Baldev Singh

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 1952–1959
Personal details
Born	(1902-07-11)July 11, 1902 Rupar, Punjab, British Raj (now India)
Died	29 June 1961(1961-06-29) (aged 59)[1] Delhi, India
Political 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, hence becoming the "First Sikh Defence Minister" of any country in the world, 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.