News & Update

Three Sikh soldiers — a reservist and two guardsmen — have joined in a lawsuit that accuses the Army of “blatant religious discrimination” and demands immediate approval of religious-accommodation requests made by the trio that would let them keep their long hair, beards and turbans in uniform.

Lawyers for Spcs. Kanwar Singh and Harpal Singh, along with Pvt. Arjan Singh Ghotra, maintain the Army’s regulations require such accommodations when they do not degrade mission readiness. Delaying such requests beyond the established 30-day requirement is illegal and has adversely affected the career paths of the soldiers in question, according to a complaint filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia.

The suit names both the Army and the Defense Department, as well as several high-ranking officials, including Defense Secretary Ash Carter, as defendants. It seeks a permanent injunction “ordering Defendants to permit Plaintiffs to continue serving in the Army without regard to their unshorn hair, beards and turbans,” one that would follow the soldiers throughout their careers unless the Army presented evidence that the religious customs would interfere with their duties.

Lawyers with the Sikh Coalition, the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, and McDermott Will & Emery are representing the soldiers. The same group represents Capt. Simratpal Singh, a Bronze Star recipient who recently sued for similar permanent protection after spending his early Army career in compliance with grooming standards; his case is ongoing, but he did win a court order preventing the Army from continuing “any non-standard or discriminatory testing” involving the fit of his helmet and gas mask.

The three soldiers involved in Tuesday’s lawsuit are in similar situations, albeit with different Army components:

• Kanwar Singh enlisted in the Massachusetts Army National Guard in August, according to the complaint, after he was told his articles of faith prevented him from earning a commission via the ROTC program. He has yet to receive a uniform and has not been allowed to handle a weapon, the lawsuit states; he made a religious-accommodation request shortly after enlisting that has not been ruled upon. He’s scheduled to begin basic training in late May.
• Harpal Singh entered the Army Reserve in November through the Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest, or MAVNI, program. He requested religious accommodations about a week after signing his contract and also faces a May training date without an answer from the Army.
• Arjan Singh Ghotra enlisted in December and also has a May training date. Ghotra, a senior at a Northern Virginia high school, was interviewed by an Army chaplain during the religious-accommodation process and was asked “whether he would be willing to kill another Sikh in an opposing army if required to do so for his country,” the lawsuit states. Lawyers for the trio contend members of other faiths would not be asked a similar question.

At least four Sikh soldiers since 2010 have been allowed to maintain their long hair and beards and wear turbans while in service. Appearance rules on the books since 1984 had effectively banned service by Sikhs who follow those tenets and did not receive a waiver.

An Army spokesman declined to comment on the lawsuit. Lawyers for the soldiers would not make their clients available for comment.

~ Source: Army Times

There is no iota of doubt that water which is the most amazing natural resource has potential of healing. This week Akal Academy Gomtipul organized on 22nd March 2016 to enlighten students about the immediate need of conserving water.

The week was celebrated by conducting Poster – making competition which started at 12:00 p.m and approximately one hour was given to the students. Team from outside named “US Water” came to organize the competition as the whole idea was brought up by the team to the School.

All the students participated eagerly as they were ready to express their views with colours. To appreciate the efforts of the students cash prize of Rs. 2000/-, Rs. 1000/- and Rs. 500/- to 1st position, 2nd position and 3rd position was given respectively on the School level Students who bagged the top three position are :-

a. Sumanpreet Kaur (Class VIIB) – 1st
b. Naryanjeet Singh ( Class VIII B) – 2nd
c. Harpreet Kaur ( VIII A) – 3rd

Heartiest congratulations to them and keep soaring high.

~ Jasvinder Kaur
~ New Delhi, 30th March ’16

This epic battle is worth recounting as a singular example of unmatched courage, absolute devotion to duty, unflinching loyalty and giving supreme sacrifice of life for a cause.

On this day, exactly 100 years ago, a handful of Sikh soldiers- 21 to be exact – of the 4th Battalion of the Sikh Regiment (then XXXVI Sikh) formed part of the British Indian Army and fought thousands of Pathans in the North Western Frontier Province (now Pakistan). One of the “ten most famous battles ” of the world.

All 21 Sikh soldiers died in the battle as they fought to the last man and last bullet; but they did not yield even an inch of ground that they were defending.

In the later half of 19thcentury,boundaries of the British Indian Empire extended right up to the borders of Afghanistan, through the rugged and hostile terrain of Baluchistan and the North West Frontier Province inhabited by fierce Pathan and Afridi tribal warriors who refused to acknowledge the British supremacy and often attacked and raided anything British.

In order to protect these long lines of communications passing through the Kurram valley, the Samana range had been occupied by the British troops for almost five years. When the Afridis and Orakzai clans rose against the Government of India in 1897, the 4th Battalion of the Sikh regiment (XXXVI SIKH) was holding the forts and the fortified piquets on the Samana ridge which has the Khanki Valley on the North and the Miranzai Valley on the South.

The main position occupied by the 4 SIKH on the crest of the Samana Ridge were the two fortified posts known as Fort Lockart ( Mastan ) at Saragarhi ( approximately 3 km from each of the main posts) , Dhar, Sartap, Crag and Sangar. These had been built to accommodate a garrison of 25 to 50 men in each.

The nearest garrison from where reinforcements could come in case of outbreak of hostilities was at Kohat, a good 60 km away. Saragarhi was considered the most important of these minor forts, because through it signaling communications was maintained between Forts Lockhart and Gulistan along the Samana ridge.

Between 27 August and 8 September 1897, a large force of Orakzai tribe attacked Fort Gulistan held by 4 SIKH. Fort Gulistan was strongly held and offered a stubborn resistance and by 10 September, the Orakzais were driven back into the Khanki Valley. But, soon after, the Afridi Lashkar, 10,000 strong, along with Orakzais attacked the posts on Samana ridge. Four attacks were repulsed by the defenders with heavy casualties inflicted on the hostile tribesmen.

Utterly humiliated and frustrated by the reverses against Forts Gulistan and Lockhart, the tribesmen decided to change their objective of attack. The combined might of Orakzais and Afridis was thus hurled against Sarangarhi in early hours of 12 September 1897. Almost 20,000 tribesmen surrounded the post and cut it from other localities. No reinforcements and replenishment of ammunition could reach the detachment, which was under siege by the ever-swelling hordes of tribesmen.

The first onslaught of tribesmen yelling and firing came early on the morning of 12 September only to be repulsed by the small band of brave Sikhs. This was followed by a pitched battle of six long hours. At last, there was a lull in the gruesome battle. But it lasted only a short while. It gave the defenders time to reorganise and replenish ammunition from their depleted reserves. The attackers managed to create a smoke screen on one flank of the post by burning dry bushes. Covered from observation and fire of the defenders, two of the enemy managed to get close to the perimeter wall of the post and start hammering a breach through the stone wall.

Through the breach in stone wall, the tribesmen, swarmed into the fort. Saragarhi defenders fought with fixed bayonets and rapid fire against the multitudes that poured through the breach and Signaler Gurmukh Singh continued to give a graphic picture of the battle to the Commanding Officer using his holiograph. But the ferocity of close quarter battle took its toll.

At about 3 o’clock in the afternoon, there were only two survivors – a wounded soldier in the guard room and the Signaler. The Signaler put away his apparatus and took up his rifle. His last message to the Commanding Officer at Lockurt was ” I will be engaging the enemy now onwards with my rifle and will not be relaying any more messages”. He killed a dozen tribesmen before he fell himself. The wounded soldier in the guard room who was solely in command of the post now secured the guard room from inside and used his rifle till he was burnt to death. His foes later admitted that he accounted for 21 of them before his end came.

The captors, after succeeded in overpowering the post, were so shaken by the sight of the brave soldiers’ now lifeless bodies on the ramparts of the Saragarhi Fort that in order to obliterate the scene of their moral defeat, they set the place on fire.
On learning of this glorious, gallant and unparalleled action, members of both houses of the British Parliament rose in unison to pay homage to the great Indian soldiers. Each one of the 21 soldiers was posthumously awarded the Indian Order of Merit, the highest British gallantry award then given to Indian (equivalent to the Victoria Cross awarded to the British).

The story of this epic battle is taught to school children in France and is one of the eight stories of collective bravery published by UNESCO. No military history book, when portraying, the bravery and sense of sacrifice of the Indian soldier is complete without special reference to the defenders and the martyrs of Saragarhi.

~ Source : SikhAwarenessSociety

1.Stave Off Illness

Health Benefits Of Beard – Stave Off Illness
So it might be summer now, but when it gets biting cold during fall or winter – the beard will keep you warm and can actually help you battle colds as well. The longer the beard, the better insulation you get!

2. Prevents Skin Cancer

Health Benefits Of Beard – Prevents Skin Cancer
Recent researches have shown that 95 per cent of UV rays from the sun are blocked by beards. Besides keeping the sun out of your face, this is also important as exposure to UV rays can cause cancer. The thicker the hair, the better!

3. Keeps Young, forever!

Health Benefits Of Beard – Stay Young, forever!
Here’s your secret to naturally lessen signs of aging. With lesser sun exposure, you can actually continue to look younger – unlike the guys who do not go for beards. Paradox of sorts – beards make you look older, but actually keep you looking younger!

4. Reduction Of Asthma And Allergy Symptoms

If you suffer from pollen or dust allergy or even asthma, facial hair actually help by working as a filter and prevent the allergens from settling. This is not much different from nasal hair.

5. Used as a Natural Moisture

Health Benefits Of Beard – Natural Moisture
The last thing about keeping beards is that you do not have to worry about dry skin. The hair keeps wind and cold air out, helping your skin battle dryness. Also the sebaceous glands help keep your skin moisturized better when you have a beard, because there is no way you are getting the moisture out of the beard.

6. Blemish-Free Skin

Health Benefits Of Beard – Blemish-Free Skin
When you do not have ingrowths, razor cuts and other such skin problems, you have a blemish-free skin. Keep the beard and the great skin, and forget about little nicks and cuts on your face.

7. Fights infection

You never have to worry about bacterial infections, ingrowths and folliculitis (infection of the hair follicles, causing spots) with a beard. These infections are occupational hazards of regular shaving. Be done with that, and be done with such problems as well!

~ Source : DailySikhUpdate

Who was Sardar Ajit Singh

Uncle of Shaheed e Azam Bhagat Singh.

He was an early protestor in the Punjab Region who openly criticized & challenged British Rule and organised an agitation by peasants against Anti Farmer British law of enhancing water rate charges.

Sardar Ajit Singh was the hero of “Pagdi Sambhal Jatta” movement. The “Pagdi Sambhal Jatta” movement had spread far beyond the peasants to engulf the army.

He was exiled to Mandley (Burma) with Lala Lajpat Rai in May 1907.

In 1918, he came in close contact with the Ghadar Party in San Francisco. In 1939, he returned to Europe and later on helped Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in his mission in Italy.

On August 15, 1947 he uttered his last breath; On this date India got its Independence. His last words were, “Thank God, my mission is fulfilled.”

A samadhi in his memory is at Panjpula, a popular and scenic picnic spot in Dalhousie.

In 1999, Pardeep Singh Nagra was the Ontario flyweight amateur boxing champion. He was the best in the province, lightning-fast on his feet, and on his way to nationals.

But Nagra was told he wouldn’t be allowed to fight because he had a beard.

Officials said his beard was against the rules and posed a safety hazard. But for Nagra, a follower of the Sikh faith, hair is an important part of his religious beliefs. “For me, as a member of the Sikh faith, our hair — our Kesh — is part of our articles of faith. And it was not something I was going to be willing to compromise arbitrarily.”

Nagra says that after he refused to shave, it became a “huge struggle.” He went head-to-head with the Canadian and Ontario amateur boxing associations.

After filing a human rights case against Boxing Ontario, he came to an agreement and was allowed to compete provincially.

But when Nagra reported for his weigh-in at nationals, they stopped him in his tracks and told him he was banned from fighting because of his beard.

“I said, ‘That’s fine, disqualify me’,” said Nagra. “And I went up to my room, called my coach and called my lawyer.”

Nagra left nationals that year without competing, and he and his lawyer filed a motion to allow followers of the Sikh faith to fight with their facial hair intact.

Today, Sikh boxers in Canada are allowed into the ring with beards. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case internationally — something Nagra continues to fight for.

Asked why he keeps on throwing punches to defend religious freedom, Nagra has a simple answer: “Human rights are always worth it.”

~ Source: CBC Radio

Good Will Walk 2016 – the Walk to Feed Malaysia Foodbank needs you ..to join ..volunteer or just support . pls comment n or pm me.. suggested dates n routes (still tentative)

1st leg:
TUMPAT – KUANTAN (390 km)
Tumpat – Kota Bharu (Istana Jahar) – Bachok – Setiu – Batu Rakit – Kuala Terengganu (Istana Syarqiyyah) – Marang – Dungun – Paka – Cherating – Kuantan (Gurdwara Sahib)

2nd leg:
SERENDAH – KLANG (80 km)
Serendah – Rawang – Titiwangsa – Petaling Jaya – Klang

3rd leg:
MANTIN – MUAR (137 km)
Mantin – Senawang – Pedas – Rembau – Kota – Alor Gajah – Durian Tunggal – Batu Berendam – Bukit Katil – Sungai Rambai – Muar

Muar to Melaka 45 km

1st leg: 28/4(Sunday) – 13/5 (Friday)
2nd leg: 14/5 (Saturday) – 16/5 (Monday)
3rd leg: 17/5 (Tuesday) – 20/5 (Friday) / + 21/5 (Saturday)
rest days not included yet..we need to reach Gurdwara Sahib Melaka by the 21 st of May.

~ Courtesy: Rishiwant Singh Randhawa

Two cousins have made history at their 500-year-old grammar school in Manchester after they founded the institution’s first Sikh society.

Hukam, 16, and Mahavir Singh Nerwan, 15, decided to start the society after they noticed a “lack of knowledge” of the Sikh religion among their friends and peers.

“We created it with the aim of educating teenagers about key aspects of the Sikh faith and in the process to help clear stereotypes and misconceptions about our religion,” Hukam told The Huffington Post UK.

“With this in mind, we started giving talks during our school’s lunchtime and have held successful fundraisers such as a Punjabi style dance off and a karaoke contest, which raised £600 for charity.”

The Sikhi Society at The Manchester Grammar School now boasts more than 70 members – including students from non-Sikh backgrounds.

Hukam and Mahavir Singh Nerwan

The pair say students of other faiths are attracted to the society thanks to the “friendly and informative environment”.

“We also provide a forum for discussion,” Hukam adds.

The cousins are now keen to expand their society beyond the school, and are creating a website which will be launched in June to give young Sikhs in Manchester a platform to come together.

“When we saw some of the young Year 7 Sikhs who started at the School this year, they looked a little bit lost and it can be daunting starting at such a big school,” says Hukam. “So we wanted to do something that would unite them.”

Mahavir added: “For us, it is all about bringing together people from different backgrounds and religious persuasions and creating a strong sense of community between them.”

#Source : HuffPost UK Young Voices

The gurdwaras in Nepal are very special in Sikh history. Nepal, being outside of the Punjab, was spared many of the tragedies that were suffered at various points in history. For this reason relics including original hand-written Siri Guru Granth Sahib Saroops were preserved there since the time of Banda Singh Bahadur.

The history goes back to when Guru Nanak Dev visited and stayed in Nepal for some time and the raja of the state willed land to the legacy of Guru ji. The gurdwaras, relics and history that is preserved there are priceless treasure in the Sikh kingdom that are now being looked after by Shri Guru Nanak Dev Sewa Society International.

Shri Guru Nanak Dev Sewa Society International is celebrating Baisakhi in Nepal by organizing first ever grand Nagar Keertan in the history of Nepal which are being organized on 11th & 13th April, 2016.
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~ ‎Source‬: Sikhnet