Hardial Singh

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Hardial Singh Bajaj (born April 05, 1905 in Khanga Dogran, British India died September 18, 1967 in Singapore).

Son of Mehar Singh (father) and Thakur Devi (mother), the eldest of six children. In the early years, he worked as a porter unloading trucks. He was ridiculed by family for selling celebrity photos. He then worked as a hawker selling textile pieces from rolls he carried on his shoulders.

He was first married in 1920 (at age 15) to Kirpal Kaur, daughter of Tara Singh (Lalaji). He then migrated to Kuala Lumpur, Malaya and became a renowned textile merchant. He was associated with Gian Singh & Co., Hardial Singh & Co. and Hardial Singh & Sons. "King of Textiles" as pronounced by The Statesman when he landed in Calcutta, India. He was a property investor and a spices and films trader.

During World War II in Singapore, the Imperial Japanese Army Anti-Espionage Department imprisoned and tortured him, burning him with cigarette butts thinking him to be a spy. Sardar Singh Chatwal arranged for special meals and his release. He was implicated in a tax evasion case on the false complaint of Prem Singh Soni. He was rumoured to have been considered for knighthood and having lost the chance by unwittingly importing shirts in violation of the Arrow (shirts) trademark.

He joined the Indian Independence League in 1945, during World War II. He served as Special Supply Officer for Subhash Chandra Bose. He handed over custody of the sacks of gold entrusted to him during the War, to the Indian Overseas Bank in Singapore. Jawaharlal Nehru took possession of the gold on behalf of the Indian government.

Source: Narinjan Singh Bajaj, son of Hardial Singh

A Singapore pioneer. President of the Indian Chamber in Singapore from 1949 to 1953. Source: The Straits Times

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