News & Update

World acclaimed The Kalgidhar Trust, a non-profit social development organisation based at Baru Sahib in Solan district of Himachal Pradesh picked up by Harvard Business Review for listing on its case collection. This case study also won the Philip Thomas Memorial Case Award for the Best Case in IIM Ahmedabad at its 53rd Annual Convocation on 23 March 2018. The writers, Dr AS Ghura, IIMA and Prof. Vijay Sherry Chand,Ravi J Matthai Centre for Educational Innovation (RJMCEI), IIMA, chose to do a case study titled “The Akal Academies” for the unique strategy of this social enterprise that stands out for innovation and entrepreneurship in education. This case study documents the real-life dilemma of Baba Iqbal Singh Kingra who is retired Director Agriculture, Himachal Pradesh popularly known as Babaji. He simply followed the divine vision of his masters Sant Attar Singh ji, who conceptualised the whole mission of synthesising scientific education with moral values and Sant Teja Singh who founded Baru Sahib.

The Kalgidhar Trust adopted a unique participation of the general public to accelerate the rural school development activities of the Trust to 500 Akal Academies, in the next decade, which shall cater to 250,000 students from a small unit of 19 schools in 2007.

The case study documents the unique model been adopted by Akal Academies, by merging spiritual and high quality scientific education, inspired by the Sikh Gurus and faith and how the Trust has been integral in sustaining the growth of Akal Academies from one school in 1986 to 129 schools catering to 70,000 students in 2018. More over the donation based low-cost financial model and loan-driven model for financing the capital cost of new schools is a unique mix to be taught to the future managers who wish to have their careers in education industry by developing skills in evaluating options using a set of criteria, and recommending a plan of action.

Sant Teja Singh was the first turbaned Sikh graduate to have completed his course in Harvard, way back in 1911. Finally, the case study now being available at Harvard Business Case Centre is in itself a pleasant divine blessing and a tribute to Sant Teja Singh Ji (1877 – 1965).

Bhai Amar Das ji had just performed a miracle which was not pleasing to the Guru, but he had apologized and the Guru forgave him. On their way back to Khadur, the Guru’s home, the Guru and his companions stayed with a devotee who had asked the Guru to bless his soul by visiting his house.

The Guru answered the man’s devotion and blessed him with happiness. While they were at his house, Bhai Amar Das ji also blessed him,=. He said: “The True Guru will give you a son, your son will be a saint.”

The people were surprised, and one said, “Amar Das has taken the role of the Guru but the Guru is standing right here!” Another remarked,  “Yes, he is predicting the future and granting children! The servant is acting like the master!”

Bhai Amar Das thought about it, and then said,“I have again made a mistake.” and again he apologized to the Guru saying, “Guru ji! I have again acted like a fool!”

This time the Guru comforted him, saying, “My light is in you. From now on just think about what you say first.”

When they had returned to Khadur, Bhai Amar Das continued to serve the Guru with all his heart.

Guru Angad had become the Guru because of his supreme devotion. Bhai Amar Das also showed great devotion that never decreased. Bhai Amar Das was now 73 years old and he vigorously performed all services, even hard labor. Guru ji publicly announced his love for his supreme devotee and said: “Amar Das will save uncountable people. The eyes which see the saint of the True Guru are blessed. The hands that serve the saint are blessed. The feet that walk the path are blessed. The ears that hear Divine praise are blessed. The mouth that avoids slander is blessed. Always speak the truth and sing the Guru’s Words.”

Twice a year the Guru would give shawls of honor to his Sikhs. He would tie them around Bhai Amar Das ji’s turban. Bhai Amar Das would never take them off. People thought he was crazy but really he was very devoted and only thought of service. One day Guru ji said,  “My life is coming to the end of it’s cycle. I will be leaving here soon.”

The Sikhs didn’t want him to leave, and said: “How will we live without your words?? Guru ji, please stay longer so we can hear your teachings and be happy.”

The Guru replied: “The saints of the True Guru are like clouds. They take a body to help the world and bless people. The body is a vessel which will always die. A rich man drops old torn clothes to put on new ones. A saint drops the aging body when it has done its service. Death is nothing but changing one’s clothes.”

The Sikhs were enchanted by the Guru’s speech and their worries ended. It was at this special time that the weather turned dark. One winter night, the clouds hid the moon, it rained all night, cold wind blew, lightening flashed and everyone stayed cozy in their homes. Just three hours before sunrise, Guru ji said to his two sons, “I want some water.” But the Guru’s son’s pretended not to hear him, “I want water.” No one answered. The Guru shook them awake. His sons checked in the kitchen and told him, “There is no water here.” “It’s too early, we’re going back to sleep.” Their father said: “Still, I want water, my throat is dry.” His older son said: “But we’d have to journey all the way to the river!” “It’s too early and there’s a huge storm out there!”

The sons went back to sleep. Bhai Amar Das saw this and said: “Oh great king, your slave will be happy to get water.”
Guru Angad: “Amar Das ji at your age, this is not work for you to do.” Amar Das replied: “Sir, your service has made me young!”

Bhai Amar Das immediately put the large water pot on his head and left for the river in the lightening storm and pouring rain. He walked for miles with the cold wind blowing and the rain stinging his skin. He trod through mud and deep puddles in the dark night singing softly to himself: “Ik ongkar satnam karta purkh…”

Many times he almost slipped but… as if the angels were helping him, he continued on his errand without falling. When he finally reached the river he found that if he filled the pot to the brim, it was too heavy to lift out of the river.

So he got in the river with the pot on his head and submerged himself completely i

Horwath said like his brother, Gurratan is “charming” and dedicated to fighting for people. “He’s a very thoughtful guy and he’s going to make a great MPP. I expect that the people of Brampton East will be happy with his running.” Another NDP MPP, France Gelinas, said she’s met Singh several times and that it’s excellent news that he wants to run for the party. “He’s a man who believes in the principles of the NDP,” she told Radio-Canada.

Gurratan Singh, the younger brother of federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, is trying to keep a seat at the Ontario legislature in the family. Singh announced  he is seeking the NDP nomination in Brampton East for the upcoming provincial election in June.

“I love this community, and I’m really, really connected to this community. I’ve been organizing actively in the community for the past 10 years,” Singh said in an interview Tuesday.

“When I hear the issues that they are facing … it motivates me to want to fight for this community, to be their voice so we can stand up for them and try and make their lives better,” he said.

Brampton East is one of the newly redrawn ridings for the 2018 election. It covers much of the same territory as Bramalea–Gore–Malton, the riding Jagmeet Singh represented at Queen’s Park from 2011 until this past fall when he won the federal leadership and he gave up his provincial seat.

Gurratan Singh posted a photo on Twitter a few days ago with a caption that said he had been door-knocking in the riding but he had not made it official that he was running for the nomination until Monday. The nomination meeting is scheduled for April 2. The Liberals and Progressive Conservatives already have nominated candidates — Parminder Singh and Simmer Sandhu, respectively.

Singh said he talked over his decision to run extensively with his brother and others in the community. He concluded the timing was right to try and make the jump into provincial politics, especially given the vacancy left by his brother’s departure. He said the community needs a strong advocate to fight for them, and he believes it can be him.

“I am very passionate about fighting for this community and making sure that they have what they need to ensure they can live their lives to their best,” said Singh. Hydro costs, auto insurance costs and unstable work are among the issues he says people are struggling with when he meets them.

Lawyer job on hold for politics
This is Singh’s first time running for election in provincial politics though he is no stranger to it or to campaigning. He ran for regional councillor for Brampton in 2014 but didn’t win. He has been by his brother’s side since the start of his political career, working on all of his campaigns.

Singh put his job as a lawyer on hold to work full-time on his brother’s successful federal leadership campaign last year and has continued to advise him since he won.

The federal leader has faced criticism recently for his handling of questions about his attendance at a rally in 2015 in San Francisco (he was deputy leader of the Ontario NDP at the time) with Sikh community activists and of the Air India bombing in 1985 and who was responsible for it.

Jagmeet Singh defends appearance at Sikh independence rally
In an interview last October on CBC’s Power & Politics, Singh did not denounce extremists within Canada’s Sikh community who glorify Talwinder Singh Parmar’s memory. An 18-month national inquiry identified Parmar as the mastermind of the bombing that killed 268 Canadians. In the interview Singh said he didn’t know who was responsible for the bombing but in an another interview with CBC News last month he said he now accepts the inquiry’s findings.

“Unequivocally, I accept the findings of the Air India bombing and I condemn all those involved,” he said.

NDP welcomes news
“In regards to violence, we’ve been clear in our condemnation of all sorts of violence and all sorts of terrorism or violence in any respect,” he said. Singh also emphasized that advocating for self-determination and extremism are different things that should not be conflated and he said there is no current evidence of advocating for violence in the Sikh community.

Singh’s announcement that he intends to run for the NDP was met with enthusiasm by his brother’s former colleagues, and boss, at Queen’s Park.

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said she’s excited about it. “Brampton East is turf that they’ve held before, the Singh family, so I’m looking forward to seeing Gurratan walk in his brother’s footsteps,” she said.

Horwath said like his brother, Gurratan is “charming” and dedicated to fighting for people. “He’s a very thoughtful guy and he’s going to make a great MPP. I expect that the people of Brampton East will be happy with his running.”

Another NDP MPP, France Gelinas, said she’s met Singh several times and that it’s excellent news that he wants to run for the party.

“He’s a man who believes in the principles of the NDP,” she told Radio-Canada.

-cbc.ca

I was recently reminded of a pivotal moment in my life, when, in January, I returned to my Richmond, Virginia high school for a celebration recognizing my team’s 1995 basketball tournament victory, the first such win for the school.

You see, I was the first observant Sikh to attend my high school. With my unshorn hair, long beard, and brightly colored turbans, I flipped the Collegiate School’s traditional dress code on its head. My diversity unmasked, I had no choice but to use it as an opportunity to educate my peers—both on and off the court.

Being the first Sikh at Collegiate was a harbinger of “firsts” ahead of me, a path charted by my parents when they came to Virginia 42 years ago. I was the first turbaned Sikh to attend the University of Richmond School of Law–where I was elected president of the Student Bar Association and student speaker at graduation. I was the first Sikh summer clerk at the Supreme Court of Virginia. Then, I became the first Sikh judicial clerk at the Court of Appeals of Virginia.

When I joined McDermott Will & Emery in 2007, I became the first turbaned Sikh there. Later, when I made partner in 2013, I became the first turbaned Sikh to achieve that recognition at an AmLaw 100 firm ever. Let that sink in. While Sikhs have been in the United States since the late 1800s, I could count on two hands the number of Sikh lawyers I knew growing up. Only a small handful ended up in Big Law. Just as other lawyers of color faced challenges before me, getting to this level has not been easy and did not happen by chance. It’s taken a personal commitment and willingness to work twice as hard as my nondiverse peers, mentors to guide me and sponsors who put their credibility on the line to support my success.

As I now mentor other lawyers of color, I am heartened that corporations are embracing the importance of both diversity and inclusion. As Vernā Myers said, “Diversity is being invited to the party, inclusion is being asked to dance.” When I look back on my journey, I could easily have ended up as the token nod to diversity at each step along the way. Instead, I was included—whether by invitation or, more often, through my own personal advocacy—to ensure that I had equal opportunities to excel. Unable to “cover” my very visible religious identity (a term coined by professor Kenji Yoshino in “Covering: The Hidden Assault on our Civil Rights“), I chose to be my “authentic self” (as explained by Ritu Bhasin in “The Authenticity Principle“) and use my diversity as a strength, not a hindrance.

We are undoubtedly at an inflection point in the movement towards greater D&I across the corporate world. When Mastercard named Ajay Banga its president and CEO in 2010, he was the first turbaned Sikh to lead a Fortune 500 company. Banga’s appointment sent the clear message that religious identity does not create an unbreakable glass ceiling, and he uses his position to give voice to the importance of D&I in the corporate world:

“Diversity and inclusion cannot be a nice-to-have. Rather, it must be expected, not simply accepted. The results of this prioritization are clear—better insights, better decisions and better products that differentiate a company from the competition,” Banga said.

Nearly a decade later, research (including McKinsey’s 2018 “Delivering Through Diversity” report) continues to reinforce the link between diversity and corporate financial performance. Legal departments are increasingly demanding that outside counsel have robust D&I programs and staff cases with diverse lawyers in significant leadership roles.

The excitement about D&I has also been front and center in Hollywood. At the 2018 Academy Awards, Jordan Peele made history as the first black writer to win an Oscar for best original screenplay in the Academy’s 90-year history. The Academy also featured a segment focused on the importance of representation, where Pakistani-American actor Kumail Nanjiani made the witty but poignant observation:

“Some of my favorite movies are movies by straight white dudes about straight white dudes. Now straight white dudes can watch movies starring me, and you relate to that. It’s not that hard. I’ve been doing it my whole life.”

Perhaps the most powerful moment of the night was when Frances McDormand asked all of the women nominated for awards to stand up. What a feeling that must have been for all of the women who have faced tremendous challenges to achieve greatness in their field—particularly in the wake of the hostility, harassment and violence that finally has the voice it deserves in the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements.

But tucked at the end of McDormand’s speech were two words that made my ears perk up: inclusion rider. The term was immediately trending and continues to generate buzz. Inclusion riders are a thoughtful, deliberate approach to increase diversity in an industry that has slowly evolved to “reflect the world in which we actually live.”

Inclusion Riders are the latest evolution of the National Football League’s “Rooney Rule” and the current “Mansfield Rule” effort led by 44 law firms (including McDermott) and Diversity Lab. Firms that sign on to the Mansfield Rule certify that they will consider at least 30 percent women and minority lawyers for significant leadership roles—including promotions to equity partner, lateral searches, prominent committee membership and leadership.

Narrated by my own personal experience, I am optimistic about what lies ahead as we write the next chapter in the history of the legal profession in the United States.

Amandeep S. Sidhu is a partner at McDermott Will & Emery in Washington, D.C., where he focuses his practice on compliance and regulatory counseling, investigations and related litigation. He serves on McDermott’s diversity/inclusion and pro bono and community service committees. 

This story happened during the time that Bhai Amar Das ji was serving Guru Angad.

There was a monk who lived nearby.  Said the monk: “It is only the priests like me that should be worshiped among men. I am a renunciate, my only job is religion and it is only people like me that can properly give God’s message to the people. It is only we who can save people.”

This year it was a very hot summer and it hadn’t rained at all. There wasn’t a lot of food, the animals were dying because there was no water. Everyone was afraid. A bunch of farmers went to see the monk. “Sir, we all have a great problem! Please help us! How will any of us live without water? Maybe God is angry with us. Please talk to God and bring the rain!”

The monk felt more jealousy for the Guru than compassion for the people.

Monk: “No rain!? You think that is the big problem? That is a problem just of the water. Water will come. There is a much bigger problem in this area. People are worshiping this commoner, a family man! Sacred laws have been turned on their head! If this continues, soon enough the whole world will go into chaos! This is not a problem of the rain, THE WHOLE UNIVERSE IS UPSIDE DOWN!”

A man asked, “That doesn’t sound good. How shall we be saved Swami?” The monk replied: “Saved!? Who am I? Go ask your family-man-Guru to save you. He’s the one you worship, ask him to bring the rain?!” The man said, “But the Guru never asked anyone to worship him. He believes we are all equal, he doesn’t care if someone is a king or a beggar. He is a man of God, he doesn’t care about himself, he cares about feeding and helping others. No one has authority over the Guru, he only obeys God. We have no power to make the Guru do miracles.”

The monk replied: “I have renounced the world. The gods do special favors for me. I WILL make it rain in less than 24 hours, but you have to bring back order to the universe and KICK THE GURU OUT OF HERE!! The rainclouds will fill the sky, the rain will feed the starving land, JUST GET RID OF HIM FIRST!!!”

So the desperate farmers went to the Guru. “Umm, Guru ji… Will you please make it rain?”
“Yes Guru ji, that would be best, can you do that?”

The Guru said: “Be happy with reality. No one can equal God’s plan, no one can change God’s Will.”
“So you won’t make it rain?….”
“Because the monk said that, uh… He said that… he will make it rain if…  if… you leave from here.”

The Guru listened to the small mindedness of the people. The Guru never participated in smallness.

He said, “Very well, if you believe that this will get you what you want than I will be happy to leave.”

Some of the Sikhs couldn’t listen to people talk to the Guru like this. Baba Budha was a saint and a Sikh of the Guru, he became angry. “You fools! How dare you try to tell the Guru what to do?!”

Guru Angad Dev Ji said: “No, no, leave it. The Dharma teaches us to forgive others.”

After the Guru said that, he turned and walked out of the town for a while. He sat and meditated under a tree he found. However, the villagers there were warned by the monk: “Do not allow this fake Guru to stay in your village OR THE UNIVERSE WILL BE IN CHAOS!”

The villagers took the warning seriously and didn’t welcome the Guru, saying… “Restore the order” “Keep the sacred law” “Family-man Guru is false” “Only renunciates are special” “The Guru is not welcome.”

So the Guru left that village and went to another village. But they had also been warned and yelled out: “Fake Guru” “Only renunciates are special” “This is the sacred law” “Guru, you are not welcome.”

The Guru went to relax but in village after village no one allowed him to stay there. After seven villages the Guru finally found a hill to meditate on.

Meanwhile back at the Guru’s home, Bhai Amar Das Ji had arrived to bring the Guru some water. The people there told him what had happened: that the monk had convinced everyone that the Guru should leave to bring the rain.

Amar Das Ji said, “You FOOLS! Have you lost all your senses!!? Do you think the monk will help where the Guru can not? Do you think that a candle will shine brighter than the sun!?? The true monk is the one who always focuses on the One Creator, not the person who feels worry. While others are destroyed in their own pride, the true monks are happy with just the Naam.”

The desperate farmers again went to the monk. They said, “We did as you asked, it has been far more than 24 hours and still it has not rained. Now that the Guru is gone as you requested, we don’t even have food to eat from his langar!” The monk replied, “Oh ye of little faith, have some patience. The rain shall come immediately! Manumr ikaagramr asinamr abigamya maharshya….”

The monk did many incantations…but the rain still didn’t come!

The people went back to Bhai Amar Das ji. “What do we do now Baba?”

Bhai Amar Das Ji said, “If the monk can make it rain, why does he beg for food from house to house? Beat the pride out of the monk. Wherever you will beat him, there it will rain.”

ਪਹੀਏ ਘੁੰਮ ਰਹੇ ਹਨ

ਸਰਧਾਂਜਲੀ ਹਾਰਵਡ ਤੋਂ ਪਹਿਲਾ ਦਸਤਾਰਧਾਰੀ ਸਿੱਖ ਵਿਦਵਾਨ ਸੰਤ ਤੇਜਾ ਸਿੰਘ ਜੀ ਨੂੰ

ਹਾਵਰਡ ਯੂਨੀਵਰਸਿਟੀ ਦੇ ਸਾਬਕਾ ਵਿਦਿਆਰਥੀ ਦੁਆਰਾ ਸਥਾਪਿਤ ਸਫਲ ਸਮਾਜਕ ਉੱਦਮ ਜੋ ਕਿ ਆਈ.ਆਈ.ਐਮ-ਏ ਦੁਆਰਾ ਅਧਿਐਨ ਦੇ ਲਈ ਵਿਸ਼ਾ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਹੁਣ ਇਹ ਹਾਰਵਰਡ ਬਿਜ਼ਨਸ ਰੀਵਿਊ ਦੇ ਕੇਸ ਸੰਗ੍ਰਿਹ ਵਿਚ ਸੂਚੀਬੱਧ ਹੁੰਦਾ ਹੈ।

ਆਈ.ਆਈ.ਐਮ.-ਅਹਿਮਦਾਬਾਦ ਦੁਆਰਾ ਕੀਤੇ ਗਏ 200 ਕੇਸਾਂ ਵਿਚੋਂ ਕੇਵਲ ਇੱਕ ਹੀ ਕੇਸ ਹਾਵਰਡ ਬਿਜ਼ਨਸ ਰਿਵਿਊ ਦੁਆਰਾ ਚੁੱਕਿਆ ਗਿਆ ਹੈ ਮਤਲਬ ਕੇਵਲ ਸਿਰਫ਼ 0.5% ਹੈ। ਡਾ. ਏ.ਐਸ. ਘੁਰਾ, ਆਈ.ਆਈ.ਐਮ.-ਏ. ਅਤੇ ਪ੍ਰੋ. ਵਿਜੇ ਸ਼ੈਰੀ ਚੰਦ, ਰਵੀ ਜੇ ਮਠਾਈ ਸੈਂਟਰ ਐਜੂਕੇਸ਼ਨਲ ਇਨੋਵੇਸ਼ਨ (ਆਰ.ਜੇ.ਐਮ.ਸੀ.ਈ.ਆਈ.), ਆਈ.ਆਈ.ਐਮ.-ਏ. ਨੇ ਇਸ ਸਮਾਜਕ ਉਦਮ ਦੀ ਵਿਲੱਖਣ ਰਣਨੀਤੀ ਲਈ “ਅਕਾਲ ਅਕੈਡਮੀਆਂ” ਦੇ ਨਾਮ ਹੇਠ ਕੇਸ ਸਟੱਡੀ ਕਰਨ ਦੀ ਚੋਣ ਕੀਤੀ ਹੈ ਜੋ ਕਿ ਨਵੀਨਤਾ ਲਈ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਸਿੱਖਿਆ ਵਿੱਚ ਉੱਦਮਸ਼ੀਲਤਾ ਲਈ ਪ੍ਰਸਿੱਧ ਹੈ। ਆਈ. ਆਈ. ਐਮ.-ਏ ਵਿਚ ਪ੍ਰਕਾਸ਼ਿਤ ਇਸ ਮਾਮਲੇ ਦਾ ਅਧਿਐਨ ਹੁਣ ਹਾਵਰਡ ਬਿਜ਼ਨਸ ਕੇਸ ਸੰਗ੍ਰਿਹ ਦਾ ਹਿੱਸਾ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਇਹ ਇਕ ਫੀਲਡ-ਆਧਾਰਿਤ ਕੇਸ ਸਟੱਡੀ ਹੈ। ਜੋ ਬਾਬਾ ਇਕਬਾਲ ਸਿੰਘ ਜੀ ਕਿੰਗਰਾ(ਰਿਟਾਇਰਡ ਡਾਇਰੈਕਟਰ ਖੇਤੀਬਾਡ਼ੀ, ਹਿਮਾਚਲ ਪ੍ਰਦੇਸ਼) ਦੀ ਅਸਲੀ ਜ਼ਿੰਦਗੀ ਨੂੰ ਦੁਰਸਾਉਂਦਾ ਹੈ। ਜੋ ਇਕ 90 ਸਾਲ ਦੀ ਉਮਰ ਦੇ ਅਧਿਆਤਮਕ ਗੁਰੂ ਹਨ ਜਿਹਨਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਬਾਬਾ ਜੀ ਦੇ ਰੂਪ ਵਿਚ ਮੰਨਿਆ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ।

ਬਾਬਾ ਜੀ ਨੇ ਸੰਤ ਬਾਬਾ ਅਤਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਜੀ ਦੇ ਆਤਮਿਕ ਵਿਚਾਰਾਂ ਦਾ ਪਾਲਣਾ ਕੀਤਾ। ਜਿਹਨਾਂ ਨੇ ਨੈਤਿਕ ਕਦਰਾਂ ਕੀਮਤਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਵਿਗਿਆਨਕ ਸਿੱਖਿਆ ਨਾਲ ਜੋਡ਼ਨ ਦਾ ਯਤਨ ਕੀਤਾ ਅਤੇ ਸੰਤ ਤੇਜਾ ਸਿੰਘ, ਐੱਮ. ਐਲ ਐਲ ਬੀ ਐੱਮ ਹਾਰਵਰਡ, ਜਿਹਨਾਂ ਨੇ ਬਡ਼ੂ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਦੀ ਸਥਾਪਨਾ ਕੀਤੀ।ਬਾਬਾ ਜੀ ਨੇ ਕਲਗੀਧਰ ਟਰੱਸਟ (ਜੋ ਕਿ ਬਡ਼ੂ ਸਾਹਿਬ (ਹਿਮਾਚਲ ਪ੍ਰਦੇਸ਼) ਦੇ ਵਿਚ ਸਥਿਤ ਇੱਕ ਗੈਰ-ਮੁਨਾਫ਼ਾ ਸਮਾਜਿਕ ਵਿਕਾਸ ਸੰਸਥਾ ਹੈ।)

ਕਲਗੀਧਰ ਟਰੱਸਟ ਦੇ ਚੇਅਰਪਰਸਨ ਵਜੋ ਵਿਰਾਸਤ ਸੌਂਪਣ ਤੋਂ ਬਾਅਦ ਇਕ ਅਜਿਹੇ ਮਾਰਗ ਨੂੰ ਅਪਣਾਉਣ ਦਾ ਬਾਰੇ ਸੋਚਿਆ (ਸਰਕਾਰ ਨਾਲ ਇਕ ਜਨਤਕ ਨਿੱਜੀ, ਭਾਈਵਾਲੀ ਜਾਂ ਮੌਜੂਦਾ ਸਕੂਲਾਂ ਦੇ ਨਾਲ ਬਿਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਮਾਲਕੀ ਲਏ ਜਾਂ ਬਿਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਪ੍ਰਬੰਧਕੀ ਠੇਕੇਦਾਰੀ ਕਰਨ ਦੀ) ਕਿ ਟਰੱਸਟ ਦੇ ਪੇਂਡੂ ਸਕੂਲਾਂ ਦੇ ਵਿਕਾਸ ਗਤੀਵਿਧੀਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਗਤੀ ਦਿੱਤੀ ਜਾ ਸਕੇ।ਜਿਸ ਵਿਚ ਕਿ 2007 ਵਿੱਚ 19 ਅਕੈਡਮੀਆਂ ਨੂੰ ਛੋਟੇ ਜਿਹੇ ਯੂਨਿਟ ਤੋਂ ਅਗਲੇ ਇਕ ਦਹਾਕੇ ਵਿਚ, ਟਰੱਸਟ ਵਲੋਂ 500 ਅਕਾਲ ਅਕੈਡਮੀਆਂ ਦਿਹਾਤੀ ਖੇਤਰਾਂ ਵਿਚ ਵਿਦਿਆ ਨੂੰ ਪ੍ਰਫੁੱਲਿਤ ਕਰਨ ਦੇ ਮਨੋਰਥ ਨਾਲ ਖੋਲਣ ਦਾ ਟਿੱਚਾ ਹੈ। ਜਿੱਥੇ 250,000 ਵਿਦਿਆਰਥੀਆਂ ਦੀਆਂ ਵਿਦਿਅਕ ਜ਼ਰੂਰਤਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਪੂਰਾ ਕੀਤਾ ਜਾ ਸਕੇ।।

ਕੇਸ ਦਾ ਅਧਿਐਨ ਵਿਲੱਖਣ ਬਣ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ ਕਿਉਂਕਿ ਅਕਾਲ ਅਕੈਡਮੀ ਸਿੱਖ ਗੁਰੂਆਂ ਦੇ ਸਿਧਾਂਤਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਅਪਣਾਉਂਦੇ ਹੋਏ ਇਕ ਅਧਿਆਤਮਿਕ ਅਤੇ ਉੱਚ ਗੁਣਵਤਾ ਵਾਲੀ ਵਿਗਿਆਨਕ ਵਿਦਿਆ ਨੂੰ ਪ੍ਰਫੁੱਲਿਤ ਕਰਦੀ ਹੈ। ਅਕਾਲ ਅਕੈਡਮੀ ਟਰੱਸਟ ਦੇ ਵਿਕਾਸ ਨੂੰ ਕਾਇਮ ਰੱਖਣ ਵਿਚ ਵਿਸ਼ਵਾਸ ਪੈਦਾ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ।ਜਿਸ ਤਰ੍ਰਾਂ 1986 ਵਿਚ ਇਕ ਅਕੈਡਮੀ ਤੋਂ ਸ਼ੁਰੂਆਤ ਕਰਕੇ 2018 ਵਿਚ 129 ਅਕੈਡਮੀਆਂ (ਜਿੱਥੇ ਕਿ 70,000 ਵਿਦਿਆਰਥੀਆਂ ਦੀ ਵਿਦਿਆ ਦਾ ਨਾਲ ਮੁਢਲੀਆਂ ਜ਼ਰੂਰਤਾਂ ਦੀ ਪੂਰਤੀ ਕੀਤੀ ਜਾਂਦੀ ਹੈ) ਸ਼ਾਮਿਲ ਹਨ।ਇਸ ਦੇ ਬਾਵਯੂਦ ਇਹ ਦਾਨ ਅਧਾਰਿਤ ਘੱਟ ਲਾਗਤ ਵਾਲੀ ਵਿੱਤੀ ਮਾਡਲ ਅਤੇ ਨਵੇਂ ਸਕੂਲਾਂ ਦੀ ਪੂੰਜੀਗਤ ਲਾਗਤ ਵਿਚ ਵਿਤੀ ਸਹਾਇਤਾ ਲਈ ਕਰਜ਼ਾ ਅਧਾਰਿਤ ਮਾਡਲ ਹੈ। ਜੋ ਭਵਿੱਖ ਦੇ ਪ੍ਰਬੰਧਕਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਸਿਖਾਇਆ ਜਾਣਾ ਇੱਕ ਵਿਲੱਖਣ ਮਿਸ਼ਨ ਹੈ ਜੋ ਕਿ ਸਿੱਖਿਆ ਉਦਯੋਗ ਵਿਚ ਇਹਨਾਂ ਮਾਪਦੰਡਾਂ ਦੇ ਇਕ ਸਮੂਹ ਦਾ ਉਪਯੋਗ ਕਰਕੇ ਵਿਕਲਪਾਂ ਦਾ ਮੁਲਾਂਕਣ ਕਰਨ ਵਿਚ ਹੁਨਰ ਵਿਕਸਿਤ ਕਰਕੇ ਅਤੇ ਕਾਰਵਾਈ ਦੀ ਯੋਜਨਾ ਦੀ ਸਿਫ਼ਾਰਸ਼ ਨਾਲ ਉੱਜਲਾ ਭਵਿੱਖ ਬਣਾਉਣਾ ਚਾਹੁੰਦੇ ਹਨ।

ਇਹ ਇਕ ਹੋਰ ਤੱਥ ਹੈ ਕਿ ਸੰਤ ਤੇਜਾ ਸਿੰਘ ਪਹਿਲy ਦਸਤਾਰਧਾਰੀ ਸਿੱਖ ਗ੍ਰੈਜੂਏਟ ਸn ਜਿਹਨਾਂ ਨੇ 1911 ਵਿਚ ਹਾਰਵਰਡ ਤੋਂ ਆਪਣੀ ਵਿਦਿਆ ਪੂਰੀ ਕਰ ਲਈ ਸੀ। ਅੰਤ ਵਿਚ ਹੁਣ ਹਾਵਰਡ ਬਿਜ਼ਨਸ ਕੇਸ ਸੈਂਟਰ ਵਿਚ ਉਪਲਬਧ ਹੋਣ ਵਾਲੀ ਇਹ ਕੇਸ ਸਟੱਡੀ ਆਪਣੇ ਆਪ ਵਿਚ ਖੁਸ਼ੀਆਂ ਭਰਪੂਰ ਅਸ਼ੀਰਵਾਦ ਅਤੇ ਸੰਤ ਤੇਜਾ ਸਿੰਘ ਜੀ (1877-1965) ਨੂੰ ਸੱਚੀ ਸਰਧਾਜਲੀ ਹੈ। ਜੋ ਆਖਰਕਾਰ ਹਾਰਵਰਡ ਤੋਂ ਮਾਨਤਾ ਪ੍ਰਾਪਤ ਹੋ ਗਈ ਹੈ ਜਿਸ ਵਿਚ ਨਾ ਸਿਰਫ ਸਮਾਜ, ਸਮੁਦਾਇ ਨੂੰ ਵਾਪਸ ਦਿਤਾ ਸਗੋਂ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੇ ਆਪਣਾ ਮਿਥਿਆ ਟਿੱਚਾ ਵੀ ਪੂਰਾ ਕੀਤਾ ਹੈ।

She is Former Executive Vice President (EVP) at Radio Mirchi, Former Creative director at Geometry Encompass and the Former Associate Producer at Times FM.

“If Justin Trudeau, like the rest of the western world, thinks India is equal to Punjab, why are we shocked, surprised or hassled?

This is the one community that has stepped out into the world & claimed it for its own. It has borne the India flag proudly & made itself seamless with that identity.

This is one community that keeps rising from its own ashes. It suffers the horrors of partition and then rebuilds itself without any victimhood, staking claim not just to self-rehabilitation but to prosperity. This is the community that faces a planned political pogrom and yet doesn’t give in to long-term hatred. This is the community that had a clear, dangerous separatist movement & yet somehow managed to distance itself from the “terrorist” tag.

This is the community, especially its Sikh subset, which is often at the forefront of rescue, relief & other humanitarian activities across the globe at times of natural & man made disasters & crises.

Members of this community fight bravely in our armies, or even in armies they are enlisted into on behalf of the reigning government, they battle from the front lines & lay down their lives with unquestioning loyalty & courage.

This is the community that gave us the green revolution, the ubiquitous salwar kameez, the karva chauth craze, the sinful aloo paraatha & the mad pre wedding sangeet. This is the community that made Karan Johar a millionaire & gave Honey Singh and his ilk an actual career.

This is an assertive, extroverted, cheerful, in your face community that demands that the world sit up & take notice. It dresses loud, sings & dances loud, laughs out loud, eats & drinks loud. This community has a version of popular culture that permeates our film industry, our festivals, our sense of friends & familial bonding, our idea of generous sharing.

Yes we may sit back like highbrow snobs & say, please, there’s much more to India than Punjab. But hey. This is the community that chooses to play on the front foot every single time and rise beyond every adversity with a booming laugh & a narry a care joie de vivre.

I am not Punjabi. Much of my sensibility is not Punjabi. But if today the entire western world thinks that India is “Punjabi By Nature” I am happy to grin & celebrate with them. Balle bloody balle. Good on you guys. More Burrraah to you.”

आनंदपुर में सिक्ख संगत ने अपने अपने डेरों में लंगर लगाए हुए थे| गुरू जी ने जब इनकी शोभा सुनी कि गुरु की नगरी में आने वाला कोई भी रोटी से भूखा नहीं रहता तो एक दिन रात के समय गुरु जी आप एक गरीब सिक्ख का वेष धारण करके इनकी परीक्षा लेने चल पड़े|

एक सिक्ख के डेरे पर जाकर आपने कहा हमें जल्दी भोजन दो, भूख लगी है| उसने कहा कुछ देर बैठ जाओ. भोजन तैयार हो रहा है, मिल जाएगा उससे हटकर आप जी दूसरे सिख के डेरे गए और वहाँ भी भोजन माँगा परन्तु उसने कहा दाल भाजी तैयार हो रही है, फिर आकर भोजन छक लेना फिर इसके पश्चात् गुरु जी तीसरे व चौथे सिख के डेरे भोजन के लिए गए तो एक ने कहा ”आनन्द साहिब” का पाठ तथा अरदास करके लंगर बटेगा दूसरे ने कहा सारी संगत एकत्रित हो जाए, तो पंक्ति लगाकर लंगर बाँटा जाएगा,

आप बैठ जाओ इसके पश्चात् आप जी भाई नन्द लाल जी के डेरे भोजन के लिए गए आप ने वहाँ जाकर भी भोजन माँगा भाई के पास जो कुछ तैयार था गुरु जी के आगे लाकर रख दिया गुरु जी छक कर बहुत प्रसन्न हुए और अपने महलों में आ गए दूसरे दिन जब सिखों के लंगर की बातें चली तो गुरु जी ने अपनी रात की सारी वार्ता सुनाकर बताया की हमे केवल भाई नन्द लाल के लंगर से ही भोजन मिला है बाकी सबने कोई ना कोई बात करके हमें लंगर नहीं छकाया जो सिख भूखे को शीघ्र ही भोजन देने का यत्न करता है, वही सिख हमें प्यारा है भूखे को रोटी-पानी देने के लिए कोई समय नहीं विचारना चाहिए जिस अन्न के दाने से प्रण बच जाते है, उसका पुण्य फल सभी दानों से अधिक है

सतिगुरु जी की तरफ से अन्न दान महिमा सुनकर सबने प्रण कर लिया कि आगे से किसी को भूखा नहीं भेजा जाएगा