Prof. Puran Singh (17.12.1881-31.3.1931) a mystic Punjabi Poet and Sikh Scholar was born to Parma Devi and Kartar Singh in village Salhad, Abbottabad, now in Pakistan. He was married to Maya Devi.
He did matriculation from Mission High school, Rawalpindi in 1897. He got admission in DAV College, Lahore for B.A. but he snapped his study as he got scholarship for the study of science. He went to study in Japan in 1900. He learnt Japanese and German in Tokyo, as language of science teachings was German. There he used to give lectures about India to the native people. He also started a periodical Thundering Dawn and gained local popularity. He obtained a degree in Industrial Chemistry from Tokyo University in Pharmaceutical Sciences. Though a born Sikh he became a Buddhist Bhikshu and a sanyasi under influence of Ukakura a Japanese Buddhist monk and Swami Ramtirath respectively before he finally got settled as a Sikh mystic when he came under influence of Bhai Vir Singh during a Sikh Educational Conference meeting at Sialkot in 1912.
He wrote Punjabi poetry in free verse. His love for the land and nature was boundless and he expressed his emotions in a simple plain language. His imagery and metaphors generate from the currents of the rivers and the blossoming of the flowers of Punjab. His works which include English Poetry and prose too, give expression to the higher spiritual experiences of the Sikh soul. Puran Singh makes an effort to morally and spiritually elevate the people of his land by evoking the Sikh spirit.
He served as a chemical advisor at Forest Research Institute, Dehradun (1907-1918). He also served with Maharaja of Gwalior (1919-1923). He aslo worked at Sundar Singh Majithia's sugar factory (1923-1924). Since he was born independent poet, he could not be subservient for a long time and he ventured many projects independently.