Capt Amarinder Singh
Chief Minister
Government of Punjab, Chandigarh (INDIA)
Ancestry & Birthplace:
Patiala, Punjab (India))
Residence:
Chandigarh (INDIA)
Soldier Statesman with Royal Background
Introduction: As a captain in the Indian Army, he has seen action during the 1965 Indo-Pak war; and in politics since 1970, he’s been seeing a different kind of action. Son of the last Maharaja of the princely state of Patiala, he is the leader Punjab loves.
My first brush with politics took place at the age of 25 in 1967 when my mother, Mohinder Kaur, was contesting the Patiala Lok Sabha seat on a Congress ticket, while my father, Sir Yadvinder Singh, was contesting as an independent candidate for the Dakala Assembly Seat. Little did I know then that I would swear in as the Chief Minister of Punjab someday in future, not just once but twice.
If you want a good life, have a good childhood
My father, Maharaja Yadvinder Singh, was the last Maharaja of Patiala. My mother, Maharani Mohinder Kaur, was the member of Parliament from 1967 to 1971. I was born on 11 March 1942, youngest in the family after two sisters, Heminder and Rupinder.
As a prince, I led a charming life. The people of Punjab believed I was a reincarnation of my grandfather, Maharaja Bhupinder Singh (Bapji). During the early years of my childhood, I studied at Welham Boys’ School, Dehradun, and the Lawrence School, Sanawar, before graduating from The Doon School, Dehradun. The three schools had added to my sound upbringing.
Following in the footsteps of my ancestors, I joined the National Defence Academy (NDA) and the Indian Military Academy (IMA) for my graduation before finally joining the Indian Army in June 1963 as a Captain. I resigned from the Army in August 1965 only to rejoin a few months later, when hostilities broke out during the 1965 Indo-Pakistan War.
In 1968, I once again left the Army, but it did not leave me. The essential elements of army life – the training, the rigorous discipline, a distinct code of honour and integrity, to obey commands without questions and face danger of death unflinchingly – had become too deeply ingrained, leaving an indelible imprint on my personality and character; it certainly made me a far, far better man and individual in the process.
Work is work, but family is for life
In between all these things, a momentous event took place in my life – my marriage to a charming and elegant lady, Preneet ‘Neeti’ Kaur. She is a daughter of Gian Singh Kahlon, previously an officer in the Indian Civil Service (ICS), and Satinder Kaur. Her father, later, also served as Chief Secretary of the state from 1962 to 1967.
Preneet had done her schooling from the prestigious Convent of Jesus and Mary, Shimla, followed by graduation from St Bede’s College, Shimla. Her parents thought I was the perfect match for their daughter because before my marriage during those days, I was looked upon as one of the most eligible bachelors in India. As a crown prince, army officer, single with a swashbuckling personality, I certainly had the scales tipped in my favour all the way.
We were married on 31 October 1964 and are blessed with a daughter, Jai Inder, and a son Raninder. Jai is married to a Delhi-based businessman, Gurpal Singh. I was that keen Raninder joined the army in keeping up with the traditions of the family. However, this did not happen. Nevertheless, I’m pleased he became an international trap shooter and subsequently president of the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI). Married to Rishma Kaur, he is blessed with a son and two daughters. As a devoted father, I made sure I was always there for my children.
A lost friend introduced me to politics
During an interim period after leaving the Army and before entering the teeming world of Indian politics, I decided to try my hand at business. To start with I took up four agri-based projects: cheese processing, sale of potted plants, food processing and mushroom farming. But none of these initiatives could take root and bloom. Ultimately they all had to be abandoned.
The string of failures and disappointment all these businesses brought in their wake, convinced me that I was just not cut out to be an entrepreneur and started a new journey.
I was inducted into the Congress by Rajiv Gandhi, who was my friend from school and was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 1980. But hardly had I started a political journey that I resigned from Parliament and Congress in 1984 as a protest against Army action during Operation Blue Star. I later joined the Shiromani Akali Dal and was elected to the state legislature from Talwandi Sabo. I became a minister in the state government for Agriculture, Forest, Development and Panchayats.
In 1992, I broke away from the Akali Dal and formed a splinter group named Shiromani Akali Dal (Panthic), which later merged with the Congress in 1998. From 1999 to 2002, I served as the President of Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee and later also served for two more terms. In 2008, I was appointed as Chairman of the Punjab Congress Campaign Committee and in 2013 became the Permanent Invitee to the Congress Working Committee. A year later, general elections were held, and I defeated senior BJP leader, Arun Jaitley, by a margin of more than 1,02,000 votes.
I was appointed as the President of Punjab Congress in the run-up to Punjab elections slated for 2017 and, on 11 March 2017, Congress won the State Assembly Elections under my leadership.
When family is close, you travel miles
I have always appreciated the solid support I have received from my wife, standing by my side through thick and thin. We remain united in politics. We remain at the forefront to serve its people. As Chief Minister, my zeal and efforts for the development of Punjab are always and ever unflagging, unceasing.
But despite the demands and the preoccupation of my life as the Chief Minister and politician, I regard my personal space as sacrosanct and brook no compromise in that area of my life. That’s when I like to switch off my political life completely and retreat into my private world that must remain inviolate. It is here that I’m at my best as myself or with close friends.
I have also written books on war and Sikh history which include A Ridge Too Far, Lest We Forget, The Last Sunset: Rise and Fall of Lahore Durbar and The Sikhs in Britain: 150 Years of Photographs. Among my most recent works are Honour and Fidelity: India’s Military Contribution to the Great War 1914 to 1918 released in Chandigarh and The Monsoon War: Young Officers Reminisce – 1965 India-Pakistan War which contains my memoirs of the 1965 Indo-Pak war.
Philosophy
To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.
I love…
Reading, writing and gardening. These activities nourish my soul like nothing else.
I’d suggest the youth…
To be dedicated and sincere to oneself, dream big and do things with passion.
Success Mantra
Remain simple with simple habits.
The world doesn’t know that…
My father played a Cricket Test match against England in 1934, even before independence. Dad was a right-handed batsman who scored 84 runs and took two catches.
AKA
Punjab CM Amarinder Singh | Founder, Punjab Lok Congress (PLC)
Gallery
ISBN : 9788193397695