REMEMBERING MY GRANDFATHER SARDAR BHAVKHANDAN SINGH JI ON HIS 15th DEATH ANNIVERSARY (Jan 19, 1930 - July 17, 1996)….

by HARGUNPREET SINGH
Today is the 15th Death Anniversary of my grandfather S. Bhavkhandan Singh ji. Though I spent only 8 early years of my life with him but the impact of his great personality will remain on me for my entire life. I learnt from him the earlier basic and important things of my life like walking, talking, reading, writing and dressing style. Now, I will try my best to put light on some of the great features of his personality according to my capability and guidance provided by my father:
• S. Bhavkhandan Singh ji completed his Matriculation from B.N. Khalsa High school, Patiala, and after that he passed out his Giani examination under the able guidance of Giani Buddh Singh ji of Qaumi College Patiala.
• He was firstly appointed as a Language teacher in Govt. High school Sanaur. He did his service mostly in schools of Sanaur, Samana and Bhunnerheri villages of Patiala District.
• In service of approximately 40 years, he was never late and always reached the school half an hour before the prescribed time.
• He was also so much devoted to his work spots that he very rarely availed the casual leaves, not to talk of enjoying other holidays. He had complete mastery over his subject, he focussed more on beautifying the handwriting of his students. To improve the handwriting of his students, he did not even hesitate to make them use the wooden slates (takhtis) even in higher classes. He had so much faith in his hardwork and his students’ talent that once during the time of yearly inspection of his school, he very confidently said to the District Education Officer, “You can put any question to my students from the entire syllabus.” When the officer gave the test, he was surprised to see the amazing preparation of his students.
• While teaching poetry, he sometimes used to sing hymns from Gurbani, shaloks of Baba Farid ji and many other poems so melodiously that it had a bewitching and everlasting impact on the students minds.
• Though he was a Punjabi teacher but he also had a great ability and efficiency to teach History and Geography. He used to draw maps on the blackboard without looking into the book and taught the students to fill the maps with great ease and perfection.
• Whenever there was a shortage of teachers of Social Studies subject in his school, he was given the responsibility of teaching this subject and his students always showed 100% results.
• Some of his colleagues were so impressed by his unique teaching style and skill that in their vacant periods, they used to sit in his class with other students to learn some tips to become a better teacher.
• He was always loved and respected by his fellow teachers and heads because he never said no to any work and did all his duties with great enthusiasm and joyfulness. Sometimes when P.T. teachers were on leave, he even did their job efficiently and conducted the morning assembly very successfully. Whether he was made an incharge of school examinations or an incharge of Admission with-drawal register, or a class incharge, he did his work with full devotion and dedication. Once, when in Sanaur, he was made the library incharge, he maintained the library so beautifully and aesthetically that it was praised not only by the staff of his institution but also by the teachers and Heads of neighbouring institutions as well.
• When several other teachers don’t care to maintain their Teachers Diary properly and think it a useless activity to maintain it, he truly understood its importance and kept on writing his daily diary with great interest during his entire service. His diary was so beautifully maintained that once his Principal S. Harnam Singh was so much impressed and overjoyed that he could not stop himself from writing ‘very good’ on his diary in the way the teachers use to write on students notebooks.
• While working under the headship of S. Basheshar Singh at Govt. High school Samana, he along with his colleagues S. Sukhbir Singh and S. Harbhajan Singh, took free extra classes of his students. Hardwork done by the students and devoted team work of sincere teachers resulted in a miracle and the poor village students studying under the shade of trees and in sheds excelled even the students of big city schools of Punjab by gaining higher ranks in the Merit list.
• He not only decorated and beautified his school with his beautiful writing by drawing charts, but also during the State and District level Sports competitions and Science exhibitions, he alone did the work of 10 persons in filling the merit certificates. Many of the high officials like Dr. S. S. Krishanpuri, Dr. Gurdev Singh Joshi and Sri Dharampal Sharma always admired and praised him for his dedication towards his profession.
• He considered his students as his own children and sometimes, when it required he didn’t hesitate to scold and rebuke them. But this was only done for the sake of their improvement and to make them realize their mistake. Students also considered him as their father and they never minded the punishment for their betterment.
• His kingly and majestic personality exercised its influence on his students and on the academicians and intellectuals with an artistic sense like Prof. Kulwant Singh Grewal, Prof. Kirpal Kazak and Prof. Narinder Singh Kapoor who always admired his Patiala-Shahi dress up, his long height and his royal living style.
• Famous Bollywood actor Sri Om Puri; Dr. Satish Kumar Verma, Director Youth Welfare and Professor Punjabi, Punjabi University; S. Lal Singh, former Rural Development Minister Punjab and Dr. Amarjit Singh Waraich, Station Director, AIR (All India Radio) are some of his internationally known students.
• He was very friendly, compassionate, honest and humble in nature. Though his friend circle was huge but some of his best friends were Prof. Joginder Kaushal, Ret. Director Correspondence, Punjabi University, Tehsildar S. Harbhajan Singh Grewal, Prof. Baldev Kaushal, Dr. Gurcharan Singh and Sri Raj Kumar of Nath Watch Company etc. The bond of their friendship was so strong, pure and selfless that it lasted till the end of his life and some people were seen taking oaths in the name of their friendship.