harchand singh longowal was born on 2 january 1932, in a family of modest means living in gidariani, a village then in the princely state of patiala, but now a part of sangrur district of punjab (india). under the tutelage of sant jodh singh at the seminary in nearby maujo, he studied sikh theology and sikh texts and practised sikh music. as his teacher was also a member of the akali movement, it is likely that young harchand also imbibed the spirit of political activism at that time.