Baldev Singh
Sardar Baldev Singh | |
|---|---|
Baldev Singh (C) with Babasaheb Ambedkar (R) and K. M. Munshi (L) on the Greeneries of Indian Parliament in 1949 | |
| 1st Minister of Defence | |
| In office 15 August 1947 – 13 May 1952 | |
| Prime Minister | Jawaharlal Nehru |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | N. Gopalaswami Ayyangar |
| Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha | |
| In office 1957–19 | |
| Preceded by | Diwan Chand Sharma |
| Succeeded by | Amar Nath |
| Constituency | Hoshiarpur, Punjab |
| In office 1952–1957 | |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Constituency abolished |
| Constituency | Nawan Shahr, Punjab |
| Member of the Constituent Assembly | |
| In office 1946–1950 | |
| Constituency | East Punjab |
| Minister for Development, Government of Punjab | |
| In office 1942–1946 | |
| Member of the Punjab Provincial Assembly | |
| In office 1936–1946 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 11 July 1902 |
| Died | 29 June 1961 (aged 58) |
| Party | Indian National Congress Shiromani Akali Dal Akali Dal |
| Alma mater | Khalsa College |
Baldev Singh (Punjabi: ਬਲਦੇਵ ਸਿੰਘ,Hindi: बलदेव सिंह) (11 July 1902 – 29 June 1961) was an Indian Sikh political leader, he was an Indian independence movement leader and the first Defence Minister of India. Moreover, he represented the Punjabi Sikh community in the processes of negotiations that resulted in the independence of India, as well as the Partition of India in 1947.
After independence, Baldev Singh was chosen to become the first Minister of Defence, and served in this post during the First Kashmir War between India and Pakistan. He was addressed often with the title of Sardar, which in Punjabi and Hindi means leader or chief.