Nanak Singh

Nanak Singh, (b. 4 July 1897 as Hans Raj – 28 December 1971), was an Indian poet, songwriter, and novelist of the Punjabi language. His literary works in support of India's independence movement led the British to arrest him. He published novels that won him literary acclaim. Nanak Singh was born to a poor Punjabi Hindu family in the Jhelum district of Pakistan as 'Hans Raj'. He later changed his name to Nanak Singh after adopting Sikhism. Although he did not receive a formal education, he started writing at an early age by writing verses on historical events. Later, Singh started to write devotional songs, encouraging Sikhs to join the Gurdwara Reform Movement. In 1918, he published his first book Satguru Mehma, which contained hymns in praise of the Sikh Gurus. It is considered his first commercially successful literary work.