Amrit Lal, a pivotal figure in the establishment of the Edinburgh Hindu Mandir, has died at the age of 93. His journey from a humble upbringing in Punjab to becoming a community leader in Scotland is a testament to resilience and dedication.
Early Life in India
Born in Jandali Kalan, near Ahmedgarh, Punjab, Amrit faced immense hardship early on. Two brothers and a sister died in infancy; his father, Lachman Dass Tangri, served as a vet in the British Indian army, leading to frequent relocations. His mother, Parvati Devi Dhand, had no formal education. The family struggled financially, and Amrit often attended school barefoot.
In 1945, his maternal uncle, Jagiri Mal Dhand, a teacher, arranged for him to board at Khalsa high school in Kila Raipur. Despite the chaos of Partition in 1947, Amrit passed his matriculation exam in August 1948. He later studied at DAV Post Graduate College in Dehradun, completing his final exams in 1952.
Move to Britain
Shortly after, an introduction in Delhi led to an apprenticeship with Albion Motors in Glasgow. Arriving in November 1952 with limited funds and English, Amrit spent a challenging decade working and studying part-time at Stow College, earning qualifications in mechanical and production engineering. In 1962, he returned to India to marry Saroj Chanana, an economics graduate.
The couple first lived in Madras (now Chennai), where their daughter Pansy was born in 1963 but died before three months. In 1964, they moved to Singapore when Amrit became a lecturer at Singapore Polytechnic; his son was born there in 1965. He returned to the UK in 1967 to pursue an MSc at the University of Birmingham.
Life in Edinburgh
In 1968, Amrit accepted a lectureship at Napier College of Science and Technology in Edinburgh. The family settled in the city, and daughter Kavita was born in 1969. Facing workplace prejudice and the pressures of teaching and family, both Amrit and Saroj left education. In 1973, they opened Lal's Store, a grocery business that provided financial stability. In the mid-1980s, they launched Fabina, a shop selling Asian fabrics, Indian musical instruments, and Bollywood films for rent, which became a cultural hub for the south-Asian community.
Creating the Edinburgh Hindu Mandir
In 1981, a group formed to establish a permanent Hindu temple in Edinburgh. Amrit later became its president. After Saroj secured a disused church in Leith, Amrit led the early renovation work. He also supported her in creating Ganga Ghat on the River Almond at Cramond, a multifaith site for ash immersion. Fittingly, both his and Saroj's ashes were placed there.
Saroj died in 2020. Amrit is survived by his children Kavita and his son, and granddaughter Isha.
