Amritsar college remembers its illustrious ‘son’

On his Amritsar visit in 2018 while attending the annual convocation ceremony at Hindu College, Dr Manmohan Singh had confessed his fondness for his alma mater. Recalling his days as a student in the college, Singh had said they were some of the happiest days of his life, while patiently meeting each and every member of the college alumni association and his batch mates. His alma mater too could never let go of one of its most illustrious ‘son’ and celebrated students in a lineup that includes former Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, Justice HR Khanna, former union cabinet minister Ravi Shankar, Bishen Singh Bedi and many more.

“He was the first ever student of the college to win Roll Call of Honour, for his academic excellence. He was known to be really good in studies and mostly spent time in the college library,” shared Sanjeev Khanna, Principal, Hindu College, who was a professor of maths when Singh visited the college in 2018. He was also the first to be registered as a member of the college’s Global Alumni Association.

A portrait of the former Prime Minister graces the walls of the college, which will host a prayer meeting for the former Prime Minister on Saturday. Dr Singh’s family migrated from Pakistan in 1947 and finally settled in Amritsar. He enrolled in Hindu College in 1948 and pursued intermediate till 1952. At that time, Hindu college was affiliated to Panjab University (currently it is affiliated to Guru Nanak Dev University). His family’s home at the Katra Dal Singh (also known as Petha Wala Bazaar) in the Majith Mandi area, now lies in a shambles.

Dr Manmohan Singh’s unassuming personality had earned him not just people’s respect but also made interactions with him unforgettable. “Sardar Manmohan Singh was an economist to the core and above all a man of steadfast integrity. A man sans ego, devoid of strappings that were due to him as former Finance Minister, I still recall him waiting patiently for his wife to come and collect him in a Maruti car after a meeting at the Bhai Vir Singh Sahitya Sadan at Delhi. He headed the institution as President for many decades. One also recalls his coming home for the Dastar Bandi of my son's at Amritsar, loyal to his friendship with my father from Peshawar to date,” shared Gunbir Singh, president, Dilbir Foundation.

His father late Dilbir Singh was a close friend and a batchmate of Dr Manmohan Singh and together had worked on restoring Bhai Vir Singh Sahit Sadan, established in memory of late Sikh scholar Bhai Vir Singh.As a young Sikh boy, who had witnessed the brutality of Partition of India in 1947, Dr Manmohan Singh always had a special place for Amritsar in his heart. During his 2018 visit to city, he took out time to meet his old friends, interact with city’s intellectual and business pool and keenly set in motion various projects for the infrastructural development of the city.