News & Update

Over 80 percent of models that were hired for New York’s Fashion Week were white, whereas they make up 63 percent of the American population. While the 17% may not seem like a huge disparity, reducing that would create the world of difference.

The Sikhs have over 150 years of history in America, yet they are never featured in entertainment business, commercial advertising, or in today’s fashion. However, what they do receive is constant scrutiny for their turbans from people who automatically assume their article of faith as a symbol of terror—which is sheer ignorance.

One such brand that is blurring the lines of ethnicity and religion in their models is Eidos Napoli. It is an Italian luxury brand which focuses on making classy yet comfortable clothing for men and just that. One of their models for New York Fashion Week was Sahaj Anand—a proud American Sikh who will start Emory University this fall. Sahaj told me, “Most people who asked me to model [previously] wanted me to remove my turban and show my hair.” When asked how his experience was different this time, he stated that it was great since Eidos Napoli “wanted [him] to keep [his] articles of faith intact.” Not only did this make him feel comfortable, but it proved to him that he did not have to compromise his beliefs to follow his dreams.

If an Italian brand can do this, why can’t more American brands?

Source- www.theodysseyonline.com

Over 80 percent of models that were hired for New York’s Fashion Week were white, whereas they make up 63 percent of the American population. While the 17% may not seem like a huge disparity, reducing that would create the world of difference.

The Sikhs have over 150 years of history in America, yet they are never featured in entertainment business, commercial advertising, or in today’s fashion. However, what they do receive is constant scrutiny for their turbans from people who automatically assume their article of faith as a symbol of terror—which is sheer ignorance.

One such brand that is blurring the lines of ethnicity and religion in their models is Eidos Napoli. It is an Italian luxury brand which focuses on making classy yet comfortable clothing for men and just that. One of their models for New York Fashion Week was Sahaj Anand—a proud American Sikh who will start Emory University this fall. Sahaj told me, “Most people who asked me to model [previously] wanted me to remove my turban and show my hair.” When asked how his experience was different this time, he stated that it was great since Eidos Napoli “wanted [him] to keep [his] articles of faith intact.” Not only did this make him feel comfortable, but it proved to him that he did not have to compromise his beliefs to follow his dreams.

If an Italian brand can do this, why can’t more American brands?

Source- www.theodysseyonline.com

It is hard to find honest people these day as materialism has taken the centre stage.

But, a local youth and his two friends have set an example by returning the debit card of a college lecturer, who forgot it at an ATM in posh Ranjit Avenue after withdrawing money from her account. Interestingly, the password of the ATM was also written on the card’s pouch. On finding the card, the trio decided to return it to its rightful owner.

While giving details, Ritu Sharma, a lecturer in local DAV College, said she had gone to Ranjit Avenue for some work and withdrawn cash from an ATM. However, she forgot her debit card on the machine. She was not even aware about it until she received a call from a youth, who identified himself as Gurneet Singh Khalsa. He told Ritu that he had her debit card.

Gurneet (24) said he found the card lying on the ATM machine. He said first he thought someone might have discarded the card as its validity might have expired, but on checking he found a handwritten password on its pouch. Later, he discovered a huge sum in the account.

Gurneet resides in Jalalabad in Ferozepur and had come to Amritsar for some personal work. “However, I am a baptized Sikh. The teachings of Gurus and my conscious did not allow me to steal the cash,” he said while adding that he decided to return the ATM to its owner.

He said he went to a number of branches of Punjab National Bank (PNB) and finally an official guided him to Green Avenue branch after going through online records. He met the manager of the PNB branch at Green Avenue and requested him to help in tracing the owner of the ATM. They got the contact number of Ritu Sharma from her account.

Dr Rakesh Sharma, an orthopaedic surgeon, at Guru Nanak Dev Hospital and husband of Ritu Sharma, said the gesture of the youths impressed upon him to start believing that honesty still lives. He said others should take inspiration from such people.

-Tribune

It is hard to find honest people these day as materialism has taken the centre stage.

But, a local youth and his two friends have set an example by returning the debit card of a college lecturer, who forgot it at an ATM in posh Ranjit Avenue after withdrawing money from her account. Interestingly, the password of the ATM was also written on the card’s pouch. On finding the card, the trio decided to return it to its rightful owner.

While giving details, Ritu Sharma, a lecturer in local DAV College, said she had gone to Ranjit Avenue for some work and withdrawn cash from an ATM. However, she forgot her debit card on the machine. She was not even aware about it until she received a call from a youth, who identified himself as Gurneet Singh Khalsa. He told Ritu that he had her debit card.

Gurneet (24) said he found the card lying on the ATM machine. He said first he thought someone might have discarded the card as its validity might have expired, but on checking he found a handwritten password on its pouch. Later, he discovered a huge sum in the account.

Gurneet resides in Jalalabad in Ferozepur and had come to Amritsar for some personal work. “However, I am a baptized Sikh. The teachings of Gurus and my conscious did not allow me to steal the cash,” he said while adding that he decided to return the ATM to its owner.

He said he went to a number of branches of Punjab National Bank (PNB) and finally an official guided him to Green Avenue branch after going through online records. He met the manager of the PNB branch at Green Avenue and requested him to help in tracing the owner of the ATM. They got the contact number of Ritu Sharma from her account.

Dr Rakesh Sharma, an orthopaedic surgeon, at Guru Nanak Dev Hospital and husband of Ritu Sharma, said the gesture of the youths impressed upon him to start believing that honesty still lives. He said others should take inspiration from such people.

-Tribune

Two men named Phiria and Katara from the neighbourhood of Dihli having heard of Satguru Sri Guru Amar Das Ji Maharaj’s fame, visited him at Goindwal, and performed for him assiduous service. Satguru Sri Guru Amar Das Ji Maharaj, being very pleased, one day said to them, ‘You have obtained full knowledge of my religion, and you may now return to your own country to preach there the true Name and lead souls to salvation.’

They represented, ‘O true king, our beloved Guru Ji, the inhabitants of our country are followers of Jogis who split their ears. The Jogis deceive them by incanta­tions and spells, and consequently the people know nothing of devotion, the Guru’s hymns, or divine knowledge. They worship cemeteries and cremation grounds, are averse from true religion, and none but the true Guru himself can save them.

Satguru Sri Guru Amar Das Ji Maharaj replied,’ Go utter Waheguru, teach every one you meet the virtues of the True name, and put people on the Guru’s way.’

Phiria and Katara again repre­sented: ‘Such is the power of the Jogis, that simple men like us may not withstand them. Without the special power of the Guru how can the True name be proclaimed among such persons?’

Satguru Sri Guru Amar Das Ji Maharaj replied, ‘The Creator will be with you ; your word-shall penetrate their hearts; and their impious efforts shall not prevail against you. From the sleep of ignorance men shall awake to divine knowledge Grant them the gift of the Name, cause them to utter Waheguru and walk in the path shown by the Guru.’

Having received these commands and their beloved Guru Ji’s blessing, and meditated on the Immortal Being in their hearts, Phiria and Katara returned to their own country. On arriving there they proceeded to a Jogis’ monastery. The Jogis, on seeing their face; beaming with the light shed on them by Satguru Sri Guru Amar Das Ji Maharaj, fled like deer on seeing a tiger.

Phiria and Katara then converted the monastery into a temple. People assembled in crowds, and asked where these very mighty men had come, who had dared violate the sanc­tuary of Gorakhnath, and before whom the priests of the Jogis had fled. A crowd of people came to create a disturbance, but, on hearing Phiria and Katara sing the Guru’s hymns, their hard hearts so melted that they sought the Sikhs’ protection, and with all due ceremonies embraced the Sikh religion, and began to worship the one immortal Akal Purakh. All their desires spiritual and temporal, were then fulfilled.

Two men named Phiria and Katara from the neighbourhood of Dihli having heard of Satguru Sri Guru Amar Das Ji Maharaj’s fame, visited him at Goindwal, and performed for him assiduous service. Satguru Sri Guru Amar Das Ji Maharaj, being very pleased, one day said to them, ‘You have obtained full knowledge of my religion, and you may now return to your own country to preach there the true Name and lead souls to salvation.’

They represented, ‘O true king, our beloved Guru Ji, the inhabitants of our country are followers of Jogis who split their ears. The Jogis deceive them by incanta­tions and spells, and consequently the people know nothing of devotion, the Guru’s hymns, or divine knowledge. They worship cemeteries and cremation grounds, are averse from true religion, and none but the true Guru himself can save them.

Satguru Sri Guru Amar Das Ji Maharaj replied,’ Go utter Waheguru, teach every one you meet the virtues of the True name, and put people on the Guru’s way.’

Phiria and Katara again repre­sented: ‘Such is the power of the Jogis, that simple men like us may not withstand them. Without the special power of the Guru how can the True name be proclaimed among such persons?’

Satguru Sri Guru Amar Das Ji Maharaj replied, ‘The Creator will be with you ; your word-shall penetrate their hearts; and their impious efforts shall not prevail against you. From the sleep of ignorance men shall awake to divine knowledge Grant them the gift of the Name, cause them to utter Waheguru and walk in the path shown by the Guru.’

Having received these commands and their beloved Guru Ji’s blessing, and meditated on the Immortal Being in their hearts, Phiria and Katara returned to their own country. On arriving there they proceeded to a Jogis’ monastery. The Jogis, on seeing their face; beaming with the light shed on them by Satguru Sri Guru Amar Das Ji Maharaj, fled like deer on seeing a tiger.

Phiria and Katara then converted the monastery into a temple. People assembled in crowds, and asked where these very mighty men had come, who had dared violate the sanc­tuary of Gorakhnath, and before whom the priests of the Jogis had fled. A crowd of people came to create a disturbance, but, on hearing Phiria and Katara sing the Guru’s hymns, their hard hearts so melted that they sought the Sikhs’ protection, and with all due ceremonies embraced the Sikh religion, and began to worship the one immortal Akal Purakh. All their desires spiritual and temporal, were then fulfilled.

Big respect to Great Grandfather Sardar Ishar Singh VC. Time of his funeral in India guns were saluted in the air. People came all over the world to attend.

Ishar Singh was the first Sikh soldier to win the VC. He was born at Nenwan in the Punjab 30 Dec 1895. The 28th had been sent to the tribal territory of Waziristan in April 1921 to help deal with the Mahsuds, the most warlike of the Wazirs, inhabiting the central region.

Ishar Singh was a sepoy at the time and his convoy was moving along the Haidari-Shakan road with an advance guard. The hills on either side of the road were barely visible because of a dust storm. The advance guard came under heavy fire from a 100 strong party of Mahsuds lying in wait close to the road. They were wiped out and Ishar brought his Lewis gun to bear on the enemy but almost immediately received a very severe wound in the chest. In the hand-to-hand fighting, all the officers and NCOs were killed or wounded and his Lewis gun seized. Calling up two other men, he got up, charged the enemy and recovered his gun although bleeding profusely, and got the gun into action again.

A Jemadar ordered Ishar to go back and have his wound dressed, which he decided to postpone until he had helped the medical officer find other wounded men and fetch water for them from the river. At one point he picked up a rifle and helped keep down the enemy fire and at another point he shielded the medical officer while he tended a sick man. After three hours of this he was forced to submit to medical treatment through loss of blood. His conduct inspired all who saw him.

Ishar received his award from the Prince of Wales at Rawalpindi in March 1922. He was flown to London with VIP status in 1929 for a big VC dinner and to take part in three days of parades and ceremonies. He returned to India by sea but was back in England again in 1936 as one of the King’s Indian Orderly Officers when the above photo was taken. At this time he was a Subadar and the 28th had become the 4th battalion of the 15th Punjab Regiment wearing a scarlet tunic with buff facings. His medals can be seen here.

He served in WW2 and reached the rank of captain (see Photo taken in 1953). He was very proud that two other members of 4/15th won the VC in the war.

Along with the Victoria Cross, and other medals the British awarded him, he was also given 75 Acres of land for farming purposes and provided with a large house. The British authorities also built a road that went up to his village and even built a school for the village.

Unfortunately, his medals are no longer held by his family and are now in a private collection. He died on 2nd December 1963.

Big respect to Great Grandfather Sardar Ishar Singh VC. Time of his funeral in India guns were saluted in the air. People came all over the world to attend.

Ishar Singh was the first Sikh soldier to win the VC. He was born at Nenwan in the Punjab 30 Dec 1895. The 28th had been sent to the tribal territory of Waziristan in April 1921 to help deal with the Mahsuds, the most warlike of the Wazirs, inhabiting the central region.

Ishar Singh was a sepoy at the time and his convoy was moving along the Haidari-Shakan road with an advance guard. The hills on either side of the road were barely visible because of a dust storm. The advance guard came under heavy fire from a 100 strong party of Mahsuds lying in wait close to the road. They were wiped out and Ishar brought his Lewis gun to bear on the enemy but almost immediately received a very severe wound in the chest. In the hand-to-hand fighting, all the officers and NCOs were killed or wounded and his Lewis gun seized. Calling up two other men, he got up, charged the enemy and recovered his gun although bleeding profusely, and got the gun into action again.

A Jemadar ordered Ishar to go back and have his wound dressed, which he decided to postpone until he had helped the medical officer find other wounded men and fetch water for them from the river. At one point he picked up a rifle and helped keep down the enemy fire and at another point he shielded the medical officer while he tended a sick man. After three hours of this he was forced to submit to medical treatment through loss of blood. His conduct inspired all who saw him.

Ishar received his award from the Prince of Wales at Rawalpindi in March 1922. He was flown to London with VIP status in 1929 for a big VC dinner and to take part in three days of parades and ceremonies. He returned to India by sea but was back in England again in 1936 as one of the King’s Indian Orderly Officers when the above photo was taken. At this time he was a Subadar and the 28th had become the 4th battalion of the 15th Punjab Regiment wearing a scarlet tunic with buff facings. His medals can be seen here.

He served in WW2 and reached the rank of captain (see Photo taken in 1953). He was very proud that two other members of 4/15th won the VC in the war.

Along with the Victoria Cross, and other medals the British awarded him, he was also given 75 Acres of land for farming purposes and provided with a large house. The British authorities also built a road that went up to his village and even built a school for the village.

Unfortunately, his medals are no longer held by his family and are now in a private collection. He died on 2nd December 1963.