Jung Bahadur Singh and the Shaping of the Indian Imagination

May 11, 2016 Letters

Dear Editor,
As Indians celebrate 178 years of being in Guyana, it is fitting to remember an iconclastic person who figured prominently as a leader of the Indian community – Dr. Jung Bahadur Singh. Jung Singh was a pioneer in many ways. A strong case can be made that JB Singh was indeed responsible for shaping and influencing the political career of Cheddi Jagan. For one, it was JB Singh who advised Jagan’s father in 1935 to “send the boy to study [abroad]” after Cheddi had difficulty securing employment in the civil service. Second, when Jagan returned to Guyana in October 1943, his political views were shaped in part by his association with the British Guiana East Indian Association (BGEIA), an influential organization to which JB Singh was elected as president seven times. Ironically, Jagan contributed to Singh’s political demise when his preferred candidate, an estate shovelman, Fred Bowman (who later joined Burnham’s camp), defeated Singh for the West Demerara constituency in the 1953 elections, and thereby, ending Singh’s 23 years of service in the Legislative Council.
Jung Bahadur Singh, the eldest son of 13 children, was born in 1886 in Goed Fortuin, West Bank Demerara. He was the eldest of thirteen children. It is widely believed that JB Singh’s father was indentured from Nepal. On February 23, 1910, Jung married Alice Bhagwanday, the daughter of Hurdutt Sital Persad from Paramaribo, Dutch Guiana in a ceremony that included a civil marriage, a Christian ceremony and a Hindu wedding. Alice, in her own right made a tremendous contribution to the uplifting of the culture of Indians in Guyana
The young Jung, like his grandfather, was trained as a ship compounder and from the age of 16 to 28, a total of 12 years, Jung worked in the medical service on immigrant ships. By last count, he had made 24 trips in all, transporting indentured immigrants from Kolkata (Calcutta), India to overseas colonies such as British Guiana, Dutch Guiana, the Caribbean, South Africa, Mauritius and Fiji. He witnessed the spread of the Indian diaspora across the globe. The ship doctor was an important personnel on the ships because he was seen as someone who spoke the language of the Indians, many of whom trusted him during the long journey across the “kala pani”.
Jung Singh completed his medical studies in 1919, and in 1923, he went into private practice in the city of Georgetown. He bought a home at Lamaha Street which became the base of his medical practice, as well as his political and social activities. As early as 1924, Dr. Jung Bahadur Singh, as a member of the British Guiana East Indian Association (BGEIA), fought on behalf of workers in the Ruimveldt Massacre. Between 1920 and 1949, he served as President of the BGEIA six times. He was a founder of the orthodox Hindu organization, the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha, and he served as its president from 1934 to 1955.
Dr. Singh was the first Hindu to be elected to the Legislative Council in 1930. During his more than 22 years in the Council, he served on many official committees and boards. As a member of the Franchise Commission, he advocated for universal adult suffrage, many years before Jagan took up the cause. As a member of various legislative committees, he made tremendous contribution in the field of education, labor, health, drainage and irrigation, social welfare, information and publicity, and civil rights.
Dr. Jung Bahadur Singh had unsuccessfully introduced a Bill in the Legislative Council to permit cremations as the last funeral rites for Hindus. However, after his death in 1956, his body was “officially” cremated at Plantation Ogle foreshore. Aside from his legislative role, Jung was a Trustee of the Man Power Citizens Association representing trade union rights of sugar workers, founder of the British Guiana Nurses’ Association, co-founder of the Indian Educational Trust College, Sanatan Dharma (Hindu) elder, and President of the British Guiana Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha.
Baytoram Ramharack

Latest News

Jung Bahadur Singh and the Shaping of the Indian Imagination

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| April, 7th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Moo sponsored National Junior’s Squash C/ship eying exciting...

BK Group remains supportive of Bartica Easter...

GFF-Blue Water Shipping National U15 Secondary...

Elite League action returns to NTC this weekend

Two more young cricketers benefit from Project...

NSC receives sports uniforms from D8Door &...

Features/Columnists

Protest against Commissioner of Information continues today

The U.S. “Joining” the Commonwealth: an unreasonable expectation

The not invisible US hand

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

Jung Bahadur Singh and the Shaping of the Indian Imagination

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show|| April, 7th, 2025

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]