Pal Singh Purewal

{{Short description|Canadian engineer (1931/32–2022)}}

Pal Singh Purewal (1931/1932 – 22 September 2022)[https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/architect-of-nanakshahi-calendar-canada-based-sikh-scholar-purewal-passes-away-101663865894319.html Architect of Nanakshahi Calendar, Canada-based Sikh scholar Purewal passes away] was a Punjabi engineer, author, scholar and a teacher.{{Cite web|url=http://purewal.biz/|title=Purewal|website=purewal.biz}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.purewal.biz/purewal2.html|title=Purewal's Page|website=www.purewal.biz}} He was commonly known as the architect of the Mool Nanakshahi Calendar.{{Cite web|date=2017-11-16|title=Mool Nanakshai Calendar (MNC) Implementation Conference|url=http://www.sikhnet.com/news/mool-nanakshai-calendar-mnc-implementation-conference|access-date=2021-03-22|website=SikhNet|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=2017-12-03|title=Adopt Mool Nanakshahi Calendar, stop confusion, says Sikh Chicago meet|url=https://www.theworldsikhnews.com/adopt-mool-nanakshahi-calendar-sikh-chicago-meet/|access-date=2021-03-22|website=The World Sikh News|language=en-GB}} He was also known as a role model in the Sikh community.{{Cite web|url=https://ptcnetwork.ca/edmonton-resident-pal-singh-purewal-architect-sikh-calendar/|title=PTC Punjabi Canada - No.1 Punjabi Channel in Canada|first=ptc punjabi|last=canada|date=March 27, 2018}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.sikhrolemodels.org/community-leaders/pal-singh-purewal/|title=Pal Singh Purewal – SRM}} He emigrated to the United Kingdom in 1965 and worked as a senior engineer at Texas Instruments. He moved to Canada in 1974. He has authored various research papers establishing the authenticity of the Sikh calendar since 1960s.

His published texts include:{{Cite web|url=http://www.panjabdigilib.org/webuser/searches/displayPage.jsp?ID=2356&page=1&CategoryID=1&Searched=|title=Panjab Digital Library - Digitization of Jyantri (Calendar) 500 years|website=www.panjabdigilib.org}}

• Jantri 500 YEARS - An Almanac, published by Punjab School Education Board in November 1994
• Hijri Calendar - A book for which he received "lifetime achievement" award

In his coordinated effort with the Institute of Sikh Studies and after making efforts for several years with other prominent scholars, a proposal to implement and adopt a Sikh calendar, called Nanaksahi Calendar was introduced and was accepted by the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee in 1996. Subsequently, at the 300th anniversary of the Khalsa panth, it was released by the SGPC after passing a general house resolution in 1999 and accepted by the Akal Takht (in part) in 2003.{{Cite web |last=Chahal |first=Devinder Singh |date=2003 |title=New Nanakshahi Calendar - A Brief Description |url=http://www.iuscanada.com/journal/archives/2003/j0502p39.pdf |website=Understanding Sikhism, the Research Journal |series=vol. 5, no.2}}{{Cite web|url=https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/sikhs-around-world-celebrate-new-year-using-edmonton-mans-calendar|title=Sikhs around world celebrate new year using Edmonton man's calendar|website=Edmonton Journal}} This created controversy in the Sikh community.{{Cite web|url=https://sikhsiyasat.net/2014/03/22/pal-singh-purewal-meets-jathedars-nanakshahi-calendar-discussed/|title=Pal Singh Purewal meets Jathedars - Nanakshahi calendar discussed|date=March 22, 2014}} He introduced implementation of the Mool (original) Nanakshahi Calendar in 2017, which refers to the pre-altered version of the calendar introduced and first accepted in 1999 which permanently synchronized Mool Nanakshahi (religious) Calendar with Common Era (CE) Calendar.{{Cite web|url=https://sikhsiyasat.net/2017/03/14/dal-khalsa-releases-orignal-nanakshahi-calender-samvat-549-shri-akal-takhat-sahib/|title=Dal Khalsa Releases Original Nanakshahi Calender (Samvat 549) From Shri Akal Takhat Sahib|date=March 14, 2017}}{{Cite web|url=https://patch.com/illinois/skokie/sikh-community-midwest-usa-hosts-honorary-dinner-sardar-pal-singh-purewal|title=Sikh Community of the Midwest, USA hosts honorary dinner for Sardar Pal Singh Purewal|date=March 14, 2017|website=Skokie, IL Patch}}