PLAINVIEW, N.Y. -- A family and a community were mourning Saturday night the death of beloved professor and role model killed by a hit-and-run driver on Long Island. NewsChannel 4’s Aimee Nuzzo reported.

Gurcharan Singh, 77, a scholar and a professor, was also a counselor to New York's Sikh community and a philanthropist devoted to bringing people of different faiths and nationalities together, according to family and friends.
“He is the gem of our community,” said friend Paul Kandhari. “If there was a family problem, he'll be there. If the father and son have a problem, he'll be there.”

The Plainview father of three and grandfather was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver while walking from his home to church Friday night.
Dr. Singh was crossing Old Country Road in Plainview just after 8 p.m.
headed for the Sikh temple, when a red or maroon car traveling westbound ran a red light, struck him and kept going, police told Nuzzo.

Singh was airlifted to Nassau University Medical Center with multiple fractures and head trauma,but he did not survive.

“My father was a very selfless man who served his community and society with all his heart, and we'd really love any assistance in finding the individual who did this,” said Surinder Singh, the victim’s son.

Anyone with information about the mishap was asked to call Nassau County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS.

Once a professor at Columbia University, Singh taught political science and international studies at Marymount Manhattan College for more than three decades and continued to teach part-time, Nuzzo said.

A statement from Marymount Manhattan College said the “community is deeply saddened by the news of Professor Singh's death. He served as a devoted teacher at the college for many years, and his loss will be felt by all of our faculty, staff, students and alumni. Our thoughts are with his family during this difficult time.