Frequent strikes force Sikhs to leave Nepal

Kathmandu, June 24: The frequent strikes across Nepal have not only crippled daily life, but have badly hit the business of Sikh community forcing majority of its members to emigrate to India.

For the Sikh community living in Birgunj, a southern Nepalese town bordering India, the frequent strike and shut down have even crippled their livelihood.

The Sikhs, who came from India decades back and now engaged in transport business, are suffering the most and many have already left the country, The Kathmandu Post reported.

Gurudwara Guru Nanak Satsang, a religious organisation of the Sikh community in Birgunj revealed that more than 90 per cent of the Sikh families in the city have already left for India to find safe place to continue their business.

"There were 452 Sikh families in Birgunj until six years back. Now only 29 families remain," Nanak Singh, chief of the organisation, was quoted as saying by the paper.

There are almost 200 days shut downs and strikes, local and national ones, either in hill areas, Terai or Kathmandu in a year these days, forcing many people to quit their business.

Nanak Singh said Sikhs from other parts of the country are folding up their businesses as well.

Bureau Report
with thanks : source : http://www.zeenews.com/news541828.html
with thanks Map from : http://geography.about.com/library/cia/blcnepal.htm


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Sikhs are hardcore poor, too

Sikhs are hardcore poor, too
By : Jaspal Singh


IPOH: One in every 20 Sikhs living in Perak is a hardcore poor, according to Sikh community leaders.

This information so astounded Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir that he has decided to include the eradication of hardcore poverty among Sikhs in his administration's action plan.

Speaking to the New Straits Times here yesterday after meeting the Union of Perak Sikh Organisations (Upso) at his office, he said the data on hardcore poor within the community took him by surprise.

"Like many others, my worldview of the Sikhs has been that they don't have severe socio-economic problems like other communities.

"But, after listening to Sikh leaders talking about the level of hardcore poverty in the community, I must say that it did shock me."

He said the state government viewed the issue of hardcore poverty seriously.

The community's hardcore poor numbers around 1,500, constituting about 400 families or 5 per cent of the total 28,000 Sikhs in the state.

Leaders of Upso, an umbrella body representing seven Sikh non-governmental organisations, met Zambry to highlight various problems faced by the state's Sikh community.

The group also highlighted the need for state government intervention to help with issues involving single mothers, language and education.

Zambry also pledged to look into land problems faced by several gurdwara sahib.

The dialogue with Zambry yesterday was arranged by his Chinese affairs adviser Datuk Chang Ko Youn, who is also Gerakan deputy president.

Zambry, who spent almost two hours listening to Sikh leaders, also agreed to the setting up of a Sikh advisory body so that it would be easier for the community to bring up its problems directly with the state government.

"I encourage the Sikhs in the state to unite behind one organisation or body so that it will be easy to deal with the state government and vice-versa. I think the board proposal is good one and ought to be studied and implemented."

In the meantime, he said Upso could act as an intermediary between the community and the state government.

with thanks : source : http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Tuesday/National/2589596/Article/index_html

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Sikh matrimonial - free service to the community

www.sohnijodi.com has started its "Sikh Matrimonial - free service to the community" , for the benefit of Sikh community all over the world.You have to send a mail to SOHNIJODI with your profile with or without a pic, and it will be uploaded free of cost on the Sikh web portal www.sohnijodi.com. The portal which covers Sikh news, views, pics, vids, and a lot more about sikhism, received 8,641 visitors with 83,574 hits in the month of June, 2009. Sohnijodi is not a match maker. It's just giving a wide coverage of your profile to the visitors of its portal.You can chat at Yahoo ID sohnijodi in this regard.

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Invitation to American Sikhs to join the police force

The Yuba City Police Department has given a confirmation to the SALDEF (Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund) to join the police forces.

They have issued the confirmation saying they have always respected the Sikh identity and would continue to do so in the future. According to current Yuba City Police Chief Robert D. Landon, "Our policy has not changed and we continue to respect the customs of the Sikh faith"

Earlier on January 23, 2007, Richard Doscher, former Yuba City Police Chief had written to SALDEF, ”We have no policy which precludes an employee of the Sikh faith from wearing a turban or beard (or possession of a kirpan) during their employment with us.”

SALDEF has expressed its gratefulness to the Yuba City Police Department and Chief Landon for providing equal job opportunities for Sikh Americans willing to join as law enforcement officers. It also hopes other Police departments will also adopt a similar policy.

Meanwhile, Richmond, CA Police Department has also welcomed Sikh Americans to join the police forces.

Richmond Police Department’s Chief Chris Magnus confirmed that, “The Richmond Police Department welcomes applications from members of the Sikh community for the position of police officer as well as other jobs within the Police Department. We recognize and take pride in serving a diverse community which we are aware includes a significant number of Sikhs.

“Our department continually looks for applicants who represent the diversity of the community and we appreciate the value they bring to our agency. Any employee who is of the Sikh faith would not be prohibited from wearing a turban or having a beard. We encourage anyone who would like information about employment opportunities with the Richmond Police Department to contact us."

with thanks : source : http://www.emgonline.co.uk/news.php?news=5845

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Akal Academy Baru Sahib student dies in Himachal

Parents of Himachal student cry foul over his suicide
June 23rd, 2009 - 10:57 pm ICT by IANS

Shimla, June 23 (IANS) Parents of a Class 10 student of a prestigious residential school in Himachal Pradesh, who allegedly committed suicide Sunday, are suspecting a foul play behind their son’s death, police said Tuesday.
Karam Singh, 16, of Akal Academy at Baru Sahib in Sirmaur district, died after he was found hanging in the school toilet. He belonged to Kharar town in Punjab.

“The parents of the victim are suspecting foul play into the death of their child. They are demanding a probe into the incident,” Deputy Superintendent of Police Vinod Dhiman told IANS.

“We have received a complaint lodged by the child’s father, Mehar Singh. We are awaiting the autopsy report, which was conducted in Kharar Tuesday,” he said.

However, Kaka Bir Singh, a trustee of the academy, ruled out any foul play in the death of the student.

“The school staff noticed the body of Karam Singh hanging in the school hostel toilet around 2 p.m. Sunday. They took the boy to a nearby hospital, from where he was referred to the Chandigarh’s PGI hospital. The boy died on the way to hospital,” said the trustee.

The boy had joined the school in Class 2.

More than 1,000 students, mostly children of Sikhs settled in foreign countries, are studying in the Himachal Pradesh school, which is up to Class 12. It was established in 1987.

with thanks : source : IANS & thaindian.com

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Do you know about any Sikh personality from your area. A sikh personality with some achievements in any field. Please mail us alongwith pics for uploading on our Sikh blog / sikh web portal.

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MasterCard appoints Citi's Ajay Banga as president and COO

MasterCard appoints Citi's Ajay Banga as president and COO
21 Jun 2009, 0418 hrs IST, PTI

NEW YORK: Global payment firm MasterCard has roped in Citigroup's Ajay Banga as its new president and chief operating officer (COO), while
indicating that the Indian banker could be its next CEO in about a year.

Banga, currently Citi's Asia-Pacific CEO, will get an annual salary of $800,000 besides other benefits at MasterCard, while he has also been given a sign-in bonus of $4.2 million. As per his contract, Banga's upfront payments would remain intact even if he leaves the company after not being offered the position of CEO at MasterCard by June 30, 2010.

However, he would have to forefeit part of his package if he resigns under different circumstances, or cases like termination of his employment by the company. Banga would join MasterCard on August 31 and would report to Robert W Selander, CEO, MasterCard said in a statement.

with thanks : source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Business/International-Business/MasterCard-appoints-Citis-Ajay-Banga-as-president-and-COO-/articleshow/4682348.cms

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Sikh Personalities : Dr.Gurdeep Kaur - Academic Profile

SikhsIndia
21st June, 2009

Dr. (Mrs.) Gurdeep Kaur is an Associate Professor,(reader), in the Department of Political Science, Sri Guru Nanak Dev Khalsa College,University of Delhi, Dev Nagar,Delhi. She has done her PH.D from Dept. of Political Science, Univ. of Delhi, with title of Thesis , The Concept of State in Sikhism with Special Reference to Guru Granth Sahib. Currently She is Visiting Professor in the Faculty of Theology, Katholieke University,Leuven, Belgium.

She already has three popular books to her credit. Out of which two books on Sikhism are Political Ideas of the Sikh Gurus and Political Ethics of Guru Granth Sahib.

Her Recent Publications/Papers/Conferences include : 'State in Sikhism’; 'Khalsa, political Implications', with Sunita Puri in Encyclopedia of Hinduism 1999, Univ. of South Carolin;, 'Contribution of Sanskrit to Sikh Scripture; The Nature of Maharaja Ranjit Singh's Kingdom; Relevance of Sikh Scriptures in the present context', presented at World Punjabi Conference,United Kingdom, London, 'Environment and Sikhism' , ‘Welfare State Perspective in Sikhism’ In XIXth IPSA ,World Congress, Durban, South Africa, 'Women in Sikhism’, ; Ethics in Religious Scriptures & its Contemporary Relevance 'presented at International Conf. 'Parliament of the World Religions', Barcelona, Spain.

She also Participated as Delegate in the ‘9th World Punjabi Conference’ at Lahore Pakistan, January30-February 1,2004. In August 09,she is going to Limerick, Ireland to present a paper on Sikhism & Ecological Balance in the International Conf. on Interdisciplinary Theological Perspective on Ecology & Economy.

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Mastuana temple to effect structural changes: Akal Takht

Mastuana temple to effect structural changes: Akal Takht
21 Jun 2009, 0511 hrs IST, Yudhvir Rana, TNN

AMRITSAR: Coming down heavily on the management of Mastuana gurdwara for reportedly planning a replica of the venerated Golden Temple, Sikh religious bodies and intellectuals who gathered under the aegis of Akal Takht on Saturday called for demolition of domes, doing away with a pond and changing the structure's name of Sri Guru Singh Sabha.

Unleashing the broadside at a meeting convened by him at Teja Singh Samundari Hall, Akal Takht jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh, while talking to the media later, said, "My statement is to be treated as hukamnama. The congregation of Sikh religious bodies has decided that the gurdwara'a sarovar be filled with earth, Har Ki Pauri and four domes be demolished and its name changed."

Appearing unforgiving towards Baba Baldev Singh Suharaewala for hurting religious sentiments of Sikhs with a Golden Temple look-alike, formerly known as Gurdwara Sach Khand, Angitha Sahib, the jathedar added, "He will be summoned to Akal Takht for submitting a clarification."

The changes will reportedly be effected under the supervision of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee engineers to rule out any likening whatsoever to Harmandar Sahib.

The meeting which lasted for nearly two-and-a-half hours was attended by representatives of 55 different Sikh religious bodies, including Nighang organizations, SGPC president and office bearers and former central minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa. In fact, some radical Sikh groups like Dal Khalsa even demanded the pulling down of the complete gurdwara.

Incidentally, jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib Giani Balwant Singh Nandgarh left the meeting in between, expressing his resentment over the presence of jathedar of Takht Patna Sahib Giani Iqbal Singh.

with thanks : source : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Chandigarh/Mastuana-temple-to-effect-structural-changes-Akal-Takht/articleshow/4682432.cms

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Protesters rush B.C. Sikh temple

Hundreds of people crowded at Abbotsford, B.C., temple Thursday evening to protest a performance by a controversial high priest.

Baba Mann Singh Pehowa, a priest who has faced allegations of rape in India, was supposed to sing at the Kalghidar Sikh temple, but he never made it to the microphone.Hundreds of protesters rushed the temple.

Police officers were on scene working to control the crowd.Pehowa waited inside the temple, and was eventually given a police escort out of Abbotsford.

In addition to being accused of rape in India, it is also alleged he has committed blasphemous acts in the Sikh religion, such as having people bow down to him.

Pehowa has faced similar protests during visits to Australia and the United States.

with thanks : source : http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2009/06/18/bc-abbotsford-temple-protest.html

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Independent Rajya Sabha Sikh MP Tarlochan Singh, the former chairman of National Commission for Minorities in India