Malaysian tin mining legend passes away
Wed, September 17 2008
In the resource rich hamlet of Tanjung Tualang, some three hours north of the capital city of Kuala Lumpur, Sewa Singh raised six children with his wife, Tharmo Kaur.
He was a dredge master in a British-run tin mine - the youngest dredge master in Malaysia and the first Sikh to hold that position.
His father, Sardar Balwant Singh - aka Panjang (he was a seven footer) - is also featured in the annals of Malaysia’s tin mining industry for his engineering reforms on the 4,500 tonne mechanical behemoths that were once the economic lifeline of Malaysia.
Duty, honour, and family were the guiding principles of Sewa Singh’s life.
His children were his passion.
Education for them and others less fortunate was his ambition.
Hailing from a long tradition of Sikh warriors, Sewa Singh was born on Oct. 20, 1940 in the Punjab village of Nurpur Lobana, which was founded about 350 years earlier by his ancestors.
He was the last in his lineage to be born there.
At the age of nine, Sewa Singh came to Malaysia with his mother, Sardani Raj Kaur, to join his father and the rest of the clan.
His father Balwant Singh, who owned three mills in Singapore, was already a vital cog in the British mining operations in Malaysia, having established a reputation as a no-nonsense mediator with the locals.
There Sewa Singh grew up with his family, including his uncle and his four sons and three daughters, as well as his own three sisters.
Sewa Singh’s first love was movies.
He wanted to be on the silver screen.
But his dad had other plans for the young man.
Refusing to capitalize on his reputation and office, Balwant Singh instilled a humble work ethic in his son: There was no getting a good job just because everyone knew Panjang.
Sewa carried that work ethic with him until the day he died.
After being a sweeper, spare parts repairman and oil changer on the dredges, Sewa Singh studied hard and became Malaysia’s first Sikh and youngest dredge master at the age of 42.
It was a proud day for the household. And a milestone that was not eclipsed for 15 years.
Before retiring, Sewa Singh went on to be a mine manager, another first for Sikhs in Malaysia.
Religion and charity were central pillars in the Sewa Singh household.
Sewa Singh helped found the Sikh Naujawan Sabha of Malaysia, which to this day promotes religious and sport activities within the Sikh community while ensuring that the Gurdwara at Changkat Tin, which his father built, is always maintained as a peaceful place of worship.
Sewa Singh dedicated much of his life to helping others by establishing charitable organizations, religious groups and helping individual families in need.
He also financed more then 100 young men and women for engineering studies locally and abroad.
Someone once said that it is not how people die that is important; it’s how they lived that matters.
That could not be more true than in the living legacy of Sewa Singh.
Being the only son, Sewa Singh got more than his fair share of treats and toys. His father bought him a sports car for his 21st birthday.
An avid singer and dancer, Sewa Singh was a walking encyclopedia when it came to relating the biographies of Bollywood and Hollywood personalities.
He was a photographer, boxer, sprinter, musician, textile manufacturer, exporter, Kabbadi wrestler, field hockey enthusiast, ping-pong player, businessman and a tin mining legend.
But most of all he was a husband and a father whose philosophy was deeply rooted in the teachings of the Guru Granth Sahib.
In June 1989, Sewa Singh moved his family to Toronto, Canada, primarily to open up opportunities for his children.
They moved into the affluent Thornhill neighbourhood and together with his wife, Sewa Singh saw his family blossom.
His eldest son, Harbinder Singh Sewak, is now the publisher of three award-winning newspapers in Vancouver, Canada – the Asian Pacific Post, the South Asian Post and The Filipino Post.
“He was always there for us with a smile and plenty of advice,” said Harbinder Singh.
The love of Sewa Singh’s life was Tharmo Kaur.
The couple was inseparable and travelled everywhere together.
The childhood friends knew each other for over 65 years and were married for nearly 47 years.
After overseeing the marriages of all of their children and helping 15 other couples tie the knot from their base in Canada, Sewa Singh and Tharmo Kaur spent a lot of time travelling the world.
“Life does not stand still, life goes on, life is an adventure, a journey,” was his mantra.
Over the past decade, the couple visited Cancun, Italy, England, Pakistan, Hong Kong and the European Alps.
Last Saturday morning, while listening to Sikh hymns, Sewa Singh passed away in the arms of his wife, at the age of 68.
A celebration of Sewa Singh’s life will be held in Toronto at the Benisasia Funeral Home: 3263 Derry Road East, Mississauga Tel : 905 678 0467.
