96 year old Bhagwan Singh Topwal passes away, was the deputy head of Gadul in the fifties

Doiwala, 26 February 2025

Bhagwan Singh Topwal, a resident of Itharna village in Gadool Gram Panchayat, passed away at the age of 96. Elected as the Deputy Head of Gadool Gram Panchayat in 1955, he played a significant role in the development of education and cooperatives in the Itharna region.

His son, Jagmohan Singh Topwal, informed that Bhagwan Singh Ji passed away on Tuesday morning in Dehradun. His last rites were performed at Shripoornanand Ghat, Munikireti.

A month ago, I had the opportunity to meet Bhagwan Singh Topwal Ji at his home. Whenever I visited Itharna village, I always made sure to meet him. Even at the age of 96, he was deeply concerned about the development of his village. He warmly welcomed every visitor with great enthusiasm.

Always wearing a Gandhi cap, Bhagwan Singh Ji never let anyone leave his home without having tea or snacks. He would always insist, “Have a meal before you go.” He often shared his experiences, life struggles, and the work he had done for the region’s development, while also reflecting on current affairs.

He firmly believed that education was the key to development, which is why his first major initiative was establishing a school in the region. Through cooperatives, he focused on enhancing agricultural production and self-employment. Because of his efforts, the name of Itharna village is always associated with Bhagwan Singh Ji.

A video conversation with Bhagwan Singh Ji

In 1998, while working for a newspaper in Rishikesh, I had the privilege of meeting you. You used to travel 30 to 35 km from Itharna to Rishikesh to raise village issues with the administration. At that time, there were no proper roads from Itharna to Bhogpur like we have today. I saw an elderly man, over 70 years old, working with great enthusiasm for the development of his village. Your dedication to Itharna and its people became a source of inspiration. That is why, even after so many years, I visited Itharna to meet you again.

Bhagwan Singh Ji was elected as the Deputy Head of Gadool Gram Panchayat in 1955. Later, he also served as the President of Gadool Sadhan Cooperative Society and the Head of Gadool village. He often shared stories from the British era. His life was full of struggles, yet he never gave up. He believed in hard work and dedication as the key to success and remained devoted to the development of the region.

Today, Bhagwan Singh Ji is no longer among us. I will no longer be able to meet you in Itharna. But you will always be remembered, Bhagwan Singh Ji.

I pray to God to grant peace to the departed soul and a place at His divine feet.
Om Shanti.