By Col NN Bhatia (Retd)
26 January 2022
Origin of Bhatias
Though the geographical origins of the Bhatia clan are uncertain, many were found in Sindh and Gujarat in the 19th century giving grounds to believe that they had migrated from Bhatner, Jaisalmer of erstwhile Rajputana now known as Rajasthan. Like Lt Col James Todd in his most famous book ‘The Annals and Antiquities of Rajputana’, historian André Wink traces a 12th-century connection between the Bhatias of Jaisalmer linking them as one of the equestrian orders which were confirmed by my chance meeting the erstwhile Maharaja of Jaisalmer in 1984 during my visit to Jaisalmer Palace. Reading my nameplate worn with uniform, he welcomed me with a cup of tea reiterating our linkages to the Bhati Rajputs of princely state Jaisalmer who over the years changed over their profession to commerce and the changeover has been to their advantage. Around 1294, when Allauddin Khilji was on his conquest of Mewar, Ranthambore, and Gujarat, he defeated the Bhati Rajputs of Jaisalmer and they migrated towards, Karachi, Rajputana, Punjab, present-day western Uttar Pradesh, western coast of India which later became part of the Bombay Presidency and now part of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Kutch and other places within and their sea fairing ventures took them to the Middle East, where they flourished in the sheikdoms of Oman, Bahrain, and UAE and in the East African nations of Kenya and Zanzibar (now Tanzania) while many reached the UK and the US. Numbering over a lakh, Bhatias across the world flourished as they were reputed for their straightforward talk, liberal attitude, hard work, and socially well-knit tight community norms, and over the period, the Bhati surname got corrupted to Bhatia. Bhatia’s in undivided India were mainly engaged in farming and in many districts of undivided Punjab were known as landlords or Zamindars and considered to be equivalent to lords and barons and in some cases, they were seen as independent sovereign princes. But for all their deft skills as equestrian orders, money-lending, trading, and entrepreneurs, the Bhatia community was once a fierce, sword-wielding, warrior clan and had conquered lands that today constitute Afghanistan, Pakistan, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and parts of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Among the Bhatias, there are different sub-castes. Geographically, Bhatias from Kutch are known as Kutchi Bhatias, those around Jamnagar district are known as Halai Bhatia and from Sindh in Pakistan are known as Sindhi Bhatias while those from Punjab in the present-day India and Pakistan are known as Punjabi Bhatias and many of them in large number got settled in Pakistani Punjab. Bhatias have done well all over in sports, business, education, arts, music, politics, diplomacy, and the armed forces. While community elders desire marriages within the Bhatia clan, the modern generations are often finding alliances outside. The first such marriage in our family, I recollect, was that of my late maternal uncle Group Capt KL Bhatia, VrC, and followed by my eldest brother Late Maj PN Bhatia, VrC, sister elder to me Dr. Santosh Chawla, and my youngest brother Hitesh Bhatia. Needless to say, their all siblings and grand siblings also got married outside the Bhatia folds and have progressed in life with somewhat dilution in their Bhatia connectivity and values. Incidentally, Eduardo Bhatia born on 16 May 1964 is a Puerto Rican attorney and politician whose father Mohinder Bhatia migrated to Puerto Rico, a Caribbean island and unincorporated US territory with a landscape of mountains, waterfalls, and the tropical rainforests known for its hotels, beach bars, and casinos. He married Carmen Gautier Mayora in 1961, a political science professor at the University of Puerto Rico. Eduardo Bhatia is one of three siblings. His brother, Andrés Bhatia, is a practicing oncologist in Florida while his sister, Lisa Bhatia, is an Assistant US attorney in San Juan.
Fading Memories of Pakistan
Our immediate ancestors belonged to Sargodha of undivided India’s Punjab province now the Punjab province in Pakistan and one of the fastest-growing cities of that country. Sargodha was established by the British as a canal colony and was badly affected by an outbreak of the bubonic plague pandemic in 1903. Although it was a small town, in the beginning, the British Royal Air Force (BRAF) built an airport here due to its strategic location. Sargodha has its origin in the words ’Sar’ from ‘sarowar’, meaning ‘pond’ and ‘Godha’ meaning ‘Sadhu’ meaning ‘Pond of Godha or Sadhu’. Sargodha is considered the best citrus-producing area of Pakistan and therefore, is also known as the California of Pakistan. Sargodha is the largest Kinnow-producing district in the world. It is also granary of Pakistan and produces high-quality oranges that are exported to other countries. Along with Sargodha, other places of interest within this narrative are Bhera, known for wood-carved items, textiles, and certain desserts, and Bhalwal, which were Tehsils in the Sargodha district and famous for orange crops and rich agricultural cultivation.. Khushab, situated between the Indus and the Jhelum Rivers and the cities of Sargodha and Mianwali, consisted of agricultural lowland plains, lakes, hills, and parts of the Thal desert. The word Khushab means ‘sweet water’ and now is home to the Heavy Water and Natural Uranium Research Reactor as part of Pakistan’s Special Weapons Program.
My Immediate Ancestors
My paternal grandfather Shri Tulsi Das Bhatia was from Bhalwal. He was a local wrestler and hakim of repute and married to totally illiterate but fair and beautiful lass Radha Piyari Bhatia. They had 4 siblings- 3 sons and a daughter- S/Shri Jagat Ram Bhatia, Amar Nath Bhatia, Ishwar Das Bhatia, and the youngest of the lot a daughter Sumitra Devi Bhatia. Our father Shri Jagat Ram Bhatia was the eldest son born on 24 Dec 1905 in Bhalwal. He was good in studies and played hockey in school. His school across the Jhelum River had no bridge and had to wade through water. In the rainy seasons, often he caught hold of buffalo’s tail to swim across the river to attend school, and both he and his father dreamt his becoming a doctor. Unfortunately, our grandfather died very young and this dream remained unfulfilled for lack of reference of the local Gora Sahib for admission in medical college/ higher learning. My father was the first matriculate in the second division from his village and while my grandmother distributed homemade laddoos to the entire village, my father’s uncle fired a double-barrel gun in the air to celebrate the occasion. To support the family, he went to Bombay to do a diploma course in pharmacy and sanitation, served for a while in Khushab civil hospital, and was married to Shanti Devi Bhatia, d/o Shri Kanshi Ram Bhatia on 18 May 1931. He later served in the medical department of the Anglo Iranian Oil Company (AIOC), Abadan, Iran till its nationalization in 1951 and thereafter, in the Qatar Petroleum Company till 1965. Our parents being devoted to Arya Samajis, were very liberal in the upbringing of their large family of 7 siblings.
My maternal grandfather Shri Kanshi Ram Bhatia was educated in English knowing Bhatia, married to illiterate but talented and well versed in household girl Bharayan Wali- the name signifying having many brothers BUT had no brother. Our maternal grandfather was a great Sanskrit scholar and expert in Gita discourses served in the railways and had been Station Master in many small railway stations in the remote areas. He was Station Master in Haripur Hazara when my mother was born on 5 Sept 1916 and named Shanti Devi Bhatia.
My Mother Shanti Devi Bhatia born in Haripur Hazara on 5 Sep 1916 & died on 6 Feb 2004 & Father Shri Jagat Ram Bhatia born in Bhalwal on 24 Dec 1905 & died on 30 Apr 2004. They were married on 18 May 1931.
Haripur Hazara Railway Station
Haripur Hazara Railway Station is located in Haripur on Taxila-Khunjerab Railway Line in the erstwhile northwest Frontier Province now named Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan. While Kot Najib Ullah was the preceding and Serai Saleh the following stations. The town of Haripur (meaning ‘Hari’s town’) was founded in 1822 by Hari Singh Nalwa, the Commander-in-Chief of Ranjit Singh’s Army. Before becoming a district in 1991, Haripur had the status of a tehsil in Abbottabad district with headquarters in Haripur.
Haripur Hazara Railway Station
The beautiful city of Haripur Hazara
Fierce fighter & strategist Hari Singh Nalwa on whose name Haripur Hazara city was named
Karor Railway Station
Our maternal grandfather had 4 daughters and 2 sons and was posted as Station Master of the small Railway Station Karor where on 29 Jan 1920, they were blessed with their second sibling a son and therefore, named Karori Lal Bhatia who grew up as a very handsome and studious young man, interested in wrestling and later earned a good name in the Indian Air Force.
Karor Railway Station or Karor Lal Esan Railway Station
Karor Railway Station or Karor Lal Esan Railway Station is part of Karor / Karor Lal Esan city in the Layyah district in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The preceding and following stations were Rajan Shah and Notak respectively. There used to be a festival called Mela Chodhwein, held in Karor every year in September celebrated in memory of Lal Esan. The fair showcased events such as horse racing, tent pegging, camel fighting, bullfighting, wrestling, kabaddi, and dodda.
Tomb in Karor Lal Esan
Left-Rajni’s maternal grandparents Shri Hari Chand Bhatia & Smt Goma Devi. Right parents Shri Kundan Lal Bhatia & Smt Sarla Devi
In our immediate Bhatia family, many have flourished as doctors, engineers, managers, educationists, administrators, businessmen, and entrepreneurs while many served in the armed forces and took part in numerous wars fought since independence BUT two of them- my maternal uncle Group Capt KL Bhatia, VrC and my eldest brother Maj PN Bhatia, are outstanding bringing name and fame to themselves, their units, families and the Bhatia clan.
12 Squadron commanded by Gp Capt KL Bhatia, VrC during 1947-48 War against Pakistan
In October 47, tribal raiders, armed and led by Pakistani army officers raided Kashmir. On 26 October the Maharaja of Kashmir signed the Instrument of Accession as per the requirements of the partition process and pleaded for Indian military help. The lone transport Squadron under the command of Wing Commander KL Bhatia was not to be left behind. He piloted the very first Dakota aircraft DC-3 VP 905 into the Kashmir Valley on 27 October 47, airlifting 18 jawans of 1 Sikh under their CO, Lt Col Diwan Ranjit Rai. Both the officers in their own ways became legends thereafter. On 21 March 1948, the Dakota DC-3 VP 914 flown by Wing Commander KL Bhatia got shelled by the Pakistani artillery while carrying ammunition to the besieged Indian Army garrison in Poonch while landing. The damaged aircraft was quickly unloaded of its 25-pounder gun that optimised firepower of the besieged garrison and Wing Commander Bhatia was awarded much deserved Vir Chakra for his conspicuous bravery in fierce combat. We SALUTE Gp Capt KL Bhatia, VrC today on 29 Jan 2022 on his 102nd birthday with honour, pride, dignity and gratitude.
Likewise, my elder brother Prem was groomed by our maternal uncle Gp Capt KL Bhatia, VrC to join the Indian Army. He was tall, handsome, and an all-rounder sportsman. Commissioned in 6 Kumaon, he was the Adjutant of the Battalion that fought to advance Chinese in Walong in the erstwhile NEFA during the 1962 War. He was severely wounded and awarded Vir Chakra for his exemplary leadership and bravery, adding pride to his Paltan, family, and the Bhatia community.
Maj PN Bhatia, VrC, 6 Kumaon, Hero of Walong
Sadly, having fought bravely, both died young. While my maternal uncle was diagnosed with malignant lung cancer and in spite of the best of treatment available those days, sadly breathed his last on 20 Jan 1954 at the age of 34 years, leaving his family and the Indian Air Force (IAF) shattered forever. My brother who had inspired me to join the Kumaon Regiment had successfully completed his Defence Services Staff College Course on 27 Feb 1965 BUT sadly died in a tragic scooter accident in Coonoor on 28 Feb 1965 at the age of 32 years. His son Arvind Bhatia, at the time of his father’s demise, was barely 17 months old, was commissioned in his father’s Battalion 6 Kumaon, and retired from the Indian Army with a distinguished career and rank of Major General on 30 Sep 2021.
My maternal uncle and brother were my greatest role model treasures and losing them was the sharpest shooting pain in my body, mind, and soul. They motivated and guided many relatives and friends to join Indian Armed Forces. So this is how the stories of late Gp Capt KL Bhatia and Late Major Prem Nath Bhatia unfold- both ‘Vir Chakras’-one ‘Hero of Poonch’ and the other ‘Hero of Walong’, both were severely wounded in combat and survived but died young in unnatural deaths, both qualified Staff College Courses, both were soldiers’ soldiers, sportsmen, officers and gentlemen with courage and convictions, illustrious sons, brothers, husbands, fathers and above all compassionate human beings with infinite integrity, patience, missionary zeal, cheerfulness, purity of thoughts, conduct, absence of animosity and vanity that will inspire BHATIA Clan, Indian Air Force (IAF) and the KUMAON Regiment for generations to come.
Someone has very rightly said,
‘Bhatias are a small clan BUT with large achievements.’