Indians in the Philippines
This is a collection of articles archived for the excellence of their content. |
Punjab: Early 20th-century migrations
Mar 22 2015
Amaninder Sharma
Indiana zone - The strange case of the Filipino Bhagat Singhs
Meet Ramon D Bagatsing, longest serving mayor of Manila, from 1971 to 1986. A Filipino World War II hero, he was also minister for many years holding important portfolios. Wondering if Bagatsing had anything to do with the revolutionary Bhagat Singh? Spot on. Some 90 years ago, this family decided to adopt this name. The Bagatsings trace their lineage to one Matahram Singh, a Jat who migrated to the Philippines from Punjab in the early half of the 20th century.
He married a Filipino who bore him his first child in 1916, also called Ramon. Ever since, the family has come a long way, producing politicians, a senior World Bank executive and the Catholic Women's League of Philippines president. The Bagatsings are known in their country for their community work and political heft.
Strangely, though, the family doesn't know why Matahram's descendants chose to add Bagatsing to their name. It's a mystery they're trying to fathom.
Matahram's native place was Banga, a town 4km from the revolutionary's village Katkar Kalan in Nawashahr district.Could Matahram and Bhagat Singh have been related -a possibility the Filipino family is exploring.
In search of answers, Valentino S Bagatsing, son of the former Ma ZO nila mayor, last week travelled from Amritsar to Jalandhar to Khatkar Kalan, days before Bhagat Singh's death anniversary on March 23.
Valentino, who works in Nepal, said: “Matahram first went to Hong Kong, then to the Philippines. We are curious why he adopted the name Bhagat Singh and then Filipinized it.“ In fact, Matahram started using Bagatsing before the legendary freedom fighter was executed, Valentino says. “There's speculation about our family having blood relations with Bhagat Singh, which we're trying to determine. My research shows Matahram had links with Ghadar activists in Manila.“
Bhagat Singh's nephew Jagmohan Singh has a different interpretation. “My research suggests the Filipino family officially adopted `Bagatsing' in 1934, when Matahram's son Ramon turned 18. Philip pines law allowed every NES individual to declare his unique family name. Ra mon's father suffixed his with Bagatsing and the family has carried on this tradition. We infer that a Pun jabi Jat, who migrated from a town 4km from Bhagat Singh's village, was influenced by the freedom fighter,“ Jagmohan concluded.
