A man in harmony with humanity

Ajit Singh Sat-Bhambra recalls his close friendship with the ghazal singer Jagjit Singh, who embodied an abiding love of India's diverse culture, and whose death has robbed the world of a true humanitarian and a great talent.

Death really does have a sting, despite what the poets might say. For me, it is the death of a dear friend that has stung me so deeply I can barely find the words to express my sorrow.

Born in Rajasthan on February 8 1941, Jagjit Singh was a beautiful man, not because he was a beautiful singer and master of the ghazal but because he had a lovely personality and a sense of humanity that endeared him to everyone he met. An immensely charitable man, he supported many different worthy causes, and his integrity was always beyond question.

I first met him in Kenya in the late 1960s and I was overwhelmed by both the man and his talent. But I did not get to know him properly until 1976, when we met again in the UK. He was kind enough to agree to launch my new Punjabi newspaper, Sandesh International, and later took a keen interest in my film-making and literary activities and in promoting the cause of unity, peace and harmony through the concept of Composite Culture.

Thereafter, I saw him regularly whenever he came to the UK and during my frequent visits to India. We shared many happy hours discussing a wide range of subjects. Other mourners will better describe his musical genius but I want to remember Jagjit as a friend and fellow traveller of Indian origin who had a one-world outlook as well as a deep sense of patriotism. He cared for his friends and their families almost as much as he cared for his own, and the tragedy of his son's accidental death in 1990 scarred not only him but all of us who shared his friendship. He became rather reclusive after that, taking comfort in music and meditation. When he re-emerged professionally and socially a couple of years later, he was the same man but slightly sadder. He sang gurvani (religious hymns) in his own inimitable style and touched the souls of millions.

I had the pleasure of meeting up with Jagjit more often in recent years. On May 31 this year my magazine, Asian Affairs, in association with Punjabi Circle International, organised a tribute to him in a committee room in the House of Commons. MPs, Peers of the Realm and many dignitaries from NGOs and prominent NRIs attended to pay homage to this great Indian artist. Jagjit was delighted by the honour and the reception he received. After thanking the assembly, he said, 'It has taken me fifty years to achieve this honour. I am sincerely grateful and deeply humbled by your kindness.'

Such words were typical of Jagjit. He had a long personal and professional association with India's film capital, Bombay, which has a reputation as a city lacking in compassion, where the people are callous and selfish. But Jagjit was the antithesis of this. He was a compassionate man who cared as much about people as his art.

As part of my mission to promote the ideas of Composite Culture, in 2003 I launched a website called urdutahzeeb.net which Jagjit supported whole-heartedly. He became its first patron. The unity of India was close to his heart and he had an abiding love of our country's diversity. I organised a series of seminars in Britain and India to promote the same cause, and Jagjit used his personal influence to promote the last two of these events in India. He organised an evening function for our seminar in Bombay in February 2010 and made an equally valuable contribution to another seminar last year in Hyderabad. Many thousands of people had the pleasure of seeing and hearing him perform at these events. After the success of the previous two seminars, we had planned another, to be held later this year in Lucknow. However, just a week or so before his sudden illness, Jagjit phoned me to suggest a postponement until early next year because of the impending elections in Uttar Pradesh in December. We agreed to reschedule the new seminar for a date in February 2012.

Sadly, it was never to be. Jagjit was rushed to hospital with a brain haemorrhage in the last week of September. Co-incidentally, I had arrived in Delhi on September 27. I phoned the hospital the next morning to see if I could visit my old friend but the doctor explained that he could not be disturbed by visitors — only his wife was allowed to attend his bedside. The doctor assured me that they expected him to recover sufficiently to see visitors in a few days' time.

Sun Mark’s shining example

An NRI-owned company, Sun Mark Ltd, consecutive three-times winner of the Queen's Award for Enterprise in International Trade, held a glittering party at the Grosvenor Hotel, Park Lane, London on Saturday 15 October 2011 to celebrate this unique achievement and to pay tribute to India and Britain.

Sun Mark Ltd has won the award in 2009, 2010 and 2011, a rare achievement by any standards.

Over 800 guests attended the party, many of them prominent people from the worlds of business and sport, as well as overseas clients, suppliers and staff. The guest list also included over 40 members from both Houses of Parliament and the European Parliament; the acting High Commissioner of India, HE Rajesh Prasad; Lord Hameed; and Mr Gowri Shankar, Deputy Director of the Nehru Centre.

Live dance performances were provided by the world famous Karan of K Spark Entertainment and guests were also entertained by the famous magician, Magic Singh, as well as other artists.

The event was opened by Reena Ahuja, Dr Ranger's daughter, who described her father as not only a successful businessman but also a philanthropist. She gave a video presentation to show the work her father does to enrich community and country.

Mr Harmeet Ahuja, Head of Operations at Sun Mark Ltd, praised Dr Ranger's vision, which has taken Sun Mark from a start-up to a world class company in just 15 years. It now trades with over 100 countries. He thanked the staff, customers and suppliers for making a winning team, then gave a video presentation showing the Lord Lieutenant of Greater London, Sir David Brewer CMG, JP, presenting the third consecutive Queen's Award for Enterprise to Dr Rami Ranger MBE, FRSA, on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen.

The presentation was followed by various guests' speeches, after which Dr Ranger thanked everyone present, saying that no one makes it alone and he owed a great deal to many people who had helped him along the way. He paid tribute to his late mother who single-handedly raised him and his siblings after the tragic assassination of his father during the partition of India as he opposed its breakup on religious grounds. He also thanked his adopted country, Britain, for its sense of tolerance and fairplay, which had allowed an ordinary immigrant like him to realise his ambitions, and gave thanks to the founders of India for giving Indians a secular and democratic constitution which has taught them to use merit instead of race or religion to surge ahead.

Final words of thanks went to Dr Ranger's wife Renu for all her support, and to his loyal staff, customers and suppliers, after which Dr Ranger received a standing ovation from the audience.

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