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He was the youngest of the seven brothers and was born to Baba Ram Singh Bedi (Quilewale) and Mata Mel Kaur on 28 Dec 1919. He also had two older sisters and a younger one. In those days it was probably the done thing to change the date of birth for reasons of schooling and employment. The date of birth recorded in the school records for Baba Pritpal Singh was therefore 22 June 1922. He studied in Khalsa High School, Amritsar from 01 April 1932 to 30 Mar 1934. Thereafter he shifted to Ram Garhia High School, Amritsar on 01Apr 1934 and studied there up to 15 Mar 1938. He did his Matriculation from here and passed on 01 Aug 1938 with 495 marks under Roll no 302. He then joined Hindu Sabha College in Amritsar on 28 Jun 1938 and studied there till 01 May 1941. He did his Intermediate from here and qualified on 01 Oct 1941 with 327 marks under Roll No 778. While in Amritsar, for both Matriculation and Intermediate, Baba Pritpal Singh Bedi seemed to be residing in Galli Mangal Singh, Chowk Prag Dass, Amritsar. This was the address noted in Ram Garhia High School and in Hindu Sabha College. After Intermediate, he went to Sikh National College, Lahore from 25 Jun 1941 to 01 May 1944. He did his BA from here in English, Physics, Maths and Punjabi and qualified with 244 marks under Roll No 815. His Principal in this college was Sardar Niranjan Singh and his Head of the Dept for English was Sardar Gurbachan Singh. While at the Hindu Sabha College and Sikh National College, Baba Pritpal Singh Bedi received several certificates of good conduct.
After his graduation in May 1944, Baba Pritpal Singh Bedi wanted to join his older brother Baba Darbara Singh Bedi in business, but since he was not inducted into business, he left home and joined the Air Force on 05 July 1944. His airforce no was IN D/47396 and he joined in the rank of AC2 and his Trade was U/T WOP. Baba Pritpal Singh Bedi remained in the Air Force only for 263 days and got himself discharged from service on 24.03.1945. His discharge certificate was issued at Hakimpet on 24.03.1945 by Officer Commanding, No 10 S of TT, RAC, officer in charge IAF Records.
After leaving the Air Force, Baba Pritpal Singh Bedi applied in different offices for a suitable job. He had sent in his applications duly supported by his credentials to:
1. Director of Military Farms, QMG’s branch, GHQ Simla for supervisor job.
2. Director of Ordinance Stores, Simla
3. Controller of Military Accounts, NW Army, Rawalpindi
4. Deputy Transport Controller (A), Lahore, Punjab
5. The Assistant Collector of Customs Preventive Service, Customs House, Karachi.
6. The Administrative Officer, Office of the Controller of Imports, New Delhi.
7. The Collector Central Excise, Delhi
8. The Collector Central Excise , Lahore
9. The Post Master General, Punjab and NWF Circle, Lahore.
10. Punjab & NWF Joint Public Service Commission, Lahore
In his application for a job in Military Farms, he had given reference of 6 brothers, 5 cousins and 3 uncles in military jobs. It was a practice in Military Farms that only relatives of Managers of Military Farms were considered for Supervisor jobs. This query was asked for on Baba Pritpal Singh’s application and herein a reference was made to S Nidhan Singh (maternal grandfather of Tikka Baba Brijinder Singh Bedi). He and his brother were managers in Military Farms. The officer considering the application noted therein that the applicant is related to S Nidhan Singh, Manager Military Farm, Jubbulpore and therefore be called for interview. Baba Pritpal Singh Bedi was approved for the post of Asstt Supervisor and received intimation to that effect under letter no E-3/4/A/CCF dt 25.8.1945 from Deputy Director Military Farms, Central Command (Farms) HQ, Wellington Mall, Lahore Cantt. He however did not join Military Farms. He was also called for interview to be held on Saturday 20th Oct 1945 by Secretary, Punjab & NWFP, Joint Public Service Commission, Lahore for the post of Asstt Excise and Taxation Officer. His record also indicates that he had also applied for training as a Commissioned Officer in His Majesty’s Forces and appeared before No 52 Services Selection Board, 5 Cambridge Barracks, Rawalpindi but could not be selected. He was informed so vide letter dt 15.8.1945 signed by Lt Col A S Sodhi of No 52 SSB. It seems at this time Baba Pritpal Singh Bedi was staying with his brother Baba Darbara Singh Bedi at Menahin Street, Beadon Road, Lahore. This is the address mentioned on the letter of No 52 SSB. He was finally selected by Central Excise department, where he served for the next thirty years.
Post independance, five of the seven brothers (14th Peerhi) shifted to Delhi and restarted their Real Estate business that they had ventured into and left behind at Lahore. Of the other two brothers, Baba Amrik Singh Bedi died and Baba Inder Singh Bedi migrated to Jabalpur. Since his brothers were all in Real Estate business, Baba Pritpal Singh Bedi also remained active in the Real Estate business in Delhi till mid seventies, which he pursued while in service. This business involved building and selling property one after another. In the 1950s and till mid 60s the real estate business of the family was concentrated in the Western Extension Area ie WEA and later shifted to South Delhi. The Bedi Brothers build and sold extensive properties in the prime areas of Delhi. Baba Pritpal Singh Bedi build houses in South Extension (J66, F19 and P23), in Defence Colony (C3339, C 581) and in Greater Kailash I (W65). After 1975, on leaving the Government service, Baba Pritpal Singh Bedi ventured into Consultancy business and this later grew and diversified into Customs Brokerage, International Logistics, Project Support, Warehousing, Manpower provisioning etc. He remained active in business for 30 years. He proved himself well in business and took it to enviable heights.
Baba Pritpal Singh Bedi was a great personality and the main driving force for the Bedi Family unity and cohesiveness. During the last decade of his life, he took to poetry and penned down several short poems on subjects that touch our lives daily. A compilation of his poems by his granddaughter, Bibi Hanit Kohli, can be accessed on the link below.
Compilation of poetry of Baba Pritpal Singh Bedi
Baba Pritpal Singh Bedi left for his heavenly abode on 10 June 2013.
