WH McLeod obituary by Tony Ballantyne
New Zealand scholar and an authority on the history of Sikhism in The Guardian, Thursday 3 September 2009
William Hewat McLeod, who has died aged 76, was a scholar whose life’s work helped transform the understanding of Sikhism. He produced a remarkable series of publications and was central in establishing Sikh studies as a distinctive field. Although his own work was careful, measured and judicious, it frequently provoked controversy.
Hew, as he was known, was born and raised in a farming family near Fielding, in New Zealand‘s North Island. He completed his schooling at Nelson college before attending the University of Otago, Dunedin, where he undertook a BA and then an MA in history. He also met Margaret Wylie there, and in May 1955 they got married.
Hew then began theological studies and in 1958, with his wife and son, Rory, joined the New Zealand Presbyterian church’s mission to Punjab. At Kharar, in Punjab, he learned Hindi and Punjabi as well as teaching English at the Christian Boys secondary school. He found that his lack of training as a language teacher and his New Zealand accent made this task difficult.
Read in full: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/sep/03/w-h-mcleod-obituary
Tributes to W. Hew McLeod 1932 – 2009
The Tribune Dedicated scholar of Sikhism by Roopinder Singh: http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20090723/edit.htm#7
Obituary by Prof Gurinder Singh Mann, University of California, Santa Barbara: http://www.global.ucsb.edu/punjab/mcleod.html
Reflections of The Sikh Studies Community Compiled by Tony Ballantyne & Jerry Barrier: http://www.sikhchic.com/our_best_friends/w_hew_mcleod_1932_2009_reflections_of_the_sikh_studies_community
Dr Hew McLeod: Bouquets & Brickbats By Gurmukh Singh: http://www.emgonline.co.uk/news.php?news=6762
The Passing of Hew McLeod: http://www.sikhnet.com/news/passing-hew-mcleod
Surjit Hans, The Hindustan Times: Hindustan Times 22 jul 09
Studying the Sikhs – Hew Mcleod and Likhansar – A poem
After the sad loss of Hew Mcleod, Amarjit Chandan who was a friend of Hew has sent these to share with everyone.
Likhansar: A poem by Amarjit Chandan co-translated by Hew McLeod.
Likhansar. Poem. [Bilingual]. Revsd. Amarjit Chandan. May 2008
On my behest Hew wrote this a couple of years ago and its Punjabi translation done by me was published. studying with sikhs Mcleod 2007
W. H. McLeod
Photo courtesy of Amarjit Chandan
It is with great sadness that we learnt that after a long illness Hew McLeod passed away on Monday 20 July. He was one of the most eminent scholars of Sikhism in the world and though for some he was controversial, no one can deny his phenomenal contribution to Sikh and Punjab Studies. May he finally rest in peace.
Documentary: Hew McLeod: A Kiwi Sikh Historian
The documentary, Hew McLeod: A Kiwi Sikh Historian, tells the story of a New Zealander who has spent a lifetime researching the Sikhs.
The documentary, which is being produced by Asia Downunder, is illustrated with archive footage, photographs and the religious art of the Sikhs and includes interviews with family, academics and New Zealand Sikhs.
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