Mr. Harjit Singh Dehal
Born: Mehatpur – Shahpur
Nearest big town: Jalandhar
Population: About 15,000 people
What’s the place known for: The River Satluj passes through our pind.
How often do you visit: Twice a year
Famous person from there: Tara Singh Geba who reconstructed the fortress of Rahon is quite famous.
Last visit: April 2011
What has changed: People are more educated now and the standard of living is better.
What have you done for your hometown: I donated money to help build a new building for the local primary school.
With the responsibility of supporting his whole family at the age of 18, Mr. Harjit Singh Dehal, is quite familiar with what struggling as a new immigrant is like. After his elder brother sponsored his whole family, Mr. Dehal moved to Canada in 1993. Experiencing a complete change of life, he struggled to build his life through a series of different postings, from a mill to a restaurant. Working as a dishwasher he realized a desire for fixing electrical appliances so he looked into getting an education in the field. He completed a three year program in Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning, in a period of seven months by taking a “challenge exam”. He believes his commitment to start small and distributing his business card around helped him make a name for himself. In 1997 he opened his business, Dehal Mechanic Inc., and has never looked back. He is the president of the local sports club in Mehatpur and enjoys Punjabi music. “I love living in Canada because one can grow here professionally but I miss the Indian social life and community bond,” says Mr. Dehal.
Mera Pind compiled by Jasjot Bhullar. To be profiled in Mera Pind, send email to editor@postpeopleinc.com.
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