Helen Bhagwansingh's funeral set for Sunday

BUSINESS icon Helen Bhagwansingh will be laid to rest on Sunday, November 5.

A funeral service will be held at the Aramalaya Presbyterian Church, Tunapuna, starting at 11 am.

Following the service, her body will be interred at the Waterloo Cremation site, Waterloo Road, Couva.

Bhagwansingh, the wife of the late Hubert Bhagwansingh, died on October 30. She was 83.

She leaves to mourn her four children, Susan, Wendy, Trevor and Terry, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

She was the sister of the late Jack Ramoutarsingh, another visionary who conceptualised and built Gulf City Mall, La Romaine, the first of its kind in the southland.

Together with her husband, whom she wed in the 1950s, the Bhagwansinghs built an empire in the hardware and steel industry, which remains standing today as landmarks in Sea Lots, Marabella, Chaguanas, Trincity, La Romaine and other parts of the country.

Her husband, who preceded her in death, was dubbed the “Steel King”.

Bhagwansingh received the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the nation’s highest honour in 2011. In that same year, the UWI awarded her an honourary Doctor of Laws (LLD).

She was also named “Woman of the Millennium” by the TT Chamber of Energy and was the first woman to be inducted into the TT Chamber of Industry and Commerce’s Business Hall of Fame.

Tributes have been pouring in for this trailblazer and philanthropist who used her wealth for the good of others.

The Prime Minister was among those honouring this “strong woman” who made a name for herself as a business magnate, held her own and took the lead in an industry which was thought to be the preserve of men.

“She was an inspiration to many and a philanthropist who believed in her country.

In extending condolences on behalf of the Government, Rowley said she was “a great lady who made us proud when we needed a heroine.”

UWI’s principal, Professor Rose-Marie Belle Antoine, also remembered her immeasurable contributions to the field of research and education. She said Bhagwansingh did not just dominate the business world but was also a shining example of what one can achieve with determination and a genuine desire to uplift others.

“We mourn the loss of such an impactful figure, but her legacy will indubitably live on."