Om Prakash Julka

Lt Col (Retd) Om Prakash Julka was born on Aug 30, 1918, in a small village Jaijon Doaba, in Punjab, India, when the Spanish flue was at its peak. He was a brilliant student in school always a topper. After matriculation his mother, a widow by then, asked him to take up a job to support her and his younger brother. His mother's word was god's word for him, so he gave up further studies and appeared in a competitive exam for a government job. He worked full time and went to school part time and finally did get his BA degree. A very adventurous and enterprising man all his life, he was the first one in the family to own a car in the late 40s. First one to get commissioned in the British Indian army and the first one to own a gun. He was very fond of small game and bird hunting. Always ready for anything he participated in AHQ sports meets as a javelin thrower and in pistol shooting, wining gold medals in team events. His English writing was excellent. That lead to his being in demand for staff appointments in headquarters. However, in 1971 war with Pakistan he was on the front line on the Western front also. In the late 40s there was demand for German translators. There he saw another opportunity and jumped in. He learnt German and cleared all tests to be an interpreter level German speaker and translator. After retirement from the Army in the mid 70s, he travelled to England and USA often to spend time with his elder daughter and youngest son. During this time, he travelled to many countries in Europe also. He finally moved to USA in the mid 90s and took up US citizenship. He was proud of his driver's license which was valid until the age of 100. Here in USA, he was involved with any community activity he could and was recently awarded a certificate of merit and medal by the President of USA for his service. He was continually active in the Federation of India Community organizations until a few years back. There was not a single Indian in the Cleveland area who did not know him, and he knew all of them too. All his life he was very fond of writing articles and letters to the editor, first in India and then in the Cleveland area. Many were published in the Plain dealer, Lotus, and the India International papers. He will be missed by them all. In the 40s he also took to painting and his work was admired by all. One of his first painting of Guru Nanak Dev ji is still with the family. In recent years he got into painting pictures of birds. Admirable at his age. When computers and email got popular, he learnt that, sending emails every day and was on Facebook regularly. What a wonderful human being, a great soul not like any most of us will ever interact with. He will be missed by all Our father's legacy will be one of an outgoing, enterprising, fearless man with an exceptional love for life and life story, unparalleled integrity, countless friends, and a family that loved him and he loved them all