News & Update

Best out of waste was organized at Akal Academy, #FathegarhGunduan

There are some truly inspiring students out there who offer up a motivational spirit with their success that keeps the flame of hope alive in the hearts of many other students.

Most of these gems are polished under the value-based education provided by Akal Academies.  A student of class IX at Akal Academy,  Dakra Sahib, Jaskirat Singh secured second position in ‘Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya’ entrance in Ambala without taking any coaching classes. Clearing such difficult entrance exams without taking extra coaching is commendable. Hats off to his hard work & determination.

He said: ‘My schooling pays a big role in this achievement. Studying at Akal Academy gave me confidence and knowledge to clear this entrance without taking any coaching classes.  I pay my heartfelt credits to the school that they provided me the required background because of which I was able to acquire the second position in JNV’s entrance exam.

What sets Akal Academies apart is their true inner desire to add an enormous amount of value to their education.’                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               -Gursanjam Kaur

Man Jeete Jag Jeet
Conquer your mind and conquer the world.

World around is filthy.

Lots of enticements and temptations around us.

Stand up amid dirt and filth.

By attaining the virtues and annihilating the vices

the life can be made immaculate and the soul can be purified.

To attain virtues is a real form of worship.

God prevails where there is veracity and purity.

The real veneration is a simple, truthful and pure way of life.

And can be attained only by winning your own mind.

And it will be a triumph over the battle of life.

-Ramneet Kaur

ਅਕਾਲ ਅਕੈਡਮੀ ਤੇਜਾ ਸਿੰਘ ਵਾਲਾ ਦੀ ਹੋਣਹਾਰ ਖਿਡਾਰਨ ਗੋਬਿੰਦਨੂਰ ਕੌਰ ਨੇ ਫੈਂਸਿੰਗ ‘ਚੋਂ ਚਾਂਦੀ ਦਾ ਤਮਗਾ ਜਿੱਤਿਆ

ਭਿੱਖੀ, 2 ਜਨਵਰੀ: ਕਲਗ਼ੀਧਰ ਟਰੱਸਟ ਬੜੂ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਅਧੀਨ ਸਫਲਤਾ ਪੂਰਵਕ ਚੱਲ ਰਹੀ ਅਕਾਲ ਅਕੈਡਮੀ ਤੇਜਾ ਸਿੰਘ ਵਾਲਾ ਦੀ ਹੋਣਹਾਰ ਵਿਦਿਆਰਥਣ ਗੋਬਿੰਦਨੂਰ ਕੌਰ ਨੇ ਫੈੰਸਿੰਗ ਖੇਡ ਚ ਚਾਂਦੀ ਦਾ ਤਮਗਾ ਜਿੱਤ ਕਿ ਮਾਪਿਆਂ ਤੇ ਅਕੈਡਮੀ ਦਾ ਨਾਮ ਰੌਸ਼ਨ ਕੀਤਾ। ਗੋਵਿੰਦਨੂਰ ਕੌਰ ਦੀ ਕੋਚ ਮੈਡਮ ਅਮਨਦੀਪ ਕੌਰ ਨੇ ਦੱਸਿਆ ਕਿ ਉੱਤਰਾਖੰਡ ਓਲੰਪਿਕ ਐਸੋਸੀਏਸ਼ਨ ਵੱਲੋਂ (ਰੁਦਰਪੁਰ) ਉੱਤਰਾਖੰਡ ਵਿਖੇ ਕਰਵਾਏ ਗਏ ਅੰਡਰ 20 ਸਾਲ ਫੈਂਸਿੰਗ ਮੁਕਾਬਲਿਆਂ ਵਿੱਚ ਸੂਬਾ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਦੀ ਤਰਫ਼ੋਂ ਜਸਵੰਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਤੇ ਸਰਬਜੀਤ ਕੌਰ ਦੀ ਹੋਣਹਾਰ ਸਪੁੱਤਰੀ ਗੋਬਿੰਦਨੂਰ ਕੌਰ ਨੇ ਫੈਂਸਿੰਗ ਖੇਡ ਵਿੱਚ ਹਿੱਸਾ ਲਿਆ ਸੀ ਜਿਸ ਵਿੱਚੋਂ ਉਸ ਨੇ ਵਧੀਆ ਖੇਡ ਦਾ ਪ੍ਰਦਰਸ਼ਨ ਕਰਦਿਆਂ ਸਿਲਵਰ ਮੈਡਲ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਦੀ ਝੋਲੀ ਪਾਇਆ। ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦੱਸਿਆ ਕਿ ਗੋਬਿੰਦਨੂਰ ਕੌਰ ਨੇ ਮਹਿਜ਼ 20 ਸਾਲ ਦੀ ਉਮਰ ਵਿੱਚ ਵੱਡੀ ਜਿੱਤ ਦਰਜ ਕਰਕੇ ਦਰਸਾ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਹੁਨਰ ਉਮਰ ਦਾ ਮੁਹਤਾਜ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੁੰਦਾ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਕਿਹਾ ਜੇਕਰ ਲੜਕੀਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਸਹੀ ਢੰਗ ਨਾਲ ਤਾਲੀਮ ਤੇ ਅਗਵਾਈ ਦਿੱਤੀ ਜਾ ਸਕੇ ਤਾਂ ਕੁੜੀਆਂ ਵੀ ਦੇਸ਼ ਦਾ ਨਾਮ ਰੌਸ਼ਨ ਕਰ ਸਕਦੀਆਂ ਹਨ। ਅਕੈਡਮੀ ਦੀ ਪਿ੍ੰਸੀਪਲ ਮੈਡਮ ਸੰਦੀਪ ਕੌਰ ਨੇ ਗੋਬਿੰਦਨੂਰ ਕੌਰ ਦੀ ਜਿੱਤ ਤੇ ਉਸ ਨੂੰ, ਮਾਤਾ -ਪਿਤਾ, ਅਕੈਡਮੀ ਦੀ ਕੋਚ ਤੇ ਸਟਾਫ਼ ਨੂੰ ਵਧਾਈ ਦਿੱਤੀ ਤੇ ਕਿਹਾ ਕਿ ਉਹ ਭਵਿੱਖ ਵਿੱਚ ਵੀ ਆਪਣੀ ਜਿੱਤ ਨੂੰ ਬਰਕਰਾਰ ਰੱਖੇਗੀ। ਇਨਾਮ ਵੰਡ ਸਮਾਗਮ ਮੌਕੇ ਉੱਤਰਾਖੰਡ ਦੇ ਵਿਧਾਇਕ ਤੇ ਵਧੀਕ ਕੁਲੈਕਟਰ ਵੀ ਮੌਜੂਦ ਸਨ।

Facebook has elevated its senior Indian-origin executive Karandeep Anand to head Workplace, the company’s two-year-old enterprise communication tool.

Mr Anand, who was earlier Head of Product for Facebook Marketplace and Payments services, would handle the Workplace product team and report to Julien Codorniou who is its Vice President.

“I’m excited to now be part of the journey of bringing Workplace to companies across the globe and help them unlock the potential of their biggest asset — people,” Mr Anand wrote on his LinkedIn profile late on Tuesday.

Facebook launched Workplace in 2016 to help make companies more connected and productive.

Currently, more than 30,000 organisations are using Workplace worldwide — including Walmart, Heineken, Spotify, Lyft and the Reliance Group.

“We’re thrilled that Karandeep is joining Workplace as its new head of Workplace, effectively immediately,” a Facebook spokeswoman told CNBC.

“A company’s culture is leading indicator of its success and the productivity of its work force. Workplace brings the power of shaping culture by connecting people at work in ways never imagined before,” Mr Anand wrote.

He has been actively supporting and donating Akal Academy, Baru Sahib since the last few years!

We wish you all the success Mr Singh!

Only Sikh to be awarded the Canada’s Volunteer Award for Emerging Leader- Sukhmeet Singh

For a seven year old immigrant who moved to Canada in 2002, receiving an award by the Prime Minister of Canada and Ministers was something he never have dreamed about.

Sukhmeet had the honor of being named as the Emerging Leader for British Columbia and the North by the Government of Canada.

It came with a certificate from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Since the age of 7, Sukhmeet has been committed to championing marginalized peoples in Canada and all over the world, and empowering his peers to do the same.

In grade school, Sukhmeet would engage with other students through public speaking or by organizing events to show solidarity with marginalized groups, to bridge divides and promote love and understanding.

Based on his own experiences with bullying, and recognizing that other students faced similar discrimination during grade school, Sukhmeet became passionate about raising awareness and showcasing solidarity through public events. Becoming a community activist has helped him channel his own hardships into positive change.

Sukhmeet is passionate about good health and well-being as a right for all, and has devoted his time to reducing disparities between people’s access to health services in Canada and around the world.

He co-founded the non-profit Break The Divide with his brother in 2016 to connect youth in Northern communities to youth across Canada to explore topics such as climate change and its impacts on mental health and have them work together to think of solutions.

His Break The Divide program has been implemented in schools across Canada, as well as in India, Singapore, and South Africa. Sukhmeet’s commitment to good health is also a reflected in his work around the world. He has launched initiatives in India and Uganda.

Sukhmeet is a role model for the youth in his community, offering his mentorship and inspiring them to get involved in the community and finding their passions. By helping to create a non-profit model where students can open up a chapter of Break The Divide in their own schools, students are given an opportunity to grow as leaders and address the social challenges that they are passionate about.

अनोखी आस्था : यहाँ कुलदेवता के रूप में हैं गुरु गोबिंद सिंह

गुरुद्वारा नहीं, मंदिर में होती है पूजा

भीम सिंह चौहान , चकराता (देहरादून)

भगवान को जिस रूप में भजो, उसी रूप में उनका साक्षात्कार हो जाता है। उत्तराखंड का जौनसार बावर जनजातीय क्षेत्र इसका जीता जागता उदाहरण है। न गुरुद्वारा, न ग्रंथी लेकिन इस इलाके के 17 वी सदी के पौराणिक मंदिर में ढ़ौल नगाड़ो की थाप पर गुरु गोविंद सिंह महाराज की पूजा अर्चना होती है। संभवतः यह देश का अकेला क्षेत्र होगा जहां सीखो के दसवें गुरु कुलदेवता की तरह पूजे जाते हैं।

अपनी अलग संस्कृति के लिए प्रसिद्ध जौनसार बावर की धार्मिक मान्यताओं में भी ऐसा अनूठापन है, जो शायद ही कहीं देखने को मिलता हो। पुरे देश में शिव, विष्णु, श्रीराम, श्रीकृष्ण इष्ट माना है, लेकिन जौनसार के 359 गांव और डेढ़ सौ मजरों के करीब डेढ़ लाख से लोग महासू , परशुराम, विजट, शिलगुर, चुडू आदि को इष्टदेव के रूप में पूजते है , जबकि कालसी के अत्लेउ गांव में गोविन्द सिंह महाराज कुलदेवता है। मंदिर के वजीर सुपाराम राणा व् भंडारी राय सिंह के अनुसार 16 वीं सदी में जब लोगो की सन्तानो की अकाल मृत्यु की घटनाए बढ़ गयी और सुख समृद्धि को ग्रहण लग गया, तब गुरु महाराज की कृपा से ही गांव मेँ सुख समृद्धि लौटी। उसके बाद उनकी सुबह शाम पूजा शुरू हुई। 11 पीढ़ियों से गांव में गुरु महाराज की सेवा का क्रम अनवरत चला आ रहा है। गुरु महाराज के देवमाली (पुजारी) लोगो के दुःख दर्द दूर करने को प्रश्न लगाते है और गुरमुखी में ही जवाब देकर निदान भी करते है। स्थानीय पाराचिनार बिरादरी के अनिल चानना के मुताबिक हर परिवार का पहला बेटा गुरु महाराज का भक्त होता है और केश नहीं कटवाता। अतलेऊ मंदिर में गुरु महाराज की पूजा अर्चना अनूठी धार्मिक परंपरा का अकेला उदाहरण है। अतलेऊ मंदिर के पुजारी मातबर सिंह राणा बताते है दसवें साल में अमृतसर की पदयात्रा कर महाराज श्री के शाही स्नान की परम्परा है। गुरु महाराज का पिछला शाही स्नान 2007 में अमृतसर में कराया गया था। इसके अलावा प्रत्येक तीसरे वर्ष पौंटा साहिब व् आठवें वर्ष हेमकुंड साहिब के दर्शन करने जाते है। रोजाना दो बार पूजा होती है ताकि लोग कुलदेवता के दर्शन क्र आशीर्वाद ले सके।

Davinder Singh and his wife Harisimran Kaur Khalsa have created the Duwara Consciousness Foundation. It is a mission aligns with their Sikh faith, but is intended to help all people.

“We have a lot of friends who are from different faiths, and in all honesty, it’s in all of our faith to help others,” he said. “I can tell you that in Sikhism, our simple point of being here is to help everybody, regardless of their personal faith, regardless of their sexual orientation, regardless of their personal circumstances. That is our job, and I think that’s a human’s job to do something like that.”

The experience was eye-opening and reinforced the couple’s belief in a need to help their community. Khalsa said she saw a boy about 9 years old who appeared to be on drugs, and she believes a girl who regularly came for meals was a gang member.

After about two months, Khalsa said they were notified by the city of Oceanside that they needed an special-event permit to continue the feedings.

“It was more of a crossroads for us,” she said. “We decided, rather than go that direction, we would go the food-trailer route and go to a lot of different spots.”

Singh moved in 2015 to San Diego County from England, where he was born and had been an entrepreneur in several businesses around London. His ventures included eco-friendly baby shops and studios for crystal healing and yoga. Since moving to Oceanside, he has set his businesses aside to focus full-time on Duwara Conscientiousness, which was formed in 2016.

Khalsa is from Los Angeles and has lived throughout the country and India. She holds an MBA and works as an accountant.

Inspired by their faith and with backgrounds in business and accounting, the couple have launched a fundraiser to buy a food trailer they can take to where they see a need. Later, they hope to buy a portable shower for homeless people to use.

They organized a “yoga-thon” earlier this year that raised $7,000 and they plan to hold another next month.

They already have a truck to haul the trailer and have $9,000 saved. They estimate they’ll need another $40,000 for the trailer, equipment and permits they expect they’ll need from cities and the county.

Obtaining permits will be a challenge, but isn’t impossible. The nonprofit So Others May Eat operates a food trailer that feeds more than 100 people each week at a Mission Bay park.

The couple has worked with the nonprofit Fill-a-Belly, helping the group feed dozens of people in a Carlsbad park on Tuesday nights.

Individuals, churches and other groups also regularly serve meals to homeless people in downtown San Diego, usually setting up tables and hot plates rather than cooking in food trailers.

City officials and others have discouraged organizations from feeding people on the street, arguing that it is better to let agencies that can provide long-term help for the homeless serve the meals.

Khalsa said they do not intend to compete with any service providers, but want to work with them.

“”We’re firm believers that all services should work together and help eliminate problems we face in society,” she said. “There’s a lot of people in need.”

-http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com