Teja Singh Sumundri a leading figure in the Gurdwara reform movement, was born the son of Deva Singh and Nand Kaur at Rai ka Burj in Tarn Taran tahsil of Amritsar district, on 20 February 1882. On land being assigned to Deva Singh in the Sandal Bar tract of tahsil Samundri of Lyallpur district, he shifted with his family to the newly developed colony. Teja Singh's formal education did not go beyond the primary stage, but he was well-equipped in the Sikh religious and historical texts.

Following in his father's footsteps, he joined the army as a Dafadar in 22 Cavalry. But his army career lasted only three and a half years. He returned to his village, Chak 140 GB, to devote himself to the promotion of religious and social reform in the panth. He became a member of the Chief Khalsa Diwan and helped to establish the Khalsa Diwan Samundri. Later this and other similar societies working in that area were through his initiative knit into a bigger organization called the Khalsa Diwan Bar. For the education of children, he established two schools Khalsa Middle School in his village and Sri Guru Gobind Singh Khalsa High School at Sarhali in Amritsar district. Some more schools were opened under the auspices of the Khalsa Diwan Bar.