Kalyan Singh Sandhu

He will be dearly missed by daughters Rattanjot and Inderjit; sons Deshpal and Sudhir; sons-in-law Pawan, Naunihal and Jagir; daughters-in-law Suenita and Pawan; grandchildren Purva (Vikas), Puneet (Dev), Rohit (Deepa), Himmat (Priyanka), Anant (Nitika), Mona (Kunal), Anup (Bhawana), Sehej, Amber (Paree), Shea, Anjali, Aaron, Hardil Aziz, Antara, Aman and Anaka; and great-grandchildren Shiva, Nirvaan, Shivan, Veer, Jai, Kashi, Noor, Shayar, Jiya, Aria, Ava and Ira.

He was the middlemost of seven children of Wassan Singh and Har Kaur Sandhu and was born in 1918 in Sargodha, India (now in Pakistan). Kalyan was a global minded citizen well before the term held any meaning. He was educated in the custom of the day in multiple languages, traditions and philosophical/religious viewpoints.

Following a short tenure in law enforcement, he joined the British Indian Army in 1938. In 1939, he married Harbans Kaur Kang and shortly after marriage, he was deployed to join battle in World War II. He served with the 4th Indian Infantry Division of the Western Desert Force and the British 8th Army across Africa, the Middle East and Italy where he became fluent in Italian, bringing his linguistic proficiency to seven languages.

Upon return to India in 1946, he continued his military career with the Indian Army. By his retirement in 1972, he had risen to the rank of Lt. Colonel and was a veteran of five wars. Following retirement, Kalyan and Harbans shifted their focus to optimizing future opportunities for their two youngest children. That led to a move to Winnipeg, Canada in 1980 to start a new life with the support of their son-in-law Pawan and daughter Rupinder.

After a full military career in India, he joined the Corps of Commissionaires in Canada for a lengthy second career. He lived to 98 but managed to fill those years with several lifetimes worth of accomplishments. He was fiercely independent and dared to see the world as was not commonplace in his era. But his sense of independence was not at odds with seeing the inter-connection of the planet and its inhabitants, human or otherwise. All those around him learned that the planet was precious and one’s body was a temple, both to be respected and cared for.

His sense of duty and loyalty to family and friends was intense and guided him throughout his life. His word was truly his bond and wavering on his commitments was never an option. He chose always to see the virtue in all people and display enmity towards none.

These virtues of kindness, empathy, determination, justice and fairness were emphasized as essential pursuits for his seven children including two adopted children (Inderjit and Harjit), and through them for sixteen grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren. Through them, his legacy will endure.

As he concludes the journey in this plain and becomes one with the endless universal energy, among those waiting for a reunion includes his “Paro” Harbans, his wife of 76 years, beloved daughters Rupinder and Paramjot and adopted son Flight Lieutenant Harjit Singh. He missed them dearly and will be overjoyed to be with them again.

Funeral service will be held on Saturday February 4, 2017 at 2:00 pm at Thomson "In the Park" Funeral Home, 1291 McGillivray Boulevard.

Sri Akhand Path Prarambh (prayer commencement) will be held on Thursday, February 2 at 5:00 pm at the Winnipeg South Sikh Centre, 500 Dovercourt Drive.

Bhog and langar (final prayers and meal service) will take place at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 4 at the Winnipeg South Sikh Centre, 500 Dovercourt Drive.

The family would like to extend its gratitude to the many wonderful homecare staff who looked after him for many years. We are deeply appreciative of the care provided by the staff of Victoria General Hospital who nursed him back to health on a number of occasions and looked after him during his final days. Our thanks also to the caring staff of Poseidon Care Home where he spent a short few weeks before his passing.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to CancerCare Manitoba (www.cancercarefdn.mb.ca) directed to the Mrs. Rupinder Singal Memorial Fund (set up in memory of Kalyan Singh’s eldest daughter who lost her battle with Ovarian Cancer in 2015).