Bains’ grandfather gave land for school, say villagers

Sanjiv Kumar Bakshi

Hoshiarpur, November 15

Navdeep Bains, who has made the country proud by becoming a Minister for Innovation, Science and Economic Development in Canada, comes from a progressive and philanthropic family.

His grandfather Jaswant Singh was a renowned farmer, who contributed to the welfare of the society. Such was his goodwill that even though the family moved from their native village Tajewal in the semi-hilly terrain of Hoshiarpur district seven decades ago, he is fondly remembered in the village. Jaswant Singh moved to Sriganganagar in Rajasthan, when it was just set up.

Gathered under a straw hut in the village, elders Boota Singh, Gurinder Singh Sangha, Bhag Singh, veteran soldier Major Bakhtawar Singh and others recalled when Jaswant had returned from Sriganganagar to sell his land in the village.

Village sarpanch Mahavir Singh heaped praise on Jaswant, saying he sold 2.5 acres to his father at a nominal price for the setting up of Sant Baba Ram Singh Public High School.

The school is run by Dera Bunga Sahib. Mahavir complained that had there been more people like Jaswant in the state government, they wouldn’t have had such poor infrastructure there.

Darshan Sodhi, who lives next to Navdeep’s house in Canada, recounted an incident, when Navdeep’s father Balwinder Singh donated Rs 1.65 lakh (around 5,400 Canadian dollars) for a girls’ college in the area.

“Some leaders of the area met Balwinder Singh, seeking funds to build a college. Balwinder first gave them $500, but when someone told him that the cost of raising a room was approximately $5,400, he gave them the amount,” he added.