US Sikh body gives scholarships to Punjab students

Washington-based Sikh Human Development Foundation (SHDF) has given scholarships totalling about $210,000 to 504 needy students pursuing higher education in 159 institutions in Punjab and other northern Indian states for the 2011-12 academic year.

"This number is up from 412 of thelast year," said Gajinder Singh Ahuja, secretary general of SHDF. "Fifteen scholarship recipients belonged to farmers' families where the farmer had committed suicide to escape the excruciating debt burden." 

There is increased emphasis on female education in our programme, he said, noting 69 percent of the scholarships went to female students and 31 percent to male students. 52 per cent scholarship recipients were from rural areas and 48 percent from urban areas.

SHDF has granted 2,373 scholarships since the programme was initiated in 2001 and 774 students have already graduated and have become professionals, according to SHDF chairman Amar Jit Singh Sodhi.

"It is heartwarming that some of the scholarship recipients have landed in multi-national companies or found top career jobs throughout India and overseas," he said.

Rajwant Singh, SHDF's outreach director, said: "In rupee terms, this year we have distributed more than Rs.1 crore (close to $210,000) as pure scholarship money."

with thanks : Hindustan Times : LINK for detailed news.

European Journal | Italy: Sikh Cheese Producers

Now 50% DU quota for Sikhs

For the first time four DU colleges are considering reserving 50 per cent of their under-graduate seats for Sikh students.

Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa College, in North Campus, is among the four colleges planning the reservation.

The colleges, all run by the Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC), were declared minority institutions last year by the National Commission for Minority Educational Institution. During this year’s admission season, the colleges will have a separate cut-off for Sikh students.

“We will reserve 50 per cent of the seats for Sikh students. For general category seats, students will be admitted as per university norms. There will be separate cutoffs to admit students to the minority seats. The dates for admissions will be according to the university and the college will remain as close to the university as it has been,” said Dr Jaswinder Singh, principal of SGTB Khalsa College.

The college will continue to provide three per cent reservation for physically handicapped students, both in general and Sikh quota, he said.

The other three colleges awarded the minority status in July last year are Sri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce, Sri Guru Nanak Dev Khalsa College and Mata Sundri College.

with thanks : Indian Express : LINK for detailed news.

Man chops off Sikh's beard, arrested

Ambala, May 14 (PTI) A man has been arrested for attacking a Sikh youth and allegedly chopping off his beard following a scuffle over ice-cream in the Cantonment area here, police said today. The Sikh youth, Gurjeet Singh, who runs an ice-cream parlour in Palledar Mohalla, in his police complaint alleged that a customer came to his shop last night and asked for a cup of ice cream. The customer, Aman, entered into an argument with Gurjeet over the quantity of the ice cream served and soon it took an ugly turn and he attacked him with a sharp weapon, police said. Gurjeet, who received minor injuries in the attack, alleged that Aman had also cut his beard with the weapon. Police arrested Aman and booked him for deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings. Meanwhile, Haryana SGPC and Akali Dal have condemned the incident.

with thanks : IBNlive : LINK

Foundation stone of Langer hall at Gurdwara Bala Sahib : DSGMC : SikhsIndia

Vaisakhi 2012 celebration & Turban Day in Oslo (Norway)

The Vaisakhi 2012 celebration in Oslo (Norway) was a week full of different activities.It reached its peek on 14th April when hundreds of Sikhs marched through the main street of Oslo, and over 1500 Norwegians wore turbans in all imaginable colours. Sikhs arrived in Norway in the beginning of the 1970´s.Since then,Vaisakhi has been celebrated in Norway and Vaisakhi celebration has gone through several milestones.For instance,when first Gurdwara was established in 1984(Oslo),and the first time Sikhs marched through the main street of Oslo.This year the Nagar Kirtan ended up at Rådhusplassen (Town Hall square, in the middle of central Oslo) where different activities were held and langar was served. One of the main activities is the Norwegian Turban Day.

In 2010 a group of young Norwegian Sikhs felt that even though the Nagar Kirtan is extremely beautiful, the point of walking through central Oslo fade away when we forget to actively invite the Norwegians (non-Sikhs). People not familiar to Sikhism observe a lot of turbans, long beards, kirpans and hear us screaming something they can’t understand. Those who aren´t used to this might find it bit scary. Having this in mind, UngeSikher (Young Sikhs) under Gurudwara Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji – Oslo, decided to do something, and arranged the first Norwegian Turban Day in 2010.It was a great success.

This year The Norwegian Turban Day was held for the third time.Several tents were put up at the Town Hall square and the guests went through a route consisting of several posts.When they leave the tent they are told to show the turban respect if they want to keep it. In the tent we hang up posters and photos of Sikhs that provide information about Sikhism. Not least,representatives from Young Sikhs are there to break the barriers. The excitement and positive feedback from the guests was enormous. Not only did several thousand people visited, but over 1500 tried and kept their turbans. Over 1500 Norwegians from 2-90 years walked around in the city with colourful turbans! In a time where Sikh turbans are unfamiliar and seen as scary; it is important to invite the rest of the society and make them understand that even though you wear a turban you are not scary.Almost all the big newspapers and TV-channels covered The Turban Day. Aim of the Norwegian Turban Day is to re-launch the turban as a symbol of solidarity, equality and religious freedom. The past years have been characterized of prejudices in the public debate, not least; there is growing tendency of polarizations in the society. With The Turban Day contributes in reducing the gap between Sikhs and the society. Link:http://www.sikhfoundation.org/2012/

Gurmat Camp by DSGMC

Dr.Man Mohan Kaur with Daler Mehndi

Dr.Man Mohan Kaur ( Principal,Sri Guru Nanak Dev Khalsa College,Dev Nagar,University of Delhi) with Daler Mehndi,King of Bhangra Famous Punjabi singer

Just found this shocking news on net. Donno if true or fake. DSGMC must immediately check it.

चंद रूपयों की खातिर...गुरूद्वारा बैचनें की तैयारी?

Posted on: Saturday 28 April 2012

नई दिल्ली (संवादाता अफज़ल खान)।सीलम पुर विधान सभा अंतर्गत वार्ड संख्या 249 के मरकज़ी चौक जाफराबाद के पास घनी मुस्लिम आबादी के बीच एक मात्र गुरूद्वारा है जिसको कुछ लालची लोग चंद रूपयो के खातिर फ्लैट बना कर बेचनें की तैयारी कर रहै हैं।और चुपके-चुपके गुरूद्वारा के अंदर लेंटर डाल कर फ्लैट बना रहै हैं इस कार्य में पुलिस और एमसीडी के कुछ भ्रस्ट अधिकारी भी उनका साथ दे रहै हैं।गौरतलब है क्षेत्र में प्रोपर्टी (ज़मीन) का रेट आसमान छू रहा है । इंच दर इंच जगह की कीमत बहूत है। जिसके कारण प्रोपर्टी डीलर इस घनी आबादी में एकमात्र बचे गुरूद्वारे को रातो-रात फ्लैट बनाकर बेचना चाहते हैं। उनके इस अपराध में उनका सहयोग इस गुरूद्वारे के कथित संचालक भी कर रहै है। और इसमें बनने वाले फ्लैटो का ब्याना तक लें लिया गया है,सूत्रो से पता चला है, कि इन फ्लैटो को तैयार होनें से पहले ही 30-40 लाख रूपये प्रति फ्लैट के हिसाब से बेच दिया गया है ?और अवैध निर्माण जल्द से जल्द पूरा करके अपने मकसद में कामयाब होना चाहते हैं,आश्चर्य की बात यह है कि इस दुष्कर्म में उनका साथ मौजूदा गुरूद्वारा संचालक  के अलावा ज़मीन दान कर्ता जो कि प्रोपटी डीलर भी है, खुल कर सहयोग कर रहा है,और वह इन फ्लैटो को अपने निजि इस्तेमाल की बात कह कर टाल रहा है, इस क्षेत्र के थाना (जाफराबाद) के अधिकारी भी अपनी आंखे मूंदे हुए है।क्योंकि उन्हें उनका हिस्सा जो मिल गया है ? एक गुप्त सूत्र के अनुसार प्रति लेंटर 20 हज़ार रूपया तय हुआ है,और``चाय-पानी``अलग से?एमसीडी के एक अधिकारी को भी `खुश` करा गया है,क्षेत्र के कई मुस्लिम समाजसेवी व बुद्दिजीवी इस अवैध निर्माण कार्य से नाखुश है, और उनका कहना है,कि गुरूद्वारा रहने से क्षेत्र में सदभाव का संतुलन बरकरार था परन्तु प्रोपर्टी के दलालो ने अपनी गंदी नज़र से इस धार्मिक स्थान को भी नहीं बक्शा है,और धार्मिक स्थान की जगह पर अवैध रिहाईश बनाना गैर मुनासिब है,और वह जल्द ही उस विषय को लेकर क्षेत्र के पुलिस व एमसीडी के आला अधिकारियों से मुलाकात करेंगे।                              

Link : http://crimeindiaonline.com/news.php?news_id=2295

Can Sikh women wear helmets for safety, DSGMC asks Akal Takht

Days after Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit disagreed with her Transport department’s undertaking to the Delhi High Court that it was willing to change rules and make it mandatory for women to wear helmets while riding two-wheelers, the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) has asked the Akal Takht, the supreme religious and temporal seat of Sikhism, to decide whether Sikh women should be allowed to wear helmets in the interest of safety.

The DSGMC move to step beyond religious compulsions on grounds of safety follows the Transport department’s submission that it was willing to change provisions in the Delhi Motor Vehicles Rules that exempted women from wearing helmets. But Dikshit differed, saying the rule making it optional for women pillion riders to wear helmets was formulated in 1999 on requests by a particular community — she didn’t name the Sikhs — and that exemption couldn’t be withdrawn so easily.

Bhajan Singh Walia, Senior Vice President of DSGMC, told Newsline that they have approached the Akal Takht to take a call, given the safety issue involved.

“Essentially, the High Court’s decision is in totality for all men and women in view of safety of people travelling on busy and dangerous Delhi roads. But our religion absolutely prohibits people from wearing any form of a cap, and wearing a helmet (a form of cap) goes against the tenets of our religion,” Walia said.

“Our religious texts have given elaborate details about the way we should preserve our kesh (hair). Our hair can’t be trimmed, cut or even clipped. If at all one has to preserve his/her hair, it has to be done in a proper turban,” he said.

with thanks : INDIAN EXPRESS : LINK for detailed news.

Bala Sahib Hospital