Satwant Singh Suman was born in Masongaleni, Kenya, in 1935. His father had emigrated from India after serving in the First World War, and worked as a railway subcontractor before establishing a trucking business. After completing his education, Suman joined the East African Railways and Harbours in 1952. Initially he worked as a goods clerk, then transferred to the Mechanical Department, where he was a fireman, before becoming a locomotive driver, in which post he spent most of his career. Suman’s first posting as a locomotive driver was at Tanga, Tanganyika [Tanzania] and his final posting was at Eldoret, Kenya. He retired to Britain in 1964.