WE HAVE KNOWN VERY LITTLE ABOUT HS AND HIS FAMILY AFTER HIS UNTIMELY DEMISE. IT WAS A PLEASANT SURPRISE WHILE I WAS ACTIVATING OUR BLOG SITE LAST MONTH, AS THE SAME HAD REMAINED DORMANT FOR A VERY VERY LONG TIME. I ACCIDENTALLY HIT UPON A SMALL NOTE IN VERY SMALL FONTS IN THE GUEST BOOK THERE, " MY YOUNGER BROTHER HARMINDER ALSO DID SODE 24A -SURINDER SARIN" .
IT WAS A PLEASANT SURPRISE FOR ME. THEREAFTER I TRIED TO DIG OUT THE CONTACT DETAILS OF HIS ELDER BROTHER FROM THE GUEST BOOK BUT JUST COULD NOT. FEW DAYS LATER I OPENED MY FACE BOOK PAGE AND SEARCHED FOR SURINDER SARIN, FEW NAMES CAME OUT, AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT I WAS DOT ON THE RIGHT PERSON FIRST TIME. I BY RETURN MAIL GOT A REPLY TO MY MESSAGE ON FB FROM HIS ELDER BROTHER. HE SPOKE TO ME ALSO ON PHONE. I REQUESTED SARIN JI FOR AN UPDATE ON HS AND HIS FAMILY.
ON BEHALF OF THE COURSE I IMMENSELY THANK YOU, SIR, S. SURINDER SARIN JI, FOR SHARING THE UPDATE ON HS AND FAMILY AND PHOTOGRAPHS WITH US . WE ARE INDEBTED TO YOU FOR THIS KIND GESTURE.
BRIG NARINDER DHAND.
nkd616@gmail.com
MEHRA HARMINDER
Late Colonel Harminder Singh (HS) Mehra was my younger
brother - the middle son of three boys. Harminder was not only my brother, but
he was an officer, a son, a husband, a father, and a human being par
excellence. It has been over 22 years since HS passed away but there has hardly
been an occasion in the family when he was not deeply missed, because it was
always he who took charge in planning these occasions. His priorities in life
were duty, his parents, his family, humanity and finally, himself, in that
order. He did not regularly go to temples and Gurdwaras, but he applied the
teachings of the scriptures religiously in his life. He would not pass up any
opportunity to help someone in need. He was nearly egoless, and fully believed
in the concept of humility. Today, whenever I hear stories or see Indian movies
about parents being neglected by the younger generation, I think of HS. He
looked after our parents so well that he would go through any personal hardship
if he could spare his parents some discomfort.
Harminder was also a very practical Engineer.
However, I am sure you are all more equipped to talk about his professional
achievements/ capabilities than I am, since I did not have much opportunity to
get to know him in a professional capacity. That said, I do remember that if
some appliance broke or if there was a leak or a blockage in the plumbing pipes
at home, rather than waiting for the plumber or the technician, HS would get
his tool box out and get to fixing the problem himself. On a social level,
Harminder was easily approachable, flexible, adaptable and a true team player.
He could easily fit in the company of the young, old, rich and the not-so-well
off.
When HS passed away, his children (a son, Ravneet, and
daughter, Dolly) were very young. His wife Upinder had been on a long leave,
pursuing her Ph.D in Zoology / Taxonomy in Delhi, where HS was posted at the
time. My father lived with them. After my father passed away in 1995, Upinder
and the children moved to Chandigarh (after Upinder completed her doctorate).
Upinder became Principal at G.C. G College and remained in this post until she
retired.
Harminder’s son, Ravneet Mehra studied at Delhi College of
Engineering. He completed his MBA / Electronics Engineering degrees and now
works as Group As. Director Broadband with Ooredoo (Qtel) , Qatar, handling
MENA, South Asia region. He is married and has two daughters. His contact :
Email ; ravneetmehra @ gmail.com and Telephone ; 974 337 50831. Dolly completed
her MA (English)/ B Ed., married, and is currently based in Australia. After
retirement, Upinder had intended to travel but it was not meant to be. After a
short battle with cancer, she passed away in 2008.
SURINDER SARIN
ssarin@rogers.com
NB - S. Surinder Sarin is Harminder's elder brother the last name used by him is the main caste while HS used the subcast Mehra, as explained by him in his recent mail. He is also seen in the family photo the right most with their Dad.
WELL FRIENDS THANKS TO MADHAV WHO HAS MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO GET TOGETHER BY ORGANISING A REUNION OF THE COURSE AT MCTE MHOW FROM 8TH APR TO 12TH APR. 
