In Loving Memory

Harpal Singh

23 December 1940 – 17 April 2020

Harpal Singh passed away on Friday, April 17, 2020 in his home in Fairfax County, VA, where he has lived since 1988.

Harpal was born in 1940 to Mr. Sahib Singh and Ms. Raj Kaur in Rawalpindi, Punjab in what is now known as Pakistan. Harpal’s mother, Raj Kaur passed away when he was a few months old and Harpal’s family included two older brothers, Surendra and Gurcharan. During the partition in 1947, Harpal’s family relocated to Northern India. They initially settled in Meerut and eventually moved to Lucknow, where Harpal went to university.

Harpal studied geology at Lucknow University and after earning his master’s degree, he moved to Dehra Dun in 1965 to work for the Oil and Natural Gas Commission, which is part of the Government of India.

Harpal married Ms. Inderbir Kaur on May 18, 1969 in New Delhi. Harpal and his wife, Inderbir, lived in Dehra Dun until 1975, during which time they had a son and a daughter. In 1975, Harpal immigrated to the U.S. and settled in the Arlington, VA area, where his wife and two children joined him in 1976.

Harpal switched careers to computer technology in the late 70’s and worked for C&P Telephone Company starting in 1979. He continued to work in the telecommunications industry for the remainder of his career and retired from Bell Atlantic in 2003. He spent his retirement years spending time with family and friends, building the Singh Sabha Gurudwara, Sikh advocacy, and traveling and exploring the world.

During his lifetime, Harpal visited over 30 countries and over 20 U.S. states and was always passionate about exploring and continuous learning. He did not shy away from discovering something new, whether it was eating a local delicacy to befriending a fellow traveler to learn about their background and culture.

Harpal was a devoted member of the Sikh faith throughout his lifetime. He was a founding member of the Singh Sabha Gurudwara in Fairfax and Sikh Foundation of Virginia in Fairfax Station.  His work for Singh Sabha Gurudwara included procurement of the land, the development of the gurudwara, construction of Gurdwara Building, and the development of its programs including a Punjabi School for Children. Harpal visited several gurudwaras and locations in India that hold a significant place in Sikhism including Hemkund Sahib, Harmandir Sahib, and Anandpur Sahib. He was also a Sikh activist and advocated for Sikh equality and recognition both at the local and national level in the U.S.

While Harpal’s faith was important to him, Harpal was even more devoted to his family. Harpal loved his family and spending time with his wife, his son, his daughter-in-law, his two granddaughters, and his daughter. Harpal remained close with his two older brothers until the end of his life and would visit Surendra in Arlington and would exchange calls with his brother Gurcharan in Atlanta. Family was paramount to Harpal and whether it was celebrating a birthday or anniversary, getting together for Super Bowl Sunday, taking a family vacation, or a family dinner of homemade pizza, Harpal cherished every moment that he spent with his family.

Harpal is survived by his wife, Inderbir; his two older brothers: Surendra and Gurcharan; his son: Jaspreet, his daughter-in-law: Supreet, his two granddaughters: Harkiran and Jastirath, and his daughter: Harpreet.