A TRIBUTE TO HS AND UPI

     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.