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School garden keeps alive memory of lost ones

Eleanor Lawson
BBC News, West Midlands
The Khalsa Academy Dozens of people stand in a line around a memorial bench in a garden and smile. Two women sit on the brown bench. Trees are behind them.The Khalsa Academy
The Peace Garden was opened at Khalsa Academy on Tuesday

A school has opened a memorial garden following the loss of three of its own - including a pupil who died in a sword attack.

The Khalsa Academy in Wolverhampton has been shaken by the deaths of two teachers in the last three years, as well as student Ronan Kanda who was just yards away from his home when he was murdered in 2022 in a case of mistaken identity.

Only a few months prior, 27-year-old music teacher Manraj Singh Lall died, then in January 2024, the school announced that Punjabi teacher Mrs Paramjeet Grewal had died of a stroke.

Principal Sukhdev Singh Shoker said: "It was a lot of grief in a short time, so we really wanted to put something together to honour everyone."

The Khalsa Academy Two women sit on a bench in a garden and smile. The bench has an inscription on it, which says: "In memory of Ronan Kanda. You'll never walk alone."The Khalsa Academy
The bench in memory of Liverpool fan Ronan Kanda has an inscription which reads: "You'll never walk alone."

The opening of the garden on Tuesday was attended by Ronan's mother Pooja Kanda, and sister Nikita Kanda, who have campaigned since his death to ban so-called ninja swords. Mr Lall's parents also attended.

Anti-knife crime campaigners Mark and Beverley Brindley, whose son James was killed in a knife attack in Aldridge, Walsall, in 2017, were at the garden opening, as well as Wolverhampton MPs Warinder Juss and Sureena Brackenridge.

Family Pooja and Ronan are stood outside a restaurant. Ronan has his arm around his mother. He is wearing a red checked shirt and black jacket. She has long brown hair and is wearing a sleeveless top. Family
Pooja Kanda's son, Ronan, was killed by a sword in a case of mistaken identity in June 2022

A memorial bench bought by the academy trust was placed in the garden in honour of Liverpool fan Ronan, with the inscribed words: "You'll never walk alone."

Mr Shoker told the BBC: "Ronan was really nice and down to earth. He was the joker of his group of friends. All the kids loved him.

"He was the kind of person who'd do something different just to make you laugh."

Mr Shoker said that when Ronan died, the children at the school lost a role model.

The Khalsa Academy A young man with short dark hair looks at the camera with a slight smile. he stands in front of a white background and wears a black suit jacket with a dark grey shirt.The Khalsa Academy
Music teacher Manraj Singh Lall, who died aged 27, was described as "a wonderfully talented teacher"

In a tribute from the school, Mr Lall was described as "a wonderfully talented teacher who touched hundreds of hearts".

The tribute added he was a "young man who had a passion for ensuring music was loved by all his pupils and staff alike.

"A strong pastoral leader of year eight, whose relentless drive for excellence and values were commendable."

The Khalsa Academy A middle-aged woman with black hair tied back in a ponytail smiles at the camera. She wears a pink shirt and has white pearl-like earrings in. The photo is a professional headshot and she is pictured in front of a grey background.The Khalsa Academy
The school remembers Paramjeet Grewal for her "dedication, humour and passion"

After her death in 2024, the school released a tribute to Mrs Grewal, which said: "Mrs Grewal was an integral part of our school and Trust community, and her sudden and unexpected loss is profoundly felt by us all.

"Mrs Grewal exemplified the true values of Sikhs and worked tirelessly to ensure our pupils had the best possible opportunities to succeed.

"[She] will be remembered fondly for her dedication, humour, passion, and for the undoubted positive impact she had upon the lives of our pupils, staff and entire community."

After years of hard work in the form of fundraising, digging, and planting, the garden was already filled with students enjoying a walk or their lunch, Mr Shoker said.

"The school community has really come together strongly.

"The school has some very colourful characters, but they're showing real humanity - the students are checking up on the staff."

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