A willing hand and a ready smile: The Bawa family

I want to share the story of the Bawa family, not only to memorialize them, but also to provide an instance of the tremendous contributions of Sikh families to India’s military heritage. Members of the Bawa family have represented the Indian Army, the Indian Air Force, and the Indian Navy at its highest levels.

Dr. Harsaran Singh Bawa was born in 1893 in Lahore, the son of an English teacher at Chief’s College (now known as Atchison College). Dr.Bawa graduated from King Edward Medical College in Lahore, and quickly rose to the rank of Civil Surgeon. Dr. Bawa and his wife Sushila Devi had eight children; five sons and three daughters. Family lore is filled with tales of broken bones and scraped arms that Dr. Bawa mended at work. The family, based in Montgomery, Pakistan, left Lahore on August 14, 1947 on one of the last unassailed trains. After partition, they spent time in Dharamsala, Gurdaspur and Delhi. In 1965, Dr. Bawa relocated to Jalandhar, where he helped his son establish the first private hospital, Bawa Hospital. While Dr. Harsaran Bawa retired in 1948, he imbibed in his children the spirit of service.

The oldest child, Lt. Col. S.S. Bawa, served in the Ordinance Corps of the Indian Army. He lived with his wife, Bimla Bawa in Safdarjung Enclave. They are survived by their daughter, Amita Lamba who lives in Delhi, their son, Dr. XX Bawa, a retired GP based in Scotland, and their four grandchildren.

Mrs. Jagdish Bedi, the second born and eldest daughter was admired for her terrific memory and tremendous intellectual acumen. Mrs. Bedi is survived by her son, Admiral JS Bedi, her daughter, Mrs. Hassanwalia, and six grandchildren.

The third child, Dr. Harkishan Singh Bawa, not only shared his father’s initials, but also his passion for healing, building the Bawa Hospital, a Jalandher landmark. He is survived by his wife and three children.

Next in line was Mrs. Kuldeep Uppal, whose warmth, kindness and practicality are missed by the family to this day. She is survived by her daughter Pavindra Dewan and her four grandchildren. The fifth child was Mr. JS Bawa, who worked with Indian Oil and is survived by his two sons and four grandchildren.

The life of the family and a national hero, Air Marshall MS Bawa (known fondly as Minhi Bawa) was next in line. Air Marshall Bawa’s heroic actions were instrumental in helping India prevail in the 1971 battle with Pakistan. His actions are memorialized in many books, as well as the Bollywood film, Border. His fearlessness was matched by the generosity of his spirit, his zest for life and his love for shayari. Air Marshall Bawa and Mrs. Vimma Bawa were an institution in the Indian Air Force. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Vimma Bawa, two children, Pavlina Bains and Karan Bawa, and two grandchildren. If you’d like to learn more about Air Marshall Bawa, please see this link.

Lt. Gen Harwant Singh was the youngest son of the Bawa family. He served in the Armored Corps and raised 62 Cavalry as the Colonel of the Regiment. After serving in Assam, Kota, Ambala and Nagrota, to name a few, Lt. Gen. Harwant Singh retired as Vice Chief of the Indian Army. He is based in Chandigarh, where he lives with his wife, renowned artist, Amrita Singh. After hanging up his riding boots, Lt. Gen Harwant Singh picked up the pen and is now a prolific author, writing for the Indian Express and the Tribune, as well as releasing an anthology of essays, In and Out of Uniform. Rain or shine, his mornings are spent at the Chandigarh Golf Club, where you’ll see him still walking the course and scoring birdies. He enjoys spending time in Kasauli and New York, with his son and grandchildren.

The youngest and the most special of course is Mrs. Narinder Singh, who splits time between Panchkula and Mumbai. She is the glue that binds the family, ever-ready to jump in to action with a willing hand and a ready smile.