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He has contributed 5 CD’s to the musical world. I met him during my
visit to the UK to celebrate Maharaja Jassa Singh Ramgarhia Day at
Leicester. His speech on the life and achievements of Maharaja Jassa
Singh was impressive, memorable and touching the heart. It was
highly appreciated by the audience
S.
Rajinder Singh was born to Sardarni Harbnas Kaur Chana and S.
Balwant Singh Virdee in the early forties at village Partappura
Distt Jalandhar. His father S. Balwant ran a furniture workshop in
Nairobi, Kenya and was a well-known classical and Gurbani singer. S.
Balwant Singh ji moved from Nairobi to the UK in 1965, soon to be
followed by his family in 1967 and 1968.
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After three years of primary education from his home
village, Rajinder Singh joined his father at
Nairobi,
Kenya. He did Senior Cambridge in 1958. He was a good
athlete, hockey player and singer. Right from childhood
he showed strong leanings towards music and in his
earlier years performed on most stages singing his own
compositions of folk music. He won the best male singer
award in a competition in Nairobi. From childhood
Rajinder had played harmonium and performed kirtan with
his father in Gurudwaras. He also performed as a singer
on the Voice of Kenya (now Kenya Broadcasting
Corporation).
In 1958, due to some family issues his father could not
carry on his furniture business at
Nairobi.
Rajinder, being the eldest son, had to abandon his
studies to give his father support in raising a young
family. He joined the Survey of Kenya as a cartographer
(map maker). There he set a record of passing all three
qualifying exams, theoretical and practical, of
Cartography (the study and practice of making maps).
As mentioned earlier, Rajinder had moved to the UK in
1968 where he continued working as cartographer. Seeing
its limited scope in the future he began studying
accountancy in 1974 whilst still working as a freelance
cartographer. After completing the requisite exams he
graduated as an associate of
Chartered Certified
Accountants (ACCA) and later
progressed to become a Fellow. After a few years in the
industry, he joined a university as a lecturer in
accounts and taxation. He has delivered lectures
extensively both in the UK and abroad (Russia and China
among other countries). He received an award of
excellence for lecturing from a London university.
Presently, he is lecturing in private institutes and
universities. During all this time Rajinder never
comprised with his Sikhi principles, particularly
preserving the sanctity of hair.
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In
his earlier years in the
UK,
Rajinder organised and participated in several cultural
programmes in town halls and other venues. Rajinder
Singh ‘Arshi’ married on 23rd February 1964 to Sarjit Kaur, the eldest daughter of Sdn. Mohinder Kaur
and S. Phuman Singh Sahota of
Kenya.
The couple is blessed with two sons who are very
successful in their respective fields.
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