New Delhi: At 82, Sardar Swaran Singh may struggle to recall names, but he never forgets a face. He has been stitching military uniforms since he was 15.
Singh’s journey from the small village of Jagdev Kalan in Amritsar district to becoming a trusted name among India’s military personnel, including Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw whose birth anniversary falls on 3 April, is one of resilience and dedication.
Singh arrived in Delhi at the age of 12, just after India gained independence. Poverty drove him to leave his village, with a large family to support and siblings to marry off. “I had completed my studies up to class 5 before moving here,” he recalled while speaking to ThePrint.
He first stayed with an elder sister in Delhi Cantonment for three years before being placed under the care of Sardar Wasti Singh Bawa and Sardar Surjeet Singh Bawa (93), family acquaintances from Punjab. At the age of 15, he began his apprenticeship under the Bawa brothers, who taught him the trade. Their shop, now known as The Battle Fatigues Store, was earlier called Madras Cloth House and Popular Tailors. “They showed me the ropes, and my journey has been closely intertwined with theirs,” said Singh.
Over the years, Singh has stitched uniforms for former Army chiefs, including Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, General J.J. Singh, and General Manoj Pande, who retired only last year.
He recalled recognising most officers from their early years in service, even if he can’t remember their names.
Given Manekshaw’s legacy, there are, however, others who claim to have stitched his uniforms in the same market. Only a few shops away sits a competitor by the name of Tailloo Ram, which, having opened in 1932, claims to be the oldest shop in the market. The owner of Tailloo Ram claims it was their shop which stitched General Manekshaw’s clothing.
Reflecting on his early struggles, Singh said tailoring was more than a job—it was a necessity. “Work was a compulsion. There weren’t many opportunities in the village, and this trade had value, though it demanded effort,” he said. Tailoring in his early days involved intricate handwork, unlike today’s machine-aided methods. “Now, it’s easier, but back then, everything was done by hand.”
His dedication hasn’t gone unnoticed. Many retired officers still visit him, including a general who came to the shop recently after decades. “The moment he saw me, his eyes lit up,” Singh recalled with pride.
For Singh, it’s the relationships formed through his work that bring him joy. “Customers I have known for 30-50 years still come back. They have grown old, like me, but seeing each other brings happiness,” he said.
He fondly remembered an air force pilot who likened their respective trades. “The pilot told me, ‘What aircraft is to us, the cloth you cut is to you. If you knew its value, you would never be able to cut it.’”
Singh credits his mentor, Sardar Surjeet Singh Bawa, for his enduring success and continues to learn from him. “Even at 82, I consider myself a student. Tayaji, now 93, is still my guide,” he said.
The family’s tailoring business has seen its share of glory. During the late 1990s and early 2000s, they stitched 1,500 uniforms daily for military units, including those deployed on UN missions. They also catered to production houses, with actor Shah Rukh Khan visiting the store during the filming of Fauji.
Singh has five children—two daughters and three sons. While the daughters are married, the sons have pursued careers in electrical work, tailoring, and transportation. He never aspired for his children to join the military, saying, “They didn’t study enough for it.”
(Edited by Radifah Kabir)
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