Historical Development of The Kalgidhar Trust The great visionary of 20th century (Sant Attar Singh Ji) had a vision that modern scientific education alone will not serve the humanity well, until and unless it is amalgamated with Braham Vidya (Spiritual Education). The graduates of this unique education system will not only be outstanding in academics, but also will have high moral values (i.e. they will have love for humanity, compassion for the weak and the underdog, and sense of selfless service for the community). These graduates will work towards establishing permanent peace in the world. They will act as Ambassadors of Peace wherever they live their lives. With this vision in mind, Sant Attar Singh Ji sent his devotee Principal Teja Singh Ji ((M.A., LL.B) abroad in 1906 to get the best possible modern education available than anywhere in the world. Principal Teja Singh went abroad and first studied at Cambridge University (U.K) and then at the world famous Teachers College, Columbia University (USA) and finally went to Harvard University and completed his M.A Degree. On his return, Sant Attar Singh Ji gave Principal Teja Singh a "good grounding" in Braham Vidya and trained him to carry forward his mission of creating special breed of Akal Scholars with high moral values.  Sant Attar Singh Ji also directed Principal Teja Singh to find a "Tapo Bhumi"  in Himalayan mountains, where Rishis, Munis and holymen have done Tapasya (meditation) in the past and gave him (Principal Teja Singh) the visual description of the place - resembling "BARU SAHIB". On finding this place  (now called Baru Sahib) Sant Teja Singh Ji established The Kalgidhar Trust in 1956 to carry out the mission of Sant Attar Singh Ji's vision.  Sant  Teja Singh Ji  also established a small place of worship at  Baru Village and performed ardas to God Almighty (Waheguru) that an Institution of Higher Learning may be granted here (as vision and wishes  of Sant Attar Singh Ji).  Thus conceptual and spiritual foundation of Eternal University was laid at Baru Sahib that day. Before leaving this mortal world, Sant Teja Singh Ji designated Shri Iqbal Singh (Baba) (Retired Director of Agriculture from Himachal Pradesh and present President of The Kalgidhar Trust) to carry forward the Mission.  He started AKAL ACADEMY at Baru Sahib (The prelude to Eternal University) in 1986 with 5 students, which has now grown to a formidable strength of approximately 1500 students and 200 of them hail from 16 foreign  countries - with 100 students from USA alone.  It is a 10+2 Residential School. Akal Academy at Baru Sahib also has 39 sister Akal Academies  spread over five States (I.e Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh).  All these academies are affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).  The total number of students in these Akal Academies is now around 30,000 and 40% of these students are girls. Approximately 20% of the total student body is studying totally free of cost.  These students are either orphans or belonging to poor rural families. All these Academies are located in rural areas.  These academies have established an outstanding academic standard.  Additional 130 such academies are also planned for future, again all for the rural areas with estimated future enrolment of more than 1,50,000 students. The Kalgidhar Trust runs 250 bed Akal Charity Hospital at Baru Sahib.  It also runs an Orphanage, a Senior Citizens Home, a Widow Home and a Homeless Women's Home, all of which are located at Baru Sahib and run without any cost to the residents. The Kalgidhar  Trust is also engaged in several other welfare projects for women and children  in the rural areas. Additionally, The Kalgidhar Trust has established: Akal Sangeet Vidyala - College of Divine Music (affiliated with Allahabad University for Graduate and Post-Graduate Degrees in Music), where several dozen students are getting education/ training in classical music, especially through stringed instruments. Akal Center of Naturopathy & Alternative Medicine, where dozens of patients are treated for various ailments using indigenous medicinal agents with excellent outcomes. Akal Center of Languages, where student get graduate and post-graduate degrees in modern languages like Hindi, Punjabi etc. For Akal College of Nursing, a "No Objection Certificate" (NOC) has been granted by The Himachal Pradesh Government. As soon as the approval from All India Council of Nursing Education (AICNE) is obtained, the college with its first batch of students will be inaugurated during 2008. This would be the first college of its kind in Himachal Pradesh, which will offer B.Sc/ M.Sc. (Nursing), B.Sc/ M.Sc. (Occupational Theropy), and B.Sc/M.Sc (Physical Therapy) courses. Plans are underway to establish Infra-structure for Akal College of Distance Education, which will offer additional high school and college level courses in various fields through Akal Distance Education Centers to be established in rural areas of the country. On July 3, 2006, Shri Iqbal Singh (President of The Kalgidhar Trust) performed ardas to Waheguru for granting Eternal University at Baru Sahib, which is considered equivalent to laying the Foundation Stone in the worldly sense. Thjis event commemorated the 100th anniversary of opening the first school for girls at Village Mastuana (now District Sangrur) in 1906 by Sant Attar Singh Ji, 50th anniversary of establishing The Kalgidhar Trust at Baru Sahib in 1956 by Sant Teja Singh Ji, and 20th Anniversary of opening First Akal Academy at Baru Sahib in 1986 by Shri Iqbal Singh (Baba). This, in nutshell, is the historical development of the "Educational Mission" of Sant Attar Singh Ji, which spans over a century. The network of 40 Akal Academies, now in operation under this Mission of creating Permanent Peace in the World through a unique system of education, has established itself (in a short period of 20 years) as an outstanding "High School Network" in the country with high academic standards, producing exemplary output with a vision of "Universal Brotherhood of Mankind". With this meritorious past in education and also by the Popular demand from the membership, The Kalgidhar Trust has now decided to take this Mission of Education to the next level and approach the State of Himachal Pradesh to grant it a Charter of Private University (Eternal University at Baru Sahib, Distt. Sirmour, H.P.), thus enabling The Kalgidhar Trust to expand on the Mission and fulfill the wishes of the great visionary - Sant Attar Singh Ji. The Kalgidhar Trust is a totally non-profit organization and Eternal University will be run as non-profit organization as well. Milestones for 2006-2007 MOU with WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY, Detroit , USA. Akal Academy. Visit of Mrs Montek Singh. Ahluwalia. Inaugural ceremony. Special Seminars on Communication Skills. Students seminars. Power Point Lectures. Details of Sponsoring body 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: Shri Iqbal Singh, 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.