Sikh Migration Story

A TYPICAL SIKH FAMILY STORY – MOVEMENT ABROAD

SARDAR LACHHMAN SINGH

A TYPICAL SIKH FAMILY STORY - MOVEMENT ABROAD

Sardar Lachhman Singh (1900-1984) from Sialkot/Sargodha Districts of West Punjab

was a typical Jat Sikh background who moved from Narowal to Sargodha in the newly

set up canal colonies by the British. This was also Migration. Being the only son, the

land inheritance was sufficient to dig roots. This got fortified through a degree in

Agriculture and a Government job. His sisters got married to Jat Sikhs one with inherited

farm land and the other to a graduate with a Government job. Lachhman’s wife was from

a well-to-do farming family. There was no incentive to migrate abroad because of

sufficient farm holdings and because of continuing up ward movement socially through

Government jobs. The first exposure of Lachhman outside Punjab was the appointment

for 3 years in Bharatpur state of Maharaja Era. Partition of Punjab in 1947 was an up

setting event and the various members of the family had to readjust like several others.

There was still no urge or incentive to migrate abroad. However exposure of family

members settled in Doaba region was to have an impact but much later. The children by

and large did better in financial or employment terms, as will be evident from details to

follow, resulting in upwards social status. No migration overseas took place. The next

generation moved outwards. Why? Read on and draw your own conclusions. My views

appear at the end.

The first foray was by Lachhman Singh’s second son, Swarn, to USA for higher studies

in 1958. It was an aberration in a way. The commitment was to get a higher degree, get

some valuable job experience and return to follow the traditional route of settling down in

India hoping for better prospects through overseas qualifications. A full scholarship

helped as otherwise it was a “No Go” deal. On return in 1961, there were short term

irritating hiccups in settling down, and getting a satisfying job. Being selected by a British

multinational, Imperial Chemical Industries, the largest foreign enterprise in India at that

time, settled the issue of India v/s USA. These Corporates called Companies provided a

western working environ, with good salaries and more importantly excellent perquisites

and life style with memberships of elite Clubs, social or golf. You were in India but part of

an elite set up with western oriented job and social environ. Expatriate staff was still

present in significant numbers. Calcutta was a city with excellent clubs, restaurants and

cocktail party culture. This is several decades before this culture became popular with all

and sundry (at that time we felt like that). Even money could not buy this life style except

for in Bombay to some extent which had plenty of wealth in Indian hands. It was a heady

feeling comparable in exclusivity to Army in some ways but more up market in affluence.

Childrens’ admission to the best schools was not an issue for a “Box wallah”. IAS was

respected for their power but even they were looking for son-in-laws from the

multinationals. IIM’s had not yet been set up in India. Despite the initial problems

because of American background as against the more prevalent British education, one

settled down to an exciting and privileged life. I was perhaps the first recruit, certainly so

in the commercial stream, with American degree – something to be pitied because of

misplaced American culture when looked through the British eyes. In 1980’s I had a

serious look at leaving India but it was not seriously followed up.

The impact of association with ICI on children was that to them a white person was just

like any one else. I am mentioning this because even some of the IIM, Ahmedabad,

trainees with us were very much overawed, to put it mildly, even up to the 1980’s with

white expats. So for our daughter Mini to seek to go to USA, Bryn Mawr, Pa., in 1987 for

under graduate studies was a natural progression. Mini is now an American citizen.

I have jumped the gun a bit on time horizon. I got married to Livleen in 1967 whose

mother was born and brought up in Burma. So there was a foreign connection of sorts.

Livleen’s “Maasi” got married to a Pharmacist who settled in Canada after trying to find a

satisfying livelihood in Bombay.

Back to 1982 when a closer connection with overseas through younger generation

developed via Lachhman Singh’s older son Harbhajan’s ( retired as Lt.General, Chief of

Signals, Indian Army) daughter Tina got married to an American, Harry Brar. Harry’s

grand father had migrated (illegally to start with) in the 1930’s to California via Mexico.

That is a story in itself to be expanded separately. The General was not looking for a

match for his daughter in USA i.e. it was not a migration deal but it just so happened.

This set in motion a green card for the General and his wife and student sponsorship of

their younger son Andy. The later then got married to a recent Sikh Immigrant’s daughter

and so the clan is now well established as US citizens. To complete the General’s story,

his older son who is working in Merchant ships is a possible migrant to USA.

Lachhman Singh’s oldest daughter Surinder has now interest overseas through her

daughter Harpreet’s marriage in 1989 to an IITian in Houston, thereby starting another

immigrant chain. The only exception is Lachhman’s younger daughter Kuldeep Hundal,

whose two children have not migrated overseas. Probably there was no strong

motivation to do so. Same is the story of Lachhman Singh’s youngest son, Manmohan,

who had considerable overseas exposure through Merchant Navy but preferred to stay

in India. Their elder son is settled in India but plays golf mostly abroad and the younger

one is working in the Gulf countries.

Their have been major changes amongst Lachhman Singh’s nephews and nieces (our

first cousins) many of whom are now abroad. The story starts with Sidhu clan where

youngest daughter Gurmeet’s husband, Dr.Dhillon, emigrated in steps from PAU,

Ludhiana to USA. She sponsored two of her brothers to USA for better prospects. Her

other brother’s widow is in Canada. Only one sister and a brother remain in India.

Lachhman Singh’s other sister married to a Chatha have a daughter in Canada while the

two sons remain in India having inherited valuable agricultural land which has now been

urbanized.

From Lachhman Singh’s wife Dhanwant Kaur’s side all three of the brothers are abroad

but a sister remains in India.

There is the case of reverse migration. Mila, a Bulgarian, has migrated to India where

she is living in Bombay with Gurtaj, son of Swarn and Livleen and grand son of Sardar

Lachhman Singh. This is a migration for love or marriage or more likely both.