Diwan Singh

Diwan Singh Kalepani (1894–1944) was a Punjabi poet. He participated in the Indian freedom movement
and the Non-cooperation movement in the 1920s.[1] He wrote poetry in free verse and composed two
volumes of poetry: Vagde Pani (‘Running Waters’) in 1938, and Antim Lehran (‘Winding Waves’) which
was published posthumously in 1962.[1] His poetry often revolved around criticism of the British Raj and
of organized religion.[1]

Diwan Singh Kalepani passed his Matriculation in 1916 and in 1921 he got the diploma in Medical Service
from Agra and joined the Medical Corps of the Indian Army. The most important period of life began
when he was transferred to Rangoon in British Burma, from where he was transferred to the Andaman
Islands in 1927 to a school where students were taught Tamil, Telugu and Punjabi. In the Gurudwara,
Diwan Singh used to recite his poems and discuss with Indian people the problems of slavery and
freedom.[2]

During the Second World War when Japan occupied the Andamans in 1942, Diwan Singh could not get
reconciled to it. The Japanese officers ordered him to make a speech against the Britishers on the Penang
Radio, but Diwan Singh declined. He was arrested in 1943 by the Japanese. The remaining 65 members of
Punjabi Sabha were also put behind the bars. After about six months of torture, he was butchered along
with other members of the Punjabi Sabha. Diwan Singh's collection of poems Vagade pani (Flowing water)
was published in 1938 and his second collection Antim Lehran (Last tides) was published posthumously.
Diwan Singh was not interested in conventional poetry and wrote in romantic-satirical free-verses on which
Puran Singh's influence can also be seen. His scientific outlook made his poetry deep and intellectual. He
believed in the direct poetry, very much like Puran Singh, and thus, strengthened the trend for succeeding
generation of poets.[2]

References
1. Singh, Atamjit. "Twentieth Century Punjabi Literature" (249-288) in Handbook of Twentieth
Century Literatures of India (ed. Nalini Natarajan). Greenwood Press, London: 1996, 253.
2. Diwan Singh Kalepani (https://www.sikhiwiki.org)

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This page was last edited on 21 January 2021, at 14:58 (UTC).

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