As I reassess my life journey after my retirement from work, I remain confused because my mind carries the memory of my heritage, culture, family and past. My wife and my mother came from India, my father and I were born in Kenya, my son was born in England and daughter in Canada. My family originated from the Khukhrain clan, having roots in the Jhelum area now in Pakistan, roots that are being forgotten as time moves on, with my family moving from India, Kenya, and England, and settled now in Canada. I see myself as "A Khukhrain: Lost in Four Continents."
Perhaps my journey is similar to all who lost their homes, land, family and friends due to circumstances beyond their control (wars, racial conflicts, religious conflicts, colonial authoritarian policies, racism, etc.) and who then, through their desire to live to serve humanity and society, have put their lives together in a different country and environment and succeeded in making this world a better place. These people's lives, like those of my family and mine, were made better and secured by the warm welcome and assistance of wonderful citizens of the countries where these dislocated people located to.
To reach in time where I am now, my family and I have gone though major family, social and economic changes. The socio-geopolitical changes-largely caused by the British colonial policies and the weakness of my community and our leaders-has profoundly unrooted, re-established and settled my families with security and hope. This has dearly cost my family, retaining personal identify and culture as I moved and settled in four different countries and continents.
At the end of the reassessment of my life, I ask, "Does it really not matter where one's family originated from, or what the future holds for you, or what race you belong to, or what colour your skin is, or what language you speak, or whether you are a vegetarian or a meat eater? At the end of life, everyone's body will decompose into five elements and the soul will seek for God or nature for sanctuary.
Would one be reborn again in a different location? Thus I wonder, if we look at our evolution of cumulative birth and death, do we all belong to this shared universe with no countries and boundaries created artificially by human beings?
Author Biography:
Amar(jit) Chadha, P.Eng. (Ret.) FEC is a professional engineer with more than fifty years of diversified experience in transportation, municipal and industrial engineering, policy, strategic and functional planning, design and construction projects. Mr. Chadha has been responsible for the management and delivery of numerous projects throughout Central Canada and the United Kingdom. He has worked for the Manitoba government, engineering consultants, international engineering and construction companies, and for the City of Portage La Prairie in senior management positions. Mr. Chadha is a well-established member of the Canadian engineering industry. Amar has been recognized for providing public service excellence by the Manitoba government and is the recipient of Premier's Career Achievement Award, Partnership Award and Innovation Award. He has also received community service merit certificates from the Indo-Canadian community for his outstanding contributions and service to the community. Amar has served on the boards of the India Association, the National Association of Canadians of Indian Origin and the National Indio Council. He has also served as the president of Singh Sabha, Winnipeg. Mr. Chadha was the vice-president of the Manitoba Sikh Association and the building chairperson for the construction of the Punjab Cultural and Senior Centre project in Winnipeg.Amar is a Registered Professional Engineer with the Province of Manitoba, with a Master of Engineering Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Manitoba. He is a graduate of Plymouth University (UK) and was a Chartered Civil Engineer registered with the European Engineering Council. From 1987 to 1992 he was a visiting lecturer with the University of Manitoba, teaching Urban and Rural Transportation. Amar has participated in several Canadian and international technical and engineering committees and task-forces during his career. Amar did his junior school education in Kenya in a segregated/apartheid environment and took his mid-school education in India attending the Allen Memorial School in Mussoorie, India. In 1963 he went to England, where he completed his A Levels attending the Oxford College for Further Studies. Following that he completed his Civil Engineering Diploma with the University of Plymouth. After his university education, he worked in the United Kingdom till 1976. After 1976, Amar and his family immigrated to Canada.
