Baba Hardev Singh dies: Who will head Sant Nirankari Mission?

Baba Hardev Singh was in Canada to attend spiritual meetings. A Nirankari International Samagam (NIS) was scheduled to be held in June in Toronto.

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New Delhi: A day after Baba Hardev Singh, spiritual head of the Sant Nirankari Mission, died in a road accident in Canada's Montreal on Friday, speculations began doing the rounds on Saturday as to who will succeed him.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and other political leaders expressed their condolences over the death of Baba Hardev, 62.

"It was around five in the morning when his car met with an accident and he died," an official of Sant Nirankari Mission said.

His mortal remains are expected to be brought here by Sunday night, a mission official told IANS.

The mission, however, has already urged the followers across the world not to gather in New Delhi to avoid inconvenience.

The spiritual leader was in Canada to attend spiritual meetings. A Nirankari International Samagam (NIS) was scheduled to be held in June in Toronto in Canada.

After the assassination of his father Gurbachan Singh, who was then head of the Sant Nirankari Mission in 1980, Hardev Singh succeeded as the 'Satguru' of the organisation. It is not clear who will succeed Baba Hardev Singh but his followers said the late spiritual leader must have made some arrangements in this regard, reported The Indian Express.

Hardev Singh was born to Gurbachan Singh and Kulwant Kaur on February 23, 1954 in Delhi.

After his early schooling at Rosary Public School, Sant Nirankari Colony, Delhi, he joined Yadavindra Public School, Patiala, a boarding school, in 1963.

On completion of his schooling, he studied in Delhi University. In 1971, he joined the Nirankari Sewa Dal as its primary member.

After the assassination of his father Gurbachan Singh, who was then head of the Sant Nirankari Mission in 1980, Hardev Singh succeeded as the 'Satguru' of the organisation.

Sant Nirankari Mission was established in 1929, by Buta Singh.