Khushwant Singh Family Tree: The Story Behind Train to Pakistan's Author

Khushwant Singh, born 2 February 1915 in Hadali, Punjab (now in Pakistan), was one of India's most-prolific English-language writers and journalists — author of Train to Pakistan (1956), I Shall Not Hear the Nightingale (1959), Delhi (1990), and the long-running With Malice Towards One and All column. Padma Bhushan (1974); Padma Vibhushan (2007). He died 20 March 2014 at age 99.

The Family's Roots: A Sikh Builder-Family from Hadali

The Singh family was a Sikh family from Hadali, in the Khushab District of Punjab (modern-day Pakistan). Father Sobha Singh became one of Delhi's most-prominent builders.

His Parents

Father: Sir Sobha Singh (1890–1978) — knighted; co-builder of Lutyens's New Delhi — built Connaught Place, the South Block, and many other landmarks; Member of the Legislative Council; major real-estate figure in early-20th-century Delhi.

Mother: Veeran Bai Singh — homemaker.

His Siblings

Bhagwant Singh — Khushwant's elder brother.

Major-General Gurbux Singh (1916–1996) — Khushwant's younger brother; Indian Army officer; war hero; Vir Chakra.

Daljit Singh — Khushwant's younger brother; architect.

His Wife: Kanwal Malik

Kanwal Malik Singh (died 2001) — married Khushwant in 1939 in Delhi; the marriage lasted 62 years until her death.

Their Children

Rahul Singh, born 1940 — son; journalist (The Indian Express); briefly editor of Reader's Digest India.

Mala Singh, born 1942 — daughter; lives in Delhi.

The Singh Family Tree at a Glance

Family Origins: Sikh; Hadali, Khushab District, Punjab (now Pakistan); resettled in Delhi.

Father: Sir Sobha Singh (1890–1978) — knighted; New Delhi builder; Connaught Place.

Mother: Veeran Bai Singh.

Brothers: Bhagwant Singh (elder); Maj-Gen Gurbux Singh (1916–1996) — Indian Army; Daljit Singh — architect.

Wife: Kanwal Malik Singh (m. 1939, died 2001).

Children: Rahul Singh (b. 1940) — journalist; Mala Singh (b. 1942).

Khushwant Singh:

  • Born 2 February 1915, Hadali
  • Modern School (Delhi); St Stephen's College (Delhi); Government College, Lahore; King's College, London; Inner Temple, London
  • Practised law at Lahore High Court (1939–47)
  • Partition 1947: family migrated from Hadali to Delhi
  • Indian Foreign Service: 1948–51 (Toronto and London)
  • Director of Public Relations, Government of India: 1954–55
  • All India Radio: 1953–55
  • Train to Pakistan (1956) — Grove Press Indian-American Award; iconic Partition novel
  • Editor: The Illustrated Weekly of India (1969–78); National Herald (1978–79); The Hindustan Times (1980–83)
  • Column: With Malice Towards One and All (syndicated to multiple Indian newspapers; ran for 30+ years)
  • Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha: 1980–86 (nominated)
  • 80+ books across novels, history, biography, satire, religion, and humour
  • Padma Bhushan: 1974 (returned 1984 in protest against Operation Blue Star at the Golden Temple); restored 1980; Padma Vibhushan: 2007
  • Died 20 March 2014, Delhi, age 99

What the Singh Family Story Teaches Us

A knighted-builder father who built modern New Delhi. A homemaker mother. Three brothers — including a Vir Chakra-winning Army general and an architect. A 62-year marriage. Two children — one a journalist. A 99-year life that spanned colonial Punjab, Partition, post-Independence India, and modern Delhi.

For every family — large or small, famous or otherwise — the Khushwant Singh story carries the same lesson. Some family records hold both colonial-era construction and post-colonial literary fame. Sir Sobha Singh's Connaught Place is on the Singh family record alongside Train to Pakistan — and both are foundational to modern Delhi.

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