Harminder Raj Singh
He was one of the batch of '74. One hell of a nice guy. Intelligent, affable, charming, considerate, helpful, and what have you. His was one of those big turbans nodding wisely in the front row when the teacher delivered his lecture. He seemed to know what was being talked about, what was in the books, and also what lay beyond the books. He would come on a Vespa scooter to campus and was always willing to give a ride to classmates when need be. Sometimes he came driving a blue (?) Fiat car, into which several of his classmates would pile and go on a jaunt.
Short but energetic, with eyes that twinkled good-humoredly behind a pair of glasses, with a bounce in his step and a swing in his gait, he would often breeze on to the scene with a "yeh kya guftagoo hai?" and begin an animated discussion on the topic of the day.
Our Dept had a Literary Society that was called The Three Hundred -- named after the three hundred members enrolled every year. If I recall correctly he became the President for I have vague memories of him on stage, holding the mike, conducting the annual function. Then there was that Quiz he conducted. And the canvassing he did for the Student Council Elections. Never a frown on his face, never a note of exasperation in all his various activities.
He was a day-scholar while most of the others in our circle were in the hostels. When the two years of MA ended he was one of the few who still lingered around the campus, poring over books in the library, preparing for the Civil Service Exams.
Once the exams were over he, along with a couple of other former classmates, looked for some relaxation and that was when we all started playing Tennis at the YMCA together. Sawani, HR (that's what we called him), Ranjit Sohal, and I were among the regulars. HR would sometimes drive over, pick me up for Tennis, and drop me back home.
A few months of tennis was all we got before we all got scattered again, going our different ways. Ranjit Sohal left for the US. Sawani and HR, along with other boys of our class -- Pinker and Rana -- cleared the Civils and went for their training.
I was already teaching in a local college and happily settled for marriage.
A few months later, on the way to my college, I bumped into HR on road and he informed me he was getting married to "a sector 11 girl called Ashima". I was happy for him and wished him luck.
That was 1977 or even 78!
After almost 3 decades met him again in early 2008 at a wedding. He was with his family -- a lovely wife and a grown up, soon-to-be-married daughter. We chatted about old times as though we had parted just yesterday.
In a warm, uncomplicated friendship there are no gaps. It was like yesterday once more. True, he looked stockier than before, but the joie de vivre was still there. We renewed contact.
Since then, over the last year and a half, there was a re-connection once more. Ashima being more computer savvy, would respond on HR's behalf. I kept a tab on them and their movements -- kids, travels, relatives, moments of happiness, etc.
And then, yesterday, this news:
A senior bureaucrat in Uttar Pradesh, principal secretary (Housing) committed suicide in his residence late night Saturday.
Harminder Raj Singh, principal secretary (housing) in the state government, shot himself in the head with his personal weapon at his residence on Vikramaditya Marg here, an official said.
Harminder Raj Singh was a 1978 batch officer of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS).
According to informed sources, Singh was under a lot of pressure on account of political interference in his work.
How could he do it? Why did he do it? Did he do it at all?HR was too positive a guy to take such a step. He was a GOOD fellow. Is that why he became the fall guy? As a former classmate who has known him in the formative phase of his life, I know that he was a straight, balanced, sensible who would never do anything rash. He was sincere, honest, and committed to the core. Did that make him a misfit in the world? Human kind cannot bear too much of goodness. In a corrupt world did he take a stand for which he had to pay with his life? Was he serving masters who were implacable, insensitive, unappeasable and inexorable?
So many unasked questions. Unasked and unanswerable.
Why did you do it HR?
You could have tossed it all to the winds and simply come home.
You could have cocked a snook at them all and shrugged it all off!
..."could we, with fate conspire / to grasp into our hands this sorry scheme of things entire, / would we not shatter it into bits and then / remould it nearer to the hearts desire?"
Do I misquote? It doesn't matter.
It is too late now.
Rest in peace, HR, wherever you are!
4 comments:
Dear Manju
You have echoed the sentiments of all of HR.s classmates He indeed was a most humble ,dedicated to studies /Job and helping kind of person whose loss in such tragic situation puts question mark on the very indian political system and the persons who are part of it and we who are silently watching and bearing gross injustice , corruption and highheadednes of our leaders
In H.M. we have lost a pearl out of the Socity of Three Hundred
May His soul rest in peace and May all his near and dear ones come out of the shock and have strenghth to bear the loss
Diwakar Sahoonja
Former Class Representative of Section A Department of English 1972
Invariably losing my thoughts over loose leafs, a few days back I started my own diary, in which today's read is : "Living is easier but boring. Committing suicide requires bravado and is enigmatic and interesting..." but whose right is it to bring us forth or take us away? whose design? We decide what we want and what we want not? .
And your blog informs me of a life made to slip away!! You put me into a dilemma again... I'll 've to scribble with my little intellect to tide over what might have chanced with "HR"??
Brahm Raj Singh
Dear Manju,
It came as a shock to get your SMS and to read it all in the papers. I cannot believe he did it. He had pride in himself and would not do this. I last met him long ago when he was the DM in Jhansi. He and Ashima. He looked confident and relaxed then. But it was aeons ago. I cant feel complacent about what has happened. I feel angry. I want him to come back and fight whatever it was that was trying to get at him. It is seeming too final and too unreal and too unfair. I curse those who do this to people like HR. He was too intelligent to take such a step. He topped the class damn it, most of the time, and was a cool guy. Calm. Was he too stoic? Did we not know him perhaps? I feel really very upset thinking about what has happened to such a fine person.
God give strength to Ashima and the kids. All of you of the class of 74 reading this - please take care of yourselves.
Jyotsna (Pandit) Brar
Dear manju,
we have never met but I can easily understand whatever you wrote about Harry. No one can forget him in a hurry. Harry as we knew was a simple person with no beaurocratic ego as many of us may be infected with. He was as natural as anyone could be. He has special place in our hearts and memory. Asheema is a very dear friend whom I have not been able to face till date.But may god give strenth to family and peace to 'Harry'
Sharmila Singh
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