LAHORE: In a symbolic tribute that transcends borders, Aitchison College has dedicated a classroom in honour of one of its distinguished alumni – former Indian Punjab chief minister Harcharan Singh Brar.

A ceremony was held at the college on Wednesday to name the classroom No-108 after Brar which was attended by Babli Brar, the daughter of Brar, college Principal Dr SM Turab Hussain, senior staff and office-bearers of the Aitchison College Old Boys Association. Industrialist Syed Babar Ali, Brar’s schoolmate and lifelong friend at Aitchison, joined the event online.

Babli Brar unveiled the plaque dedicating the classroom to her late father. “This classroom is dedicated to the loving memory of my friend Harcharan Singh Brar (1922-2009) of Srai Nanga, District Ferozepur,” says the text of the plaque written by Syed Babar Ali.

Harcharan Singh Brar joined Aitchison College in 1937 and graduated after passing his Senior Cambridge in 1941 and the Higher School Certificate of Cambridge University in 1943. He was an outstanding student, school prefect and was awarded the Rivaz gold medal. He did exceptionally well at games. He earned colours in riding, tennis and cricket, which gave him the full blazer, a coveted achievement.

Brar was admitted to Government College, Lahore in 1944 and graduated with a BA degree from the Punjab University. After 1947, he joined the Congress Party in India and was elected to the Provincial Assembly of East Punjab (1960) and appointed the Deputy Minister. After his tenure, he was appointed as the Governor of the Odisha Province (1977) and later-on Governor of Haryana and finally as the Chief Minister of Punjab (1995).

Syed Babar Ali said: “I have had the privilege of enjoying Brar’s friendship ever since we were classmates in 1937. He remained my best friend till he passed away in 2009. He and his family regularly visited us in Lahore and were warmly welcomed by my larger family.” Ali remained a student of Aitchison College from 1934 to 43.

According to Dr Tarunjit Singh Butalia, an honorary envoy at the Aitchison College, this classroom dedicated by Syed Babar Ali was a symbolic gesture of the over 70 years of his lifelong friendship with Harcharan Singh Brar.

“Their friendship transcended the trauma of the partition, time, their professions, and patriotism. It is a source of inspiration for young Pakistanis and Indians who will be the leaders of South Asia of tomorrow,” Butalia said and the plaque was placed outside classroom 108 of Senior School and a photograph of Brar wearing the college blazer had been hung inside the classroom.

Harcharan Singh Brar in his 1989 visit to Lahore inaugurated a library at Aitchison College and dedicated it to Babar Ali.

Published in Dawn, June 12th, 2026