Dr. Bhag Singh Sidhu

Dr. Bhag Singh Sidhu, 81, of Winston-Salem died Sunday, August 22, 2010 at his home after a brave battle with cancer. He was born on April 30, 1929 in Punjab, India, the son of the late Milkha Singh and Bachan Kaur Sidhu. Dr. Sidhu was a loving family man, educator, leader within the community, active in philanthropic causes, and an athlete. Dr. Sidhu was a devoted family man. He and his wife of 56 years, Bhagwan Kaur, instilled the values of hard work and education in their children and grandchildren. Through his guidance and generosity, he profoundly impacted the lives of his immediate and extended family. He was the son of a farmer, grew up in Punjab, India and obtained a B.A. in Biology from Khalsa College, Amritsar, India, and a Master's degree in Botany from Punjab University in Amritsar. Following graduation, he taught at the University for two years. In 1957 he was awarded a Rockefeller Foundation Scholarship to attend Cornell University where he obtained a Ph.D. in Botany. After working in India for several years he joined the United Nations agency, UNESCO, as a plant breeding expert in the Philippines. He returned to the United States in 1969 to join the faculty at Winston-Salem State University and retired as Professor of Biological Sciences in 1993. After his retirement he enjoyed travelling worldwide, gardening, visiting family and friends and especially his grandchildren. He was a scholar-athlete and represented India at the 1953 Asian Games in race walking and held the Asian record in this event. He returned to competitive race walking after retirement and participated in numerous national and international meets. Notably, he won medals at the Senior Olympics and World Masters Games. He was committed to giving back to his community. He founded a high school in his home village in India and funded its ongoing operations. He was an active member of the Civitans and also devoted himself to the Sikh community of North Carolina. He was one of the founders of the Atlantic Coast Sikh Association. He was a shining beacon and will be missed by all who knew him. Survivors include his wife, Bhagwan Sidhu of the home; one son, Dr. Jasjeet Sidhu and wife, Dr. Gurinderjit Sidhu of Atlanta, GA; one daughter, Dr. Navjeet Sidhu-Malik and husband, Dr. Rajesh Malik of Chapel Hill; four grandchildren, Curran and Hanna Sidhu of Atlanta GA and Ashna and Neeraj Malik of Chapel Hill; and one sister, Rajinder Grewal of High Point. The funeral service will be conducted Saturday at 11:00 AM at Hayworth-Miller Silas Creek Chapel. The family will receive friends following the service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Atlantic Coast Sikh Association Building Fund, Hospice of the Piedmont, or Wake Forest University Cancer Center. Online condolences may be made at www.hayworth-miller.com.

Memorials:
Atlantic Coast Sikh Association Building Fund, Hospice of the Piedmont, or Wake Forest University Cancer Center.

Service:
Service at 11:00am on August 28, 2010 at Hayworth-Miller Silas Creek Chapel