HARĪ SIṄGH, BHĀĪ (1897-1921), one of the martyrs of Nankāṇā Sāhib, was born in Assū 1954 Bk/July-August 1897, the son of Bhāī Kanhaiyā Siṅgh and Māī Jioṇ Kaur of Chakk No 10, Thothīāṅ in Sheikhūpurā district, now in Pakistan. He attended the village primary school and trained as a scripture-reader and as a singer of the holy hymns. He was a member of the village choir and recited with gusto ballads of Sikh martyrs. Harī Siṅgh grew up into a handsome, lusty youth and excelled in rural sports such as wrestling, weight-lifting and kābaḍḍī. He enlisted in the army and served for some time in 27th Punjab (later 3/15 Punjab Regiment), and got his discharge at the end of the Great War in 1918. Meanwhile, his friend and mentor, Bhāī Nand Siṅgh, had also resigned from the army and returned home. Both received the Khālsā pāhul, and set up a platform for reciting gurbāṇī and preaching the Siṅgh Sabhā creed. Harī Siṅgh joined the Akālī ranks and volunteered his services during the Gurdwārā Rikābgañj agitation. On receiving the call for the liberation of Gurdwārā Janam Asthān at Nankāṇā Sāhib, he along with Bhāī Nānd Siṅgh joined the jathā of Bhāī Lachhmaṇ Siṅgh of Dhārovālī and attained martyrdom on 20 February 1921. He was survived by his wife and three sons who were granted a family pension of Rs 175 per annum by the Shiromaṇī Gurdwārā Parbandhak Committee.