Twitter stunned as man shares late grandfather’s ‘British Indian passport’ issued in Lahore in 1931

• Shubham
• 30 March, 2023

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By: Shubham Ghosh

An internet user recently triggered nostalgia in the minds of several people on Twitter platform by sharing the British Indian passport of his late grandfather, which is more than nine-decades old.

Needless to say, the prized document left many excited.

My Grandfather’s “British Indian Passport”, issued at Lahore in 1931. He must’ve been 31 years old then. pic.twitter.com/KzGja0gnKB

— Anshuman Singh (@anshumansingh75) January 7, 2023

Anshuman Singh, who among his many identities on Twitter bio, calls himself an “Indian history buff”, posted pictures of the passport which was issued in Lahore in current-day Pakistan on July 3, 1931. In the caption of his post, Singh said, “My Grandfather’s “British Indian Passport”, issued at Lahore in 1931. He must’ve been 31 years old then.”

The pictures shared also included one of his grandfather and his signature and another page mentioning when the passport was set to expire — July 3, 1936.

The passport belonged to Panjab Rai (Rahal) (as Singh specified) and was valid in Kenya Colony and India.

One page of the passport mentions, “These are to request and require in the Name of the Viceroy and Governor-General of India all those whom it may concern to allow the bearer to pass freely without let or hindrance, and to afford him every assistance and protection of which he may stand in need”.

The tweet gathered 218,000 views and more than 2,800 likes since it was posted on January 7 this year.

Many called the passport a “prized possession” and a “treasure”. Some even said that it deserved a place in a museum.

Singh also mentioned details about his grandfather while responding to a user who asked him whether his kin was a Hindu Jatt.

He said, “He was atheist from a young age, ran away from home in his teens and cut his hair. His family were Jatt Sikh, his father and both his brothers were keshdhari. He was the only one in the family with Rai in his name, everyone else was/is Singh. Not sure why/how he got that name.”

“Getting a passport in 1931. Great. Majority wouldn’t have known what passport is at that time,” said another user.