CHANDIGARH: Col. (Retd.) Jasmer Singh Bala has been appointed Secretary of Sikh Educational Society (SES) by its President S. Gurdev Singh Brar, Monday, exercising the authority vested in him during the Annual General Body meeting held at premises of Sri Guru Gobind Singh College on 3rd May 2008.

The post has been lying vacant since the demise of Principal Bharpur Singh who had served for a long time as Secretary of SES, a prestigious organization, which is managing half a dozen prominent educational institutions in Punjab and Chandigarh, including SGGS College and SGGS College for Women, Sector-26. 

Disclosing this in a press note, a spokesman of SES said that Col. (Retd.) Jasmer Singh Bala, a noted Sikh scholar, educationist and Punjabi poet, has been associated with SES and serving it in different capacities since last twelve years.

During his 28 years of meritorious military service, he has served prestigious defense training and educational institutions like Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, Officers Training Academy, Madras and Counter Insurgency & Jungle Warfare School, Mizoram. He actively participated in 1965 and 1971 Operations against Pakistan and held important commands and staff appointments.

Col. Bala has distinguished academic record being MA in Literature from Panjab University, MSc in Defense Studies from Madras University and he is a Graduate from Staff College, Wellington. He has been a Syndic of Punjabi University, Patiala.   

Col. Bala has been active in upper strata of Sikh politics since 1990 and has been a close confidante of Late Jathedar Gurcharan Singh Tohra.