An Armyman’s son remembers Milkha Singh: ‘I felt like I lost my father once again’

While Havildar Bikram Singh joined the Indian Army in the year 1986, the family was based at Kubaheri village, 13 km from Kurali. The valiant Armyman was part of the 8 Sikh regiment, which launched a final attack on the Tiger Hill on July 3, 1999. Singh laid down his life on the night of July 4 fighting the enemy in the effort of his regiment to capture the hill. While Singh was awarded Vir Chakra posthumously, his wife Paramjeet Kaur was given a post of peon at the government school at the village. Kaur quit the job in six months as she had to take care of her infant, Gaganpreet. The Milkha couple had promised to adopt Gurbinder on the bhog ceremony. The couple made efforts to get Gurbinder admitted to Shivalik Public School, Mohali, where the youngster stayed in a hostel.

“My mother had to quit the job of peon in an effort to take care of my younger brother. The Indian Army support happened as per the then protocol but the family was still recovering from the loss. When Milkhaji and Nirmalji got me admitted in the school, it was like the start of a new life for me. My mother tells me that I used to pick fights with neighbourhood kids and if I would not have got a chance to study in a boarding, I could have spoiled my life,” Gurbinder said.

The 30-year-old, who works as Multi-Tasking Staff at the Sector 17 Post Office in Chandigarh, still remembers when he would meet Milkha Singh and Nirmal Kaur and also visit their home with sweets on the day of his school results. “Whenever I met Milkhaji, he would tell me to study hard and not to do anything, which will spoil my family’s name. He would always ask me to take care of my mother. Nirmalji treated me like her son and would often call me to meet them at their Sector 8 home. Sometimes, I visited them with sweets on the day of my school results. I had not met them in the last five-six years but whatever I am today is due to their support,” Gurbinder said.