Obituary of Swaran Singh Kohli

January 1, 1939 - Rawalpindi, Pakistan

August 21, 2024 - Calgary, Alberta

Swaran Kohli, beloved husband of Jatinder Kohli (nee Sahni) of Calgary, AB, passed away on Wednesday, August 21, 2024, at the age of 85 years.

Swaran was born in Rawalpindi, Pakistan on January 1, 1939. He was one of eight children; four sisters and four brothers. Together, they moved to Sarhali, India in 1942 because his dad, Kishan Singh Kohli, got a job as a headmaster of a school. In 1946, the entire family moved to Dehradun, UP, (now Uttarakhand) where his father founded Guru Nanak Intermediate College.

After finishing his MSc in Physics at DAV College there, he met and married Jatinder Kaur Sahni from Jammu, Kashmir, in 1963. He subsequently worked for ONGC in Chandigarh, where his son Jagdeep Kohli was born in 1965. This young family then immigrated to Cape Coast, Ghana, as Swaran got an exciting job there as a Physics teacher. From Africa, they travelled to Belfast, Ireland, where Dad worked with Europe’s first lasers, and completed his second MSc in Optoelectronics from Queen’s University. Next came Canada in 1970. After first landing in Montreal, they were told to go to Calgary because of Swaran’s oil and natural gas experience. Unfortunately, when they first landed in Calgary, he had a difficult time getting a job because of his Turban. Despite getting several highly technical jobs over the phone, when he would arrive for the job, it would no longer be offered. He eventually landed a job doing seismic surveys with Yusuf Rizvi, while Mom worked at Gulf Canada. The oil patch was good to them but like most Calgarians, it also led to many years of ups and downs. Swaran was able to withstand some of these times because of his innate creative spirit.

He was a consummate thinker and prone to using his mind to either solve problems that he encountered or to pursue entrepreneurial endeavours. An example that he was particularly proud of was how he was able to bring Bollywood’s biggest stars to Canada in the late 70s and early 80s. Together, with his brother Harinder and their friend Satish Ghaur, they organized concerts in Calgary for none other than Mohammad Rafi, Jagjit, Chitra Singh, and Mehmood. That’s like having Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift over at your house.

Swaran also had a passion for movies, music, and sports, and he was an avid cricketer, badminton, and field hockey player. He truly enjoyed seeing India win the Cricket World Cup, and the Olympic bronze medal in field hockey before he died. But his later love was cooking, and he even opened his own restaurant called Chutney’s in Burlington, ON, in 2001. However, his greatest source of pride were his children, daughters-in-law, grandchildren, Jag and Dianne, and their children, Armon, Kavita, Deven, and Sophie; Sonny and Rachel, and their daughters, Rylee and Asia. He was also extraordinarily proud of his niece Simi and nephew Mani, the children of his brother Harinder and sister-in-law Harneet, and Biba (Sunmeet, daughter of his sister-in-law Bittu), who was very much a daughter to him.

Swaran is survived by his three brothers, Bhagwant, Narinder, and Harinder; and his sisters, Bholi and Shimmi. He was predeceased by his mother, father, and sisters, Surinder and Sidh.

He is best known for his helpful, passionate, and fiery spirit.

Those wishing to pay their respects may do so at McInnis & Holloway (Calgary Crematorium, 3219 – 4th Street NW, Calgary, AB, within the valley of Queen’s Park Cemetery) on Wednesday, August 28, 2024, at 10:00 a.m.

Funeral Services will be held at McInnis & Holloway (Calgary Crematorium, 3219 – 4th Street NW, Calgary, AB, within the valley of Queen’s Park Cemetery) on Wednesday, August 28, 2024, at 11:00 a.m.

Family and friends who are unable to attend in person are invited to join Mr Kohli’s service streamed live (see link below) on the day of the service. For those who are unable to view live, a recording of the service will be posted.

If friends so desire, memorial tributes may be made directly to the Centre for Newcomers, which supports newcomers, the marginalized, and refugees to Calgary,  565 36 St NE #125, Calgary, AB T2A 6K3, Telephone: 403-569-3325, www.centrefornewcomers.ca/give.

Condolences, memories, and photos may be shared and viewed with Swaran’s family here.

In living memory of Swaran Kohli, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Calgary Crematorium, 3219 – 4th Street NW, Calgary, AB, T2M 3A6, Telephone: 403-299-0111.

Click to Sign the Video Guest Book and Watch Swaran Kohli’s Funeral Service