By Amit Chaudhary
''Armymen sacrifice their lives fighting for us but it is unfortunate that their families live miserably after their death or retirement,'' Ms Singh said, who lost her husband after a long and painful battle with cancer in 1979.
Remembering her suffering after the death of her husband, she said, the families of Defence personnel should be taken care of properly by the government and providing ''shelter and security'' is the foremost responsibility of the government.
Ms Singh started social work when she was in her teens only, though she began working for widows and their families in 1974, who were left abandonned by the government. She said she could identify herself with them.
In 1975, she arranged the re-marriage of 47 war widows of different castes and creeds in Chandigarh, where she had set up her base after the death her husband Major General Gurbaksh Singh, a gallant soldier who was awarded Padma Shree, Distinguished Service Order(DSO) and Order of British Empire(OBE) for his services during Second World War.
However, she had to shift to Shimla in Himachal Pradesh from Chandigarh in 1980s due to security reasons.
Though, the Bharat Gaurav awardee Ms Singh believes that only getting them re-married is not enough as they should be properly rehabilitated. ''We talked to some universities to reserve some seats for the widows so that they can get quality education,'' She elaborated.
Due to her constant and sincere efforts, Himachal Pradesh University and Jammu and Kashmir government have both reserved seats in various courses.
Late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had hugely commended her efforts and she was made a member of All India Congress Committee(AICC).
When she shifted to Shimla, she was appointed as the Chairperson of Himachal Pradesh Handloom Board. She claimed to have worked quite efficiently while holding the post but she was removed from the post after the change in government and, more painfully, she was considered an ''outsider'' even after working so earnestly for the welfare of the people of that region.
She now feels broken, tired and aloof. Indifferent behaviour of politicians towards her and hatred of other widows towards her. She said, ''The people who have power only look for two things, money and easy availability. We are not easily available to anyone. I will not stoop low or succumb to any pressure. Being a soldier’s wife, I consider myself a soldier.'' During the talk, she got nostalgic and recalled the time when her father was killed by the invaders in Muzaffarabad (Pakistan Occupied Kashmir) after partition and she along with her mother and two sibblings spent life in captivity. It was much later that the family was rescued, due to the efforts of late Sarojini Naidu.
Considering the difficulties Ms Sudesh G B Singh has faced in her life, she is an appropriate example of strength and bravery, who has always kept her pace ahead of life despite endless adversities.
She has spent over four decades in the service of people and considers herself a very rich person, not in worldly goods, but in spirits.
She was the first lady commander of the women’s wing of Home Guard and Civil Defence in New Delhi. She is also largely associated with the promotion of cultural activities. She is also the president of International Punjabi Society, which is another feather in her cap.
She also visited Afghanistan as a representative of World Health Organisation(WHO) to propagate family planning and help them to discard Purdha (veil) System. She was also invited by the Return Services League(RSL) of Australia as a goodwill ambassador. Her work was much appreciated by the Indian Government.
Ms Singh regretted the fact that while other countries like Australia, England, Korea and Japan have given her so much of respect and recognition, but in her own country she always felt ignored.
Ms Singh lamented that despite her dedication to the cause of war widows, ex-servicemen and her family's ''sacrifices'' for the nation, she got nothing in return not even ''respect'' a martyr’s wife should get. ''Politicians pay only lip service to us but do nothing for our welfare,'' she bemoaned.
''To make your voice heard you should have someone, who have faced the difficulties and understand your pain, to speak for you but there is no one who can raise voice for us in the Parliament,'' Ms Singh said.
She also advocated the need of creating a separate cell for the welfare of war widows headed by a person who understand the needs and sufferings of widows.
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