Gurbachan Singh Deepak, the third child of Sardar Tara Singh, was born on 1 April 1923 at his grandfather’s farm in Sargodha. He was older than his two brothers, Avtar and Manohar, and together they were known as the Deepak Brothers. Gurbachan received his early school education in Sunam. From an early age, he was different from his peers. Soon he could read and write, and he started to express his feelings through poetry. It is said that while he was still young, he went missing from the haveli one evening. Servants and family members were sent to search for him, but with little success. Upon arriving home late in the evening, Sardar Tara Singh was told about the incident, but he wasn’t worried about it. He had an idea of where Gurbachan could be. A mushaira (poetic recitation) was going to take place that evening and Tara Singh was aware that Gurbachan might be there. When he reached the Grain Market, the venue of the mushaira, Gurbachan was on the stage reciting his poetry, which he probably wrote the day before for the occasion. Calm returned to the haveli once more with Gurbachan and Sardar Tara Singh’s return. Mataji Jaswant Kaur wasn’t pleased about this, but what could she do? Gurbachan Singh was now being recognised among the local poetic fraternity.

Gurbachan was serious about his poetry, but he was also serious about his studies. After finishing school at Sunam, he wanted to pursue his studies further. So, Sardar Tara Singh got him admitted to the Lyallpur Agriculture College, where he continued his studies until India’s Partition. He then moved to Amritsar Khalsa College to finish his Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture. This degree took about three to four years, but the budding young poet finished in seven years. By now, his younger brother, Avtar, had come to join him at the Khalsa College to study for a degree in Agriculture.

My father describes Gurbachan’s hostel room as fit for some prince from a princely state.