Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, born on August 15th, 1967, is an influential Indian religious leader. He has been the head of social group Dera Sacha Sauda, or DSS, since September 1990.

 

Devotees to the group are asked to practice alcohol abstinence, vegetarianism, marital fidelity, and truth. Singh is also known for his political clout. His Dera is the only one among the various Deras that openly asks its supporters to vote for particular political parties. He also formed a welfare and disaster relief organisation which now has more than 70-thousand doctors, engineers, rescuers, paramedics, and tradesmen. However, Singh has also been involved in controversies with accusations of rape, murder and forced castrations.