At least three persons, bearing Mohan Singh as name, are historically associated with Ludhiana, lending it a pride of place. Mohan Singh of Kila Hans became industrialist and philanthropist. Coca-Cola/Campa Cola introduced his business face. Devotion to Rara Sahib retains his profile of service. The other two are General Mohan Singh and Professor Mohan Singh. The former founded the Indian National Army (INA). The latter is the zenith of the 20th century Punjabi poetry. General Mohan Singh chose Ludhiana as the place of re-settlement after the Partition. He developed Kanganwal as Garden Colony. Professor Mohan Singh was appointed Professor Emeritus, Punjab Agricultural University. He lived the last decade of his life (1968-78) here. During these years, he built associations with persons and institutions. He also, kept links with admirers and young writers.
Academy awardees, Kulwant Singh Virk, Gulzar Sandhu, Sant Singh Sekhon, besides noted authors, S.S. Narula, Ajaib Chittarkar and Krishan Adeeb enjoyed close literary links. Among friends, Mohan Singh sat as equal. But he always proved worthy of superior status. He seldom recited his poetry but enjoyed others’ works. He narrated anecdotes laced with witty quotes. He was a storehouse of Urdu and Persian poetry. He could quote gems from Tagore to Goethe. Mohan Singh was a keen listener. His trait being generosity clubbed with hospitality. Sohan Singh Misha, Shiv Kumar and Surjit Patar got his patronage and grew qualitatively. He visualised their poetic potential. He was an excellent connoisseur of fine arts.
As a man of the world, he was easiest with Jiwan Singh (Lahore Book Shop), recollecting Lahore-Amritsar of yore. He admired the wit and humour of Kartar Singh Shamsher, Suba Singh and Prof Hazara Singh. It was the wit and wisdom of Sardar Gopal Singh Khalsa he enjoyed the most
Even chance meetings and brief contacts with him conveyed the richness of his
literary life. He admired the maturity and vision of Mewa Singh Gill, who socialised with discretion. Mohan Singh was generous and carefree. Both had ear for music and mind for poetry in common.
Jagdev Singh Jassowal often played host to Mohan Singh. Shamsher, Gopal Singh Khalsa and Jassowal made a durable trio. Mohan Singh made people feel and think — also think higher and feel deeper. He had a very complex personality. He was at once learned and scholarly, generous and innocent. A rare mixture of complexity and simplicity. A man bitten by rivals, devoid of rancour or revenge. After losing all material assets, he promised Giani Ajmer Singh (Lohgarh) to pay royalty. He did pay each pie as publisher. He ranks with Bhai Vir Singh and Gurbakhsh Singh Preet lari in popularising literature. Many learnt Gurmukhi script to read Nanak Singh and Mohan Singh.
Mohan Singh had great ties with Ludhiana. As schoolboy, he studied at Government High School. As general secretary, he guided the Punjabi Sahit Akademy and Punjabi Bhavan.
At his residence, he had kept three portraits — Lenin, Amrita Pritam and Mohan Singh. Friends would interchange the order. Once, Mohan Singh finally fixed the order Amrita, Lenin and Self. Thereafter, his last collection of poems, Boohe (doors), appeared. His poetic journey had started with the death of his wife Basant.
Mohan Singh as person is gone. Mohan Singh as poet will live on. He was born on October 20, 1905. October 20, 2003, is his 99th birthday.
— M.S. Cheema
