JAI JAWAN, JAI KISAAN !!

This was the slogan that was coined by the most honorable Prime Minister of India Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri...

Jawan = Soldiers and Kisaan = Farmers are the two most important pillars for any nation. While soldiers guard the nation from external aggression to protect the nation, the farmers grow food to feed the nation. Any nation would be a dead nation without the two... and Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri gave utmost importance to both the communities.

Ironical and sad to say, since his departure (he was poisoned during his visit to Russia) none of the Prime Ministers has really bothered to take good care of the two communities.

During my recent visit, I had the chance to meet two extraordinary gentlemen, who belonged to the farmers' families... one is perhaps the oldest freedom fighter alive today in India as he recently completed 98 years in Dharour village, district Ludhiana of Punjab. I was fortunate to spend few days at his home, interact with him and get his blessings. Meet Shri Sarwan Singh Grewal, the freedom fighter from Punjab. I wonder how many of us would be as agile as he is at 99 running years and how many of us would have such a sharp memory even at his age... he remembers each and every date from his childhood and recalls each incident and happening with great detail... even though while serving the Burma Military Police during the Second World War, he was hit by a bullet and sustained multiple injury allover his body, he lost an eye with bullet wounds... every morning he reads newspapers without fail and told us that one of his comrade lost the battle to life recently...

 99 years young Shri Sarwan Singh Grewal with son Ranjit Singh...

All my respect and words will not suffice to tell the story of this brave soldier, son of a farmer. Shri Sarwan Singh Grewal was born on the 1st of March 1914. He studied in Sahnewal village school till VIII th grade and in 1932 joined the Burma Military Police and served for 14 years 90 days, when his battalion was captured by the Japanese and they were PoW for two long months in Rangoon in 1943 during the Second World War. He along with many of Indian soldiers were helped by his own nephew Capt. Ajmer Singh to get released from the Japanese jail in Rangoon and later sent to Singapore unit. After a while Shri Sarwan Singh Grewal along with two soldiers and two officers returned back to Burma and was given the duty to administer accomodation and ration for soldiers.

He remembers the emergence of 4 brigades of Subhas Chandra Bose's INA in Singapore in 1943,... he recalls the name of the four brigades (Subhas / Gandhi / Nehru & Rani Jhansi Brigades) with great precision. Later, Bahadur brigade was also formed... he recalls the disastrous day of 1945 when America dropped two Atom Bombs in Japan... Japan gave away their conquest of the world and there was ceasefire... INA too laid their arms in the same year... Indian soldiers fighting under the British Regime gathered at the Central Jail Rangoon in Burma and in 1945 few of them were sent to India. One among the many, Shri Sarwan Singh Grewal was sent to Momiyon City in Andaman & Nicobar island and were asked to maintain secrecy. He smiles to recall that here they were given a good bungalow for accommodation and the food was very good.

 Shri Sarwan Singh Grewal with son Ranjit Singh...

While they were at Momiyon, they were told by officials that their individual records were sent to India and once it arrives, they will be discharged from service. The long battle surely had taken a toll on every individual fighting to protect the nation... he finally wrote a letter home after many-many years that he was very much alive. Finally in 1946, all the soldiers got their salary and were sent to India... it certainly was an overwhelming moment to meet family members after so many years being away from home. His sweet smile reflects how he cherishes that particular moment even today at 99 years young...

He is thankful to the Burmese Government & the State of Punjab because they still provide Pension for his invaluable service to the nation even now... but the Nation’s Government have been callous to stop the Pension when he returned from Canada after a five-year (2002 – 2007) stay with his NRI son... they have pursued the case but the Central Government Pension have stopped since 2002...

At 99, he wakes up early and have his breakfast at 7 am. After the breakfast, he walks for a while at home only with his stick for his company. His agility is worth mentioning because very rarely he takes support of his son... at 10 am, he eats his lunch and during the day time, he keeps drinking fruit juice or tea or cool drinks... after his lunch he spends near about an hour to read newspapers... a die-hard habit indeed. At 7 pm, after his dinner... he walks for a while and then retire to bed. Oh yes, he always has his wrist watch on to note his food timings shouldn’t be delayed by any chance. He remembers everyone who arrives at home and he also tells family members visiting from USA that so many days are left for them to return back.

I am have been blessed by this wonderful soul and when I went for the second time, he said to me with a smile, “So you love Punjab a lot to have returned back again, good.” It was the sweetest moment of all to be loved so much by him...

The other extraordinary gentleman is my friend Satpal Singh’s elder brother Jagtar Singh’s father-in-law Masterji... well, everyone calls him Masterji with great respect because he was a teacher in the village. However, after retirement, he took to farming and his farms is taken personal care by this 86-year-young gentleman... at such an age he gives the young a tough time to match his energy level and high spirits. Every morning, he gets up early and heads to his farm... works there till 9 or 10 am and then comes back for breakfast... after having had his siesta, he is back again at his farm to work. It was indeed great lucky moments to have had the chance to hear various fascinating stories about their lives...

86 years young Masterji at extreme right in a lively debate...

I salute these two and many others who even at this age show how we youngsters should work with passion... from the bottom of my heart!

Jai Jawan, Jai Kisaan!!!