Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Guru Granth Sahib Bhavan, Gurdwara Sri Manji sahib, Amritsar
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Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Govt hunts for a non-Sikh to head Punjab & Sind Bank for first time
Punjab & Sind Bank could go where it has never been in its 102-year history.
The Ministry of Finance has sought the guidance of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to appoint a non-Sikh as the Chairman and Managing Director of Punjab & Sind Bank. The community bank, which was established in 1908 and nationalised in 1969, has always had a Sikh as its head.
“It is not written anywhere that Punjab & Sind Bank must have a Sikh as its head. But it has always been seen as a community-based bank. And unlike other community-based banks like Corporation Bank and Vijaya Bank, this bank has always been chaired by a person from the Sikh community,” said a senior government official.
“Therefore, we have sought the Prime Minister’s view on the subject before taking a final decision on this matter.”
According to the official, the Ministry could not find an eligible candidate from the Sikh community this time around. GS Vedi, the current CMD who is Sikh, is due to demit office this June. A few non-Sikhs have earlier served as head of the bank, but they have all been short stints in the nature of a temporary additional responsibility.
Punjab & Sind Bank is headquartered in Delhi. It was founded by Bhai Vir Singh, Sir Sunder Singh Majitha and Sardar Tarlochan Singh, and opened its first branch in Amritsar in 1908. Today, it has 917 branches and extension counters spread across the country. As of March 31, 2009, it had assets of Rs 41,363 crore.
The Ministry of Finance has sought the guidance of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to appoint a non-Sikh as the Chairman and Managing Director of Punjab & Sind Bank. The community bank, which was established in 1908 and nationalised in 1969, has always had a Sikh as its head.
“It is not written anywhere that Punjab & Sind Bank must have a Sikh as its head. But it has always been seen as a community-based bank. And unlike other community-based banks like Corporation Bank and Vijaya Bank, this bank has always been chaired by a person from the Sikh community,” said a senior government official.
“Therefore, we have sought the Prime Minister’s view on the subject before taking a final decision on this matter.”
According to the official, the Ministry could not find an eligible candidate from the Sikh community this time around. GS Vedi, the current CMD who is Sikh, is due to demit office this June. A few non-Sikhs have earlier served as head of the bank, but they have all been short stints in the nature of a temporary additional responsibility.
Punjab & Sind Bank is headquartered in Delhi. It was founded by Bhai Vir Singh, Sir Sunder Singh Majitha and Sardar Tarlochan Singh, and opened its first branch in Amritsar in 1908. Today, it has 917 branches and extension counters spread across the country. As of March 31, 2009, it had assets of Rs 41,363 crore.
with thanks : INDIAN EXPRESS
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Monday, March 15, 2010
‘Sikh relics’ found near Gurudwara to be examined
By hema on March 15, 2010
Did the sixth Sikh guru leave behind a few weapons on the outskirts of Kailey village near Ludhiana during his halt during his ‘dharam parchar’ tours of the region in 1621? The recovery of some sharp-edged weapons and a ‘chur’ during digging in the vicinity of the village gurudwara, built in memory of Guru Har Gobind, has raised this question among Sikh intellectuals.
The area’s residents, led by Darshan Singh, chairman of the Budha Gurmat Parchar Trust, have urged members of the gurudwara management committee to get the articles recovered and examined by experts of the archeology department and exhibit them for ‘sangat’, if found to belong to the Guru.
A large number of enthusiasts from the area visited Gurudwara Chhevin Patshai in the village to have a look at the weapons and a ‘chur’ (a large ‘chullah’) that were recovered during digging for expansion of the gurudwara on Thursday.
Kuldeep Singh, the head ‘granthi’, had announced the villagers recovered some weapons and a ‘chur’ during digging yesterday. “Believing Guru Har Gobind and his disciples had made a halt here in a temporary abode during one of his journeys it is thought the weapons belonged to the guru”, he added.
Kuldeep said the articles would be kept in a palanquin after getting them examined by archeological experts.
According to some history books the guru had visited this area in the course of his ‘dharam parchar’ tours sometime in 1621. Though Kailey village does not find any mention, a nearby village, Sidhar, is among the localities where the guru organized mass meetings for preaching the ‘meeri peeri’ concept.
Har Gobind is said to be the first Sikh guru to advocate the necessity of military training and martial arts among his disciples.
Mahesh Sharma
with thanks : source : http://news.ukpha.org/2010/03/%E2%80%98sikh-relics%E2%80%99-found-near-gurudwara-to-be-examined/
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Prominent Sikh Societies
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French govt may lift Sikh turban ban on India's plea
CHANDIGARH/NEW DELHI: India may have found a novel way of persuading France to lift the ban on Sikh turbans by invoking Europe's deep-seated fear of terrorism.
According to minister of state for external affairs Preneet Kaur, India has taken up the issue of French authorities taking photographs as identity markers and conveyed to Paris that if Sikhs are photographed without turbans, it would create a faulty database.
Kaur said the Indian demand of allowing turbans in France was under active consideration and the matter was likely to be resolved soon.
"The plea that we have taken is that the French government is taking photographs and fingerprints as identity markers. However, if Sikhs are photographed without turbans, then they are accumulating wrong records because normally, a Sikh will always wear a turban," Kaur said.
Kaur, who was in Chandigarh on Saturday, said the fact that a turbaned Sikh — PM Manmohan Singh — was a chief guest in France recently was a strong message by the French government that it was not averse to turbans.
"The matter is being pursued and we are hopeful it will be resolved," she added. In March 2004, the French Parliament had passed a law banning all ostentatious religious symbols and signs in all public places such as schools, hospitals and town halls.
According to minister of state for external affairs Preneet Kaur, India has taken up the issue of French authorities taking photographs as identity markers and conveyed to Paris that if Sikhs are photographed without turbans, it would create a faulty database.
Kaur said the Indian demand of allowing turbans in France was under active consideration and the matter was likely to be resolved soon.
"The plea that we have taken is that the French government is taking photographs and fingerprints as identity markers. However, if Sikhs are photographed without turbans, then they are accumulating wrong records because normally, a Sikh will always wear a turban," Kaur said.
Kaur, who was in Chandigarh on Saturday, said the fact that a turbaned Sikh — PM Manmohan Singh — was a chief guest in France recently was a strong message by the French government that it was not averse to turbans.
"The matter is being pursued and we are hopeful it will be resolved," she added. In March 2004, the French Parliament had passed a law banning all ostentatious religious symbols and signs in all public places such as schools, hospitals and town halls.
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With Thanks : Source : Times of India
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Sunday, March 14, 2010
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