Lochan Singh

Sardar Lochan Singh (1892 – 1996) was an Indian civil engineer and cabinet minister. Born in West Punjab (now Pakistan), he was educated in engineering, first at Queen's College Belfast, and later at the Imperial College, London. He rose through the ranks of the Indian army under the British empire, and later through the civil service of independent India, to become the first post-master general, and later, secretary of state for post and telecommunications.

Having been commissioned from Sandhurst, Singh was posted, during the Second World War to Baghdad, then part of the British Mandate of Mesopotamia, with instruction to oversee the creation of a modern telecommunications network across the greater Middle East. By 1944, the British were thus able to co-ordinate Allied efforts in the Caucassus, the Meditterranean, the Middle East and North Africa more efficiently. Returning to India, he was placed at the head of the Central Post Office in Delhi and later promoted to the cabinet.

After the First World War, he married Sushila Toor, the daughter of a prominent judge in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. They had three daughters, Saroj, Charlotte and Sarvjeet, all of whom were born in what is now Pakistan, with the exception of Charlotte, who was born in London shortly before the Second World War. All three currently live in New Delhi. Their only Son, Harbir Singh was born in the state of Bihar.

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