Jagjit Singh (activist)

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Jagjit Singh
Born
Jagjit Singh

October 5, 1897
Rawalpindi, British India (now in Pakistan)
Died1976 (aged 78–79)
NationalityIndian-American
Other namesJ. J. Singh
OccupationActivist
Years active1926–1959
OrganizationIndia League of America
Known forLobbying for the Luce-Celler Act of 1946
Singh, third from right, observing President Harry S. Truman signing the Luce-Celler Act of 1946. TRUMANLUCECELLER.jpg
Singh, third from right, observing President Harry S. Truman signing the Luce-Celler Act of 1946.

Jagjit Singh, better known as J. J. Singh (born October 5, 1897 in Rawalpindi, present-day Pakistan; died 1976) [1] [2] was an Indian-American activist and president of the India League of America. [3] [4] [5] He lived in the United States from 1926 to 1959, during which time he ran a successful textile import business in New York City and lobbied for the passage of the Luce–Celler Act of 1946, which permitted Indians to naturalize in the United States. [6] [7]

Personal life

He married Malti, daughter of Ramji Saksena, a diplomat with Indian Consulate. [8] Sabrina Singh, Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary is Jagjit's granddaughter.

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References

  1. Wattas, Rajnish (September 19, 2020). "The Man Who Fought to Bring Indian-American Dreams and Hopes to Life". India Times. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  2. Kumar, Anu (July 30, 2020). "JJ Singh: The story of one man's efforts to bring Indian-American dreams and hopes to life". Scroll.in . Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  3. Patel, Dinyar (October 7, 2020). "Kamala Harris and the 'Other 1 Percent'". The Atlantic. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  4. Shaplen, Robert (March 17, 1951). "One-Man Lobby". New Yorker. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  5. Shah, Neilay (April 25, 2014). The Luce-Celler Act of 1946: White Nationalism, Indian Nationalism and the Cosmopolitan Elite (PDF) (Thesis). Haverford College.
  6. Shaffer, Robert (2012). "J. J. Singh and the India League of America, 1945-1959: Pressing at the Margins of the Cold War Consensus". Journal of American Ethnic History. 31 (2): 68–103. doi:10.5406/jamerethnhist.31.2.0068. JSTOR   10.5406/jamerethnhist.31.2.0068 . Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  7. Hess, Gary R. (1969). "The "Hindu" in America: Immigration and Naturalization Policies and India, 1917-1946". Pacific Historical Review. 38 (1): 59–79. doi:10.2307/3636886. JSTOR   3636886.
  8. "TROTH ANNOUNCED OF MALTI SAKSENA; Daughter of India Ex-Official Here Will Become Bride of Sirdar J.J. Singh". The New York Times. September 20, 1951. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved May 29, 2024.