Nānak Vidya Bhaṇḍār. The trust runs a school of Sikh studies at Gurdwārā Rikābgañj, New Delhi.

         Sardār Dharam Siṅgh died in Vienna (Austria) on 19 June 1933.