Jasdeep Singh Gill was on Monday nominated as the spiritual head of Radha Soami Satsang Beas with immediate effect. The announcement was made by the serving sect head Gurinder Singh Dhillon.
The sect has a large number of followers across the country and abroad. The country's top political leaders visit the sect headquarters from time to time.
Confirming the development, a top official of the Dera said, "Baba ji, who was out of town for some time, returned to Dera Beas yesterday. Today, he called a meeting of all senior officials, including the Dera secretary and other zonal heads, in the morning wherein the name of his next successor was announced." Reacting to reports about the health of Dhillon, the official clarified that he was "perfectly alright".
Forty-five-year-old Gill is a doctorate in chemical engineering from Cambridge and an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi, alumnus. He was the chief strategy officer and senior management personnel at Cipla, India and stepped down earlier this year. His wife is a doctor.
Meanwhile, RSSB secretary Devender Kumar Sikri, in a written statement issued on Monday, said, "Baba Gurinder Singh Dhillon has nominated Jasdeep Singh Gill, son of Sukhdev Singh Gill, as patron of the Radha Soami Satsang Beas Society with immediate effect from September 2, 2024."
"Jasdeep Singh Gill shall also succeed Baba Gurinder Singh Dhillon as the Sant Satguru of the Radha Soami Satsang Beas Society and will have the authority of giving initiation (naam)," Sikri said. He further said, "Baba Ji has expressed that like he has received full support and love of the 'sangat' after Huzur Maharaj ji, he has wished and requested that the same love and affection be given to Jasdeep Singh Gill in carrying out his 'sewa (service)' as patron and sant satguru."
Gill's father, Sukhdev Singh Gill, after retiring from the Indian Army as a colonel came to Beas more than two decades ago. Jasdeep Singh Gill has been visiting and doing 'sewa' at the Dera for the last 30 years, a source at the sect said.
