As on May 1, 2008

With the Blessings of His Holiness, Satguru Baba Hardev Singh Ji Maharaj, Rev. Brigadier (Retd) Parminder Singh Cheema was nominated as a Member of the Executive Committee of the Sant Nirankari Mandal on April 28, 2007 tasked to assist Rev. Brig. Shamsher Singh Ji, VrC in the Department of Social Welfare, Health and Medicine.  In addition, from May 1, 2008 he was given the charge of Security and Wireless also.

Parminder was born on 14th March 1949 at Ludhiana, Punjab. His parents – Rev Shri Dalip Singh Cheema and Smt Gurdip Kaur were residing at Shimla having moved there from village Gojra in Sialkot distt (now in Pakistan) after partition. Shri Dalip Singh was in Government service. Both the parents had a religious frame of mind. In 1950, when Parminder was barely a year old, both Rev Dalip Singh Ji and Smt Gurdip Kaur were blessed with the Divine Knowledge by Shahenshah Baba Avtar Singh Ji. Thus grooming and upbringing of Parminder took place in holy environment and blessings of Saints. At the age of 6 years when Parminder started schooling at St. Edward’s School, Shimla, he too was blessed with the Divine Knowledge by Rev Babu Mahadev Singh Ji in July 1955.

Child Parminder was an intelligent and hardworking student and remained amongst the toppers of his class. In 1957, Rev Dalip Singh was transferred to Chandigarh, destined to be the new capital of Punjab. Parminder joined Senior Model School in 1st standard (Equivalent to Class III) and soon adjusted to the new environment and became the cynosure of all the teachers through his excellent academic performance. At the same time, holy congregations were established in Chandigarh and out of the three Sangats in the week, the Tuesday evening Sangat was held at their residence which gave all members of the family including Parminder an opportunity to do Sewa as well as to participate in the Satsang.

Thus religious cum academic grooming continued until 1961 when Parminder was selected for education at Sainik School, Kunjpura, Karnal and joined the same on 3rd July 1961. This was a turning point in Parminder’s life and it laid the foundation for the ensuing Army career. In 1964, Parminder was selected for the National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla, Pune and ranked 12th in the all India UPSC merit. He was amongst the youngest cadet’s, having joined the academy at the age of 15 yrs and 3 months on 17 July 1964. The three year training instilled all the values required for an upright Army officer and he passed out from there on 29 May 1967 to join Indian military Academy, Dehra Dun from where Parminder was commissioned into the Army in the Corps of Electrical (now Electronics) and Mechanical Engineers on 9 June 1968. Parminder’s performance in the academy was of a high order and he passed out amongst the top ten officers.

The Army career provided Parminder with an opportunity to hone his skills not only in the academic field but also in the sports and extra curricular activities. Parminder completed his graduation in Electronics Engineering from Military College of Electronics and Mechanical Engineering, Secunderabad and with the blessings of His Holiness was awarded the Director General EME’s Gold medal for standing first in the order of merit. He was also awarded three silver medals for topping in different Army courses. He has had a brilliant educational career which culminated in Parminder doing his Master’s in Engineering from Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore with a Distinction. He also had the privilege of being an Asstt Professor in College of Military Engineering in Pune and Professor in Military College of Electronics and Mechanical Engineering, Secunderabad. He has also done Post Graduate Diploma in Project Management from Punjabi University, Patiala, and AIMA recognized advance courses of instruction in Industrial Management and Strategic Management.

Parminder also excelled in the field of games and sports and has the unique distinction of having played almost all games and reaching a place of recognition. Prominent among them are Cricket, Hockey, Tennis, Badminton, Squash, Boxing, Sailing, Golf, Horse riding, Gliding and Athletics.

Parminder has had a distinguished Army career and had coveted postings at many Army establishments including Army Headquarters, Delhi and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Delhi. At DRDO, Parminder  was awarded the DRDO Technology award by the then Scientific Advisor to Raksha Mantri, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. He was also the Director of Army’s Simulator Development Division, Secuderabad (Army’s own R&D organization) in the rank of Brigadier and completed six major R&D projects successfully. He also commanded the Army Base Workshop at Agra for two years and subsequently on 1st Jan 2002 was posted as Deputy Director General, Recruiting, Shillong from where he took premature retirement on 5th May 2002 at the age of 53 years. With Blessings of His Holiness, Parminder had opportunities to travel abroad on personal as well as official trips and has been to Hungary, Czech Republic, Austria, France, Germany, Canada, England, Nepal, Singapore, Dubai and Muscat.

Parminder was married to Amandeep in 1975 at Chandigarh in the benign presence of Rev. Babu Mahadev Singh Ji. The couple was blessed with a son on 22 Dec 1976 who was named Vishvapreet by Baba Gurbachan Singh Ji and a daughter Aanchal on 29 April 1982. With the Blessings of His Holiness Satguru Baba Hardev Singh Ji Maharaj, Aanchal was married to Mukul (Son of Mr and Mrs SM Mahajan of Delhi) on 2 July 2006 and Vishvapreet to Anjali (Daughter of Dr Jaydeep and Geetha Nanda of Muscat) on 5 Jan 2007.

With the blessings of His Holiness, the Army career took Parminder and his family to almost every nook and corner of the country and this provided a boon to them to seek the Aashirwad of Sangats at different places, and the fond memories of their association shall ever remain fresh in their lives. Parminder and his family could seek the blessings of Mahapurshas and Sangats at Baroda, Secunderabad, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Pune, Ambala, Udhampur, Delhi and Agra.

After retirement, the family settled down at Chandigarh in July 2002 and got an opportunity to be with Rev. Dalip Singh Ji as well as look after him in his old age. It was this period that has the most significance in the life of Parminder. Chandigarh being a nursery of Spirituality, Parminder learnt a great deal from well read and spiritually advanced Saints and their teachings had a profound effect on him. Only the Blessings of His Holiness can give one the insight into true Gurmat, the Righteous path to be followed and the methodology of true Surrender. Parminder understood that there are no achievements in the Holy path but selfless service and surrender at the Divine Feet of the Lord and Master. To obey and follow the Divine Directions in letter and spirit is the True path to Heavenly Bliss.

It was on 29 Apr 2006 that Parminder was nominated by His Holiness Satguru Baba Hardev Singh Ji Maharaj to be a member of the Working Committee and thereafter to be a member of the Executive Committee with effect from April 28, 2007 and attached with Social Welfare, Health and Medical Departments.  Parminder was also a member of the Advisory Committee on Security.

Today, Parminder is an active member of the Executive Committee. Though settled in Chandigarh, he is attending to his responsibilities at the headquarters of the Mission in Delhi regularly. May His Holiness Baba Hardev Singh Ji Maharaj guide and hold his hand so that he continues to serve the Mission with greater zeal, humility, sense of devotion and dedication.

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