Pram Singh

Pram was born in the coastal town of Durban, South Africa, in the Autumn of 1947. From humble beginnings, Pram shared his childhood home with three brothers and seven sisters. Life was a bustling mess of mischief, with Pram often being the culprit in the innocent fun. Too many times did he run to his sisters after his rascally adventures, who chided him and doted on him in the same breath. In later years, Pram regaled his family and friends with many of his exploits and was known to be a man of a thousand words, with the enchanting ability to share his entertaining stories like a showman. Pram’s friendships from those early years lasted a lifetime, and were immortalised in the many legendary and now infamous “around the dinner table” tales we have all heard.

As Pram grew into adulthood, he learned from his own father the lessons of hard work, duty, and family values. Pram relinquished his quest for a higher education when he was asked to take over the family business. Ever the charming and enigmatic host, Pram slipped easily into the role of Hotelier. The Raj Mahal Hotel and Admiral Hotel were the first hotels available to non-whites in Apartheid South Africa, and despite the challenges of that era, Pram worked hard to provide a good life for his family; a theme that would continue through his career.

At 23, Pram was married to a bright and beautiful young lady. Soon after, they welcomed three children, for whom it was clear he lived and breathed for. Pram adored his family, and stopped at nothing to ensure their comfort, safety, and happiness.

Pram eventually expanded the family business and started to realise some of his dreams by travelling and embarking on new adventures. This led him to seek out opportunities for his family abroad, and after touring a number of countries, he and the family decided to immigrate to Sydney, Australia.

This brave new world was not necessarily an easy world, but Pram was not a person to be swayed by the unknown nor the path less travelled – and never would Pram settle for anything less than what he considered the best for his family. His entrepreneuring days continued with business in various industries. He persevered through hard times, remained steadfast with his faith, and demonstrated humility and compassion for all others despite his own hardships, and in doing so, created an incredible legacy that will endure long past our last breaths.

Despite his battle with Parkinson’s Disease, during the last decade his spirit and passion for living life to the fullest drove his interaction with his family – especially his two young grandchildren – and his ability to be as involved in life as his condition would allow. The sparkle in his eyes never faded, along with his wit and sense of humour. He was a dedicated family man until the very end, and captured a little piece of people’s hearts, making dear friends wherever he went. Each of you are testament to that. Thank you for being here to honour and farewell the remarkable soul that was Pram Singh. May his spark and “Joie de Vivre “ continue to live on in each of us.

————————-

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.