MAṄGAL SIṄGH KIRPĀN BAHĀDUR, BHĀĪ (1895-1921), one of the Nankāṇā Sāhib martyrs was born in 1895, the son of Bhāī Rattā and Māī Hukmī in the village of Uddoke, in Gurdāspur district. He lost both of his parents while yet a small child, and grew up in very adverse circumstances until, around 1908, he attracted the notice of Jathedār Lachhmaṇ Siṅgh Dhārovālī during a religious dīvān for his melodious singing of the Sikh holy songs. The Jathedār, who had lately lost his infant son with no hope of another offspring, took the orphan under his own care, brought him home and treated him as his own son. Young Maṅgal Siṅgh learnt reading and writing and helped his benefactor with farming. In 1913, he received the rites of Khālsā initiation at the Central Mājhā Khālsā Dīwān. In 1915, he enlisted in the army but was court-marshalled two years later because he would not obey his commanding officer's order to part with his kirpān. He was sentenced to one year's imprisonment and dismissed from service, but, in view of an ongoing agitation among the Sikhs for freedom 'to wear or carry kirpān, his sentence was reduced to six months which he spent in Siālkoṭ jail. On his release he was taken out by the saṅgat in a procession to Gurdwārā Bābe dī Ber in Siālkoṭ where he was acclaimed for his courageous stand in defence of his religious faith. The Pañch Khālsā Dīwān Bhasauṛ honoured him with the title of Kirpān Bahādur and a pension of Rs 7 per month.

         Bhāī Maṅgal Siṅgh remained a faithful son to his godfather, Jathedār Lachhmaṇ Siṅgh. He helped him organize the political conference at Dhārovālī on 1 to 3 October 1920 and participated in the liberation of Gurdwārā Kharā Saudā At Chūhaṛkāṇā on 30 December 1920. He joined his column for the liberation of Gurdwārā Janam Asthān, at Nankāṇā Sāhib, never to come back alive.

        See NANKĀṆĀ SĀHIB MASSACRE