Jaswant Singh Gill was an Indian engineer-in-chief who risked his life to save 65 coal miners during a coal mine tragedy in Raniganj, West Bengal, in 1989. The rescue operation is considered India’s and the world’s first successful coal mine rescue operation. He was also known as “The Capsule Gill” for his ingenious invention of a steel capsule that was used to bring the trapped miners to the surface.
He received many awards and honors for his bravery and service to humanity, including the Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak, the highest civilian gallantry award, by the then President Ramaswamy Venkataraman in 1991. He also made it to the Limca Book of Records and the World Book of Records for his remarkable achievement.
Early Life & Family
Jaswant Singh Gill was born on 22 November 1939 in Sathiala, Amritsar, Punjab, India. He belonged to a Sikh family. His father, Daswandha Singh Gill, was a senior clerk at the postal department in Amritsar, and his mother was Sardarni Preetam Kaur Gill. He had two brothers and two sisters. He was the fourth child of his parents.
Educational Details
Jaswant Singh Gill was a well-educated and qualified engineer who had a passion for learning and mining. He completed his primary education at an Urdu school in Amritsar, where he learned the basics of reading and writing. He then studied at Khalsa College Public School and Khalsa College in Amritsar, where he excelled in academics and extracurricular activities. He pursued a B.Sc. (non-medical) degree in 1959 from Khalsa College, which is one of the oldest and most prestigious colleges in Punjab. He was interested in science and mathematics and wanted to become an engineer.
He then attended Panjab University, Chandigarh, which is a premier institution of higher education in India. He was admitted to the mining engineering department of the Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad, Jharkhand, which is one of the top engineering colleges in the country. He graduated from there in 1965 with a Bachelor of Engineering (B.E.) degree in Mining Engineering. He was among the top students of his batch and gained a lot of practical knowledge and skills in the field of mining. He also participated in various bhangra competitions during his college days and won many prizes. He was a proud Punjabi and a Sikh who loved his culture and heritage.
He continued his education even after his retirement from Coal India Limited. He enrolled himself in an LLB course at Khalsa College, Amritsar, at the age of 80. He wanted to learn more about the law and justice system of India. He died in 2019 while he was in the second year of his degree. He was a lifelong learner and an inspiration for many people.
Jaswant Singh Gill Wiki, Biodata
| Name | Jaswant Singh Gill |
| Born | 22 November 1939 |
| Birthplace | Sathiala, Amritsar, Punjab, India |
| Died | 26 November 2019 |
| Death place | Amritsar, Punjab, India |
| Cause of death | Cardiac arrest |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Occupation | Engineer-in-chief of Coal India Limited |
| Known for | Saving 65 coal miners during a coal mine tragedy in Raniganj, West Bengal, in 1989 |
| Nickname | The Capsule Gill |
| Spouse | Nirdosh Kaur |
| Children | Two sons and two daughters |
| Parents | Daswandha Singh Gill and Sardarni Preetam Kaur Gill |
| Siblings | Two brothers and two sisters |
| jaswantsinghgill | |
| Homepage | newsunzip.com |
Career and Achievements
After completing his graduation in mining engineering, he got a job offer from the coal firm Chand Thapar & Bros (coal Sales) Ltd. After working there for a few years, he resigned from his job, and in 1972, he started working at Coal India Limited as an engineer. He rose through the ranks and became the engineer-in-chief of Coal India Limited. He retired from his service in 1998.
Coal Mine Rescue Story Explained
He was posted in Raniganj, West Bengal, in 1989 when a major disaster occurred at the Mahabir colliery of Eastern Coalfield Limited. On 13 November 1989, around 4 a.m., a wall of an underground water table adjacent to where the miners were working cracked due to a blast. The water gushed in, causing cave-ins and drownings. Of the 220 miners working at the site, six lost their lives immediately. Those closest to the lift were quickly pulled out, but 64 miners remained trapped inside at a depth of about 320 feet. They managed to send a message through a telephone connection that they had taken shelter at a rising part of the pit.
Jaswant Singh Gill was informed about the situation and he rushed to the site with his team. He realized that there was no conventional way to rescue the miners as the water level was rising rapidly and there was no borehole large enough to fit a person. He then came up with an innovative idea of creating a special rescue capsule that could be lowered into the borehole and bring up one miner at a time. He designed and supervised the construction of the steel capsule within three hours with the help of local welders and mechanics. The capsule had an oxygen cylinder, a telephone, and a safety valve to prevent water from entering. It also had a window for visibility and a handle for opening and closing the door.
He decided to test the capsule himself before sending it down to rescue the miners. He volunteered to go down into the flooded mine with his capsule and check on the condition of the trapped miners. He reached them safely and assured them that help was on its way. He then came back to the surface with one miner in his capsule. He repeated this process for three days until all 64 miners were rescued alive on 16 November 1989. He spent more than 48 hours inside the capsule during this operation. He was hailed as a hero by the nation and the world for his courage and ingenuity.
Awards and Honors
He received many awards and honors for his bravery and service to humanity, including:
- Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak by President Ramaswamy Venkataraman in 1991
- Limca Book of Record as national record holder for the most successful and largest rescue operation in mining history in 2005
- Lifetime Achievement Award for Mining by the Indian School of Mines Alumni Association (ISMAA), Delhi in 2009
- Lifetime Achievement Award and Rs 1 lakh by the then Union Minister Sri Prakash Jaiswal in 2013
- Swami Vivekanand Award of Excellence in 2013
- Outstanding Services to Humanity Award from Harman Educational & Social Welfare Society, Amritsar in 2014
- World Book of Record, London, UK, for Largest Coal Mine Rescue operation in 2018
- Indian Iconic Award by Real Flavours Media Group in 2018
- Pride of the Nation Award, Delhi in 2019
- Honorary Doctorate (PhD) by Universal Achievers University, Tamil Nadu in 2019
He also received many other awards from various organizations and institutions, such as the Vijay Rath National Award from IICM, Ranchi, Excellence in Safety Award from Coal India Ltd, Calcutta, Bhagat Puran Singh Award from Guru Arjun Dev Mandal, Patiala, and Farishta-E-Kaum Award from Sache Patshah Magazine, New Delhi.
Mission Raniganj 2023
Jaswant Singh Gill’s role in the movie Mission Raniganj 2023 is the main protagonist and the hero of the story. He is played by Akshay Kumar, who is one of the most popular and versatile actors in Bollywood. The movie is based on the true story of how Jaswant Singh Gill, an engineer-in-chief of Coal India Limited, saved the lives of 65 coal miners who were trapped in a flooded mine in Raniganj, West Bengal, in 1989.
He invented a steel capsule that could fit into a borehole and bring up one miner at a time. He also volunteered to go down into the mine himself and check on the condition of the trapped miners. He spent more than 48 hours inside the capsule during the rescue operation. He was awarded the Sarvottam Jeevan Raksha Padak, the highest civilian gallantry award, for his bravery and service to humanity.
The movie Mission Raniganj 2023 is directed by Tinu Suresh Desai and produced by Pooja Entertainment. The screenplay is written by Vipul K Rawal, who also wrote the script for Rustom, another movie starring Akshay Kumar. The movie also stars Parineeti Chopra as Jaswant Singh Gill’s wife, Nirdosh Kaur. The other cast members include Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Kumud Mishra, Rajesh Sharma, Varun Badola, Pavan Malhotra, and Ravi Kishan. The movie is a disaster thriller that showcases the courage and ingenuity of Jaswant Singh Gill and his team in the face of a life-threatening situation.
The movie Mission Raniganj 2023 was released on 6 October 2023 in theatres across India. It received positive reviews from critics and audiences alike. It was praised for its realistic portrayal of the mining rescue operation, its gripping narrative, its powerful performances, and its patriotic message. It was also submitted independently for the Oscars by its makers.
Marriage, Wife & Kids
Jaswant Singh Gill married Nirdosh Kaur on 19 October 1969. The couple had two sons and two daughters. One of his sons, Dr Sarpreet Singh Gill, is a doctor and PGC Cardiology at Johns Hopkins University in the USA. One of his daughters’ names is Poonam Gill. He lived with his family at 883/1, Circular Road, Amritsar, Punjab, India. He was a devout Sikh and followed the teachings of Guru Granth Sahib.
Philanthropy
He was also a philanthropist and a social worker. He built a hospital for the poor and needy in Amritsar after his retirement. He also supported various causes and initiatives for the welfare of the society. He was fond of reading and writing. He wrote several books on mining engineering and safety. He also wrote poetry and essays on various topics. He was a lifelong learner and pursued LLB from Khalsa College, Amritsar, at the age of 80. He died in 2019 while he was in the second year of his degree.
How did Jaswant Singh Gill Die?
He passed away on 26 November 2019 at his home in Amritsar due to a cardiac arrest. He was 80 years old at the time of his death. His demise was mourned by his family, friends, colleagues, admirers, and former miners whom he had saved.
He was cremated with full state honors at his native village Sathiala on 27 November 2019. His funeral was attended by thousands of people who paid their last respects to him. He is remembered as a legend and an inspiration for generations to come.
Net Worth
Jaswant Singh Gill’s net worth is not known publicly. However, he earned a decent income from his career as an engineer-in-chief at Coal India Limited. He also received various awards and cash prizes for his achievements and contributions to the field of mining engineering and safety. He donated a large part of his earnings to charity and social causes. He lived a simple and humble life with his family in Amritsar.
Why Jaswant Singh Gill is called The Capsule Gill?
Jaswant Singh Gill is called The Capsule Gill because he invented a steel capsule that was used to rescue 65 coal miners who were trapped in a flooded mine in Raniganj, West Bengal, in 1989. The capsule was a 7-foot-high and 22-inch-wide cylindrical device that had an oxygen cylinder, a telephone, a safety valve, a window, and a handle.
It could fit into a borehole and bring up one miner at a time. Gill also volunteered to go down into the mine with his capsule and check on the condition of the trapped miners. He spent more than 48 hours inside the capsule during the rescue operation. He was hailed as a hero and a genius for his courage and ingenuity.
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