Havildar Maj Dhatt, among last surviving Sikh soldiers who saw WW-II action, dies at 103
Punjab-born World War II veteran Havildar-Major Rajindar Singh Dhatt MBE has died in the UK aged 103.
He was one of the last surviving Sikh soldiers who saw action during WW-II.
Born in pre-Partition India in 1921, Dhatt had almost finished school when the war broke out.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
"I asked my father that I wanted to go to college. He told me 'I don't have plenty of money to spend on you like that.
You can join the army,'" he told the Royal British Legion in an interview before he died.
After joining as a sepoy in Feb 1941, Dhatt was appointed to the Royal Indian Army Service Corps and was selected to become an army physical training instructor. He excelled and was promoted to havildar major (sergeant major) in 1943 before he was drafted to the Far East campaign to help the Allied forces fight in Kohima, Northeast India.
"The Japanese were all around Kohima and Imphal and they had circled our two divisions, one Indian division and one British division."
A British Lieutenant came up to him and told him: "You are in a theatre of war."
"We were laughing, a theatre…we were thinking that it was a film or something. It was then after that that he said, 'we will defeat them.' He gave us a lecture like that," he recalled. "I stood up and said that we Sikhs were not afraid of fighting.
It doesn't matter, we came here to fight and we will do that."
After the liberation of Kohima and Imphal, he spent the rest of the war fighting in Burma. "We were very happy when on Aug 15, 1945, the Japanese surrendered. We said 'Thank God we have won the war'."
After the war, he returned home to India and worked as a physical training instructor at a school and on his family's land.
"They announced in 1962 that people who fought in the war can apply for a voucher to go to Britain.
Tired of too many ads? go ad free now
I applied and they gave it to me," he said.
He came to Britain in 1963 and settled with his family in Hounslow where he co-founded the Undivided Indian Ex-Servicemen's Association, which aims to unite British Indian veterans. On April 12 at Windsor Castle, King Charles invested the 103-year-old as an MBE for services to the South Asian community in the UK. He died on May 21.
The Royal British Legion said: "We are deeply grateful for Rajindar's contributions to the Royal British Legion's work in supporting the armed forces community. His life and legacy serve as a poignant reminder of the invaluable sacrifices made by those who served from across the Commonwealth during the Second World War."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NDTV
an hour ago
- NDTV
5 Pressure Cooker Mistakes That Are Ruining Your Dishes
One kitchen item that can be in almost every Indian home? It's none other than the humble pressure cooker. From Rajma to Pulao, Khichdi to Meat Curries, it is literally our go-to for fast, flavourful, no-fuss cooking. But while it makes our life easier, using it incorrectly might just ruin your utensil and dish altogether. If you have ever ended up with mushy dal, rubbery chicken, or spices that taste a bit raw, you are making some pressure cooker mistakes. Don't worry, it's not about buying a fancy model or learning high-tech settings. It's just about getting the basics right. If you are someone who uses a pressure cooker regularly, then read on to know what you should avoid to make the most of this multi-purpose vessel. Also Read: 5 Most Popular Pressure Cooker Recipes Here Are 5 Pressure Cooker Mistakes That Are Ruining Your Dishes 1. Overcrowding The Cooker We all have done it: added 'just a bit more' to save time or make extra. But stuffing the cooker affects how steam builds up and circulates. This results in unevenly cooked food, especially in dishes like pulao or sabzis, where texture matters. A tightly packed cooker will only result in some ingredients staying undercooked while others turn mushy. When you are cooking something foamy like dal or pasta, always keep the cooker at half capacity. Trust us, it is better to cook in two batches than ruin the whole meal. 2. Adding Dairy Too Soon Do you love creamy kormas or paneer sabzis? Then be careful! Adding milk, cream, or curd before pressure cooking can lead to curdling. High pressure and heat disturb the proteins in dairy, making your gravy grainy instead of smooth. To avoid this, add dairy after pressure cooking is complete when the cooker has cooled and you're simmering the dish open. This preserves the richness and gives you that luscious texture you want. 3. Cooking On Too High A Flame Photo: Unsplash We often think that more heat would result in faster cooking. But that's not the case with a pressure cooker. High flames can burn the food at the bottom and make the cooker reach pressure too quickly, without evenly heating everything inside. Instead, what you can do is bring the cooker to pressure on high, and then immediately reduce to medium or low heat to let the dish cook gently. This makes a huge difference in how the flavours develop and how soft the ingredients turn out. 4. Not Using Enough Liquid A pressure cooker works by building steam. So, if there's not enough liquid, it simply won't work right. Worse that can happen is that you can burn the base and damage the cooker. Remember, each recipe has its own liquid requirement, but a good rule is to add over 1 cup of water for pulses or grains. And 1.5 cups for dals and curries. Too much water isn't good either, especially for dishes like pulao, so measure carefully. 5. Releasing Pressure Incorrectly Photo: Unsplash See, how you release the pressure inside the cooker affects its texture and taste. Quick release but lifting the cooker whistle or running the cooker under water might work well for veggies, but not when it comes to meats, dals, or rice. On the other hand, if you let the dish sit in the cooker for too long, it might overcook soft items like pasta or eggs. Most Indian dishes taste better when the steam is released naturally. This makes them flavourful and delicious. Also Read: 6 Things To Consider Before Buying A Pressure Cooker For The First Time So, avoid these common mistakes to increase the shelf life of your pressure cooker, and to enjoy your favourite dishes hassle-free! Advertisement For the latest food news, health tips and recipes, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and YouTube. Tags: Pressure Cooker Pressure Cooker Mistakes Kitchen Tips Show full article Comments
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Why aren't we nicer to ourselves?: This week's Life Hacks by Charles Assisi
A massage. That was all he needed. Not a luxury vacation. Not a five-star spa package with robes and cucumber water. Just sixty minutes of quiet. A warm room. Steady hands. Oil kneaded into tired shoulders. A chance to return to himself. But he didn't go. 'Too expensive,' my friend said. 'It's ₹2,500. I can't justify that. Not essential.' Since then, 'essential' has been echoing in my head. What do we consider essential? Food, water, shelter… the basics of survival? Yes. But surely there are also 'essentials' among the things that makes life worth living? What about the things that make us feel human? That act as quiet forms of repair? My generation grew up in a culture that glorified denial. Now middle-aged, we are still proud to say 'no' to ourselves: to the occasional treat, the indulgent second helping, the occasional massage. The generation that raised us fed us stories of struggle that left us believing that pleasure must be earned with suffering. This economy of virtue is a strange one. It leads people to treat their bodies as machines to be maintained at the lowest cost. Offered no seasoning, no delight. Just righteous effort, and well-earned fuel. There is nothing wrong with that, as a sort of norm. But when it becomes the only path permitted, the body stops expecting joy, and something begins to hollow out within. This is where the Japanese word shibui enters the frame. It is often used to describe a beauty that is subtle, modest and enduring. To me, the idea brings to mind images of a linen kurta faded just right. A single flower in a room. But shibui goes beyond aesthetics. It is a way of being. A philosophy that prizes the quiet depth of pure pleasure. A shibui meal, for instance, is not about complexity. It is about intention. Rice that's hot. Pickle that's sharp. Ghee that is fragrant. A massage, in the shibui spirit, isn't about scented candles and soft music. It is about care — from someone; for the self. A period of stillness. Relief offered with skill. Our capitalist world is not used to thinking in this way. In the social-media age, quiet pleasures fade still further into the background. Meanwhile, in India, most of those over 40 still prize thrift and prudence. Save every rupee. Learn to stretch, conserve, delay. Even in times of abundance, we pick the cheaper tomatoes. We skip dessert. We say something we love and say, 'It's okay, I don't need it.' Shibui offers a different grammar that might work for us. It doesn't ask us to splurge. It asks us to choose with care. To ask: What returns me to myself? What leaves me quiet and full, rather than overstimulated and empty? That's the key difference. Some pleasures are distractions, because they are loud and temporary. Our elders were right to tell us to largely avoid those. Shibui says: find those that linger, that restore. That bring enduring beauty and pleasure to your life. This is an important message, even for the pragmatic, because sometimes what looks like saving can be a form of theft from the self. The ₹2,500 massage skipped today may cost you in therapist bills or medical bills instead. The joyless meals may chip away at the spirit until there is nothing left to nourish. I'm not arguing against frugality. But I am arguing against a kind of self-denial that masquerades as maturity, when in fact it is just fear in a grown-up coat. The older I get, the more I believe that the real richness of life lies not in what we accumulate, but in how we treat ourselves, and others, on the days that aren't special. So get the massage. Choose the better tomatoes. Say yes to dessert. Let the joy be subtle. Let it be enough. (Charles Assisi is co-founder of Founding Fuel. He can be reached on assisi@
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Wildlife Meets Warfare: Great Indian Bustard chicks named After Military Icons
In a unique gesture, the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) has named five Great Indian Bustard (GIB) chicks after key figures and elements associated with Operation Sindoor , a recent military operation by the Indian government. The initiative pays tribute to national heroes while reinforcing the connection between wildlife conservation and national defence. Operation Sindoor , a strategic offensive launched to dismantle terrorist hideouts in Pakistan, underscored India's indigenous defence capability and the role of women in modern warfare. To honour its impact, WII officials named the GIB chicks—born during the operation—Sindoor, Atom, Mishri, Vyom , and Sophia. According to B. M. Gupta, Deputy Conservator of Forests at Desert National Park, each name holds deep symbolic meaning. 'Sindoor,' born on May 5, represents the entire operation. 'Atom,' born on May 9, reflects its strategic strength. 'Mishri,' born on May 19, pays tribute to a counter cyber-espionage intelligence officer. 'Vyom,' born on May 23, is named after Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, who led the media briefing during the campaign. 'Sophia,' born on May 24, honours Colonel Sophia Qureshi, a pioneer in female military leadership, as quoted by TOI by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like If You Eat Ginger Everyday for 1 Month This is What Happens Tips and Tricks Undo Also Read: Pakistan General Mirza's speech not extending olive branch to India, there's an insidious demand hidden in it Suthirtho Dutta, Senior Scientist and GIB Project Coordinator, the naming as an emotional link between India's natural heritage and its national defence values. 'These chicks now embody the determination, courage, and service that define our armed forces,' he said to TOI Live Events The conservation effort is the result of a collaborative project between the Ministry of Environment and Forests , the WII, and the Rajasthan state government. Utilising advanced AI incubation techniques and hands-on care by forest officials, the project has seen a steady increase in GIB chick births—vital progress for this critically endangered species . Also Read: The Great Indian Bustard: Once in the race to become national bird, now struggling for existence As the chicks thrive under protected conditions at the Sudasari and Ramdevra conservation centres, the initiative stands as both a conservation milestone and a patriotic tribute. It symbolises how the protection of India's ecological treasures can also honour the sacrifices and achievements of its defenders. Also Read: 6 rare and gorgeous birds exclusive to India
