| Guru Gobind Singh Foundation Management is deeply saddened to inform that Dr.Surjit Kaur left for her heavenly abode on Wednesday, March 18th, 2009 in Virginia. She battled with cancer courageously and she displayed grace in accepting Waheguru's Will. Dr. Kaur was an illustrious daughter of well known Radio personality S. Jodh Singh who was the first person to relay Gurbani Kirtan from the All India Radio. She was a devout Sikh, a renowned academician, a prolific writer and a crusader for the cause of women, children and families. She was past secretary and past President of Guru Gobind Singh foundation in 1980. |
Dr. Surjit kaur was a professional counselor in Virginia. Educated first in Jalandhar, Punjab, she taught in Punjab for sometime before leaving for the US for higher studies. She received a Master's degree in Education from the University of Idaho, and a Doctorate in counselling from Washington State University. After a stint with the American Embassy in India, in the United States Agency for International Development, she became a senior research fellow at the Council for Social Development. She worked briefly with the Indian Ministry of Health and family planning as a consultant. She is the author of Foundation and Counselling- a revised version of her doctoral thesis, Family Planning in Two Units, and Wastage of Children- a study of infant and child mortality. She had been selected to participate in Leadership Fairfax, Class of 2003, in Fairfax, Virginia. Dr Kaur was as a counselor for South Asian victims of domestic abuse, created the Transitional Housing Program and was the founder-editor of the in-house newsletter. Dr Kaur published four books in her lifetime on topics ranging from female infanticide to the Sikh diaspora. Her most recent book, Amongst the Sikhs, was launched in Delhi at the residence of renowned author Khuswant Singh by current Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. She is survived by her daughter Ranju Kohli; son-in-law Bryjinder Kohli and three grandchildren Sitara, Tarranum and Angad. She leaves behind three brothers: Harjit Singh, Jagjit Singh and Harcharan Singh; and sisters Simi and Manjit. |