News & Update

The Sikh Human Development Foundation (SHDF), a Washington-based philanthropic organisation has raised over Rs 1.37 crore for its scholarship programme for underprivileged children in Punjab who wish to pursue higher education.

SHDF has been giving scholarships to bright but poor students in Punjab and surrounding areas since 2001.
Inviting all to donate, SHDF chairman Gajinder Singh Ahuja said, “We need your help. They (students) need your help.”
SHDF board member Manpreet Singh said, “SHDF has been able to provide scholarships to over 4,000 students and more than 1,500 students have graduated and become professionals.”

SHDF’s scholarship is based on need and merit. Students are selected from colleges and universities throughout Punjab and surrounding areas with vigorous screening by the SHDF India Division based in New Delhi.

Most of the students receiving assistance are from families earning less than a dollar a day per person. This programme is executed in partnership with sister organisation Nishkam Sikh Welfare Council based in New Delhi.

~ Source- Hindustan Times

A nursing hospital in Singapore will operate a new ambulance carrying the Sikh symbol Khanda and the logo of the Central Sikh Gurdwara Board Singapore (CSGB).

The board had extended a S$50,000 donation for the purpose to Kwong Wai Shiu Nursing Hospital. The hospital approached the board late last year for a donation towards a new replacement ambulance to transport its patients and residents. The hospital is located adjacent to the Central Sikh Temple (CST) which collects an annual donations of food and other personal items for patients to be distributed to all patients of the hospital during Guru Nanak’s Gurpurab.

The Sangat also cooks meal at the Gurdwara’s langar hall once a year and serves it to residents and patients of the hospital.
The board and the hospital had a launch event for the van which bears a khanda and the Gurdwara board logo.

“We hope the Sangat’s donation goes a long way in serving the elderly and needy,” said one Gurdwara official.

The hospital chief executive officer Dr Ow Chee Chung represented the hospital at the event.

~ Source: asiasamachar.com

Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle organized a Three Day Personality Development Workshop at Adesh University, Bhatinda from 23rd to 26 Sept 2015. Personality development workshop helps the youth to understand themselves better and shape their thinking and their perception of themselves and others. It helps in the process of self discovery and also provides an experience and insight, which will help further in shaping personality.

Approx 615 students got an opportunity to participate in the workshop. Students learnt step-by-step, systematic methods to enhance their personality through discussions, group activities, questionnaires, individual exercises and practice sessions. Exercises were held for individual assessment.

Dr Gpi Singh, Vice Chancellor, Adesh University, Dr Inderjit Singh Gogoani, Amritsar, S. Surjit Singh Patiala, Eng. Gurpreet Singh, S. Ramandeep Singh, Dr Mandeep Singh Abohar were among the eminent speakers.

~ Tapasleen Kaur
~ New Delhi, 8th Oct ’15

A Canadian Sikh group organizes a week-long langar to promote equality, fight hunger and to create cross-cultural dialogue.

“A lot of people see us on the streets, see us in turban and a beard but they do not see what my goal is, what my mission is,” Harman Dhillon, a group member, was quoted as saying.

According to Dhillon, the event was part of “Langar Week”, an event held globally by the people of the Sikh faith.
The event is aimed at creating equality as the rich and the poor are given the same food and equal respect.

The main principles of langar are Fighting Hunger, Equality in Action and Teaching Compassion.

THREE WAYS TO TAKE PART:

1. Take non-Sikhs to a Gurdwara for langar.

2. Organise langar in your local High Street/ College/ work.

3. Join the groups doing langar seva (eg MLSS, SWAT).

We want the world to say, ‘Hello Langar, Goodbye World Hunger’ by participating in Langar Week however you can.

Share & Spread to be a part of this great Noble Campaign highlighting the true essence of Sikhism

Panditrao Dharenavar, a Kannadiga who loves and promote Punjabi language has been selected for the Punjabi Likhari (writer) special award by government of Punjab. He will award money of Rs.1 lakh.

Panditrao who has been working hard to spread the message of Gurbani in south India not only translated various religious texts into Kannada but also carried on the Punjabi teaching classes for PGI doctors.

He has also put more than 300 Punjabi public sign boards all over Chandigarh. He has translated 12th century Karanataka’s Vachan Sahit, Das Sahit into Punjabi. Sri Jap Ji sahib, Sri Sukhmani sahib, and Zafaranama are being translated by Panditrao. After hearing the news Panditrao said “Till the last breath of my life, I will work for the holy Punjabi language.”

The meeting held under the Chairmanship Surjit Singh Rakhra Minister for higher education and Language selected various writers and artists for the Punjab Ratan, Punjabi Likhari awards. Three prominent Punjabi writers have been selected for Punjabi Sahit Rattan awards.

~ Source: PunjabNewsExpress

He was fatally shot inside his van, the gunman approached Singh, shot him inside his van and ran away through the backyards.

The police have announced a reward of USD 10,000 for information leading to the arrest of the killer.

Describing the horror of the broad day-light killing, local residents expressed their fears of rising crimes on the streets of Oakland city.

“I heard five shots and came to my front door. I just feel really bad; he was doing his job, and now he’s gone,” as one of the residents said.

As per the reports, Singh immigrated to the US 17 years ago, was unmarried and had a 13-year-old daughter.

He was a resident of Marysville, but also lived in the East Bay area. So far this year, Oakland has recorded 74 homicides – 15 more than at the same point last year.

~ Source- Tribune

Spreading the message of communal harmony, a veteran Muslim writer in north Kashmir’s Baramulla District is being extolled by the Sikh community for his poems on the life of GURU NANAK DEV, the founder of Sikhism.

Ghulam Qadir Hajam who hails from Kreeri’s Dardpora village has been writing poetry, comedy scripts and plays since 1970’s. He is well known by the name of ‘Shad’ (Happy) among local populace.

What really sets shad apart from other writers in the area is his poetry on the life of Guru Nanak. One of his Urdu poems titled ‘us hasti ka Nanak naam logo’ written on Guru Nanak’s life and his contribution towards the betterment of people is very famous among Sikh community. Sikh community of the district is all praise for Shad for doing the ‘unusual thing’.

“Muslim community rarely writes about Sikhs in Kashmir. A Muslim writing on Sikh Guru is overwhelming for us. We respect him and his spirituality. He is really a great human being,” said an elderly of Sikh community from Kreeri.

Born on 10th of October in 1948, Shad was a teacher by profession. He has done Bachelors in Education (B.Ed) from Government B.Ed College Srinagar and honors in kashmiri subject from University of Kashmir.

In early 1980’s he started participating in the various programmes of Radio Kashmir and Doordarshan television. He received district level best teacher award and was also announced for State level award, but unfortunately couldn’t receive it because of some unavoidable circumstances. He had also participated in the poetic seminars at local levels, district levels. He is the base member of “Cultural Forum Kreeri” since 1970.

Ghulam Qadar Hajam told Alternate Kashmir that he was inspired by reading about Guru Nanak Ji’s Life who has been a high spiritual personality and has spread the message of love, humanity, unity, truth and peace.

“When I read about Guru Nanak Ji’s life incident of “Sacha Soudha” from which Langar (Food) was started, and till now present Sikh community is serving langar (Food) in Gurdwaras to devotees free of cost. During 2014 September deluge in Kashmir, Sikh community members from Delhi and Punjab were first to serve the langar (Food) for the flood affected peoples of Kashmir,” he added.

“I am respecting Sikh religion with inner core of my heart. On every Baisakhi I compile a message of harmony to my village Gurdwara” he added.

~ Source- AlternateKashmir.com