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Time of India
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Laughter Chefs 2's Chef Harpal Singh Sokhi remembers his father, his 'silent strength'
For celebrity Chef Harpal Singh Sokhi, celebrating days like Father's Day was not about grand gestures or social media tributes. It's about the quiet strength, the silent sacrifices, and the deeply personal memories that define the word 'father. ' Sharing his thoughts on the occasion of Father's Day, which is observed on June 15, he said, 'A father, or a father figure as we often say, is like the strong pillar of our life, our family, and our home. The bond between a father and his family is very emotional and deep. What touches me the most is how silently a father takes up all the responsibilities. He doesn't make a show of it, he just quietly supports everyone without expecting anything in return. That's the beauty of a father. He gives his time, strength, and love selflessly, and asks for nothing back. That is what makes this day so important for me.' This year, Chef Harpal doesn't have elaborate plans for Father's Day. He shared, 'I don't have any special plans for Father's Day this time. My daughters are studying abroad now, so they don't live with me. But whenever they are here, we always go out and spend time together.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Switch to UnionBank Rewards Card UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo However, his daughters don't forget to surprise him on these special days by sending him gifts. He added, 'Honestly, for me, even one small word from them is enough. Just hearing them say, 'Papa, how are you?' that's more than enough for me. It fills my heart and gives me all the energy I need.' Reflecting on his own father, Chef Harpal spoke about a time when occasions like Father's Day weren't celebrated. He said, 'Well, I lost my father many years ago. Honestly, back then, days like Father's Day were not really celebrated. So, I don't remember doing anything special for him on such a day. But I do remember how things were when I was growing up. After I finished Class 12, many of my father's friends had children who had become engineers, doctors, and were well-settled. My father, at that time, didn't have much to say about us, as we were working hard in the food industry as cooks and chefs. I know it must have been difficult for him. But when we moved ahead in life, when I came on television, when our work was covered in newspapers, that's when he finally felt proud. I could see it in his eyes.' For Chef Harpal, those silent nods of approval were worth more than any trophy. He said, 'All I ever wanted was to make him happy. And when I started achieving things through my dedication to cooking and my work, it brought him joy. Being featured in newspapers, on TV it all made a difference. That was my way of giving back to him. He had done so much for me, and now it was my turn to make him proud. Seeing him happy in those moments was the biggest reward for me. ' Among his most cherished memories are Sunday mutton curries and pickle-making sessions with his father. He shared, 'Every Sunday, he would cook mutton curry, and I used to go with him to the vegetable market. We would buy all the vegetables together, and then head to the mutton shop to get the meat. My father would cook the mutton himself, and all of us would eagerly wait for Sunday just for his special mutton curry.' Diwali too brought special bonding. 'We used to make some of the firecrackers at home like anaars and phooljhadis. I would help my father fill the anaars, seal them with clay from behind, and then we would put them out in the sunlight to dry,' Chef Harpal added. What stayed with him most, however, was a life lesson delivered with quiet honesty. He said, 'One of the most important lessons my father taught me was during my time at IHM… When I had just started working as a cook, my father once called me and said, 'Arpal, we don't really understand what you do, because no one in our family has ever worked in a hotel. In fact, we've never even dined in one because we couldn't afford it… You have chosen a path that we know nothing about. So, your success will be your own, and your failures too will be your own.' That stayed with me. It made me realise that I had no option but to succeed. Failure was not a part of my plan.' Asked about his favourite onscreen father figure, Chef Harpal offers a heartfelt response: 'I don't think anyone can ever replace the role of a father, even on screen. For me, a father is a father one and only. No one else can take that place. That's it.' Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Father's Day wishes , messages , and quotes !
Hindustan Times
02-06-2025
- Hindustan Times
Three road mishaps snuff out nine lives in Himachal
Nine people lost their lives in different road mishaps in Himachal in the last 24 hours, said police. In the first incident, five people were killed and one was seriously injured after the pickup vehicle they were travelling in rammed into the railing of a bridge and overturned near Mandi's Kamand, near IIT Mandi, on Sunday morning, police said. The accident occurred around 9 am. The vehicle was on its way to IIT Kamand to transport tent material from Punjab's Ludhiana. There were six passengers, including the driver, in the vehicle during the time of crash. The victims have been identified as Sukhwinder Singh of Ludhiana; Umesh Kumar of Amritsar; Sagar, also from Amritsar; and two unidentified individuals. Meanwhile, the injured Daljit (driver), of Malia village in Tarn Taran district is currently undergoing treatment at Mandi Zonal Hospital. The vehicle rolled down and fell on the banks of the Uhl river. Emergency services and police officials rushed to the spot after receiving information about the mishap. A case has also been registered by Mandi police into the incident. Mandi superintendent of police Sakshi Verma said that an investigation into the incident is underway. Meanwhile, chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu expressed grief over the incident and said that this is a heart-wrenching incident and the state government stands firmly with the affected families in this hour of grief. He directed the district administrations to provide all possible assistance to the families of the deceased and ensure best medical care to the injured. Sukhu prayed for the peace to the departed souls and strength to the bereaved family members. He wished for the speedy recovery of the injured. Himachal governor Shiv Pratap Shukla also expressed condolences. Two killed in Solan road accident Two persons lost their lives in a road accident after their motorcycle collided with a bus in the Kandaghat area of Solan district on Sunday afternoon, police said. The deceased have been identified as Suraj Naagre, 25, of Kangra district, and Neeraj, 27, from Hamirpur district. The accident took place around 12.45 pm. As per police, the motorcycle was coming from the wrong side and crashed into the lower bumper on the driver's side of the bus. Both riders died on the spot due to the impact. Solan police have registered a case and launched an investigation into the incident. Two boys killed as motorcycle rams into tree in Sirmaur In another incident, two boys were killed on Sunday when the motorcycle they were riding on rammed into a tree in Himachal Pradesh's Sirmaur district, police said. According to the reports the deceased have been identified as Gurjeet, 15, son of Harpal, and Dev, 13, son of Bantu Sharma, both residents of Kyarda village. They were classmates, studying in Class 9. Harpal was driving the motorcycle with the boys riding pillion, to a nearby place where they intended to participate in a Bhandara of 'Kheda Maharaj', said police. He lost control of the vehicle and it rammed into a tree on the roadside, they added. A resident, Chaman, told PTI, that after the accident, villagers from nearby areas rushed to their rescue but the boys died on the spot. Paonta deputy superintendent of police Manvendra Thakur said that bodies have been sent for a postmortem. A case has been registered under relevant sections and further investigations are underway. With PTI inputs
Time of India
02-05-2025
- Time of India
Police lens on nursing institute principal, aide for ‘forgery' to increase seats
Ludhiana: The principal of Satguru Institute of Nursing Education and her aide were Friday booked on charges of cheating and forgery . It is alleged that the accused forged several documents seeking an increase in the number of seats for the GNM course offered by the institute. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Police had launched a probe following a complaint from Harpal Singh of Sector 32, Chandigarh Road, who is the president of the society that runs the Satguru Institute of Nursing Education. In his complaint, he said that in the proposal sent to the department concerned to increase the number of seats, principal Sandeep Kaur falsely mentioned Rajinder Kumar Bhatia as the president of the society that runs the institute and his family members as its office-bearers. Harpal said he is the president of that society, and the institute has 30 seats for the GNM course. He said he recently came to know that some office-bearers of the society wrote to the director of research and medical education to increase the number of seats from 30 to 60 without his knowledge. He obtained the documents under the Right to Information Act from the department and found that the documents were fabricated. The bank statements attached to the application were also forged, as the society has not operated any bank account for many years. He alleged that in the documents, the accused, Rajinder Kumar Bhatia, showed himself as the president of the society. Harpal lodged a complaint with the commissioner of police on Nov 30, 2023, following which an inquiry was initiated. Division 7 police station's ASI Randhir Singh, who is investigating the case, said a case under different sections of cheating, forgery, and criminal conspiracy has been registered against the accused. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now They are yet to be arrested. Ludhiana: The principal of Satguru Institute of Nursing Education and her aide were Friday booked on charges of cheating and forgery. It is alleged that the accused forged several documents seeking an increase in the number of seats for the GNM course offered by the institute. Police had launched a probe following a complaint from Harpal Singh of Sector 32, Chandigarh Road, who is the president of the society that runs the Satguru Institute of Nursing Education. In his complaint, he said that in the proposal sent to the department concerned to increase the number of seats, principal Sandeep Kaur falsely mentioned Rajinder Kumar Bhatia as the president of the society that runs the institute and his family members as its office-bearers. Harpal said he is the president of that society, and the institute has 30 seats for the GNM course. He said he recently came to know that some office-bearers of the society wrote to the director of research and medical education to increase the number of seats from 30 to 60 without his knowledge. He obtained the documents under the Right to Information Act from the department and found that the documents were fabricated. The bank statements attached to the application were also forged, as the society has not operated any bank account for many years. He alleged that in the documents, the accused, Rajinder Kumar Bhatia, showed himself as the president of the society. Harpal lodged a complaint with the commissioner of police on Nov 30, 2023, following which an inquiry was initiated. Division 7 police station's ASI Randhir Singh, who is investigating the case, said a case under different sections of cheating, forgery, and criminal conspiracy has been registered against the accused. They are yet to be arrested.
Time of India
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Chef Sanjeev Kapoor revisits Chef Harpal Singh Sokhi's journey from the hotel's kitchen to Laughter Chefs; says ' he was one of the first chefs who worked with me'
is known as the pioneer of bringing to TV viewers. In the recent podcast with and , the chef got candid about his bond with , who is currently judging . He even shared that their bond goes way back to Chef Harpal's beginning of his career. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Haarsh asked Sanjeev Kapoor whether he had watched Laughter Chefs, and Chef Sanjeev said, "Obviously, I have watched the show because it is our own chef on the show. Harpal, I can write a book on his story. When I was an executive chef in a hotel, he used to work with me. So when I quit my job, he was one of the first chefs who worked with me was Harpal. When I launched my own channel, I needed different chefs for the shows and Harpal was one of them. " He further added, "When we were shooting for , we took around a year shooting for 15-16 episodes. He was very shy back then, he was young so whenever I used to go to the studio, he would keep quiet and get nervous around me. Then I gave him an example of how I usually say 'namak swaad anusar', he then started off and he has never kept quiet after that." As Bharti praised him, Chef Sanjeev added that his nature and his food both are amazing. Bharti then shared that Chef Harpal is yet to make them taste his food. Chef Sanjeev tells them to ask Chef Harpal's wife Aparna to send, only then they would be able to taste the food.
Indian Express
23-04-2025
- Health
- Indian Express
Why Punjab has banned energy drinks in schools
Amid its ongoing crusade against drugs, Punjab has become the first state in the country to ban energy drinks in and around schools to keep the children away from caffeine addiction. A notification to this effect was issued by the government on Tuesday, banning the sale of energy drinks in school canteens and outside school premises. The ban notification The notification, issued by Dilraj Singh Sandhawalia, Commissioner of Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Punjab, states that it is 'just and necessary' to prohibit the consumption of caffeinated energy drinks by children. '…in exercise of the powers conferred under Section 30(2)(a) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, prohibit in the interest of public health, the sale of energy drinks to the children and also to prohibit sale of energy drinks in school canteens/tuck shops/shops or establishments within the area of 100 meters of school premises in rural areas and within the area of 50 meters of school premises in urban areas, in any case in the state of Punjab for one year with effect from April 21, 2025,' the notification reads. What the notification says The notification says that energy drinks are heavily marketed to children and young adults and others and manufacturers compare the effects of the drinks to the use of drugs like cocaine. These are generally non-alcoholic beverages containing caffeine, guarana, glucuronolactone, taurine, ginseng, inositol, carnitine, B-vitamins, etc., as main ingredients that act as stimulants, it adds. In recent years, it further states, several different energy drinks have been introduced in the Indian market to provide an energy boost or as dietary supplements. These drinks contain high levels of caffeine (added at levels of up to 80 mg per serve) that stimulate the nervous system, it adds. The notification then states that while caffeine is ostensibly added to energy drinks to increase mental performance, when used in conjunction with alcoholic or other substances of dependence, it could have an impact on health. The scientific community has been concerned about the potential access to caffeinated beverages by children and the carry-over fortification from caffeine-fortified foods to other products, the notification points out. Therefore, it states, products which have caffeine as an ingredient are usually prohibited from being used as ingredients in other beverages commonly consumed by children. Pregnant and lactating women are vulnerable groups for whom high consumption of caffeine is not advised, it further states. What prompted the decision The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab had recently launched a fresh tirade against drugs, especially after losing the Assembly elections in Delhi. Ever since, it has initiated 'bulldozer action' against the properties of drug peddlers. It has also been arresting drug peddlers with renewed vigour. As part of this initiative, the government had set up a cabinet subcommittee comprising ministers Harpal Cheema, Aman Arora and Dr Balbir Singh. Singh, who is also the state health minister, said that the committee felt that the availability of these drinks left the young children hooked on caffeine and that this could see them switching over to other narcotics as they grew older. Legality of the ban Before notifying the ban, the government took a legal opinion on the issue. It was stated that the FDA commissioner was competent to issue such a notification as most of the food business operators who sell these drinks have themselves mentioned on their labels that the products are 'not recommended for children'. Studies quoted The notification has also quoted studies on the detrimental effects of caffeine. Potential adverse effects of energy drinks in relation to their ingredients include cardiovascular, neurological/psychological, gastrointestinal/ metabolic and renal effects, the notification states.
