Baba Iqbal Singh set up educational institutions dedicated to women
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday expressed his condolences on the death of philanthropist and social worker Baba Iqbal Singh. He was 96.
"Pained by the passing away of Baba Iqbal Singh Ji. He will be remembered for his efforts to increase education among youngsters. He tirelessly worked towards furthering social empowerment. My thoughts are with his family and admirers in this sad hour. May Waheguru bless his soul," tweeted PM Modi.
Iqbal Singh was among this year's Padma Shree award winners.
He retired as the director of agriculture in the Himachal Pradesh government in 1986 and the very year started Akal Academy, a school on the foothills of Baru Sahib in the state.
The school which had five students at the beginning, is today a chain of 129 CBSE affiliated English medium schools. He also set up two private universities which now have around around 70,000 rural students.
Furthering the cause of women empowerment in rural areas, he set up educational institutions dedicated to women, teachers training program and employment centres within the villages.