Dated : 26th December 2025
To,
Prof. Manish R. Joshi
Secretary
University Grants Commission,
(Ministry of Education, Govt. of India)
Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi.110002
Email.: secy.ugc@nic.in
And To,
Respected Shri Dharmendra Pradhan
Hon'ble Education Minister
302-C, Shastri Bhawan,
New Delhi
minister.sm@gov.in
Through:
Sh. Praveen P Nair, IAS
PS to Hon'ble Education Minister
pstosm@gov.in
Cc.To,
Shri Akal Takht Sahib & SGPC Amritsar
Ref.: UGC Office Letter D.O.No. 2-52/2025(CPP-II) (C.174327) dated 23rd December 2025
Ref: Observance of Veer Baal Diwas 2025 in Higher Education Institutions-reg.
Sub.: Humbly request your Offices to correct and rename the sacred Martyrdom Day 26th December of Baba Zorawar Singh Ji and Baba Fateh Singh Ji as "Sahibzade Shaheedi Diwas", which date is dedicated to their "Shaheedi"/ Martyrdom.
Respected Dear Prof. Manish R. Joshi and Respected Hon'ble Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan,
I am a Gursikh practicing Advocate at Delhi High Court and District Courts at New Delhi and a Team Member of Sikh Legal Aid.
Our Hon'ble Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi Ji had named "Veer Baal Diwas" dedicated to the "Shaheedi" / Martyrdom of Dhan Guru Gobind Singh Sahib Ji's younger two Sahibzade, namely, Baba Zorawar Singh Ji and Baba Fateh Singh Ji, which Martyrdom Day falls on 26th December.
For past few years the Sikh Community and all Sikh Elected Religious Bodies, including Shri Akal Takht Sahib Amritsar and SGPC Amritsar have raised objections with respect to the term "Baal" as used with reference to the Sahibzade in "Veer Baal Diwas".
On 26th December 1704 Baba Zorawar Singh Ji and Baba Fateh Singh Ji were bricked alive by the Mughal Governor of Sirhind for their refusal to convert to Islam. They willingly sacrificed their lives exhibiting highest Ideals, dedication, courage and determination to stand against oppression and for upholding Truth. They are the World's youngest Martyrs.
For reasons best known to your Office, your above referred Letter dated 23rd December 2025 nowhere mentions their names, even though this day is dedicated to their Martyrdom.
It may be noted that inspite of their young age, their spiritual wisdom, unshakable courage and ideals surpassed the greatest Warriors and most learned old men with vast experience. For this reason they are not referred to as "Baal" but as "Baba".
To completely understand how they are referred to as "Baba" by the Sikhs and NOT as "Baal", your Offices have to understand Sikh Itihas and Gurmat teachings.
Sikh Philosophy Does Not Measure Spirituality by Age. In Sikh thought, spiritual authority is never determined by physical age. Wisdom, courage, and divine consciousness are measured by one’s alignment with Sat (Truth), Hukam (Divine Will), and Dharam (Righteousness).
A clear example from Sikh Itihas is Shri Guru Harkrishan Sahib Ji (8th Guru Sahib), who assumed the Guruship at the age of five. Sikh history never refers to him as a “Bal Guru,” because Gurmat does not diminish spiritual sovereignty through age-based labels. What matters is spiritual maturity, clarity of consciousness, and unwavering commitment to Truth.
Who Were the Sahibzade in Sikh Consciousness?
The Sahibzade were not symbols of innocence alone—they were Khalsa in spirit, warriors in resolve, and saints in consciousness.
They stood before tyranny with clarity, courage, and conscious choice—fully aware of the path they embraced. Their stand was not impulsive, emotional, or naïve; it was rooted in Gurmat, Bibek (spiritual discernment), and fearless alignment with Truth.
In Sikh philosophy, Shaheedi is not a tragedy. It is the triumph of Truth, a towering moral stand against injustice, and the ultimate expression of sovereign freedom of the spirit.
To reduce the Sahibzade to merely “Bal Veer” risks narrowing Sikh Itihas into sentimentality, when in reality it stands as a timeless assertion of spiritual sovereignty—that Truth does not bow to power, and righteousness does not wait for age.
Remembering with Gurmat Vision
Honouring the Sahibzade means remembering them as Guru Gobind Singh Ji raised them to be—conscious, sovereign, unshakable courage, and uncompromising in Dharma.
Their Shaheedi challenges every generation of Sikhs to ask:
Do we stand with Truth when it is costly?
Do we understand courage beyond emotion?
Do we see Sikh Itihas through Gurmat, not modern labels?
Only then does remembrance become living Itihas, not ritual memory.
Students of higher education should research into their life journey and how they sacrificed their lives to uphold Truth and their Faith.
I hereby humbly request your Offices to correct and rename the sacred Martyrdom Day 26th December of Baba Zorawar Singh Ji and Baba Fateh Singh Ji as "Sahibzade Shaheedi Diwas". The word "Baal" in "Veer Baal Diwas" does not do justice to their sacrifice and courage.
Word "Sahibzade" is used with reference to Dhan Guru Gobind Singh Sahib Ji's Four Sons and word "Shaheedi" is used for Martyrdom. The Term "Sahibzade Shaheedi Diwas" defines their courage and sacrifice.
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,
NEENA SINGH
LL.M ADVOCATE
Team Member: Sikh Legal Aid
And on behalf of my Colleague Advocates of Sikh Legal Aid:-