In a discussion with Amish Tripathi, Director of The Nehru Centre, Lord Rami Ranger CBE recently launched the biography of his remarkable father - Shaheed Sardar Nanak Singh at a virtual event. The book is titled ‘Don't Breakup India’.
Lord Ranger described his father as a “visionary”, who could foretell the consequences of religious disharmony and breaking up one's motherland based on religion. His father advocated that we must all consider ourselves to be Indians first and then choose to follow any religion of our choice for our peace of mind. “My father tried desperately to stop the partition of India and ultimately paid with his life. He was killed whilst saving 600 students of DAV School, Multan, who had taken out a peaceful procession against India's division and got caught in communal riots. My father managed to save the students but lost his life at the young age of just 42 for India's Hindu Muslim unity,” Lord Ranger said.
His father also said. “If they divide us today, we will never be united again,” Lord Ranger shared that his father’s favourite words were, “India’s diversity is like the colours of the rainbow”. During the time of partition, when people were collecting valuables, Lord Ranger’s mother collected his father’s paper cuttings and memories. He spoke at length about boarding a train with people hanging from the doors, him sitting on a heap of coal, and how the family reached refugee camps in Punjab.
Lord Ranger also gave due credit to his father for educating his mother.
“Never give up and never give in,” is what Lord Ranger learned from his valiant mother throughout his life and he still practices the same. He insisted that his learnings from his parents of working extra hours and compensating for work rather than judging or pin pointing faults in others is a virtue he’s proud of. As he described the chronicles of his parents, Lord Ranger also acknowledged that the pandemic has brought us closer as a community via technology. He also said, “Indians can come to Britain and become a global player.”
I’m proud of belonging to a country that is always doing good for others,” he added.
