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SINGAPORE – Mr. S. Jaswant Singh Gill, Singapore’s first chief of the navy and a pillar of the Sikh community, died last Saturday (December 19) around 10 am, aged 97.
He had a fever caused by pneumonia and was being prepared to be taken to the hospital when he died at home.
He is survived by two sons and four daughters.
Gill had arrived in Singapore with his uncle when he was six years old, and held key defense positions in Singapore’s early years after fighting for Singapore during Konfrontasi, a conflict between Indonesia and the then Federation of Malaysia that took place between 1963 and 1966. .
In addition to being commander of the Singapore Volunteer Naval Force when the British left in 1967, he was the commander of the Pulau Blakang Mati field, the head of the Singapore Armed Forces training department in the general staff division and the Commander of Tengah Air. Changi Air Base and Base.
He retired from the Singapore Armed Forces in 1972, with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
The Republic of Singapore Navy, in a tribute to Mr. Gill, said on Facebook Sunday that it is deeply indebted to the commander.
“As our white banner continues to fly daily, his words will remain etched in our minds as we continue our daily determination to bring honor and respect to our country,” he said. Gill spoke at the 1967 ceremony when Singapore’s white naval ensign was first hoisted, a momentous occasion for the then newly independent nation whose fate was still uncertain.
According to Singapore’s Early Sikh Pioneers: Origins, Settlement, Contributions and Institutions, written by Rishpal Singh Sidhu, Gill also earned praise from fellow Sikhs for not drinking despite being the norm in the military.
“While drinking a sunset after hours is a norm for most military officers, Jaswant Singh Gill is still a teetotaler, getting by on a soda or ginger ale, thus earning the understanding and respect of his fellow officers. because of their faith, “he said.
Mr. Gill also contributed to the Sikh community, serving as president of the Singapore Khalsa Association from 1966 to 1981.
The association, which started in 1931, initially served as a sports club for the Sikh community, but later evolved into a community space where people gathered for important life events, such as weddings.
Today, the building on Tessensohn Road is also widely used by non-Sikh Singaporeans, with ballrooms and a dance studio available for the public to reserve.
Kirpal Sidhu, 60, Gill’s nephew, said that his uncle was the head of his extended family and that he had instilled in the children from the beginning a sense of discipline and excellence.
When he was young, he had to show his uncle his report card regularly and receive advice on how to improve.
“He was handling a very tight boat. There are things he made sure we knew he would not tolerate. We all had to be able to speak our mother tongue, Punjabi, fluently,” he said, adding that children also had to learn to do so. for playing Sikh music instruments such as the organ-shaped harmonium and the twin drum chart.
“At the time, it was very painful (for me as a child) but now I am very grateful. He is someone we can emulate and we will miss him dearly.”
Kirpal said that due to the pandemic, memorial services were held at Zoom so that Gill’s children, five of whom are not currently in Singapore, could join.
“He made his speech and did not speak in two languages. He tells you how it is. We are very proud of his role in building the nation of Singapore. We are very proud that he chose to step up.”
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