Sikh people

Not to be confused with Sikh.

Sikh

The Nishan Sahib, flag of the Sikhs
Total population
30,000,000 (30 million)
Regions with significant populations
India	19,215,730
United Kingdom	760,000
Canada	600,000
United States	500,000
Malaysia	100,000
Australia	22,000
100,000
Italy	70,000
Philippines	30,000
Pakistan	50,000
Kuwait	20,000
Indonesia	15,000
France	15,000
Netherlands	12,000
Singapore	9,733
New Zealand	9,507
Hong Kong	8,000
Nepal	5,890
Germany	5,000
Fiji	4,674
Norway	3,000
Afghanistan	3,000
Austria	2,794
Ireland	1,200
Languages
Punjabi (Gurmukhi) Among the Sikh diaspora English, Sindhi, Hindi, Urdu, Swahili, Malay, Thai and others.
Religion
Sikhism
† Estimated figure as of 2004.

A Sikh (/siːk/ or /sɪk/; Punjabi: ਸਿੱਖ, sikkh [sɪkkʰ]) This article is not about the followers of Sikhism, a religion that originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia.

Most male Sikhs have Singh (lion) and most female Sikhs Kaur (princess) as their surname. Sikhs who have undergone the khanḍe-kī-pahul, the Sikh initiation ceremony, can also be recognized by the Five Ks: uncut hair (Kesh); an iron/steel bracelet (kara); a Kirpan, a sword tucked in a gatra strap; Kachehra, a type of special shorts; and a Kanga, a small comb to keep the hair clean. Male Sikhs cover their hair with a turban, while female Sikhs may wear a turban or a headscarf.

The greater Punjab region is the historical homeland of the Sikhs, although significant communities exist around the world.

Philosophy

"Though the Sikhs are barely fifteen million, mainly concentrated in the Panjab, the Sikh faith is owned by many more people, notably the Sindhis who are Sikhs in belief and practice, except in form. A large number of the Hindus also believe in the tenets of the Sikh faith and look upon the Sikh Gurus as their very own."Sing, Gopal (1978). Sri Guru Granth Sahib: English Version. Allied Publishers PVT. Limited. pp. XLVIII. ISBN 81-7764-305-3.

People revered by Sikhs also include:

• Bhai Mardana: one of the first followers and lifelong companion of Guru Nanak
• Bhai Bala: one of the first followers and lifelong companion of Guru Nanak
• Baba Buddha Sahib Ji: Sikh saint, held the position of high Granthi in the Sikh religion, conducted the ceremony of guruship of the second guru up to the sixth guru, oversaw the construction of the Akal Takht
• Baba Banda Singh Bahadur: fought and defeated the Mughal Governor of Punjab, Wazir Khan, and established a Sikh force in Punjab

  

  Interior view of Gurdwara Hazur Sahib Nanded, Maharashtra, India.

• Shaheed Baba Deep Singh: Sikh saint, defended Golden Temple with his head in his hand, first head of the Damdami Taksal
• Shaheed Bhai Mani Singh: Sikh scholar, compiled the Dasam Granth
• Shaheed Bhai Taru Singh: a patron of the poor
• Shaheed Bhai Subeg Singh: known for sacrificing his life for the right of faith
• Shaheed Bhai Shahbaz Singh: son of Bhai Subeg Singh, also known for sacrificing his life for the right of faith
• Shaheed Bhai Gurdas Ji: known for his interpretation of Bani and his works (vaars)
• Bhai Kanhaiya Ji: known for starting the first action of Red Cross
• Shaheed Bhai Mati Das Ji: known for sacrificing his life for the right of faith
• Shaheed Bhai Sati Das Ji: known for sacrificing his life for the right of faith
• Shaheed Bhai Dayala Ji: known for sacrificing his life for the right of faith
• Bhai Bachittar Singh Bahadar: known for sacrificing his life in battle in bravery, by putting a spear through an intoxicated elephant which was covered in armour

Early Sikh scholars included Bhai Santokh Singh, Bhai Vir Singh and Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha.

History

Main article: History of Sikhism

A Sikh Empire warrior's battle helmet

Harmandir Sahib

Cheering Sikh pilgrims arriving in Manikaran

Sikh history, with respect to Sikhism as a distinct political body, can be said to have begun with the death of the fifth Sikh Guru, Guru Arjan Dev in 1606. Sikh distinction was further enhanced by the establishment of the Khalsa (ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ), by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699. The evolution of Sikhism began with the emergence of Guru Nanak as a religious leader and a social reformer during the 15th century in the Punjab. The religious practice was formalised by Guru Gobind Singh on 30 March 1699. The latter baptised five people from different social backgrounds to form Khalsa. The first five, Pure Ones, then baptised Gobind Singh into the Khalsa fold. This gives Sikhism, as an organized grouping, a religious history of around 400 years.

Generally Sikhs have had amicable relations with other religions. However, during the Mughal rule of India (1556–1707), the emerging religion had strained relations with the ruling Mughals. Hindu Hill rajahs fought frequent battles against Guru Gobind Singh because they were largely opposed to Guru Gobind Singh's casteless principles of religion. Prominent Sikh Gurus were killed by Mughals for opposing Mughal persecution of minority religious communities. Subsequently, Sikhism militarized to oppose Mughal hegemony. The emergence of the Sikh Empire under reign of the Maharajah Ranjit Singh was characterised by religious tolerance and pluralism with Christians, Muslims and Hindus in positions of power. The establishment of the Sikh Empire is commonly considered the zenith of Sikhism at a political level, during which time the Sikh Empire came to include Kashmir, Ladakh and Peshawar. Jarnail Hari Singh Nalwa, the Commander-in-chief of the Sikh army along the North West Frontier, took the boundary of the Sikh Empire to the very mouth of the Khyber Pass. The Empire's secular administration integrated innovative military, economic and governmental reforms.

The months leading up to the partition of India in 1947 were marked by heavy conflict in the Punjab between Sikhs and Muslims. The effect was the religious migration of Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus from West Punjab, mirroring a similar religious migration of Punjabi Muslims in East Punjab.

The 1960s saw growing animosity and rioting between Sikhs and Hindus in India, as the Sikhs agitated for the creation of a Punjab state based on a linguistic basis similar to that by which other states in India had been created. This had also been promised to the Sikh leader Master Tara Singh by Nehru in return for Sikh political support during the negotiations for Indian Independence. Sikhs obtained the Punjab but not without losing some Punjabi speaking areas to Himachal Pradesh and Harayana; most notably, Chandigarh was made Union Territory and the joint capital of Haryana & Punjab Punjab on 1 November 1966. Communal tensions arose again in the late 1970s, fueled by Sikh claims of discrimination and marginalisation by the Hindu dominated Indian National Congress ruling party and the "dictatorial" tactics adopted by the then Indian Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi. Frank argues that Gandhi's assumption of emergency powers in 1975 resulted in the weakening of the "legitimate and impartial machinery of government", and her increasing "paranoia" of opposing political groups led her to instigate a "despotic policy of playing castes, religions and political groups against each other for political advantage". As a reaction against these actions, the Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale vocalised Sikh sentiment for justice . This accelerated in Punjab a state of communal violence.

A proposed flag for Khalistan, the independent Sikh state.

Gandhi's 1984 action to defeat Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale led to the attack of the Golden Temple in Operation Bluestar and ultimately led to Gandhi's assassination by her Sikh bodyguards. This resulted in an explosion of violence against the Sikh communities in the anti-Sikh riots which resulted in the massacre of thousands of Sikhs throughout India; Khushwant Singh described the actions as being a Sikh pogrom in which he "felt like a refugee in my country. In fact, I felt like a Jew in Nazi Germany". Since 1984, relations between Sikhs and Hindus have moved towards a rapprochement helped by growing economic prosperity; however, in 2002 the claims of the popular right-wing Hindu organisation the RSS that "Sikhs are Hindus" angered Sikh sensibilities. Many Sikhs still are campaigning for justice for victims of the violence and the political and economic needs of the Punjab espoused in the Khalistan movement.

In 1996 the Special Rapporteur for the Commission on Human Rights on freedom of religion or belief, Abdelfattah Amor (Tunisia, 1993–2004), visited India in order to compose a report on religious discrimination. In 1997, Amor concluded, "it appears that the situation of the Sikhs in the religious field is satisfactory, but that difficulties are arising in the political (foreign interference, terrorism, etc.), economic (in particular with regard to sharing of water supplies) and even occupational fields. Information received from nongovernment (sic) sources indicates that discrimination does exist in certain sectors of the public administration; examples include the decline in the number of Sikhs in the police force and the military, and the absence of Sikhs in personal bodyguard units since the murder of Indira Gandhi".

Sikh music and instruments

Main article: Sikh music

Sikhs have developed their own instruments: Rabab, Dilruba, Taus, Jori and the Sarinda. The Sarangi was also encouraged by Guru Har Gobind Sahib Ji. The Rabaab was first used by Bhai Mardana as he accompanied Guru Nanak Dev Ji on his journeys. Jori and Sarinda were both designed by Guru Arjan Dev Ji. The Taus was made by Guru Har Gobind Sahib Ji; it is said that he heard a peacock singing and wished to create an instrument that could mimic its sounds. Taus is the Persian word for peacock. The Dilruba was made by Guru Gobind Singh Ji at the request of his Sikhs. They wished for a smaller instrument, since the Taus was hard to carry and maintain, due to constant battles. After Japji Sahib, all of the shabd in the Guru Granth Sahib are written in raag. The shabd is typically played in accordance with that particular raag. This style of singing is known as Gurmat Sangeet.

When marching into battle, the Sikhs would use drumming to boost their morale and increase excitement. This was called the Ranjit Nagara (Drum of Victory). Nagaras are large war drums that make a thundering sound and measure about 2 to 3 feet in diameter; they are played with two sticks. The special or original Ranjit Nagara, used in past battles, are up to 5 feet across. The beat of the large drums usually meant that the army was marching into battle. They were also taken into the battle sometimes; the Sikhs would raise the Nishan Sahib high, and the opposing forces would know the Singhs were coming. While the Sikhs' spirit was being boosted, the opposing forces would lose morale.

Distribution

Main article: Sikh diaspora

File:Indias Sikh Pop. Chart02.JPG

Chart showing India's total Sikh population and their percentage of the total Indian population.

Numbering approximately 27 million worldwide, Sikhs make up 0.39% of the world population, of which approximately 83% live in India. Approximately 76% of all Sikhs live in the northern Indian State of Punjab, where they form a majority (about two thirds) of the population. Substantial communities of Sikhs, i.e., greater than 200,000, live in the Indian States/Union territories of Haryana(with more than 1.1 million Sikh population), Rajasthan, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttaranchal, Assam and Jammu and Kashmir.

Sikh migration from the then British India began in earnest from the 2nd half of the 19th century when the British had completed their annexation of the Punjab. The British Raj preferentially recruited Sikhs in the Indian Civil Service and, in particular, the British Indian Army, which led to migration of Sikhs to different parts of British India and the British Empire. During the era of the British Raj, semiskilled Sikh artisans were also transported from the Punjab to British East Africa to help in the building of railways. After World War II, Sikhs emigrated from both India and Pakistan, most going to the United Kingdom but many also headed for North America. Some of the Sikhs who had settled in eastern Africa were expelled by Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in 1972. Subsequently the main 'push' factor for Sikh migration has been economic, with significant Sikh communities now being found in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Malaysia, East Africa, Australia and Thailand.

Map showing world Sikh population areas and historical migration patterns (Est. 2004).

While the rate of Sikh migration from the Punjab has remained high, traditional patterns of Sikh migration that favoured English-speaking countries, particularly the United Kingdom, have changed in the past decade due to factors such as stricter immigration procedures. Moliner (2006) states that as a consequence of the 'fact' that Sikh migration to the UK had "become virtually impossible since the late 1970s", Sikh migration patterns altered to continental Europe. Italy has now emerged as a fast-growing area for Sikh migration, with Reggio Emilia and the Vicenza province being areas of significant Sikh population clusters. The Italian Sikhs are generally involved in agriculture, agro-processing, machine tools and horticulture.

Due primarily to socio-economic reasons, Indian Sikhs have the lowest adjusted decadal growth rate of any major religious group in India, at 16.9% per decade (est. 1991–2001). Johnson and Barrett(2004) estimate that the global Sikh population increases annually by 392,633 Sikhs, i.e., by 1.7% p.a. on 2004 figures, this growth rate takes into account factors such as births, deaths and conversions.

Representation

Sikhs are represented in Indian politics by the current Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is the head of the government (the nominal head is the President of India) and wields the supreme authority, including the nuclear button, and the Deputy Chairman of the Indian Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia. The current Chief-minister of Punjab, Parkash Singh Badal, is a Sikh. Past Sikh politicians in India have included former President Giani Zail Singh, India's first Foreign Minister Sardar Swaran Singh, Dr. Gurdial Singh Dhillon, Speaker of the Parliament of India. Pratap Singh Kairon, Union minister, Sikh Indian independence movement leader and former Chief-minister of Punjab (India).

Prominent politicians of the Sikh Diaspora include the first Asian American to be elected as a Member of United States Congress Dalip Singh Saund, the current UK Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Parmjit Dhanda MP and the first couple to ever sit together in any parliament in the history of Commonwealth countries Gurmant Grewal and Nina Grewal, who sought apology by the Canadian Government for the historical Komagata Maru incident, and the Canadian Shadow Social Development Minister Ruby Dhalla MP. Vic Dhillon is a Sikh Canadian politician and current member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Ujjal Dosanjh was the New Democratic Party Premier of British Columbia from July 2004 until February 2005, and currently serves as a Liberal frontbench MP in Ottawa. In Malaysia, two Sikhs were elected as MPs during the 2008 general elections; Karpal Singh (Bukit Gelugor) and his son Gobind Singh Deo (Puchong). Two Sikhs were elected as assemblymen: Jagdeep Singh Deo (Datuk Keramat) and Keshvinder Singh (Malim Nawar).

File:Indian army soldier aim.jpg

Sikhs in the Indian army

Sikhs make up 10–15% of all ranks in the Indian Army and 20% of its officers, while Sikhs form only 1.87% of the Indian population, which makes them over 10 times more likely to be a soldier and officer in the Indian Army than the average Indian. The Sikh Regiment is one of the most highly decorated and is believed to be the most courageous, powerful and skilled regiment of the Indian Army, with 73 Battle Honours, 14 Victoria Crosses, 21 first class Indian Order of Merit (equivalent to the Victoria Cross), 15 Theatre Honours and 5 COAS Unit Citations besides 2 Param Vir Chakras, 14 Maha Vir Chakras, 5 Kirti Chakras, 67 Vir Chakras and 1596 other gallantry awards. The highest-ranking General in the history of the Indian Air Force is a Punjabi Sikh Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh. Advanced plans by the MOD to raise an Infantry UK Sikh Regiment were scrapped in June 2007 to the disappointment of the UK Sikh community and Prince Charles of Britain.

Historically, most Indians have been farmers, and even today 66% (two-thirds) of Indians are farmers. Indian Sikhs are no different and have been predominately employed in the agro-business; India's 2001 census found that 39% of the working population of Punjab were employed in this sector (less than the Indian average). The success, in the 1960s, of the Green Revolution, in which India went from "famine to plenty, from humiliation to dignity", was based in the Sikh-majority state of Punjab, which became known as "the breadbasket of India". The Sikh majority state of Punjab is also statistically the wealthiest (per capita), with the average Punjabi enjoying the highest income in India, 3 times the national Indian average. The Green Revolution centered upon Indian farmers adapting their farming methods to more intensive and mechanised techniques; this was aided by the electrification of Punjab, cooperative credit, consolidation of small holdings and the existing British Raj developed canal system. Swedish political scientist, Ishtiaq Ahmad, states that a factor in the success of the Indian green revolution transformation was the "Sikh cultivator, often the Jat, whose courage, perseverance, spirit of enterprise and muscle prowess proved crucial". However, not all aspects of the green revolution were beneficial; Indian physicist Vandana Shiva argues that the green revolution essentially rendered the "negative and destructive impacts of science [i.e. the green revolution] on nature and society" invisible; thus having been separated from their material and political roots in the science system, when new forms of scarcity and social conflict arose they were linked not to traditional causes but to other social systems e.g. religion. Hence Shiva argues that the green revolution was a catalyst for communal Punjabi Sikh and Hindu tensions; despite the growth in material affluence.

A Sikh temple, known as Nanaksar Gurudwara, in Alberta, Canada.

Punjabi Sikhs are prominent in varied professions, such as scientists, engineers and doctors; notable Punjabi Sikhs include nuclear scientist Professor Piara Singh Gill who worked on the Manhattan project; optics scientist ("the father of fibre optics") Dr. Narinder Singh Kapany; physicist and science writer/broadcaster Simon Singh

In the sphere of business, the clothing retailers/brands of UK based New Look and Thai based JASPAL were started by Sikhs. India's largest pharmaceutical company, Ranbaxy Laboratories, is headed by Sikhs. UK Sikhs have the highest percentage of home ownership, 82%, out of all UK religious communities. UK Sikhs are the 2nd wealthiest (after the Jewish community) religious community in the UK, with a median total household wealth of £229, 000. In Singapore, Kartar Singh Thakral has built up his family's trading business, Thakral Holdings/Corp, into a commercial concern with total assets of close to $1.4 billion. Thakral is Singapore's 25th richest person. Bob Singh Dhillon, a Sikh, is the first Indo-Canadian billionaire. Perhaps no Sikh diaspora group has had as much success as those who migrated to North America, especially the Sikhs who migrated to California’s fertile Central Valley. The farming skills of the Sikhs and their willingness to work hard ensured that they rose from migrant labourers to become landowners who control much agriculture in California. American Sikh agriculturists such as Harbhajan Singh Samra and Didar Singh Bains dominate California agriculture and are known colloquially as the "Okra" and "Peach" kings respectively.

Prominent Sikh intellectuals, sportsmen and artists include the veteran writer Khushwant Singh, England cricketer Monty Panesar, former 400 m world record holder Milkha Singh, and Harbhajan Singh, India's most successful off spin Cricket bowler, actors Parminder Nagra, Namrata Singh Gujral, Archie Panjabi and director Gurinder Chadha.

The Sikhs have migrated to most parts of the world, and their vocations are as varied as their appearances. The Sikh community of the Indian subcontinent comprises many diverse sets of peoples, because the Sikh Gurus preached for ethnic and social harmony. These include different ethnic peoples, tribal and socio-economic groups. Main groupings (i.e., over 1,000 members) include: Ahluwalia, Arain, Arora, Bhatra, Bairagi, Bania, Basith, Bawaria, Bazigar, Bhabra, Chamar, Chhimba, Darzi, Dhobi, Gujar, Jatt, Jhinwar, Kahar, Kalal, Kamboj, Khatri, Kumhar, Labana, Lohar, Mahtam, Mazhabi, Megh, Mirasi, Mochi, Nai, Rajput, Ramgarhia, Saini, Sarera, Sikligar, Sunar, Sudh, Tarkhan and Zargar.

There has also emerged a specialised group of Punjabi Sikhs calling themselves Akalis, which have existed since Maharaja Ranjit Singh's time. Under their leader General Akali Phula Singh in the early 19th century, they won many battles for the Sikh Empire.

Sikh paintings

Sikh painting is a direct offshoot of the Kangra School of painting. In 1810 Maharaja Ranjeet Singh (1780–1839) occupied Kangra Fort and appointed Sardar Desa Singh Majithia as his Governor of the Punjab Hills. In 1813 the Sikh army occupied Haripur Guler and Raja Bhup Singh became a vassal of Sikh Power. With the Sikh Kingdom of Lahore becoming the paramount power, some of the Pahari painters from Guler migrated to Lahore to enjoy the patronage of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh and his Sardars.

The Sikh School of paintings is the adoption of the Kangra Kalam to Sikh needs and ideals. Its main subjects are the ten Sikh gurus and anecdotes from the Janam Sikh. The tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, left a deep impression on the adherents of the new faith because of his unmatched bravery and unparalleled sacrifices. Hunting scenes and portraiture are also common in Sikh painting.

Digital library

Launched in 2003 under Nanakshahi Trust, the Panjab Digital Library was a result of the early phase of the digital revolution in Punjab. While most saw the Nanakshahi as a small digitisation organisation, or as an assemblage of some unknown youth working towards capturing some manuscripts on their digital cameras, its founders saw it as a cornerstone of a fundamentally new approach to preserving Punjab’s heritage for future generations. In the shadow of search engines, a Semantic Web approach thought of in the early 2003 reached maturity in 2006. This was when the organisation planned to expand its operations from a mere three employee organisation to one of the leading NGO’s working in the field of digital preservation all over India.

Digitised collections include manuscripts held by the Punjab Languages Department, items from the Government Museum and Art Gallery Chandigarh, Chief Khalsa Diwan, SGPC, DSGMC and manuscripts in the Jawahr Lal Nehru Library of Kurukshetra University. It also include hundreds of personal collections. With over 5 million pages digitised it is the biggest repository of digital data on Punjab.

Sikhs in the Indian and British armies

French postcard depicting the arrival of 15th Sikh Regiment in France during World War I. The postcard reads, "Gentlemen of India marching to chasten the German hooligans".

Main article: Sikhs in the Indian and British Armies

Sikhs supported the British during the Indian Rebellion of 1857.

By the advent of World War I, Sikhs in the British Indian Army totaled over 100,000, i.e. 20% of the British Indian Army. In the years to 1945, 14 Victoria Crosses were awarded to the Sikhs, a per capita record given the size of the Sikh Regiments. In 2002, the names of all Sikh VC and George Cross winners were inscribed on the pavilion monument of the Memorial Gates on Constitution Hill next to Buckingham palace, London. Lieutenant Colonel Chanan Singh Dhillon was instrumental in campaigning for the memorial building.

During World War I, Sikh battalions fought in Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Gallipoli and France. Six battalions of the Sikh Regiment were raised in World War II, and served at El Alamein and in Burma, Italy and Iraq, winning 27 battle honours.

Japanese soldiers shooting blindfolded Sikh prisoners.

Across the world, Sikhs are commemorated in Commonwealth cemeteries.

"In the last two world wars 83,005 turban wearing Sikh soldiers were killed and 109,045 were wounded. They all died or were wounded for the freedom of Britain and the world, and during shell fire, with no other protection but the turban, the symbol of their faith."

— General Sir Frank Messervy

"British people are highly indebted and obliged to Sikhs for a long time. I know that within this century we needed their help twice [in two world wars] and they did help us very well. As a result of their timely help, we are today able to live with honour, dignity, and independence. In the war, they fought and died for us, wearing the turbans."

— Sir Winston Churchill

Sikh in the Western world

Sikhs celebrating the Sikh new year in Toronto, Canada

As Sikhs wear turbans (although different from Middle Eastern turbans) and due to the relatively small number of Sikhs, there have been incidents of Sikhs in Western countries being mistaken for Middle Eastern Muslim men. This has led to mistaken attitudes and acts against Sikhs living in the West especially with respect to the 9/11 terrorist attack and recent Iraq War. Sikhs are neither Muslims nor from the Middle East. Sikhs make up 60% to 70% of the total population of Punjab, which is the only region in the world where Sikhs are in the majority.

After the 11 September 2001 attacks, some people associated Sikhs with terrorists or members of the Taliban. A few days after the attack, Balbir Singh Sodhi, a Sikh man, was gunned down by Frank Roque, who thought that the victim had ties to al-Qaeda. CNN suggested that there has been an increase in hate crimes against Sikh men in the United States and the UK following the 9/11 attack.

As Sikhism has never actively sought converts, the Sikhs have remained a relatively homogeneous group ethnically. However, mainly due to the activities of Harbhajan Singh Yogi via his Kundalini Yoga focused 3HO (Happy, Healthy, Holy) Organisation, Sikhism has witnessed a moderate growth in non-Indian adherents. In 1998 it was estimated that these 3HO Sikhs, known colloquially as ‘gora’ (ਗੋਰਾ) or ‘white’ Sikhs, totaled 7,800 and were mainly centered around Española, New Mexico and Los Angeles, California. A law in Oregon was passed banning the wearing of turbans by teachers and government officials. Sikhs and the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund worked together in successfully overturning the law.

In an attempt to foster strong Sikh leaders in the Western world, many youth initiatives have been begun by various organisations. For example, the Sikh Youth Alliance of North America annually organizes the Sikh Youth Symposium, a public speaking and debate competition held in gurdwaras around America and Canada.

Art and culture

Main article: Sikh art and culture

Harmindar Sahib, circa 1870

Sikh art and culture is synonymous with that of the Punjab region. The Punjab itself has been called India’s melting pot, due to the confluence of invading cultures, such as Greek, Mughal and Persian, that mirrors the confluence of rivers from which the region gets its name. Thus Sikh culture is to a large extent informed by this synthesis of cultures.

Sikhism has forged a unique form of architecture which Bhatti describes as being "inspired by Guru Nanak’s creative mysticism" such that Sikh architecture "is a mute harbinger of holistic humanism based on pragmatic spirituality". The reign of the Sikh Empire was the single biggest catalyst in creating a uniquely Sikh form of expression, with Maharajah Ranjit Singh patronising the building of forts, palaces, bungas (residential places), colleges, etc., that can be said to be of the Sikh Style. Characteristics of Sikh architecture are gilded fluted domes, cupolas, kiosks and stone lanterns with an ornate balustrade on square roofs. The "jewel in the crown" of the Sikh Style is the Harmindar Sahib.

Sikh culture is heavily influenced by militaristic motifs, with Khanda being the most obvious; the majority of Sikh artifacts, independent of the relics of the Gurus, have a military theme. This motif is again evident in the Sikh festivals of Hola Mohalla and Vaisakhi, which feature marching and displays of valor respectively.

The art and culture of the Sikh diaspora has merged with that of other Indo-immigrant groups into categories such as 'British Asian', 'Indo-Canadian' and 'Desi-Culture'; however, there has emerged a niche cultural phenomenon that can be described as 'Political Sikh'. The art of prominent diaspora Sikhs such as Amarjeet Kaur Nandhra & Amrit and Rabindra Kaur Singh ('The Singh Twins'), is informed by their Sikhism and the current affairs of the Punjab.

Bhangra and the Giddha are two forms of indigenous Punjabi folk dancing that have been appropriated, adapted and pioneered by Punjabi Sikhs. The Punjabi Sikhs have championed these forms of expression all over the world, resulting in Sikh culture becoming inextricably linked to Bhangra, even though "Bhangra is not a Sikh institution but a Punjabi one."

Notable Sikhs in the modern era

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with US President Barack Obama

England cricketer Monty Panesar

Indian Economist and civil servant Montek Singh Ahluwalia

• Abhinav Bindra – first Indian to win Olympic Gold medal individually (shooting)
• Ajit Saini – Punjabi author, journalist, Indian National Army veteran
• Alexi Singh Grewal – first American to win an Olympic Gold Medal in cycling
• Amarinder Singh – Punjab congress leader, former Chief Minister of Punjab
• Angela Saini – British science journalist and author
• Ashbeer Saini – Indian junior golfer
• M S Banga (Saini), Ex-CEO – Hindustan Lever, Director on Board- Maruti Suzuki India Limited
• Ajay Banga (Saini), President & COO- Mastercard, Ex CEO- Citi Group- Asia Pacific
• Jessie Singh Saini, founder of BJS Electronics and notable American industrialist of Indian decent
• Gurbachan Singh Salaria (Saini), winner of the Param Vir Chakra
• Arjan Singh – Marshal of the Indian Air Force, former Chief of the Air Force Staff
• Baldev Singh – Indian independence movement leader, first Defence Minister of India
• Baltej Singh Dhillon – first turbaned member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
• Baljeet Singh Saini - Indian hockey player and Olympian, Gold Medalist (Asian Games)
• Balwant (Bal) Singh Saini, British hockey international player
• Barjinder Singh Hamdard – Editor-in-Chief of newspaper Ajit, novelist, ex-Rajya Sabha member
• Bhagat Singh – Indian independence movement revolutionary leader and martyr
• Bishan Singh Bedi – former Indian cricket captain
• Dara Singh – wrestler and Punjabi Bollywood actor
• Dharam Singh Hayatpur – prominent member of the Babbar Akali Movement in India
• Dharmendra- film actor
• Dr. Lonnie Smith - Jazz musician
• Fauja Singh – 100-year-old Sikh marathon runner
• Gurbaksh Chahal – American Punjabi entrepreneur and world's youngest self-made multimillionaire
• Gurdas Maan – Punjabi writer, singer and actor
• Gurdial Singh Dhillon – Speaker of the Indian Lok Sabha (Lower House of the Parliament)
• Gurmant Grewal - Deputy House Leader, M.P. and the Ironman of Canadian Parliament
• Gurpareet Bains – chef, food writer, pioneer of the 'Indian Superfood' culinary concept
• Harchand Singh Longowal – Sikh leader of non-violent movement for human rights and the rights of Punjab in the 1970s and 1980s
• Harbhajan Singh – Indian cricketer and India's first hat-trick bowler in Test matches
• Harbhajan Singh Yogi – teacher of the holistic doctrine of Sikh teachings, founder of 3HO Foundation, peace activist
• Hardeep Singh Kohli – Sikh writer, broadcaster and presenter from Scotland
• Indarjit Singh – British journalist and broadcaster
• Jagjit Singh – Indian ghazal singer
• Jay Sean (real name: Kamaljit Singh Jhooti) – British singer/songwriter
• Jeev Milkha Singh – golfer and son of Olympian Athlete Milkha Singh
• Jinder Mahal (real name: Yuvraj Dhesi) – Professional wrestler for WWE
• Joginder Jaswant Singh – Indian Army Chief of Army Staff
• Kartar Singh Sarabha – Indian revolutionary executed in November 1915 for his role in the Ghadar Conspiracy
• Karpal Singh – Malaysian prominent opposition leader (Democratic Action Party)
• Khushwant Singh – Indian novelist and journalist, Punjabi
• Kulbir Bhaura - British hockey player, Gold Medalist in Seoul Olympics 1988
• Kultar Gill- Indo-Canadian Mixed Martial Artis, regarded as the greatest Indian fighter in History
• Manjot Singh – Actor
• Manmohan Singh – Prime Minister of India and economist
• Milkha Singh ("the flying Sikh") – winner of Padma Shri, former 400 m track record holder, Gold medal (440 yards) at 1958 Commonwealth Games, Gold medal (200 and 400 m) at 1958 Asian Games and Gold medal (200 m) at 1962 Asian Games
• Mohan Singh – owner and original franchise owner of Coca Cola, Delhi and builder/contractor
• Mohan Singh Deb – founder of Indian National Army
• Montek Singh Ahluwalia – economist, Chairman of Planning Commission, India
• Monty Panesar – English cricketer
• Narinder Singh Kapany – optics scientist and philanthropist
• Neha Dhupia – Bollywood actress
• Nina Grewal - Canadian M.P. and the first husband (Gurmant Grewal) and wife to consecutively serve in House of Commons in the Commonwealth
• Parkash Singh Badal – Indian politician, current Chief Minister of Punjab
• Piara Singh Gill – nuclear scientist
• Pratap Singh Kairon – Sikh and Indian independence movement leader
• Preet Bharara- U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.
• Pritam Saini – Punjab historian and journalist
• Ranj Dhaliwal (Randheer Singh Dhaliwal) – crime-fiction author from Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
• Rabinder Singh QC, English Barrister and High Court of Justice Judge
• Ravi Bopara – English cricketer
• Sadhu Singh Hamdard – Punjabi journalist, founder of Ajit Group, Padma Shri
• Sardar Swaran Singh – Indian politician, former cabinet minister
• Sardar Hukam Singh – former speaker of Lok Sabha
• Sardul Singh Caveeshar – Indian independence movement leader
• Sardar Ujjal Singh – Indian politician, Governor of Tamil Nadu (1966–1971)
• Satinder Sartaaj (Born as Satinder Pal Singh Saini) - Punjabi singer and poet
• Snatam Kaur – American singer and songwriter
• Sunny Deol – Bollywood actor
• Swati Mia Saini – Forbes Video Network anchor/reporter
• Tara Singh Malhotra – Sikh and Indian independence movement leader in the first half of the 20th century
• Tarsame Singh Saini - British singer, composer and actor
• Tarsem Singh - British India movie director famous for production of Immortals (2011).
• Talvin Singh – British electronic musician and tabla player
• Udham Singh - Freedom fighter during the British raj of India
• Vijender Singh - Indian Olympic Boxer.
• Zail Singh – former Indian President

Sikhs in the military

File:Victoria Cross Medal Ribbon & Bar.jpg

The Victoria Cross, awarded for exceptional valour "in the face of the enemy"

• Bana Singh – awarded the Param Vir Chakra
• Gian Singh – awarded the Victoria Cross
• Lt.Col HARJIT SINGH SAJJAN-has become the first Sikh in Canada to take command of a British Columbia regiment. In a historic ceremony, a change of command in the British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught's Own) took place on 11 September 2011, at the Beatty Street Armoury in Vancouver,British Columbia, Canada.
• Harbaksh Singh – warrior, saved Srinagar 1947, won the Battle of Khemkaran defying orders from Gen. J. N. Chaudhary, repulsing a major Pakistani attack, 1965 war. He was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Vir Chakra.
• Major General Hardev Singh Kler – Indian Army. Was one of few officers directly responsible for Indian victory in liberating Bangladesh.(awarded Ati Vishisht Seva Medal for role in 1965 Indo-Pak war, and then Maha Vir Chakra in 1971 war. Notable for leading the Defence of KamalPur and the liberation of Jamalpur.
• Ishar Singh – first Sikh to receive the Victoria Cross
• Jagjit Singh Arora – supervised the surrender of more than 90,000 Pakistani personnel in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) during the 1971 India-Pakistan war
• Gurmukh Singh Saini – awarded the Cross of St. George
• Joginder Singh Sahnan – awarded Param Vir Chakra
• Jagindar Singh Saini - Subedar-Major Jagindar Singh Saini, a Sikh officer from the Sappers, received the Indian Order of Merit and the Order of British India for 'conspicuous bravery' and 'striking leadership'; (See Battle of Loos)
• Gurbachan Singh Salaria, winner of the Param Vir Chakra
• Karamjeet Singh Judge – awarded the Victoria Cross
• Karam Singh – awarded the Military Medal in World War II and awarded the Param Vir Chakra (the second person to receive the decoration)
• Mohan Singh Deb – founder of the first Indian National Army in WW2
• Nand Singh – awarded the Victoria Cross
• Nanu Singh Saini, jagirdar and Sikh military commander
• Nirmal Jit Singh Sekhon – the only officer of the Indian Air Force to be awarded the Param Vir Chakra
• Parkash Singh – awarded the Victoria Cross
• Kartar Singh Taunque – awarded Distinguished Flying Cross, first air man of the Royal Indian Air Force to be decorated for gallantry
• Uday Singh Taunque – awarded Purple Heart and Bronze Star, first Indian to die in Iraq War as part of the US Army
• Paul Singh Pabla - In 2006, Sgt. Paul Singh Pabla of Fort Wayne, Indiana, another Sikh soldier serving in US Army laid down his life in Iraq and gained a posthumous Purple Heart.
• Kuldip Singh Chandpuri- awarded Maha Vir Chakra for leading his company of consisting only 120 men against a strong 2000+ Pakistani force

Further reading

• The Sikhs In History: A Millennium Study by Sangat Singh, Noel Quinton King. New York 1995. ISBN 81-900650-2-5
• A History of the Sikhs: Volume 1: 1469–1838 by Khushwant Singh. Oxford India Paperbacks (13 January 2005). ISBN 0-19-567308-5
• The Sikhs by Patwant Singh. Image (17 July 2001). ISBN 0-385-50206-0
• The Sikhs of the Punjab by J. S. Grewal. Published by Cambridge University Press (28 October 1998). ISBN 0-521-63764-3.
• The Sikhs: History, Religion, and Society by W.H. McLeod. Published by Columbia University Press (15 April 1989). ISBN 0-231-06815-8
• The Sikh Diaspora: Tradition and Change in an Immigrant Community (Asian Americans — Reconceptualizing Culture, History, Politics) by Michael Angelo. Published by Routledge (1 September 1997). ISBN 0-8153-2985-7
• Glory of Sikhism by R. M. Chopra, Sanbun Publishers, 2001, ISBN 783473471195 .

External links

• Academic Room's scholarly resources on Sikhism
• Sikhs.org — general resource site introducing the main concepts of Sikhism
• The BBC page on Sikhism
• SikhMuseum.com
• SikhPhilosophy.net —An Interactive Resource on Sikh Philosophy
• Sikhism Guide
• Sikh Kara
• All About Sikhs
• Sri Granth — Guru Granth Sahib search engine with additional scriptural resources
• Sikh-History.com
• SikhNet — Sikh community website
• About Sikhism
• SikhsOnnet Comprehensive Sikh Information