Was born on 15 Savan 1945 Bk/29 July 1888, the son of Bhai Bhagvan Singh and Mai Nihal Kaur of Thothian village in Amritsar district. He learnt Urdu at school. After the death of his father in 1902, he as the eldest male member of the family had to engage in farming until his three younger brothers grew up to undertake the responsibility. He then joined the army, trained as a unit signaller and served during the Firsrt Great War (1914-18). On his release from service, he got up a small chorus to sing the holy hymns. He attended the Dharovali political conference on 1-3 October 1920 and became a reform activist. He now toured the villages singing ballads of old Sikh martyrs, and preaching the programme of Akali reform. He joined Bhai Lachhman Singh Dharovall's jatha which was massacred by the hired assassins of Mahant Narain Das of Gurdwara Janam Asthan on 20 February 1921.