Page 232 - Leadership in the Indian Army

in seven days. They returned to India in July 1995. On 29 September 1995,
Raj went to Bombay to attend a board meeting of the Somaiya Group,
spending a weekend in Poona with Priyo’s brother, Brigadier Pritam Pal

Singh, before returning to Delhi. This was his last trip.
Slowly, Raj began spending more and more time in bed, getting up only to
watch television if a golf tournament or a cricket match was on. All visitors
were still greeted with a smile, and the jokes and leg-pulling continued as
before. His in-laws, siblings, children, young nieces and nephews would
take turns to sit with him every evening, talking to him or playing the music
that he loved best—songs from ‘My Fair Lady’ or ‘South Pacific’—

surrounding him with the sense of family he so loved.
The marriage of his nephew, Kapil (son of Group Captain Ram Batra) was
scheduled to take place on 19 November 1995. He told Priyo that no matter
what happened, the wedding was not to put off. By 16 November, the entire
Batra family had arrived for the wedding. Raj met each one of them that
day, and in the evening, while listening to his favourite music, closed his

eyes and peacefully passed away. It was almost as though he had been
waiting for this day, when all his loved ones would be around him. In
deference to his wishes, the wedding was celebrated on 19 November, with
solemnity and grace.
Raj was cremated at the military cremation ground at Brar Square in
Delhi, very close to the famous War Cemetery. The mourners included
almost the entire top brass of the Corps of Signals, retired officers, soldiers,

as well as a large number of his civilian friends and admirers. The large
turnout was but an indication of the tremendous popularity, esteem and
affection which Raj enjoyed. For several months after his demise, tributes
kept pouring in, not only from his own, but also his children’s friends, who
had always looked upon Raj as a favourite uncle. Letters reached Priyo
from almost every corner of the globe, often bringing tears to her eyes.

From England, David Horsfield wrote:

Raj deserved to the full the respect, admiration and affection that came his way, but he achieved
something more and something very rare. People loved him unreservedly and it is this which
makes his loss so painful. We believe that—as in everything he did—Raj got it right. It was time
to go.
From Singapore, Glenda Singh, a friend of Preminda’s wrote:

I’m sure everyone has a lot of fine things to say about him and his many outstanding
achievements, but we will always remember him for his endearing sense of humour and larger-