SikhsIndia - Online Sikh News Channel : A wake up call for the Sikh Community with Sikh news, views, images, videos for the sikhs around the world. Links are being provided at the bottom of each news item with sole aim to generate awareness on SIKH ISSUES.
On the eve of Diwali, please view pics of Gurudwara Data Bandi Chor sahib, Gwalior. During October/November, the worldwide Sikh community celebrates the safe return of the sixth Nanak, Guru Hargobind sahib ji from detention from Gwalior Fort in about October 1619. The day coincides with the Hindu festival of Diwali. This concurrence has resulted in a similarity of celebrations amongst Sikhs and Hindus.
The highlight of the sale was an important 19th Century emerald and seed-pearl Necklace from the Lahore Treasury, reputedly worn by the Sikh Maharani Jindan Kaur wife of Ranjit Singh, the Lion of the Punjab (1780–1839), which sold for twice its estimate at £55,200. The necklace has six polished emerald beads, one later converted to a pendant, each bead gold-mounted and fringed with seed-pearl drop tassels, fastened with a gold clasp. This exquisite piece comes with a fitted cloth covered case, the inside of which is inscribed: "From the Collection of the Court of Lahore formed by HH The Maharajah Runjeet Singh & lastly worn by Her Highness The Late Maharanee Jeddan Kower".
Bonhams raised a total of £1,150,000 at today’s Islamic and Indian Art New Bond Street sale, which featured an array of important historical pieces.
Another success from the sale was a fine selection of Islamic manuscripts, including a large Qur’an leaf from the ‘Five Suras’ (circa 1350-1420), which fetched an impressive £38,400 (estimated £15,000-20,000).
Elsewhere, an Ottoman silk and metal-thread embroidered calligraphic Band (hizam) from the Holy Ka'ba at Mecca Turkey or Egypt, period of Selim III (AH 1203-1222/ AD 1789-1807) sold for a staggering £84,000, against a pre-sale estimate of £50,000-70,000. Whilst a magnificent Syrian 12th Century Ayyubid curved marble capital set on a round base reached a very substantial £26,400 (estimated £15,000-20,000).
From the exquisite collection of Iznik pottery on offer, a fine large Iznik pottery dish from Turkey, circa 1560-70 sold for over twice its pre-sale estimate at £26,400.
Kristina Sanne, Head of Indian and Islamic Art at Bonhams comments, comments: "We are very pleased with the results achieved today. It clearly demonstrates that Bonhams has a very strong presence in this area of art and that the Indian and Islamic art market is buoyant despite all the talk of recession."
with thanks : source : http://www.emgonline.co.uk/news.php?news=7671
A Sikh boy has been withdrawn from a north London school after he said he wanted to wear his traditional dagger.
The boy, 14, was told not to carry the 5in (12.7cm) kirpan at the Compton School in Barnet after governors ruled it was a health and safety risk.
Under Sikhism the sheathed scimitar is one of five "articles of faith" that must be carried at all times.
The school governors have said they have tried to find a compromise and a place remains open for the boy.
They proposed he wore a 2in version of the dagger welded into a sheath.
But that was rejected as the family said the miniature dagger was a replica and not a genuine kirpan.
Privately educated
The boy first started carrying the religious artefact two years ago when he was baptised as a Sikh.
However, according to his older brother Ravjeet Singh, at the start of term last month, he was told it was no longer allowed.
"He was greeted by the head teacher at the school and was asked if he was wearing the kirpan" he told the BBC's Asian Network.
"He said yes and then they said, 'we're going to have to turn you away'."
"At the moment we are holding a place open for the student should he feel able to wear a kirpan suitable to bring into school" Statement by the school's governors
Mejindarpal Kaur, director of community group United Sikhs, said: "The Compton School's decision is a blow to religious freedom in Barnet - schools throughout the UK have accommodated Sikh students who wear a kirpan."
The boy's family said he is now being privately educated, having missed five weeks of school.
A statement by the school's governors said: "We have examined potential compromises after looking at how this issue has been dealt with in other schools and elsewhere within the Sikh community and taken legal advice.
"At the moment we are holding a place open for the student should he feel able to wear a kirpan suitable to bring into school."
The Department for Children, Schools and Families said it was up to schools to make their own policy on the carrying of the kirpan and that, if challenged, it would be up to the courts to decide.
In Sikhism the kirpan is an instrument of non-violence that should be used to prevent harm from being done to a defenceless person.
with thanks : source : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/8304088.stm
There are those who wait for the world to change. and then there are those who put their strengths into action to revolutionise their lives and the environment around them. Their dreams become their driving force, as they take the world by storm and revise the way we think.
Meet Ashvinder Kundan Singh, better known as Ash Singh. a man with a vision. A relentless entrepreneur. Singh. has broken into cyberspace and firmly left his mark. At Just 27. he spearheads his own digital media company, Interactive SG, that develops and produces digital concepts for Asia's top brands including ESPN, Nickelodeon, Mattel, 7-11, Fitness First, Skype, McDonald's and TV shows like 'The Contender Asia' and 'Biggest Loser Asia'. Interactive SG’s team of 30 employees is anticipating a turnover of 5-7 million dollars this year – a growth rate of 100% from last year.
He was recently nominated as one of Asia's Best Young Entrepreneurs 2009 by Business Week magazine.
Also a proud Sikh by birth, he has changed the face of Sikhs online by creating award-winning websites for the Sikh community and rest of the world.
Born and raised in Toronto. the striving Sardar studied at the Richard Ivey School of Business in Toronto and the Chinese University of Hong Kong. While still a student there. he conceived and launched Social Network Business Systems. a social and business network development company that was acquired after 10 months of inception. Upon his exit, his next startup was At-Life Pte Ltd. which manages in-store plasma screens, kiosk network and Singapore's largest customer loyalty rewards program with almost 500,000 members, for McDonalds.
Currently based in Singapore. he is also a lecturer for several schools including the INSEAD business school and the Singapore Management University. He is managing director of Kundan Holdings (the holdings company of his businesses): the 2009 valuation of the company is $30 MM USD.
Never too big to be a Nani's boy, he Journeys back to India every year to meet his Nani Ji in GK in south Delhi.
His dad's side hails from Mumbai. A turban fanatic, Singh has a varied collection of over 150 turbans in all colours and designs from all over the world. Also an avid basketball fan, he is the co-owner and interactive director of the Singapore Slingers team
He currently has his hands full pursuing an amalgam of exciting projects including the reality TV show 'Biggest Loser' in Asia, 'Star Commentator,' an online search for the next cricket commentator, and is launching a clothing line.
SikhiWiiki.org which he created for SikhNet in 2004 is his leading online venture for the Sikh community. It is the first online 'living encyclopaedia' aiming to preserve Sikh history, culture and life online by allowing anyone in cyberspace to add to it. It is now the biggest web archive of Sikh related information.
He says, having visited or lived in Canada, Africa, UK, Hong Kong and Singapore: "I noticed most Sikhs living outside India have a pretty boring turban life (they wear one to two colours and usually tie the same style turban as their fathers.) I wanted to create this web site to showcase turbans as an art form and try to revive our majestic roots."
Also perturbed by the way today's Sikhs are commonly confused for Muslims, he set out to creatively showcase Sikhs and their turbans. 'I wanted to depict us in a positive way to the general public and also show Sikh youth that wearing a turban is cool and fashionable.' So his site, RateMyTurban.com was the result in 2005. This site allows people to upload their photos sporting their favourite turban looks and then have them rated by the public.
He also created Turbanizer.com. "I realised I had a lot of friends who aren't normal everyday turban wearers so I created Turbanizer.com in 2008 for anyone that has ever wondered what they look like in a turban." They have turbanized over 250,000 people since.
Washington: A bill to educate law enforcement officers about the religious significance of 'kirpans' has been vetoed by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who found it "unnecessary," drawing angry reaction from the Sikh community in the US.
The decision came as a shock to the organisations, individuals and lawmakers who supported the bill.
The veto was particularly surprising given bipartisan votes in favour of the bill in both houses of legislature, advocacy group Sikh Coalition said in a statement.
The bill was passed unanimously in both Houses, by 77-0 in the Assembly and by 36-0 in the Senate.
"This loss for the Sikh community is a reminder of our serious lack of political clout in this state. After months of hard work and 100 per cent support from our lawmakers, the Sikh voice was still not strong enough to overcome the whim of one man," said Prabhjot Singh, Sikh Coalition Board chairman.
The Bill AB 504 was introduced in February 2009 by Assembly member Warren Furutani to use education to help stem the arrests of Sikhs for carrying kirpans in California.
Over the last few years, there has been an increase in the arrests of Sikhs nationwide for carrying kirpans in the absence of an understanding among law enforcers.
Police mistakenly believe them to be in violation of concealed weapons laws, the Sikh Coalition said.
"AB 504 was our first attempt to change this," the statement said.
Twenty-five years after the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, the UPA government is set to give permission to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to prosecute former Delhi Congress MP Sajjan Kumar in four cases registered after the G.T. Nanavati Commission report of February 2005.
Sources confirmed that CBI chief Ashwani Kumar had written to the Home Ministry earlier this month to seek sanction to prosecute Sajjan Kumar and others as the agency’s investigations into four cases of rioting in Sultanpuri and Mongolpuri on November 1, 1984 were complete.
The CBI will file a fresh charge-sheet before the trial court once the sanction is granted.”We have asked for sanction for prosecution in all four 1984 riots cases recommended by the Nanavati Commission,” said a senior official.
The Nanavati Commission report had found evidence against Kumar and recommended fresh examination of cases in which he was named and no charge-sheet had been filed.
The Home Ministry asked the CBI to investigate the role of Kumar and fellow Congressman Jagdish Tytler in the anti-Sikh pogrom that followed the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984. The CBI filed a closure report in the cases against Tytler on April 2, 2009.
Sajjan Kumar was dropped in favour of his brother Ramesh for the South Delhi seat in the Lok Sabha elections this year.
with thanks : source : http://www.indianexpress.com/news/cbi-catches-up-with-sajjan-kumar/527690/
Khalsa Diwan, Indian Sikh Temple1350 U.N. Avenue, Paco, Manila
WSN 10/10/09. Manila: Two Filipino-Indian groups are battling for control over the Khalsa Diwan Sikh gurdwara in Paco, Manila. It is the richest, oldest and largest institution of Punjabis here.
Incidentally, a senior management member was killed in the turf war for supremacy in the predominantly Sikh organization whose coffers are estimated to hold some P100 million.
The Khalsa’s duly-elected president, Bhagwant Rai Bansal, survived an ambush in 2006, allegedly staged by rivals whom he charged for misusing more than P30 million. Now, he claims to have received another death threat because he opposed another leader Gurmeet Singh Samalsar, whose faction managed to take over the gurdwara last May. Samalsar was earlier a vice president under Bansal, and is now the new leader of the Khalsa Diwan since a controversial election. Philippines has more than 200 Gurdwaras that draw thousands of worshippers during weekends.
with thanks : source : http://maninblue1947.wordpress.com/2009/10/09/world-sikh-news-intra-sikh-fight-in-manila-over-gurdwara-control/
The prize ceremony of GGSSC Gurmat Crash Course on Sikh Bhagats was held at Dixie Gurdwara, Toronto on 4th October 2009. Over 200 students took this exam on 6th September and today was the day to announce the winners. Manreet Singh won an Aspire Netbook, Manjot Kaur who is studying engineering won an iPhone and Harkamal Kaur won a Sony PSP. Harjee Singh and Rabjee Singh won Toys r Us Gift Cards
The following students excelled in this exam and won trophies.
Grand Prizes Under 8 Yrs Name Grand Prize Mohit Singh Grand Prize Gurnoor Singh Grand Prize Harjee Singh Grand Prize Rabjee Singh
Fauja in Adidas 'Nothing Is Impossible' advertising campaign
He replaced David Beckham as Adidas’s new poster boy. On the Adidas billboards, spread across London, he was sitting cross-legged; as if cooling his heals after a day’s work out, peeping over Londoners, tired and overworked, telling them the secrets of his unfailing energy.
Fauja Singh, Britain’s most popular Sikh is 98 now, the oldest runner in London Marathon.
He is threatening to break his own world record of 5.40 hours in the 90 plus age bracket that he set previously. While running Marathon races in London, New York and Toronto, he raised thousands of pounds for various charities promoting Sikh culture around the world. He has also raised money for B.L.I.S.S., a charity dedicated to the care for premature babies. He describes it as the ‘oldest running for the youngest.
Fauja’s jogging skills were developed on an Indian farm in Punjab, and then at the magical age of 81, when he moved to the UK, his love for the sport became more “serious”.
Fauja Singh (born April 1, 1911) is a Sikh marathon runner in his nineties from India who is a world-record holder in his age bracket. His current personal best time for the London marathon is 6 hours 2 minutes, and his marathon record, for age 90-plus, is 5 hours 40 minutes.
singh, run, running, running shoes, marathons, runnersFauja Singh shot to fame, when aged 89, he completed the gruelling 26.2 mile distance in 6 hours and 54 minutes. This knocked 58 minutes off the previous world best for anyone in the 90 plus age bracket. The career of this extraordinary Marathon runner is closely supervised by his personal trainer Harminder Singh. He says ‘he can still run for a few more years. And perhaps he might be the oldest man to run a Marathon.
Fauja Singh came to London in 1992 to live with his son after his wife’s death in his village in Jalandhar. He says ‘Sitting at home was really killing. Most elderly people in Britain eat a rich diet, don’t move about and only travel in cars, and that makes them sick’. He wasn’t prepared to go the same way. So he took up jogging initially to beat the boredom of sitting at home.
‘I never thought of running a Marathon then. But slowly it grew.’ What surprises many is that he supports singh, london Marathonhis eight stone and six feet tall body frame with a very simple vegetarian diet. ‘I am very careful about different foods. My diet is simple phulka, dal, green vegetables, yoghurt and milk. I do not touch parathas, pakoras, rice or any other fried food. I take lots of water and tea with ginger’.
And that smile is eternally fixed beneath his silver haired beard. Perhaps that’s the reason behind his strikingly inspiring and positive attitude. ‘I go to bed early taking the name of my Rabba [God] as I don’t want all those negative thoughts crossing my mind.’ Doesn’t he find it difficult to cover 26 miles at this age? ‘The first 20 miles are not difficult. As for last six miles, I run while talking to God.’
Adidas signed him up for its ‘Nothing Is Impossible’ advertising campaign. He won’t reveal how much money the deal involves, but says that a large part of his earnings goes to charity.
Fauja Singh has stated,”I won’t stop running until I die. The next target, God willing, is to be the oldest marathon runner ever.
Fauja Singh hopes to return in 2009 to break the record for the oldest marathon runner - presently held by a 98-year-old Greek athlete.
His profile as found in the face book
Born: 1st April 1911 in India
Former Occupation: Farmer
Running Career: Rediscovered at age of 81
Diet: Ginger Curry
Marathons: London (5), Toronto (1), New York (1)
Marathon Debut: London, 2000 aged 89
London Marathon Personal Best: 6h 2m
London Flora Marathon 2000 6 Hours 54 m
London Flora Marathon 2001 6 Hours 54 m
London Flora Marathon 2002 6 Hours 45 m
Bupa Great North Run (Half Marathon) 2002 2h 39m
London Flora Marathon 2003 6h 2m
Toronto Waterfront Marathon 2003 5h 40m
New York City Marathon 2003 7h 35m
London Flora Marathon 2004 6h 7m
Glasgow City Half Marathon 2004 2h 33m
Capital Radio Help a London Child 10,000m 2004 68m
Toronto Waterfront Half Marathon 2004 2h 29m 59s
This is his interview found in Youtube.
with thanks : source : http://gconnect.in/gc/lifestyle/get-ahead/fauja-singh-i-run-while-talking-to-god.html
"The Compton School's decision is a blow to religious freedom in Barnet schools whilst schools throughout the UK have accommodated Sikh students who wear a Kirpan. The school should recognise that the Kirpan poses no greater risk to other students than scissors, cutters or cutlery that exist in greater numbers in schools and are regularly handled by students ," said Mejindarpal Kaur, UNITED SIKHS Legal Director.
London, U.K. - After two years of negotiating with his school, a 14 year old Sikh boy was told by his North London school that he would no longer be allowed to wear his Kirpan that he had been wearing for two years, because it posed a health and safety risk.
On the first day of school last month, he attempted to attend classes at The Compton School, but was escorted out after he told his teachers that he was wearing his Kirpan, which is a sheathed scimitar, one of the five kakaar ( articles of faith), as an initiated Sikh, he must wear at all times. An award winning student who is starting his crucial GCSE year, J Singh (who is a minor, hence not named) had been out of school for 4 weeks until yesterday, when he obtained admission in a private school after his family took a loan to pay his £6,000- a- year fees.
The legal costs of engaging Bindmans LLP have exceeded £6000. If you wish to assist the family to pay J Singh's private school fees and legal fees incurred to date and in the future, please donate at www.unitedsikhs.org/donate.
UNITED SIKHS has been meeting with community leaders to consider the way forward so that Sikh students may be able to practise their faith freely.
After J Singh was turned away from The Compton School, the Barnet Council's Director of Children's Services, Robert McCulloch-Graham and the Council's legal advisor, Lanna Childs, met UNITED SIKHS legal director, Mejindarpal Kaur and J Singh's family. Lanna Childs insisted that J Singh was not 'excluded' from school as he could return if he removed his Kirpan. Mr Mc Culloch said that since J Singh was not excluded there was no duty for the Council to find him an alternative school, even though he was of compulsory education age.
"Why is a Sikh student being asked to choose between his education and his faith?" Mejindarpal Kaur asked Mr. McCulloch, to which he replied, that the school governors had agreed that J Singh could wear a two inch 'kirpan' from tip of handle to blade, which is welded shut in its sheath.
"We had informed the school that the two-inch alternative is a replica and not a Kirpan, hence not acceptable to J Singh or the community," Mejindarpal Kaur informed Mr Mc Culloch.
Prior to the exclusion, UNITED SIKHS had contacted the Equality and Human rights Commission who offered to provide a mediation service which was declined by the school. We also obtained legal advice from Helen Mountfield, a senior barrister who had represented Sarika Singh in her Kara case last year. The School refused to budge despite representations by Bindmans lawyers following counsel's advice.
UNITED SIKHS has written a letter, cosigned by a number of Sikh organizations, to Ed Balls MP, Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families and also sought assistance from the chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Sikhs, Rob Marris MP and chair for APPG for Punjabis John Mcdonnell MP. Both also wrote to Ed Balls MP. You may read UNITED SIKHS' letter to ED Balls MP here.
In reply to Rob Marris' letter to Ed Balls, Diana Johnson, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Schools, stated that the non-statutory guidance to schools on the wearing of Kirpan explains that schools should be fully aware of the religious observances of Sikhs and the need to deal with this issue sensitively.
"We expect disputes. to be resolved locally. The Department (of Children Schools and Families) does not usually intervene. If challenged, it would ultimately be for the courts to decide if the school is justified in restricting the wearing of the Kirpan in this case," Diana Johnson said.
"The Compton School's decision is a blow to religious freedom in Barnet schools whilst schools throughout the UK have accommodated Sikh students who wear a Kirpan. The school should recognise that the Kirpan poses no greater risk to other students than scissors, cutters or cutlery that exist in greater numbers in schools and are regularly handled by students ," said Mejindarpal Kaur. Sikhs have a statutory exemption under the Criminal Justice Act 1988 that allows them to wear a Kirpan in public, including at schools.
For the last five weeks, as parents saw their children settle into a new academic year, J Singh's family was desperately looking for a school for their son.
"We knew that no school in the Barnet borough would take my brother as they would be bound by the same legal advice given by the Council's lawyers. We looked at schools in other boroughs even though it meant my brother would have to travel an hour each way to school or live away from home. Even that was a challenge as schools had a waiting list and it was too late to join school in the 10th year as most schools took new admissions at year 7," said Ravjeet Singh, J Singh's elder brother.
"We were hopeful that a Sikh faith school in Hayes, the Guru Nanak Sikh School, would accommodate my son. However, they too turned us away saying they have a long waiting list," said J Singh's father, Bhupinder Singh.
UNITED SIKHS encourages the Sikh community to wear their kakaars, fearlessly exercise their freedom of religion, and to contact us with any problems, concerns, or incidents of discrimination.
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