On May 5th, Mrs. Jaimala (Mala) H. Singh, the loving wife of Dr. Harjit Singh and mother to one stepson and two sons, passed away at the age of 65. Her loving nature and charismatic spirit will be remembered by countless family members and friends that she has touched all over the world.

Jaimala (Mala) Singh was born on October 11th, 1954 in New Delhi, India to Sardar Kavi Raj Singh, an aerodrome officer, and Sardarni Parveen Kaur.

Mala grew up in a devout Sikh family with her sister Komal Kaur Dang and her brother Hari Raj Singh. She is the great grand-daughter of Bhai Sahib Bhai Vir Singh Ji, the preeminent Sikh theologian, scholar, novelist and poet who revitalized Punjabi language and the Sikh faith. She herself was a devout Sikh.

In the early 1970s, Mala studied art and design at New Delhi Polytechnic Institute. The breadth of her artwork and skills includes the creation of intricate textile design; block printing featuring flowers, birds, and paisleys; hand embroidery; painting and much more. Her talent was recognized by a company in New Delhi where she was responsible for selecting and coordinating fabric production. Her family still cherishes the saris and tapestries that she created and wore.

Mala married Dr. Harjit Singh in 1980 and moved with him to the US, settling in the Baltimore, Maryland area. She was a loving wife and mother, and family and Sikhi were of paramount importance to her. Her sister and family already lived in Maryland. Ultimately their brother and his family, a cousin and her family, as well as her mother all immigrated and settled in Baltimore County. The extended family is incredibly close. She also enfolded her husband's family into her own, including a niece and nephew in Northern Virginia.

Mala was an amazing cook and homemaker, and she always had an eye for art, fashion, design, decorating, food, presentation and entertaining. She was a master and perfectionist when it came to anything artistic, always helping her family and friends style their homes and prepare for events and gatherings. Each time a loved one hosted a party, she arrived hours early with a smile and bags of ingredients to conjure gourmet dishes for the affair.

Once her children had grown, Mala channeled these passions into a successful career. Initially, she opened a small fabric store. Her love of textiles ultimately led her to Calico, the custom interior design store, where she became a highly sought-after in-home design consultant. She worked there for 25 years, always an embodiment of style and grace wearing only colorful Punjabi clothing to work, always proud of her cultural background and ancestry. Despite her unique look (and perhaps in part because of it), her talent shone and she cultivated a loyal client base: her relentless hard work, dedication, and talent led her to quickly become one of the company’s top in-home designers, always the leader in sales at the local Lutherville store. She was sought by some of the most exclusive homeowners in the Baltimore area, beautifying their interiors with custom furniture and window treatments. 

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Mala’s compassionate nature, warmth, and generosity were unparalleled. Once she became your friend, the friendship lasted a lifetime; her home was a second home to many whom she often hosted for extended visits. She was always ready to lend a hand or offer a shoulder to lean on during times of grief or need. She supported organizations that helped local women in the Sikh and South Asian communities who suffer abusive marriages. She had a large circle of close friends throughout the Baltimore-DC area and, indeed, the world. She traveled back to India frequently and maintained close ties with extended family and friends there.

Mala embodied the three pillars of Sikhi, naam japo (remember the Divine), kirat karo (work honestly), and vand chhako (share your earnings with the needy), and she deeply impressed these values on her family throughout her life. She loved to sit with her grandchildren to teach them Sikh prayers. She conducted sehaj paath (reading the entire 1,430 pages of Sikh scripture over the course of several months) in memory of her parents’ deaths every year. She was also very involved in the Sikh community throughout the Baltimore-DC area and known by the congregants of three of the major gurdwaras (Sikh houses of worship) in the area (GNFA, GGSF and SAB). Whenever there was a vacancy in the langar volunteering crew at the gurdwara, she stepped in to help. 

Her devotion to her family and love for her grandchildren was demonstrated by how hard she fought for her life until the very end. Mala is preceded in death by both of her parents and is survived by her husband, Dr. Harjit Singh; sons, Apaar and Veer; stepson Mohan; their loving wives, Jasmine, Emily and Beatrice; and grandchildren, Mirin, Zoraver, Kash, Ethan, Malik, and Mira. She is also survived by her older sister, Dr. Komal K. Dang, younger brother, Mr. Hari Raj Singh, their spouses, as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family members, and a very large circle of friends who deeply grieve her passing. 

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Sikh Coalition, Guru Nanak Foundation of America (Silver Spring, Maryland), Guru Gobind Singh Foundation (Rockville, Maryland), or Sikh Association of Baltimore (Randallstown, Maryland).

Link to donate to Guru Gobind Singh Foundation: https://ggsfusa.org/donation/

Link to donate to Sikh Coalition: https://www.sikhcoalition.org/get-involved/donate/

Link to donate to Guru Nanak Foundation of America: https://gnfa.org/donate/

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the funeral service is limited to very few family members only. We regret that we cannot gather at this time. Please share your condolences and memories on this page. Thank you.