ਨਕਿ ਨਥ ਖਸਮ ਹੱਥ ਕਿਰਤੁ ਧਕੇ ਦੇ
They say a rolling stone gathers no moss. But my life is an exception to this mission. The more I rolled through countries and continents, the more affluent and prosperous I kept becoming.
I was born at Lahore (West Punjab, Pakistan) in 1933 in Mayo Hospital. I was born premature, less than six months, and was kept in an incubator for over a month. My parents could only see me and not touch me. They were allowed to take me home when I was 7 months old. That is why I am the weakest and a shortest in the family. All others are over 5ft -10 inches and above. My elder brother was 5-11. Both his sons are 5-11. Both my sons are the same height. My elder grandson is 6 ft tall. My father and grandfather were all 6 footers.
I was 14 and half years when Pakistan was declared. I had done my Matric from Khalsa High School at Nankana Sahib, from Punjab University at Lahore.
I was 11 when I undertook my first journey alone from Nankana Sahib to Lyallpur, where my maternal uncle ( Mama Ji) S. Jaswant Singh lived. He was a well to do man and my Mammi (Bhagwant Kaur) liked me very much. I travelled to Jahrawalaby train and then by bus to Lyallpur. Fortunately, Lyalpur has radial roads from the Clock Tower. You can never get lost if you know your way from the Clock Tower.
My Mama ji was a Stock Broker in Sitta mandi as it was then called. I will walk up to his office where I will get a Samosa and a Gulab Jaman. I will enjoy them and then head back home. This was my daily routine.
After that I started travelling alone to my maternal grandparents, in district Sargodha, Tahsil Bhalwal, near Kot Moman, a village Chak 65 Janubi. At the canal bridge also called Jhal because of the water fall, horse will come from the village to take me there. I distinctly remember eating a Samoa and having tea in an earthen Kular at Chak Jhumra station before going to sleep. The morning the train will arrive at Sargodha.I will have a wash at the station, catch train for Bhalwal and from there in a horse Tonga to Kot Moman.
My summer vacation was distributed between Chak 65 and my paternal village in Tahsil Pind Dadan Khan, Lilla town, 5 miles from it was our village Lilla Kahana. Horse riding used to be my favourite past time. I still remember, a worker on our fields named Sadikka will be running behind the horse calling Chote Malik please go slow.
I also travelled to other relatives in Punjab during those years. Chniot, Samundri, Gujran Wala. I also visited with my mother Gurdwara at Panja Sahib and visited Peshawar. My only regret I did not go to Jamrud to see S. Hari Singh Nalwa’s place of demise. It is all memories now. 1947 changed everything.
I completed my I. Sc at Kanpur (B.N.S.D. College), went to Engineering College at the Banaras Hindu University for my Bachelor Degree in Engineering and joined the Army. During my army service I was selected to do Master degree in Engineering Course at the University of Roorkee. I rose to be Colonel and took voluntary premature retirement in 1981.
Those days, you got four month leave pending retirement. I spent the three months in getting my place vacated, repaired, repainted and white washed etc. Fourth month I went to Bombay to meet my cousin, Col Malik, who after retirement was working as Manager (Imports and Export) in Oberio Sherrton Hotel. I was sitting at home when his phone call came. “Avtar, You want to go to Saudi Arabia”. Without knowing anything about the Country, where it was, its culture, religion, laws etc, I said Yes. I will be sending you the car at 2.30 P.M to meet someone at 3.00 P.M.
The person I met was Mr. Azar Qureshi, a gentleman from Pakistan, who had studied at Government College at Lahore. Did his Bachelor degree in Engineering from Machlegon College at Mughal Pura, then his Masters at the Michigan University ( U.S.A.). A very good Engineer along with a thorough gentleman I came to know him later. He was the General Manager of a Construction Company in Saudi Arabia named Al Badr Construction and Trading Company. With HQ at Jedah.
At the interview, Mr Azhar asked me, colonel what have you done?. I replied, have constructed roads, Runways, taxi tracks and have supervised construction of Buildings, hospital, workshops and residential accommodation. Are you an Engineer? Yes. From where? Banaras Hindu University. How many years? Four. My cousin chipped in to say, he has done Masters degree. From where? University of Rookee.
At that, Mr Azhar signalled to my cousin who signalled me to say the interview is over. In the evening my cousin told me your salary has been fixed at 7000 Rials per month. A Rial was worth Rs 3.00. It meant Rs 21000 per month Tax free. In the Army I had not received even 2100. He also said, the company will provide you three personal servants ( A cook, A House boy and a Driver) and a personal car with two bed room, two bath room accommodation free during your stay there. One first class passage per year to India and back for you and your family.
1. I worked in Saudi Arabia for nearly three years. I was Project Manager of Highway Construction Project Sec No 2 ( Riyad – Al Majma Expressway). I came back to India on March31,1984. When I left my salary was 18,000 Rials per month and I had three offers to come back to Saudi Arabia.
1. From the Ministry of Communication, - Minister Himself offered me that; Senior Road Engineer at US $ 5000 per month plus other facilities.
2. From the Consultant – Wilson Marrow , a Washinton DC ( USA) based Consultant as Construction Manager at $ 5,500 plus all other facilities and perks.
3. Construction Company which offered me salary of 18000 Rials per month plus whatever I wanted.
4. My Own – Al Badr Construction Company – What ever I wanted. Well I did not go back to Saudi Arabia.
In May 84, I got an Offer from Oman, First, I went as Manager in a National Telephone Company at Muscat. Moved after Nine months on completion of the Project, as Resident Engineer to Khasab in Masandam Province of Oman, opposite Iran, on the straits of Harmoze.
In Jan 1986, I moved to Salala, southern part of Oman as Projects Coordinator to the Sultan (King) of Oman. I was responsible for maintenance and refurbishment of all Palaces and construction of New Facilities like State Guest Houses, Sea Wall etc. It was a very prestigious job. We enjoyed our stay at Salala for little over two years.
Mean time, both our sons had gone to USA for studies. The elder one , had left in Dec 1984 after Sikh genocide in Nov 84 at Delhi and the younger one in March 85 from Oman. We felt, it is time for us to go and look them up. The elder had completed his MBA and was working with Chase Manhattan Bank as Assistant Vice- President and the younger had completed his BBA from Wharton School of Finance and was working with an investment firm. We came to USA in Feb 1988.
My son had purchased a new Volks Wagon Jetta car. He did not need it to go to his office. I took his car and we toured the East Coast till Cape Cod, returning via Georgia, seeing on the way the three “Presidents Stone Heads” carved in stone. I forget the name of the town. After that, we visited Chicago and its surroundings. After we returned, My son suggested that I take up a Job.
I worked for Cali Associates, a leading Italian Construction Company, first as a Superintendent and then as Assistant project Manager at the Cali Financial Tower under construction at Grove Street, Jersy City. Mr Rick Daunno was the Project Manager. We hit on very well. He left all the work planning, coordinating sub contractors work and its supervision to me. He only managed the Finances.
An incident brought me to the lime light and notice of Elder Mr. Cali, the owner. One of the prospective clients for renting of space wanted computer floors. They asked for it in the meeting. I chipped in to say, you will have samples of all types of computer floors available, with our quotes and time frame work in the next weekly meeting. After the meeting, Rick asked me, how will you do it. Don’t worry.
Next day, I picked the Yellow pages, dialed all the available companies , told them who I was and asked them to bring their samples, quotes and time frame for installing. I added 15 percent on their quotes, and gave this information in the next meeting. Meantime I had received all the floor samples and was able to show to the client. The boss was very impressed and I got a good raise in my salary.
I worked with Cali till May 1989. I was staying with my younger son who was staying at Manhattan, Street No 55. 2nd Avenue. I frequently go for walks along the East River to the UN Building. Have coffee in the cafeteria and head back. One day, I met some one whom I knew in India well. He saw me, we talked for some time. He was Sardar. S.M.S. Chadha who was Director Technical Cooperation and Development ( DTC&D). His elder brother MajorRajeswar Singh Chadha was a dear friend and course mate at I.M.A. Dehradun. that is how , I had come to know the family and SMS. Their father Sardar. M. S. Chadha(I.M.S.) was Director Health Services at Delhi.
He suddenly asked, Avtar will you go out? I said, where. South and South East Asia. I said, Yes. I will get papers sent to you, fill them and return them quickly. I did as instructed. Two months , later I received a call from UNDP telling me of my acceptance for recruitment and asking me to come and complete the formalities. Meanwhile, my name had been sent to Govt of Bhutan for their acceptance as Advisor on Roads and Rural Infrastructure Development. The clearance came. We headed for Bhutan, Thimpu.
I served and we stayed in Bhutan for three years. My Job required extensive travel on the roads from one end to other end, training of personal and establishment of facilities.
Mr. Khanna came as Ambassador of India to Bhutan. We hit on very well. Whenever I will have some free time, I will call Khanna Ji to say ,”have the Tea ready. I am coming”. Mr Navtej Singh Sarna was the first Secretary. He had visited us with the Ambassador and on his own many times with his wife and son. We came to know each other very well.
An interesting incident occurred. My elder son got married in Dec 91, after his honeymoon, he left for U.S.A. telling that he will send sponsorship papers for his wife, Pawan Jit Kaur. My wife brought our daughter-in-law with her to Thimpu (Capital of Bhutan), flying from Delhi to Bagdogra where I arranged to pick them up.
After three months stay, our daughter-in-law expressed a desire to go and meet her parents at Patiala. She needed a Passport to fly to India. I took with me two of her Photographs, her information on a paper and went to Khanna Ji. I told him the problem. He called, NavtejSinghSarna, asked him to prepare a passport. The passport was signed and stamped. Khanna ji asked me to get it signed by Pawan, as soon I reached home. This was done. Pawan flew away to India.
At Delhi, the immigration Officer asked her, how did you get this passport issued at Thimpu. I understand , passports can be renewed out side India but can be issued only in India. She replied, I do not know. My father in Law is a senior UN official. I have seen the Ambassador Sahib come to his house many times. More than that, I do not know any thing. Now, if you bother me any further, I will call him and ask him to get you the necessary clarification from your bosses. The officer said, please go. Don’t get me into any trouble.
We were still in Bhutan, when we received our immigration to Canada. Canada had a rule those days that you had to spend six months in the country immediately on landing. It was sometime in 1991. So, I resigned from UNDP. Why, they asked. I told the reason. They got special permission for us to stay till April 1992 in Bhutan, and then to come to Canada.
After we landed in Canada, it was suggested by UNDP, that I register a consulting Company and become a consultant. As such I could stay outside the country for up to 89 days on official business, which I did. With this arrangement, I went to Vietnam, thrice; Cambodia , twice. On the way I visited Thailand,Phillipines.Singapur and Japan; staying few days at each place.
I visited Nepal, to review a Chinese funded and constructed road construction project. Spent a month there.
When, I received my Canadian citizenship , I was again recruited full time by UNCDF (United Nations Capital Development Fund). In this capacity I went to East Africa, Tanzania, Mwanza (on the lake Victoria). We stayed there for over two years. We were staying in Talapia Hotel, run by S. Manjeet Singh, a great man . He looked after us very well and provided all the facilities whatever we asked for. The normal meals in the hotel was Rice with Tilapia fish in different forms, fried, curry etc. he instructed the cook to make for us dishes like Matar-paneer, Matar-Alu, Egg Curry and other vegetables curries.
We made good friends there. A Muslim lady who had married a clean shaven Sikh, had completely adopted herself to Sikhism. She will go to the Gurdwara regularly and ask me for tapes of Kirtan.
While there, I visted Malawi, Kenya, and Zambia. In Zambia, I stayed for about two months picked up Malaria there but soon became OK.
We came back from Africa in 1999. I had completed 45 years of service in different parts of the World and was past 65. So, I decided to call it a day.
Looking back at life at the fag end of life, I feel successful and fulfilled. Life is a fine blend of human endeavour and Divine grace. While Divine benevolence is indiscriminate, uniform and universal, human endeavour varies from person to person and its worthiness to receive Divine grace, in majority of the cases, depends on the quantity and quality of human endeavour. Gurbani endorses the amalgamation of human endeavour and Divine grace resulting in the culmination of a fulfilled life.
ਨਕਿ ਨਥ ਖਸਮ ਹਥ ਕਿਰਤੁ ਧਕੇ ਦੇ ॥
ਜਹਾ ਦਾਣੇ ਤਹਾਂ ਖਾਣੇ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਸਚੁ ਹੇ ॥
SGGS., p. 653
ਜੇ ਮਨਿ ਚਿਿਤ ਆਸ ਰਖਹਿ ਹਰਿ ਊਪਰਿ ਤਾ ਮਨ ਚਿੰਦੇ ਅਨੇਕ ਅਨੇਕ ਫਲ ਪਾਈ ॥
ਹਰਿ ਜਾਣੈ ਸਭੁ ਕਿਛੁ ਜੋ ਜੀਇ ਵਰਤੈ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਘਾਲਿਆ ਕਿਸੈ ਕਾ ਇਕੁ ਤਿਲੁ ਨ ਗਵਾਈ ॥
ਹਰਿ ਤਿਸ ਕੀ ਆਸ ਕੀਜੈ ਮਨ ਮੇਰੇ ਜੋ ਸਭ ਮਹਿ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਰਹਿਆ ਸਮਾਈ ॥
SGGS., p. 859
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