Barton Community College

A tribute by a classmate & friend

Letter written to father of Uday Singh - 16 June, 2004

Dear Mr. Singh,

I am truly sorry that I am not present to meet the man that raised the son who impressed me so much. I did not know Sgt Uday Singh the soldier, I knew Uday the classmate and friend.

I wish now that I was a wonderful, creative writer who could do the memory of your son justice but unfortunately I am not. I would, however like to share with you some of the impressions I and so many others had of Uday.

As we all can testify your son was a very handsome fellow with looks that could have easily caused him to be somewhat conceited, looks that would have put him at the center of any room. But that was not Uday, for as beautiful as he was outside it in no way compared to beauty inside. Your son was neither conceited nor was it his desire to be the center of any room. Uday was a humble person; a quiet man with an inner strength that drew others to him. He was kind and he was smart. Given the chance he would have made a great leader because Uday would have led by example, worthy of the dedication he would have received from his men.

After one of our classes together, I thought about how remarkable it was for such a young man to be so mature, so unassuming and so considerate of others. I thought of my own son and I hoped that I was raising him to be the same type of person.

As I sat in the church the day of your son's memorial, I mourned the loss of not a brave soldier but I mourned the loss of a beautiful young soul. Mr. Singh, I cannot begin to know the grief in your heart. I am not sure that my words will help but I did want to tell you that your son, the young man you raised was a good man, a man of honor and a man of integrity and I was blessed to have been called his friend.