Gurbachan Singh Talib

He was also a recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship in 1984, and National Fellowship by the Indian Council of Historical Research, New Delhi in 1985.

Gurbachan Singh Talib studied at Khalsa College Amritsar. The recorded working language is Punjabi and English. The field of work recorded is Sikh Studies, Punjabi literature and religious studies. Subjects and genres recorded for the work are literary criticism and religious. Works named in the authority record are Muslim League Attack on Sikhs and Hindus in the Punjab 1947. Distinctions recorded are Padma Bhushan and fellowship award.

• Name — Gurbachan Singh Talib • Born — 7 April 1911 • Birthplace — Moonak, Sangrur district, Punjab, British India (now Punjab, India) • Died — 9 April 1986 • Place of death — Patiala, Punjab, India • Occupation — Scholar, author, educator, translator • Education — M.A. (English Literature) • Alma Mater — Khalsa College, Amritsar • Notable Works — Translation of Guru Granth Sahib into English • Awards — Padma Bhushan (1985) Sahitya Akademi Fellowship (1984) • Spouse — Smt. Desh Kaur • Children — Four sons and one daughter

Gurbachan Singh Talib was born on 7 April 1911 in the village of Moonak, then part of the princely state of Patiala (now in Sangrur district), Punjab to Sardar Nihal Singh and Nand Kaur. He received his early education in Moonak and Patiala. He pursued higher education at the renowned Khalsa College, Amritsar, where he earned his M.A. in English Literature.

Talib began his professional journey as lecturer at the Sikh National College at Lahore. He served at various institutions, including his alma mater, Khalsa College, Amritsar, Sikh National College, Lahore, Lyallpur Khalsa College, Jalandhar, and National College, Sirsa. After the partition of 1947, he moved to Patiala and joined Mahendra College as a professor of English. Throughout his career, he served as the principal of several colleges—Khalsa College, Bombay (1949-1953), Khalsa College, Delhi (1953-1954), Government Bikram College of Commerce, Patiala, and the Government Ranbir College, Sangrur. A significant phase of his career was his association with Kurukshetra University, where he was Reader in English and later Professor and Head of the Department of English from 1962 to 1969. He then became the first Guru Nanak Professor of Sikh Studies at Panjab University, Chandigarh, a chair he held from 1969 to 1973. Subsequently, he served as Professor and Head of the Department of Guru Nanak Sikh Studies at Punjabi University, Patiala, from 1976 until his retirement in 1982. He was also Dean of the Faculty of Religious Studies at Punjabi University. He was a member of the Sahitya Akademi's General Council and its Executive Board, the Kendriya Punjabi Lekhak Sabha, and the Punjabi Sahitya Akademi, Ludhiana.