Beloved of the world-wide sangat, Dr. Amarjit Singh Marwah dropped the robe of his earthly form on January 7, 2025. He was 99 years old.
Originally from Kotkapura in Punjab, Dr. Amarjit Singh Marwah arrived in the USA on a scholarship in 1950 and after graduation from Harvard University opened a Dental Clinic in Los Angeles. One can imagine his popularity when celebrities like Mohamad Ali Boxer, film stars Elizabeth Taylor and Sidney Poitier were his patients.
He established the Hollywood Sikh Temple, the first Gurdwara in LA.
Dr. Marwah was appointed Commissioner of Cultural Affairs of the Los Angeles city. He is credited for getting historic recognition for 200 monuments throughout L.A., including Grauman’s Chinese Theatre and the Walk of Fame on Hollywood Boulevard. He remained Chairman of Bombay- Los Angeles Sister City Committee and did a commendable job in creating goodwill among the citizens of two great cities of India and America.
Marwah gifted an Emergency Dental Clinic to one of his alma mater Harvard University and paid the college tuition fee of more than 100 Indian American students. He funded the school and college of his home town Kotkapura and a trauma centre in Rajindra Hospital, Patiala where he was a student. He remained actively involved in International Punjabi Society as its Vice President and attended all Annual Conferences, hosting a meeting in LA in 1998. He helped Dr. Inderjit Singh to establish the Bank of Punjab which was a great success.
Dr. Amarjit Singh also lent his support to Sikh community leaders in the United States. Yogi Bhajan, who introduced Kundalini Yoga to the west and established Sikh Dharma Brotherhood, was motivated to come to Los Angeles (USA) by Dr. Amarjit Singh. To save the American youth from Hippie culture Dr. Marwah provided all facilities to Yogi Bhajan to start yoga classes in L.A. in 1968 and later on all over the country. Another landmark contribution of Dr. Marwah was to help Dalip Singh Saund get elected to USA Congress. Dalip Singh Saund was the first Asian American, first Indian American and first Sikh to be elected to US Congress.
Dr. Marwah had been living in a palatial house in Malibu, a suburb of LA. Marwah hosted Giani Zail Singh, President of India and Smt. Indra Gandhi Prime Minister in his house. Many Prime Ministers of India utilized his influence to get support of American Senators for the Indian cause. I met his father, a practitioner in Kotkapura in 1970. His wife Sardarni Kuljit Kaur’s mother was a Professor in Mohindra College Patiala when I was a student there.
The Mayor has named a street after him in Malibu and Star on Holly Boulevard as a part of the civic honors to him. Most of the Punjabs in California remain grateful to him for their settlement. May Satguru swiftly guide him home, into the Divine embrace.
