News & Update

Vice Admiral Surinder Pal Singh Cheema took over the reins of the Western Naval Command as flag officer commanding-in-chief from Vice Admiral Anil Chopra at a ceremonial parade held at INS Shikra. Cheema, while serving in Mumbai earlier, had commanded INS Nishank, INS Trishul and INS Virat, a Naval release said, adding Chopra was accorded a send-off.

Cheema is a seasoned campaigner and has the unique distinction of shouldering responsibilities as C-in-C (commanding-in-chief) for the fourth time. His first appointment as a C-in-C was as the head of the Tri Services HQs at Delhi as CISC, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee, it said.

Cheema had earned ‘Mention in Despatches’ for his duty during operations in Sri-Lanka in 1989 and was awarded the Nau Sena Medal (Gallantry) while commanding the Indian Naval Ship ‘Nishank’.

~ Source: Economic Times

This raag is ideally performed in the afternoon hours.
The solum composition of Alahanina di bani is composed in this raag as well as the festive compositions of Ghorian or wedding songs are also composed in this raag.

Guru Amardas ji
Ang 571: guides us,
The One who created the universe beholds it, there is none greater than Him.

This painting is my representation of our little nook of the Lord’s infinite cosmos….our little solar system. The creator, upon creating it… dwells everywhere within it. The Divine dwells in its brightest as well as in the darkest spaces …The Lord is present everywhere.

~ By Dr Navjeet Kaur

The ideal time to recite this raag is in the evening.

Guru Angad Dev ji: guides us….

Ang 537:….. we all are travelers who have gathered under the world tree, many paths lead here; seek good company where the Lord’s praises are sung.

This painting is about “The One world tree”.

All of us come from many different directions; and each one walks down a different path, but we all come here to share this world space …as if under our One “world tree”. Guru guides me that during this short stay under the world tree…..we share this space….try to seek good company, and sing The Lord’s praises.

~ By Dr Navjeet Kaur

A century-old story of Manta Singh’s valour at the Battle of Neuve Chapelle in France has been inspiring British school kids for decades now. Last week, when the world marked the centenary of the Battle of Neuve Chapelle, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission urged Indians to take a minute to remember those who died in the war. Among them was Manta Singh who sacrificed his life to save his officer in March 1915.

Manta Singh was born near Jalandhar in 1870. He joined the 15th Ludhiana Sikhs, an infantry regiment of the Indian Army, and was one of many Indian soldiers sent to France in 1914. In March 1915, during the Battle of Neuve-Chapelle, Manta Singh rescued a seriously wounded comrade-Captain Henderson-by pushing him to safety in a wheelbarrow, but was himself severely injured while carrying out this rescue. Manta Singh was admitted in the Kitchener Indian Hospital in Brighton. His wounds had become infected with gangrene, and he died from blood poisoning a few weeks later.

Manta Singh’s story is used online, in cemeteries in the UK, at the Neuve Chapelle Memorial in France and in classrooms.

According to CWGC, one of the biggest challenges before them today is to engage a new generation in the First World War. “In our experience, one of the most powerful ways to engage them is to bring to life the individual stories of those taking part in the war. And in terms of learning, we use the story of Manta Singh a great deal with schoolchildren as it is such a powerful story for them and having the living link to his descendants helps to bring the story home,” says Peter Francis, media and marketing manager Commonwealth War Graves Commission. The two families are still in touch.

“Manta Singh’s story, and the story of the other 74,000 Indian servicemen and women we commemorate from WW-I makes history live,” he said.

“India’s contribution during both world wars was vital and its involvement should never be forgotten. Their stories of bravery and sacrifice are both inspirational and sobering and Manta Singh’s sacrifice is a perfect example of that,” he added.

Bond survives time:

Peter Francis, media and marketing manager Commonwealth War Graves Commission says that Manta Singh and the injured man he rescued, Captain Henderson, had become firm friends as well as brothers in arms while he was undergoing treatment. When Manta Singh died, Henderson ensured that Singh’s son, Assa, was taken care of. He encouraged him to join the Sikh Regiment too. Throughout the Second World War, Assa Singh and Henderson’s son, Robert, served together, in France, Italy and North Africa. “To this day, the Singh and Henderson families remain close friends. Assa and Robert have passed away, but their sons, Jaimal and Ian, are in contact,” he shares.

~ Source: Times of India

MALAYSIA: Uditakiran Kaur, 12, completed the entire reading of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS) towards the end of last year.

It was no mean feat for a wheelchair-bound girl who cannot turn the pages of the SGGS due to her physical disabilities.

Uditakiran is battling muscular dystrophy, a muscle disease that hampers her mobility and weakens her muscle cells. She cannot lift her hand high enough to turn the pages of the SGGS.

She has been bound to a wheelchair since the age of seven, after a long medical affair and numerous visits to hospitals.

On Jan 20, 2015, she was the centre of attention at the Gurdwara Sahib Klang in Selangor. She was all set to complete the reading of the last few pages of the SGGS which she started in 2013.

It was a proud moment for the family to see this little girl complete a feat which many Sikhs – so much older and physically abled – have not achieved.

“Her reading was so clear, so beautiful,” says Baldev Singh Leo, a local kirtani, who was present at the path-da-bhog ceremony. “I admire her confidence.”

Uditakiran started learning Gurmukhi from basic in June 2010 under the guidance of Ajit Kaur from Port Klang, Selangor. Within two years, she started the Sehaj Paath, the reading of the entire SGGS over time. She completed it in October 2014.

“I’m truly grateful to Bhenji Ajit for making this happen. She’s a truly sought after Punjabi teacher,” said her dad Jaspal Singh Bhullar, a businessman. Her mother, Harjinder Kaur, is a dental nurse.

Due to her condition, Udita, as she is called, needed physical support to flip the pages of the SGGS during the paath-da-bhog, the ceremony to mark to completion of the full reading of the SGGS. Uditakiran’s eldest brother, Gurveeer Singh, 15, was there to help.

At home, she read the SGGS from the sanchiaas (the SGGS in four volumes). She did that in the comfort of her home, at her own pace. She was able to turn the pages of the sanchiaas herself as it is physically smaller in size.
Uditakiran comes from a family where Gurbani recitation is a norm. The whole family does sehaj path. They have a saroop (copy) of the SGGS in their home.

Gurveer, who completed his full reading of the SGGS in 2013, inspired his younger siblings to do likewise. Now, her younger brother, Brahmveer Singh, 8, plans to start soon. Uditakiran also plans to start another round of the full reading of the SGGS.

Uditakiran attends a private school because the public school close by was not conducive for her condition as it hinders her mobility in a wheelchair.

“She’s perfectly normal in her studies. She’s just like the other students,” said Jaspal. – ASIA SAMACHAR (13 March 2015)

~ Source: asiasamachar.com

Guru Gobind Singh Ji stayed here for a few days and wrote his famous defiant letter known as the Zafarnama (Declaration of Victory) in Persian to Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. In the letter Guru Gobind Singh Ji starts by praising God and then goes on to condemn Aurangzeb for his failure as a ruler, for his communalism and for breaking his oath on the Koran to grant the Sikhs safe passage.

Guru Gobind Singh wrote that when all peaceful means have failed, it is righteous to draw the sword to fight tyranny. Guru Ji describes the bloody battle of Chamkaur and invites Aurangzeb to visit him even though for of his sons became shaheed due to Aurangzeb. The letter was personally delivered to the emperor in the Deccan by the Gurus two trusted Sikhs Bhai Daya Singh and Bhai Daram Singh. Upon reading the letter the emperor was filled with remorse and asked Guru Gobind Singh to come visit him, but Aurangzeb died shortly thereafter in 1707.

~Source: Daily Sikh Update

Earning another glory for Indian hockey, India Men Hockey Team captain Sardar received one the most prestigious national honours – Padma Shri Award – from Honourable President Shri Pranab Mukherjee at a glittering ceremony in Rashtrapati Bhavan. He even conferred with the Arjuna Award in 2012 and 2013 respectively. Both the awardees have to their credit of bringing laurels to the country for their contribution on the field and even guiding their teams to victories.

The 28-year-old midfielder Sardar has played a pivotal role for India and his skilful game which has even inspired the new generation of hockey players across the world. Sardar made his debut for the senior team against Pakistan in 2006 and since then he has played more than 200 international matches and has successfully contributed towards Indian hockey. Sardar is also the most sought player in the prestigious Hockey India League.

A delighted and proud Captain Sardar Singh said, “It is a great honour for me and I would take this opportunity to thank Hockey India for giving me the support which boosted my morale. Also, I must give credit of my success to the coaches, who have guided me and tirelessly worked with me during my journey in hockey. I am proud to have been received this award and will work harder to get more laurels for Indian Hockey.”

Sardar was appointed as the Captain of the Indian hockey team in 2008 for the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup at the age of 22 years where India finished 2nd in the tournament and bagged the Silver medal. In 2010, Sardar Singh was nominated for the FIH All-Star team being the sole Indian to get the honour and a feat that was repeated again in 2012. In 2014, Sardar led India to a Silver medal finish in the 2014 Commonwealth Games at Glasgow and in the same year, Sardar steered his team to win the Incheon Asian Games Gold beating Pakistan in a highly tensed finale and this feat of winning the Gold was achieved by the Indian team after 16 years. In the same year the India Hockey Team even beat Australia in a Test Series at home and also finished at a respectable fourth position in the Hero Men’s Champions Trophy 2014.

~ Source: ibnlive.in.com

A new law which will allow Sikhs in the UK to wear turbans in place of safety helmets in all workplaces across the country has come into force, providing more job opportunities to members of the community. Sikh groups have campaigned for years to close a loophole in existing UK employment legislation which meant that Sikhs were exempt from safety headgear only in high-risk areas, such as construction sites.

The Sikh Council UK had argued that this had led to turban-wearers facing discrimination in other low-risk areas such as factories, warehouses and transport.

An amendment introduced to the Deregulation Bill by the UK government with cross-party support in March 2014 has now been granted Royal Assent this week, making it a law.”We are pleased that our long campaign has enabled a vital change in the law,” said Gurmel Singh, secretary general of Sikh Council UK.

“It will make a real difference to Sikhs in the UK by increasing the number of workplaces that members of the community can work in whilst maintaining their religiously mandated identity,” he added. It said the rules led to a number of cases where Sikhs faced disciplinary hearings and were dismissed from longstanding employment for their refusal to remove their turban and wear a safety helmet.

Their campaigning led to an amendment to extend the exemption in the Employment Act to be introduced to the Deregulation Bill last year. There will still be limited exceptions where safety helmets will be required, such as for specific roles in the armed forces and emergency response situations.

The change also further provides protection for employees by extending the limitation on liability for employers in the construction industry to any work situation where a turban-wearing Sikh chooses not to wear a safety helmet.

~ Source: NDTV