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Journalism of Courage
Jaswinder Singh Bhalla death: Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) in Ludhiana Friday remembered its illustrious alumnus Jaswinder Singh Bhalla, the iconic Punjabi comedian who passed away, as a man who lived a life “of laughter, learning and has left behind a gilded legacy.”
Bhalla lived in Mohali, where he passed away at a private hospital following an illness. He was 65.
“The passing away of Dr Bhalla is an irreparable loss not only to PAU and the Punjabi film industry but also to the global Punjabi community. He was a teacher, a mentor, a performer, and above all, a noble soul who touched countless lives with knowledge, laughter, and compassion,” said Dr SS Gosal, vice-chancellor, PAU.
Born in Ludhiana district on May 4, 1960, Bhalla began his academic journey at PAU, where he completed his BSc (Hons) and MSc in Extension Education, followed by a PhD in Agricultural Extension from a university in Meerut. Joining PAU in 1989 as an assistant professor, he became a professor and head of the Department of Extension Education on November 18, 2015. He retired in May 2020 after more than three decades of service.
Even after his retirement, Bhalla continued to be closely associated with PAU, served as its brand ambassador, and helped the varsity in connecting with farmers. Bhalla was also a qualified agricultural expert who used his skills to connect with farmers and spread awareness on several issues in rural Punjab.
Bhalla introduced creative communication methods to reach farmers and rural youth via PAU. He produced audio cassettes and visual campaigns that combined humour with practical agricultural knowledge on topics like mushroom cultivation, beekeeping, rabbit farming, and crop practices.
Known for his anti-establishment satirical comedies, Bhalla’s series Chhankata, which started in 1988, garnered widespread popularity and ran successfully for decades, making his character Chacha Chatar Singh a household name in Punjab.
Remembering Bhalla for his bold satire on the previous Punjab governments, Dr K S Aulakh, former vice-chancellor, PAU, wrote on his Facebook that he had known the comedian for the past 50 years. Talking about Chhankata, he said those who have watched it “can never forget the memorable roles of Jaswinder Bhalla, Bal Mukand Sharma and Neelu in that series.”
“The characters played by these three artists in Chhankata were very constructive and full of social messages. They used to speak so much truth that sometimes the government of that time could not bear to hear it. I remember, it was probably 2004, I was the VC of PAU and I got a call from then Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh’s Principal Secretary asking me to suspend Bhalla immediately. He said that Bhalla mimicked the CM so he should be suspended,” Aulakh recalled.
“But I refused and said I can’t do it. He said the government has already suspended Sharma (then an officer in MARKFED). There was an upheaval over his suspension and media reported that this was against free speech. The government not only had to withdraw that order but Chief Minister Amarinder Singh showed his big heart and even invited these artists for dinner at his house and expressed regret. This was his character that he was never afraid to speak the truth.”
Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann, also a former satirist and comedian, extended his condolences on Bhalla’s demise. “Chhankateyan di chankaar band hon tey mann udaas hai … Chacha Chatar hamesha saade dilan ch vasde rehange (My heart is saddened today as the creator of Chhankata has gone silent. Chacha Chatar will always live in our hearts),” he posed on Facebook.
Bhalla is survived by his wife, Paramdeep Kaur, a fine arts teacher; son, Pukhraj, who is a budding actor; and daughter, Ashpreet, who lives in Norway.
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