Chacha Pritam - Man of the People

Maj.Gen. Pritam Singh Chowdhry was an icon of our family. He was adored by all, and was something to everybody. He remains a role model and people still talk about him with great affection and respect. He was first Kings Commissioned officer. My father, Sardar Nand Singh Engineer described him as an epitome of kindness, generosity and helpfulness.

He was known to go out of his way to help anybody in the Biradari. He seemed to have inherited these values from his uncles Ch. Dayal Singh, Dr. Makhan Singh and Dr. Mukha Singh with whom he grew up as a child; as his father Chacha Kahn Singh away most of the time.

When he returned from England after becoming Commissioned officer he received a heros welcome at Rawalpindi Railway station. He married his second cousin Tripat Kaur, daughter of Dr. Atma Singh Bakshi and Tej Kaur.

He served in the second world war in Basra(Iraq) and Burma.

The partition of India saw him promoted to Lt. Colonel and he was involved in the orderly migration of Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs on both sides of the border. During this time he was posted in Jalaandhar and anybody who came from the Bradari to see him was helped. His house was used as a camp to over 100 refugees at a time and he made sure langar was served 24 hours a day. He helped everybody who came to him. He could feel their suffering and pain and was ever ready to give them his love and affection.

Today we have many high-ranking officers in the armed forces and I believe he must have been their inspiration. Our Vansh will always be indebted to this extra ordinary man, my Chacha Pritam Singh.