Rupinder S Kharbanda

In this video and supplemental video to his initial interview—speaking to the hidden realities of some women survivors of 1984—we are proud of how Rupinder Singh Kharbanda Reclaims the Flames!

“Kidhaar Hai Rupinder?”

His friend searching for him, yelled out as the train was leaving and distracted the attackers just long enough for Kharbanda to rush to save his life. Then, as they got to Pune, Maharashtra train station, his friend said he would now part ways with Kharbanda. “Don’t ask me why I am not going with you…but i must go my own way.”

At the station, Kharbanda’s bags were searched unceremoniously and he was grilled extensively, even as his injuries bled and his face was blackened after the attack.

Kharbanda remembers how his Association of Sales & Marketing professionals, had already held a condolence meet for him. Turned out, another Sardar of a description similar to Kharbana was in fact killed by those attackers on that day at that station…

At the same time, his future wife’s family was facing a blood-curdling attack on their train, and several male members of her family were killed savagely.

Reflecting on all of this, Kharbanda concludes passionately: “Today… I want them to see, we are still there. Even if they’ve chopped us up, we are still here.”

After the camera was switched off, Mr. Kharbana shared another reflection with us—about gendered violence and the reality of economic destitution and forced prostitution faced by Sikh women. A few weeks later, he submitted another video to the Project, recording this reflection, so that it is not lost to history. We thank him and his daughter for encouraging him to record this story!