Jogindar Singh Josan

Story

Life in India: I was born in a remote village in Punjab, India. The nearest primary school was about five kilometres away in the next village. I was in grade 10 when India was divided to create Pakistan. My family was on the wrong side of the Redcliffe line and we have to migrate to East Punjab, India. I joined the Punjab Irrigation Department in 1948 to support my family. I resigned from my job in 1953 to further my education and joined Khalsa College, Amritsar to pursue my studies in sciences. I was awarded FSc, BSc (Hons), and MSc (Hons) degrees in Chemistry from Panjab University in 1955, 1958 and 1960 respectively.

I joined Lyallpur Khalsa College, Jalandhar, Punjab, India as a Lecturer in Chemistry in 1960. I got married on 10 December, 1961.

Life in England: We decided within few months of our marriage that I should leave India for England to make better life for the family which I did in June, 1962. My wife was pregnant and stayed back with her family. Our first son, Kanwaljit singh, was born on 21 October, 1962 while I was in England

Life in Australia: I was not happy being a highly qualified Postman in England and decided to apply for Doctoral studies in Chemistry in a University in Australia. I was successful for the award of a scholarship for my doctoral studies in Chemistry at Monash University, Melbourne and joined the University on 23 October, 1963. My wife and son joined me in Melbourne on 22 July, 1964.

. I was made welcome to the Department of Chemistry by Prof. Ron Brown who then introduced me to Dr Frank Eastwood with whom I was to carry out research for my Doctoral studies. Dr Eastwood was very polite and extremely helpful with the result I completed my research within the prescribed period and qualified for the award of PhD degree in Organic Chemistry in 1968 from Monash University. .

We were blessed with our second son, Raminder Singh, on 6 January 1968. My wife started working in a factory within few weeks of her arrival in Australia where she stayed for about seven months. She applied for and was subsequently offered a position as a Technical Assistant in the Department of Zoology at Monash University. It was not possible to change our student visas to permanent residence under the ‘White Australia\’ policy. Fortunately this policy was rescinded by the referendum in 1967 and we were able to get our permanent residence and finally we all became Australian citizen in 1968.

I worked with Dunlop Australia Ltd for one year after completion of my doctoral studies. I was not very satisfied with my job in industry as I was more focused on an academic position at a University. I sent such applications to various universities and was finally granted one in 1969 as a Lecturer in Chemistry at the Queensland Institute of Technology now the University of Southern Queensland in Toowoomba, Queensland.

We were blessed with a daughter, Manjit Kaur, in Toowoomba on 14 February, 1972. Our family was complete and we live a fulfilling and contented lifestyle in Toowoomba. Our children are grown up. They are married after completing their studies and are happily settled in Melbourne, Brisbane and Paris.

I have been retired from the University of Southern Queensland since 1 July 1994 after spending nearly twenty-five years being an integral part of the Department of Chemistry. We have made very many friends not only among my University associates but also in the community at large.

We were the only Indian family in Toowoomba for more than ten years. We have benefited from welcoming many people into our home from every walk of life that has created a congenial and happy atmosphere in which we live. Australia is our adopted country and we live here happily without any reservation.

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