To fulfil the vision of sant Attar Singh ji, his devout disciple Sant Teja Singh, M.A, LLB (Pb.), AM (Harvard), revealed the hitherto unknown Tapo Bhoomi (meditation site) in the Himalayas in the year 1956 and established The Kalgidhar Trust in 1965. This sacred place called BARU SAHIB has been visited by many sages, saints and rishis from time immorials. Prominent among them have been Vashisht Muni, Gautam Rishi, the Pandavas and the Sidhs etc. who had mediated on the Divine Name. .Guru Gobind Singh Ji also blessed this place during the visit to the State of Nahan.
Founder President: Baba Iqbal Singh Ji, M.Sc., Former Director Agriculture, H.P.
Vice President: Padma Bhushan Khem Singh, Ph.D. (Calfornia) Former Vice Chancellor, Punjab Agricultural, University, Ludhiana
Activities
The Kalgidhar Trust is a multi-faceted, socio-spirtual and educational organization rendering community service in the areas of value-based education, character building, positive lifestyle, holistic health, social reforms, stress management, Drug De--Addiction and rural development etc. to the underprivileged rural masses in far flung backward areas of Northern India
Educational
Akal Academy, Baru Sahib (Himachal Pradesh)
This unique concept as envisaged by the founding fathers of creating a syntheses of worldly scientific education and spiritual thoughts was started in the year 1986 in the form of a 10+2 English medium Co-Ed residential public school affiliated with CBSE, New Delhi. Presently this academy boasts of about 1500 resident students out of which 200 have come from across the globe - over 100 from the United States and rest from 16 different nations of the world.
Day-Boarding Academies
The Kalgidhar Trust is running thirty nine 10+2 English medium co-educational institutions affiliated with C.B.S.E, New Delhi in rural, backward areas of Northern India. One of the corner-stones of Akal Academies is that besides giving modern scientific education, these institutions take care of the moral character and human values of the students enabling them to become good global citizens.
Social Welfare
Akal Academy for Girls for comprehensive education, wherein 300 girls from rural background are provided education, spiritual & vocational training in music and other fields so that while treading the path of spirituality, they can earn their livelihood on completion of the course.
Akal Child Welfare Foundation for providing education to orphan and underprivileged children without any distinction of caste, creed, religion or sex, wherein 200 children are being looked after with tender care.
Akal home for widows and Destitute Women, wherein 50 widows and destitute are being imparted vocational training in various fields to make them self-dependent, through the mediation on the Divine Name.
Akal Home for the Elderly, wherein 65 senior citizens have found shelter and solace. While meditating on the Divine Name, they are contributing towards selfless service, according to their capabilities.
Akal De-addiction Centers at Baru Sahib and village Cheema have cured almost 1500 drug-addicts, who have shed bad habits and have joined the social mainstream, through the meditation on the Divine Name.
Akal Rural Development Program, which generates employment for the people of remote, backward far-flung hilly areas of Himachal Pradesh by providing production facilities in agriculture and facilitating the marketing of products like milk, vegetables and agricultural products. In addition, hundreds of people have been employed in various development and construction activities.
International status: Regular Akal International Youth camps are held every year separately for Indian as well as foreign students. Camps' mission is to provide an opportunity to learn and know their mother tongue, moral values, culture and their taraditions, which they were deprived of, while living in distant lands.
Health
Akal Charitable Hospital at Baru sahib is a 250-bed hospital, catering to the health needs of underprivleged rural masses of remote and backward areas of Himalayan region within a radius of 100 kms. In addition, regular Medical camps are held twice a year wherein specialists from Ludhiana , Jalandhar, Patiala , Chandigarh, Delhi , Mumbai and abroad perform free surgeries and provide treatment for various diseases.
The 'Fight against HIV AIDS' program is envisaged to prevent the spreding of HIV, support/counsel the affected, testing on a walk-in basis and case management. This program is focused towards helping the rural areas and Highways along Himachal Pradesh, Punjab , Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
Beneficiaries
OPD visited One lakh
Patients admitted 2,000
Free surgeries performed 450
Relief & Rehabilitation
The rehabilitation work done for Kashmir earthquake victims in villages Uri and Kupwara (Distt. Baramula) :
Construction material/labor provided for 1850 Homes
One historical Pandu Temple rebuilt.
4 Gurdwaras rebuilt
4 Mosques rebuilt
Historic Army Library, Training, School and Canteen rebuilt.
This earthquake relief work of The Kalgidhar Trust has been recognized by Government of India, Ministry of Home affairs vide their annual report of 2005-2006.Page No. 112, clause 7.65 under the heading NGO's effort in providing shelters.
Special Programs underway at Baru Sahib
Solar energy is used for cooking and heating water.
LPG gas is used instead of wood for cooking. This concept is also being promoted in the communities surrounding Baru Sahib. It will save the trees and preserve and improve the environment.
The sewerage output of the complex is processed to separate the solids, which are used as compost and the water is used for irrigation purposes.
Garbage from the complex is burnt in an incinerator (under controlled conditions) instead of dumping out or burying underground.
Approximately 1000 new trees are planted each year in the surrounding areas to replenish the old ones.
Free healthcare and ambulance services are provided to the surrounding communities.
Akal Academy at Baru Sahib is also affiliated with THE NATIONAL OPEN SCHOOL, DELHI. Children of the area who were left out of the regular school system are, therefore, given the opportunity to get formal education.
Under Akal Rozgar Yojna, girls and women are trained in embroidery, stitching, tailoring, sewing, arts and crafts, and other trades, so that they can develop their own cottage industries and be financially independent. They are also being helped in marketing their products both in domestic and foreign markets. Several hundred women are taking advantage of this program.
Baru Sahib complex, with its almost 3500 residents, buys most of its daily requirements of vegetables, fruit, milk, onions, pepper, garlic, etc. locally. The farmers in the area have adopted their "Crop Rotations" in favour of these, cash crops. These crops fetch them better prices than the regular "Staple Crops". This has resulted in improved economic condition of local farmers. If this concept catches on in other parts of the country (especially to produce cash crops for outside markets), it will bring welcome changes in the farm economy of the country.
With a large numbers of construction projects going on at Baru Sahib, it is helping the local workers to find steady jobs. Effort is also being made to encourage these workers to learn construction trades like carpentry, welding, metal works, plumbing, electrical work, etc. so that they can improve their earning capacity. Similarly, a lot of jobs are provided to the local women as well.
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