Early this morning, H.Kishie Singh passed away. He was a giant of a man, both literally and figuratively. He was tall and big built, and also had a towering personality. An extremely well-travelled and well-read man, Kishie was not only a dear friend, but in many ways a mentor and “Guru” too, who taught me such a lot about life.

I met Kishie for the first time sometime in the early 1980s in the parking lot of the Ashoka Hotel in Delhi, where most of the participants of the Himalayan Rally were staying. Kishie was participating along with a Canadian friend in a Suzuki Swift (also known as Cultus in some markets) and I was quite fascinated by both the Sardar who had a contagious laugh, and the sporty Swift, which was powered by a nice sounding 1298 cc, DOHC, 16-valve engine. This Swift that had come all the way from Canada to participate in the Himalayan Rally was also a huge attraction back then, because it was about two decades before Maruti launched it in India.

Kishie and I hit it off almost immediately and over the years became great friends. I also had the pleasure of doing several road journeys with him and subsequently I asked him to write for some of the magazines that I helped edit.  Kishie’s writing style was completely different and extremely engaging, entertaining and informative. In fact in my view, Kishie’s writings should be studied and taught in journalistic schools, because honestly, we no longer have writers who are as talented and eloquent as him. What also clearly came through in his writings was his love for the automobile, and his immense knowledge of life and experience of motoring.

And it is this that resulted in Kishie writing the longest continuously running motoring column in our country. Yes, over a period of about 24 years (starting from sometime in the 1980s), about 650 of his “Good Motoring” columns were published in The Tribune! A record that I think will be most difficult to match, especially in this era of Instagram and “Instant Everything”.

Thanks to his distinctive writing, Kishie has many fans (me included), but not many know that he did a solo overland journey from Canada to India in a Toyota Corolla in the mid-70s, well before road trips were popular in our country. Having spent many memorable evenings with Kishie in the company of some good malt, I was fortunate to learn all about his epic overland journey.

He named his Corolla ‘Bucephalus’, one of the most famous horses in the history of mankind, and followed the route its owner Alexander the Great, took to India. After driving across Canada he shipped his car to Europe and then halted in Greece. Here onwards he followed, or drove in Alexander’s footsteps to Iran, and further on to Kabul. Later he crossed the famous Khyber Pass, went through Pakistan, and arrived in Amritsar.  I am sure, even those of you who never knew Kishie, can appreciate and understand the kind of man he was by the type of overland journey he undertook. Please note this was back in the 70s and Kishie was all by himself!

It’s all this and more, which makes Kishie or Sardar Sahib as I called him, so very special to me. Guruji, I will miss the lovely evenings in your unmatchable company and those rejuvenating calls every few months on Sunday mornings. Travel well Kishie, and I am sure all the Gods will have good company, now that you are with them. Sardar Sahib Ki Jai Ho. Jo Bole So Nihal, Sat Sri Akal. Wahe Guruji Ka Khalsa, Wahe Guruji Ki Fateh.