| Subang, Malaysia | 8 Aug 2016 | Asia Samachar | 

There is a sense of apprehension when you talk to Subang Sikhs about their up-coming four storey building that will house the Gurdwara Sahib Subang, a much needed and long overdue place of worship for Sikhs in this part of wider Klang Valley.

But the apprehension is couched with a sense of optimism that things will work out as they marshall forward in the construction of the building.

You see, there is a shortfall of RM3 million for the RM4.8 million gurdwara building project undertaken by the Subang Sikh Association, Selangor (SSAS). The building includes two heavy duty lifts as the darbar sahib will be on the top most floor.

“The response from the Sanggat has been good but could be better,” SSAS president Amrick Singh tells Asia Samachar when met at a function at the construction site yesterday.

“We’ve been encouraging people to contribute their daswand. The local Sikh families are being encouraged to contribute RM10,000 per family.”

But the slowdown in the local economy has, somewhat, hit the fund raising activities.

“We are trying to get some corporate donors as well. We need the funding soon as the construction is well underway,” said an active volunteer.

Subang Jaya is a vibrant Malaysian township located between Petaling Jaya, Puchong and Shah Alam.

SSAS, formally registered in 2002, was formed with two objectives: To promote the teachings of Sikhism to Sikhs in Subang, and to obtain a piece of land to build the gurdwara.

Initial applications for a plot of land were made to the local authorities in 2003. In  January 2012, the Selangor state government had approved the allocation of a 10,000 sq ft land for the purposes of the gurdwara.

The laying of the gurdwara sahib’s foundation stone was held on Jan 4, 2015, after the completion of an akhand path, or the continuous reading of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib. On May 9, the piling for the building at a cost of RM148,000 was commenced.

Those interested in the tender process are requested to contact SSAS committee president Amrick via WhatsApp or SMS at [+60125389061] or email to amricksinghrandhawa@yahoo.com.my.

[ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs in Southeast Asia and surrounding countries. We have a Facebook page, do give it a LIKE. Follow us on Twitter. Visit our website: www.asiasamachar.com]

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The post Subang gurdwara still short of RM3m appeared first on Asia Samachar.

| Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | 8 Aug 2016 | Asia Samachar | 

Sikh Naujawan Sabha Malaysia (SNSM), a flag bearer of Sikh parchaar in the country for more than three decades since the 1970s, will elect a new leader this Sunday (14 Aug 2016).

The organiser of youth camps and various other Sikh-youth activities will be electing its 22nd leader, called Jathedar, at its Annual General Meeting to be held at its headquartes at Jalan Kuantan, Kuala Lumpur.

Pavandeep Singh, the youngest ever to assume the Jathedar post since the organisation was formed in the 1960s, has served for four years since 2012. The SNSM constitution allows a person to serve a consecutive of two terms of two-year each.

AGM notice has been dispatched to its members. On the agenda, at Point 50.8, is ‘Election of Jathedar for 2016/2018’.

SEE ALSO: SNSM gets big waiver for Khalsa Land, 18 Selangor gurdwaras get funding

SEE ALSO: Naujawan Sabha is broke

Once elected, the Jathedar appoints members to the executive committee (exco).

Last year’s AGM, a non-election year, saw heated discussions on a number of issues. Among them were the perceived lost of trust from the wider Sikh sanggat and concerns about it planning to hold its signature camp, the Annual Gurmat Parchaar Samelan, at its camp site in Kuala Kubu Bharu (KKB), Selangor.

Another issue that may crop up is the position of its finance.

In an article entitled Naujawan Sabha Is Broke in March 2016, Asia Samachar reported on the financial woes faced by the organisation, in part forcing it to abandon organising another one of its other signature event, the annual Vaisakhi kirtan and katha kick-off, at its usual venue at Cheras, Kuala Lumpur. Instead, they moved the programme to Gurdwara Sahib Klang.

At the heart of the matter is the financial position of SNSM, popularly known as Naujawan Sabha in Malaysia. Some members are already labelling it a financial crisis, it then reported.

“We were struggling to pay up the outstanding bills for the annual samelan. The Cheras programme will add to the Sabha’s current financial woes,” the report quoted one SNSM official.

[ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs in Southeast Asia and surrounding countries. We have a Facebook page, do give it a LIKE. Follow us on Twitter. Visit our website: www.asiasamachar.com]

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The post SNSM to elect new Jathedar at AGM on Sunday appeared first on Asia Samachar.

| Sikh History | 9 Aug 2016 | Asia Samachar |

By K.V. Singh

300 years ago, almost to this day; 9th June 1716 to be exact, he was killed. Captured in December 1715, he was being tortured endlessly for over five months now. Over the days he had seen thousands of his men being beheaded before his own eyes, their heads mounted on spears and paraded in a procession. He had earlier been put in a cage and paraded like an animal on the streets of Delhi by the Mughal Emperor – Farukh Siyar. And now, his son, barely 5 years old, was in chains in his lap even as the Mughal Emperor was seated on a chair opposite him advising the executioner towards the next torture, to kill his son with his own hands…

But this is not just the story about how, this story is also about why, why he got into this situation where he was captured; how a man who fought valiant battles as a ferocious warrior, unbeatable and glorious, was captured alive and paraded like an animal.

This man, Banda Bahadur had had a glorious life. Once an ascetic called Madho Das (and earlier known as Lachhman Dev before ascetism), he had been given the sword and five arrows by the tenth Sikh Guru, and was given a mission to unite the Sikhs and liberate the Punjab from the atrocities of the Mughals.

He had raised an army of over 50,000 people comprising Sikhs, Hindus and even Muslims. His army defeated the mughal army across North India and gradually liberated a large part of Punjab and the area between the Ganga and Jamuna in the area that is now known as Uttar Pradesh. He decimated the Nawab of Sirhind, the nawab who had bricked alive the children of Guru Gobind Singh in a wall at Sirhind and avenged the children’s murder.

SEE ALSO: Singapore lecture series on Banda Singh Bahadur starts on Jan 10 

For around seven years he ruled, minted coins in the name of Guru Gobind Singh and Guru Nanak and undertook several reforms for the upliftment of the poor. He abolished the lordship system of Zamindari and distributed land to the farmers. It is said he was a good ruler. In due course, he fortified himself in the hills, left his ascetic life, married and had children.

The Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah was in panic, the Sikhs were at the doorsteps of Delhi, just biding their time. It was for the first time in North India that a power had shattered the invincibility of the Mughals.

It was going well for Banda , and he was turning into a chief of prominence.There are many narratives here in history, and it is here that history becomes fudgy. He was initially a Yogi ascetic who had taken up arms to avenge the murder of Guru Gobind Singh’s sons. His army was made up of Nihangs, the traditional Sikh armies of Taruna Dal and Buddha Dal, the Tat Khalsa and the Khalsa who believed in the Gurus but were not fully following the Sikh code (which they now call the Bandai Khalsa).

As has been the story across India, it so happened that a portion of his own Sikhs started murmuring discontent against his regal lifestyle. The orthodox strain of Sikhs, the Tatt Khalsa started a campaign accusing him of degressing from the path of the Gurus.

Guru Gobind Singh’s widow – Mata Sundari Ji living in Delhi at that time – perhaps at the instigation of Banda’s detractors, perhaps as a result of intrigue by the Mughal emperor, is said to have been convinced that Banda was plundering the Punjab countryside. She wrote to Banda Bahadur; an order, a ‘Hukamnama’ asking him cease from pillaging the country side and settle down with their jagirs; the hukumnama being appended to a letter from the Mughal emperor. It is not known whether the hukamnama was authentic or not; however it was the beginning of the first tragic schism inside Sikhism.

Banda was contemptuous of the king’s offer and replied to Mata:“You want us to be subservient to those Turks who have destroyed your entire family. You are not aware of their cheating tactics. They will not give us property, they will merely deceive us. They want to weaken us through this sort of diplomacy.” Banda thus refused to toe the line of Guru Gobind Singh’s widow. The Tatt Khalsa, who looked upon Mata Sundari as their leader in the absence of Guru Gobind Singh took it as a personal effront to the Mata.

Mata Sundari is said to have thereafter issued another Hukamnama to the Sikhs, wherein she ordered Sikhs of the Panth to dissociate themselves from the man who had disobeyed the order of their Guru’s Spouse and had replied in rather insolent terms to her (Banda Bahadur by Sohan Singh) . No copy of this Hukamnama has existed and no one knows if it was genuine or a forgery on the orders of Farukh Siyar. The fact is that Mata Sundari’s supposed Hukumnama set in motion the wheels of the defeat of Banda . The Khalsa started deserting Banda Bahadur’s forces.

The Mughal army sensing the opportunity, attacked him led by the Lahore Governor. Banda fortified himself in a fort near Gurdas Pur, in a fort called Kacchi Garhi encircled by lacs of mughal warriors. The mughal seige of Banda continued for days, and months. Day by day conditions worsened in the Garhi. No food was left, grass, leaves of plants and trees were boiled and eaten. Even balk of trees was eaten. History was being created, a tragic history, but there was no one to write. They were completely cut off from the outside world. In the midst of the eight month long seige of the fort, the mighty Akalis, lead by Akali Nihang Baba Binod Singh and his son, Akali Nihang Baba Kahn Singh deserted him; supposedly in protest of him having forsaken the Sikh ideals.

It is said that as he saw his own Sikhs deserting him, Banda lost the will to fight. He had a couple of thousand men left with him, surrounded by lakhs. But this time there was no Muktasar, no charge by the sparrows on the eagles; Banda’s handful of Sikhs waited for the mughals to charge them; and as the mughals finally entered the fort, thousands were massacred, around 750 were captured alive, along with Banda Bahadur and his family. It is said Banda Singh made one last stand and killed about 50 to 60 soldiers of the Mughal army with his own hands before he could be captured, but others say that his deceived heart was just not into the fight, he refused to pick the sword and was captured alive; something that no Sikh warrior earlier had contemplated.

The Sikhs were brought to Delhi in a procession with the 780 Sikh prisoners, 2,000 Sikh heads hung on spears, and 700 cartloads of heads of slaughtered Sikhs used to terrorise the population. The Mughal caravan carrying Banda from Lahore to Delhi had captured and killed Sikhs along the route and hence the procession of Sikh prisoners was a sizeable one . The captured sikhs were paraded to Delhi in a procession; and were asked to convert to Islam or perish. Banda was made to watch as hundreds were killed, their heads hung over spears and rolled like footballs on the streets of Delhi.

The execution of Sikhs Sikh heads on spears as the Mughals march to Delhi with Banda
None of the Bandai Khalsas gave up their religion, none of them bent down, and all of them kept on reciting the Sikh Jaikara even as they faced death.

The Tatt Khalsa, who after Mata Sundari’s hukumnama had forsaken Banda Bahadur watched from the shadows, feeling despondent and guilty. They are said to have lamented their mistake, and some are even said to have given themselves up for sacrifice to accompany their ex-comrades. But by then it was all over, the glory of Banda was over, his rule had been decimated, and he was a prisoner of the emperor.

Finally, after five months of imprisonment, the day of his killing had come. But before he was killed he was forced to draw a dagger into his own son, his six year old son sitting in his lap. The Nobel Prize winning Rabindra Nath Tagore has poetically expressed the moments in his poem Bandi Bir:

In mere teen was the boy,
With hands tied thrown as a toy
Into the lap of Banda and without a word
He drew him close to his heart.
For a while he put his hand on his head,
Just once kissed his turban red.
He then draws his dagger,
Whispers in the child’s ear –
“Wahe Guru- fear not my son”
A virile in the boy’s face did burn –
In his juvenile voice the court did ring
“Wahe Guru” as he did sing.
With his left hand Banda held the boy,
With right struck the dagger in his ploy,
“Wahe Guru”, was all he did implore
As he took to the floor.

The pounding heart of his son was taken out by the executioner and pushed into his mouth. And as Banda resisted, his eyes were gouged out.

I first read Banda Bahadur’s story as a child, in historical comics of the Amar Chitra Katha. We used to read stories of Mughal atrocities, and often thought, well this has got to be an
exaggeration, of course. I saw paintings depicting the tortures of Banda Bahadur in a Sikh Museum at Amritsar. No one could be so cruel, could it be! But apparently they could be so cruel, I believe it now after seeing a video of the ISIS butchers mercilessly severing the head of their captives, laughing and dancing around him, I am tempted to share and compare the Banda torture paintings and ISIS butchery pics here, but they can’t be unseen and I wouldn’t want to haunt my friends with such pictures or paintings.

But back to the last moments of Banda Bahadur, as his eyes were gouged out, his flesh was stripped off his body, his limbs cut-off one by one and finally he was killed.

Herein lies the story of the tragedy. He was most probably the first victim of the Divide amongst Sikhs. He was defeated not because the Mughals were better than him on that day, he was defeated because the Sikhs fought amongst themselves and deserted him. He proved his Sikh credentials and ideals with his death, when he refused to bow down to the mughal emperor, refused to accept Islam and died with dignity and his pride intact.

Today we say that Banda was overwhelmed with false pride and became arrogant and so he lost the grace of the Gurus. His mistreatment of the Khalsa, and alterations of the Guru-ordained Khalsa traditions, resulted in the Khalsa warriors loosing respect for him. It is said that Banda lost because he had declared himself a Guru, advocated teetotalism (a throwback to his earlier life as a Vairagi), altered the Khalsa salutation, stopped wearing blue, etc; though there is no conclusive evidence to give support to this argument.(www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Bandai_Khalsa)

Whatever be the case for his downfall, Banda proved his detractors wrong with his conduct during his torture, he proved to be a better Sikh than others that had deserted him in the midst of the seige. Mata Sundari though after the death of Banda Bahadur brokered a peace agreement between Bandai Khalsa and Tatt Khalsa. The Bandai Khalsa however later withered away, and the prominent stream that survived was the Tatt Khalsa.

Today the Sikh orthodoxy, drawing their strength from Tatt Khalsa philosophy, bows to his memory, celebrates his glorious conduct during his execution but, and there is a big ‘but’; they refuse to accept that their own foolishness and mutual mistrust killed Banda; they still spend bytes of electronic space justifying the actions of the deserters; they still refuse to accept that it was their narrow vision that killed Banda; they still refuse to accept that Sikhs themselves were responsible for ending the reign of Banda.

They still refuse to adopt the wider Sikh brotherhood that does not fully ascribe to their narrow vision of Sikhism; they still kick out Sikhs from Sikhism if they don’t adopt the rigid dress codes. They are still narrowing their definition of Sikhism; they are still killing Sikhism.

As the Amar Chitra Katha of my childhood days said on its cover, “His martyrdom led to the foundations of the Sikh Kingdom”, yet they forget the lessons of his life and death. Perhaps a dispassionate and rational analysis of the days of Banda could draw a lesson for repairing the intra-sikh faultlines of today.

This is however how I would like to remember him, as a super-hero of my childhood.

The original posting can be seen here. Link to image here.

[ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs in Southeast Asia and surrounding countries. We have a Facebook page, do give it a LIKE. Follow us on Twitter. Visit our website: www.asiasamachar.com]

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The post The tragedy of Banda Bahadur appeared first on Asia Samachar.

| Opinion | 9 Aug 2016 | Asia Samachar |

By Karminder Singh PhD (Boston)

Who is the God of Dasam Granth (DG)? This is the primary question that will be examined in this article.

A cursory study of the Dasam Granth brings forth obeisance of its authors to two primary entities – Mahakaal and Durga.

Both have a plethora of names. Mahan Kosh author Kahn Singh Nabha on pages 201 and 674 describes Durga as the consort of Shivji (the devta of death) and provides more than a dozen names for her including Kalka, Shera Walee, Maha Mayee, Chandika, Seetla, Parvati, Chandee, Shiva and Jug Maata.

Mahakaal is another name for Lord Shivji. Readers can gain further insights on the philosophy here (http://www.speakingtree.in/allslides/why-is-lord-shiva-called-mahakaal).

Linking Mahakaal and Durga

The Shiv Puran depicts two primary forms of Shivji. This concept of duality is defined as  Ardh Narishvar Saroop. The right side of Shivji is male and the left is female. Mahakaal represents the Male component and Kalika the female. A cursory look at the three pictorial depictions of Shivji below – taken from three different sources capture this connection. In the first Shivji rides a bull while Durga rides a tiger. In the second, one destroys by fire, the other by weapons. In the third, the power of one is signified by the trishul and the other by multitude of limbs.

The Vaam Margee Sect of Shivji

This sect accepts that its primary Deity is the left side of Shivji namely Kalika, Chandee, Durga. And that the origin of creation is the right side namely Mahakaal.

The names Raam, Syam and Nul appear hundreds of times in a variety of places in the Dasam Granth. They are thus believed to be the writer poets of a vast majority of Dasam Granth. Their obeisance to Mahakal and Durga suggests that they are staunch (albeit deviant) members of the Vaam Margee sect.

The biggest Vaam Margee Mandir is called Shri Mahakaleshwar Temple and is located in the holy city of Ujjain, Madh Pardes India. Mahakaleshwar is a combined term from Mahakaal and Eshwar. Meaning Mahakaal is their God.

The following pictures – taken from within the Shri Mahakaleshwar Temple (centre) make the point that the artefact of worship of Shivji – namely the lingam is adorned with a picture of Mahakaal. This means that the lingam is the base artefact but Mahakaal drawn onto the lingam is the primary object of worship.

Mahakaal in Dasam Granth

The primacy of Mahakaal – above all other Hindu Gods is captured on page 309 as follows:

ਚੌਪਈ॥ ਮੈ ਨ ਗਨੇਸਹਿ ਪ੍ਰਿਥਮ ਮਨਾਊਂ॥

Chaupayee. Mein Na Ganeshey Pritham Manaun.

I do not accept Lord Ganesh as my primary God.

ਕਿਸਨ ਬਿਸਨ ਕਬਹੂੰ ਨਹ ਧਿਆਊਂ॥

Kishen Bishen Kabhu Neh Dhiayu

I will not ever worship Krishen and Vishnu

ਕਾਨ ਸੁਨੇ ਪਹਿਚਾਨ ਨ ਤਿਨ ਸੋ॥

Kaan Suney Pehchaan Na Tin So

I hear of them with my ears, but I recognize them not.

ਲਿਵ ਲਾਗੀ ਮੋਰੀ ਪਗ ਇਨ ਸੋ॥ 434॥

Liv Lagee More Pug En So.

My contemplation is on the feet of the following.

ਮਹਾਕਾਲ ਰਖਵਾਰ ਹਮਾਰੋ॥

Mahakaal Rakhvaar Hamaro

MAHAKAAL is my protector.

ਮਹਾਲੋਹ ਮੈ ਕਿੰਕਰ ਥਾਰੋ॥

Mahaloh Mein Kinker Tharo

Its on Mahaloh (another name of Mahakaal) that I place my obeisance

ਅਪਨਾ ਜਾਨ ਕਰੋ ਰਖਵਾਰ॥

Apna Jaan Karo Rakhvaar

Accept me as you own and protect me

ਬਾਹ ਗਹੇ ਕੀ ਲਾਜ ਬਿਚਾਰ॥ 435॥

Bah Gahe Kee Laaj Bichar.

Hold my arm and protect my honor.

Mahakaal Defined and Described in the Dasam Granth

The charactreristics of Mahakaal are found in pages 41 and again in 810 of the DG:

ਮੁੰਡ ਕੀ ਮਾਲ ਦਿਸਾਨ ਅੰਬਰ ਬਾਮ ਕਰਯੋ ਗਲ ਮੈ ਅਸਿ ਭਾਰੋ॥

Mund Kee Maal Disaan Amber Baam Kareyo Mein As Bharo

ਲੋਚਨ ਲਾਲ ਕਰਾਲ ਦਿਪੈ ਦੋਊ ਭਾਲ ਬਿਰਾਜਤ ਹੈ ਅਨਿਯਾਰੋ॥

Lochan Laal Karal Dipey Dou Bhal Birajat Hai Aneyaro

ਛੁਟੇ ਹੈਂ ਬਾਲ ਮਹਾ ਬਿਕਰਾਲ ਬਿਸਾਲ ਲਸੈ ਰਦ ਪੰਤਿ ਉਜਯਾਰੋ॥

Chutey Hai Baal Maha Bikral Bisal Lasey Rud Pant Ujeyaro

ਛਾਡਤ ਜਵਾਲ ਲਏ ਕਰ ਬਯਾਲ ਸੁ ‘ਕਾਲ’ਸਦਾ ਪ੍ਰਤਿਪਾਲ ਤਿਹਾਰੋ॥

Chadat Jawal Laye Kar Byaal So Kaal Sda Pritpaal Tiharo

In totality the depictions contain the following descriptions: Necklace of Skulls, Nude, Sword in hand, Eyes like burning charcoal on his forehead, Frightening braids, Dangerous teeth, Breathes Fire.

A variety of other names are used for Mahakaal in Dasam Granth. Examples are Sarab Kaal, Kaal, Astujh, KharagKet, Asket etc. Readers may want to note that NONE of these names appear for the usage of God in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji. Their individual meanings (weilder of the sword, the strong armed, the muscled one etc) go against the primary concept of the God of the SGGS to be of a non human nature.

Given the descriptions found of Mahakaal in the Dasam Granth – where his primary function is to fight the demons, protect Durga, and bring forth death and destruction the following images within the Vaam Margee sect fit the description.

Mahakaal and Durga as the primary Gods of Dasam Granth.

The following verse on page 73 of DG establishes

ਸਰਬਕਾਲ ਹੈ ਪਿਤਾ ਅਪਾਰਾ॥ ਦੇਬਿ ਕਾਲਕਾ ਮਾਤ ਹਮਾਰਾ॥

Sarabkaal Hai Pita Hamara. Dev Kaalka Maat Hamara

Sarabkaal (Mahakaal) is my father. Devi Kalika (Durga) is my mother. 

In Chandee (aka Durga / Kalika) Kee Vaar the writers of DG make clear that the Sub God of DG is indeed Durga.

gRMQ sqsXw ko kirau, jw sm Avr nw koie[ ijh nimq kv ny kiha so dyh cMfkw soie [Para 233. 

Granth Satsya Ko Karo, Ja Sum Avar Na Koe. Jeh Namet Kav Ney Kaheo, So Deh Chandika Soe.

This seven-chapter granth is now complete, none other is equal to it.  The object of this poet’s narration is the wondourous Chandee (Duga / Kalika/ Shiva).

In Bachittar Natak, the writer makes clear that the primary object of his spirituality is none other thatn Mahakaal and Kalika (Durga). DG Page 54-55.

ਤਹ ਹਮ ਅਧਿਕ ਤਪਸਿਆ ਸਾਧੀ॥

Teh Hum Adhak Tapasiya Sadhee

There I undertook dificult penance 

ਮਹਾਕਾਲ ਕਾਲਕਾ ਅਰਾਧੀ॥ 2॥

Mahakaal Kalika Aradhee

I meditated / prayed to Mahakaal and Kalika (Durga).

ਇਹ ਬਿਧਿ ਕਰਤ ਤਪਸਿਆ ਭਯੌ॥

Eh Bidh Karat Tapaseya Bhayo

Doing so I performed penance.

ਦਵੈ ਤੇ ਏਕ ਰੂਪ ਹਵੈ ਗਯੋ॥ ….॥ 3॥

Dvey Tay Ek Roop Havai Gayo.

I became one form with them. 

In Durga Kee Vaar (later name changed to Chandee Kee Vaar and changed again to  Bhagautee Kee Vaar) the writer makes clear that the object of

Durga Paath Banayea Sabhey Paureea.  Fer Na Junee Aiya Jin Eh Gaiya.

All the paurees of this vaar (55 in total) are composed in praise of Durga. One who sings this composition will not come into the cycle of births and deaths (will attain salvation).

It is clear that the key to salvation in DG lies at the hands of Durga.

The cloisng para of the entire DG pays obeisance to its God for making the completion of DG permissable as follows:

ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾ ਕਰੀ ਹਮ ਪਰ ‘ਜਗਮਾਤਾ॥ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਕਰਾ ਪੂਰਨ ਸੁਭਰਾਤਾ॥ …॥ 402॥ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅਸਿਧੁਜ ਜਬ ਭਏ ਦਇਆਲਾ॥ ਪੂਰਨ ਕਰਾ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ ਤਤਕਾਲਾ॥ . .॥ 403॥

Kirpa Karee Hum Pur Jug Maata. Granth Kra Puran Subhrata. Sri Astujh Jub Bhae Dyala. Puran Kra Granth Tatkala.

The Jug Maata (Durga/ Kalika) blessed me and this granth is now complete. When Sri Astujh (Mahakaal) became benevolent, this granth was completed. 

The Sources of Compositions in the DG

Given the fact that Mahakaal and Durga are found to be the two primary entities of sprititual obeisance and focus at every turn of the DG, there should be no confusion that the God of DG is the God of the Vaam Maragee Sect of Shivji followers. Mahakaal and Durga are the two intergral and inseparable parts of Lord Shivji.

The dual combination of Mahakaal and Durga in the DG is easy to understand because large portions of DG are lifted from Markanday Puran and Shivji Puran. These two and others are the primary sources of the compositions of DG.  The following is the standard verse at the end of virtually every compostion in the DG:

Et Sri Markandey Puraney Sri Chandee Chhritar Ukat Bilas Dev Suresh Sahit Jaikar Shabad Kra Astmo Dhiaye Sampurnang Masta Subh Masat.

Thus completed as the life of revered Chandee narrated through wondorous narratives as  translated from the eighth chapter of the revered literature of devta beings from Markandey Puran’s wondorous of wonders.

Markandey was a devotee of Mahakaal, Durga and Shivji. He is highly revered amongst the Vaam Maragee sect devotees. The Markandy Puran is one of the 18 texts of Snatan and is authored by him.

Mahakaal is clearly described within DG (page 41 and 840 as mentioned above). His Vaam Maragee devotees define MAHA as great.  His other name Sarabkaal. Sarab translates as ALL.  So Sarabkaal is one who is in ALL  time or ALL death. But MAHA and SARAB are both still within the framework of time and death – hence physical.

MORE ON THE GOD OF DASAM GRANTH IN PART TWO.

The God of SGGS

The God of Sri Guru Granth Sahib is AKAAL. Since kaal means time and death; the use of the prefix ‘A’ before Kaal by Guru Nanak suggests that the Sikh God is BEYOND time and death. That is why other traits such as AJOONI (beyond life forms) and SAIBHANG (self created) come into play.

AKAAL is NOT within the framework of time and death. It is BEYOND. It is NOT physical.

There is therefore a world of a difference between AKAAL and Mahakaal.

The  words Maha and Kaal appear as two separate words just once in the entire 1430 page SGGS. They do NOT refer to God, but to ultimate death.

rwmklI mhlw 5 ] jip goibMdu gopwl lwlu ] rwm nwm ismir qU jIvih iPir n KweI mhw kwlu ] 1 ] rhwau ] GGS 885

Ramkli Mehla 5:  Jup Gobind Gopal Lal. Ram Nam Simar Tu Jeveh Fir Na Khayee Maha Kaal. Rahao.

Realize God the Loving Protector. By remembering the Omnipresent’s virtues, you will obtain spiritual life; and be liberated from (the fear of ) ultimate death. 

Karminder Singh Dhillon, PhD (Boston) writes on Gurbani and Gurmat issues in The Sikh Bulletin, USA. He also conducts Gurbani Katha in local Gurdwaras. He is based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

• This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of the Asia Samachar.

[ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs in Southeast Asia and surrounding countries. We have a Facebook page, do give it a LIKE. Follow us on Twitter. Visit our website: www.asiasamachar.com]

RELATED STORY:

Dasam Granth Debate: The double edged sword (Asia Samachar, 4 Aug 2016)

SGGS-DG Discourse: Another stumbling block towards Ekta of the Sikh panth? (Asia Samachar, 4 Aug 2016)

Sikh council tells Malaysian gurdwaras not to permit Dasam Granth preaching (Asia Samachar, 3 Aug 2016)

MGC: Dasam Granth video clips not a ‘directive’ (Asia Samachar, 3 Aug 2016)

Dasam Granth video directive ignites debate in Malaysia (Asia Samachar, 1 Aug 2016)

Dasam Granth: Twisting Bones Till They Snap (Asia Samachar, 30 June 2016)

‘One Granth One Panth’ call from Global Sikh Council – Asia Samachar (Asia Samachar, 11 April 2016)

Are our Gurdwaras Dysfunctional? The Assessment. (Asia Samachar, 9 Jan 2016)

One gurpurab, two dates. Why the confusion? (Asia Samachar, 5 Jan 2016)

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The fallen amongst us (Asia Samachar, 22 Aug 2015)

The post The God of Dasam Granth – Part One appeared first on Asia Samachar.

| Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | 9 Aug 2016 | Asia Samachar |

Some 100 women came in their most colourful salwaar kameez and gharara. They danced giddha to the live boliyan.

Welcome to the Punjabi cultural event Teeyan organised by the Selangor Sikh Union (SSU) Kelab Aman at its headquarters in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday (7 Aug 2016).

This marks the first cultural programme by the new committee after the club’s annual general meeting in June.

The event that comes under the social cultural and development portfolio helmed by the Kelab Aman assistant secretary Reena Raj and assisted by a sub-committee.

“After we were elected, we had to put several matters on track. That took sometime before we start working on events and activities for members. This is our first step, there will be many more events and activities in the future,” Reena tells Asia Samachar.

The new committee is by President Gagandeep Singh.

Gagan said, the team took some time after the elections to get the committee with the operations of the club, each of them to familiarise themselves to their portfolios.

“Our sports activities are ongoing, now I want more activities for women and children. We are a Sikh club and we want to also promote our culture,” he said.

He also said there will be more new events under his leadership. “It has been sometime since we had a cultural event here,” he said.

At the event, Dalwin Kaur and Harpal Kaur won the best dressed gifts.

[ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs in Southeast Asia and surrounding countries. We have a Facebook page, do give it a LIKE! Visit our website: www.asiasamachar.com]

The post Ladies in colourful salwaar kameez, gharara throng Kelab Aman appeared first on Asia Samachar.

| Opinion | Malaysia | 9 Aug 2016 | Asia Samachar | 

By Jagdesh Singh

Come this Sunday, there will be a new Jathedar for the Sikh Naujawan Sabha Malaysia (SNSM), who will be tasked with the heavy responsibilities of steering the ship afloat very heavy currents.

Make no mistake, this new leader will definitely inherit the ongoing support it has garnered and enjoyed over the past five decades.

With its rich history comes heavy expectations from each generation of the community that it is responsible to serve for. Each of these generations will ask of the Sabha the very same every single year – to uplift the youth of Sikh families all over Malaysia and its neighbors and imbibe the teachings of our Gurus into their daily lives.

Our youth today face many different challenges, yet the salient teachings of our Gurus are no more relevant than the times of our generation and the generations before us. These teachings and practices have always been the panacea to these challenges, then and now.

SEE ALSO: SNSM to elect new Jathedar at AGM on Sunday

SEE ALSO: Naujawan Sabha is broke

SEE ALSO: Naujawan Sabha at a crossroads

In fact, many would argue, our youth probably need them now more than ever. But let’s be honest, that has always been the case for the generations before us.

For the Naujawan Sabha to maintain and sustain its mandate as set by our farsighted founders and pioneers, its outreach has to be appealing to the youth, attracting the youth is as vital as spreading the teachings of our Gurus to them.

To be appealing, the Sabha requires contemporary leaders who have their fingers on the pulse of the youth, leaders who are sensitive to the dynamics that attract and distract the youth, leaders who are sensitive to the fears and concerns of the youth, leaders who can speak the language of the youth. Without this, all the programs and all the infrastructure that we pour our energy, our heart and soul into, would be meaningless with a dwindling population of the Naujawan.

Although the teachings of our Gurus are as relevant as ever, the medium to spread these teachings, the approach that would appeal to the youth has to be in line with what the leaders are sensing from their sensitivities to the youth.

What worked even just as recently as five years back may seem out of fashion or backdated today, let alone what worked for the Sabha when it was formed in the 70s.

The trappings of peer pressure, alcohol and drug abuse, separated parents, abusive parents, sexual predators, addictions, getting lost in the virtual world and losing all sense of reality, and many more challenges faced by our youth are more acute today than ever before.

Sabha leaders will need to address these challenges to as many of our youth as possible, saving even a boy or a girl from any of them will already be any justification for Sabha’s existence. One of the proven ways to address these is education.

For our youth to navigate through their living nightmares and challenges, they need confidence that their decisions are the best ones by they make themselves. They need to learn about their surroundings and their environment, they need to know their own introspection, and they need to know about their own spirituality and what that means as they stand on both their feet. Education, be it from the formal systems in schools or from the informal communities surrounding them, is the key for them to attain the knowledge required for these challenges. Sabha needs to be at the forefront of providing platforms for our youth to access education, worldly and spiritually.

For Sabha to build and sustain these platforms of education, funds are needed. Money talks. Sabha has always been able to sustain its own income for it to run programs, providing education to the youth at many corners of the country. Their annual Samelans (Gurmat camps) are the only visible educational platforms that has grabbed attention over the years, but many other foundational programs and infrastructure has been laid over the past decades, each one requiring funds that Sabha could cough up whenever they needed to.

But the means to generate income as an NGO has always been a challenge for its leadership. Now, more than ever before, Sabha would need to make more money than before with the economic environment getting harsher by the day, and debts having doubled over the years. Perhaps extravagant programs over the years that didn’t really bear tangible results have finally caught up but it’s undeniable that funds need to be generated urgently.

Sabha would need to incorporate more strict and disciplined controls to ensure that the funds which have dried over the years be more prudently managed. Accountability and responsibility need to be clearly outlined with the new leadership team. Stewardship of funds must be second nature, reporting and documentation must happen in tandem. All ambitious projects that cost funds that do not exist or add on to the debts must be canceled or put on hold until the accounts are in the black.

Tis true that the new Jathedar and his leadership team will have inherited the support that will always be there, but they must always remember that the support is earned, just like respect. They must work hard to rebuilding the credibility of Sikh Naujawan Sabha Malaysia.

This Sunday (14 Aug 2016), the Sanggat must be present and must ensure that their new Jathedar is ready to shoulder such huge expectations and responsibilities, the ultimate seva for our youth. The youth need to be represented.

Jagdesh Singh, a Kuala Lumpur-based executive with a US multinational company, is a father of three girls who are as opinionated as their mother

[ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs in Southeast Asia and surrounding countries. We have a Facebook page, do give it a LIKE. Follow us on Twitter. Visit our website: www.asiasamachar.com]

FROM THE SAME AUTHOR:

Dasam Granth Debate: The double edged sword (Asia Samachar, 4 Aug 2016)

Naujawan Sabha at a crossroads (Asia Samachar, 26 March 2016)

Too young to be an amritdhari? (Asia Samachar, 7 Jan 2016)

Samelan organising committee took a bold (Asia Samachar, 25 Dec 2015)

Looking for next Santokh for Malaysian football (Asia Samachar, 25 Oct 2015)

Granthis aren’t built like they used to anymore – JAGDESH (Asia Samachar, 6 April 2015)

Would it be so bad if I married a Muslim? – JAGDESH (Asia Samachar, 5 Mar 2015)

RELATED STORIES:

SNSM to elect new Jathedar at AGM on Sunday (Asia Samachar, 8 Aug 2016)

SNSM gets big waiver for Khalsa Land, 18 Selangor gurdwaras get funding (Asia Samachar, 16 July 2016)

Camp Report: Seremban Naujawans ‘awesome’ time at Khalsa Land (Asia Samachar, 12 July 2016)

Malaysian Sikh NGOs urged to tap Federal Govt funding, deadline 11 April (Asia Samachar, 19 March  2016)

Naujawan Sabha is broke (Asia Samachar, 14 March  2016)

We have long yearned for permanent Samelan premises (Asia Samachar, 22 Dec 2015)

Khalsa Land set to host Malaysia’s largest Gurmat camp (Asia Samachar, 19 Dec 2015)

SNSM AGM: Win back trust, scrutinise Khalsa Land samelan plan (Asia Samachar, 18 Oct 2015)

4 Malaysian Sikh NGOs receive RM950,000 Federal funding (Asia Samachar, 5 Aug 2015)

The post Naujawan Sabha at the crossroads – Take Two appeared first on Asia Samachar.

| Singapore | 10 Aug 2016 | Asia Samachar |

Singapore top lawyer Davinder Singh is leading a Brunei team that is prosecuting a high-profile graft case in the kingdom.

The case involves Brunei Shell Petroluem (BSP), which is said to have suffered more than $5 million Brunei dollars (S$5 million) in losses due to corruption. Last week, the first of eight persons who allegedly received the bribes was convicted and jailed, reports The Straits Times.

In February 2016, the lawyer and former Singapore lawmaker, recognised as the republic’s best dispute lawyer at a regional award last year, was named a vice-chairman of the Paris-based ICC Commission on Corporate Responsibility and Anti-corruption.

Davinder is the chief executive officer of Drew & Napier.

In the Brunei case, Aidah Tengah, 44, a former BSP staff member, pleaded guilty to the charges against her and was sentenced on Thursday last week to five years’ jail and fined $200,000. The Brunei High Court also ordered her to pay $120,000 in costs to the prosecution.

SEE ALSO: Singapore lawyer Davinder joins Paris-based commission

SEE ALSO: Davinder named Singapore’s best dispute lawyer 

Aidah was charged with 20 counts of corruptly receiving bribes totalling $200,200 from David Chong, the manager of Musfada Enterprise, a key BSP contractor, the report added. [Davinder Singh prosecuting major graft case in Brunei, The Straits Times on August 10, 2016].

Musfada supplied items such as oil spill kits, box pallets and safety equipment. Chong, a Malaysian, was the mastermind who orchestrated the bribes paid between 2007 and 2009. He was sentenced to six years’ jail in 2013 for his role.

Senior counsel Davinder will play the role in prosecuting the ongoing case, assisted by Drew & Napier lawyer Gary Low and supported by Brunei legal counsel, underscores the premium placed by the Brunei government on the case, given BSP’s status as a public body.

The judge who sentenced Chong highlighted how BSP is the backbone of Brunei’s economy, accounting for more than half its gross domestic product and 90 per cent of its total export earnings.

The bribes paid to Aidah were for creating purchase orders to commit BSP to purchase various products supplied by Musfada. The total amount paid for the Musfada products amounted to about $6.4 million, but most of them were not delivered. This resulted in losses of about $5.5 million to BSP.

RELATED STORY:

Remembering Karpal Singh – The People’s Lawyer (Asia Samachar, 3 July 2016)

Singapore lawyer Davinder joins Paris-based commission (Asia Samachar, 12 Feb 2016)

Davinder named Singapore’s best dispute lawyer (Asia Samachar, 26 Sept 2015)

Working for LKY a ‘wild dream come true’ – DAVINDER (Asia Samachar, 24 Mar 2015)

Robotic girl Inderjit wins NCWO Young Women Award (Asia Samachar, 25 Aug 2015)

Prof Abtar wins teaching Unesco award – THE SUN (Asia Samachar, 15 June 2015)

Sandeep picks up Islamic finance award for Franklin Templeton (Asia Samachar, 14 Nov 2014)

The post Singapore Sikh lawyer prosecuting major graft case in Brunei appeared first on Asia Samachar.

| Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | 10 Aug 2016 | Asia Samachar |

Mahinder Singh, a Malaysian ambassador who heads to Switzerland after a five-year stint in Venezuela, would like to see more Sikhs joining the foreign services.

“I would like to advise our younger generation, especially our younger Sikhs, to join the foreign ministry to promote the country…It would be beneficial to the community to have some presence in this ministry,” he told Asia Samachar in an interview.

Mahinder, who joined the Malaysian public service in 1981, was the nation’s ambassador to Venezuela from 2011 prior to his appointment as Ambassador of Malaysia to Switzerland.

Mahinder and six other new Heads of Mission of Malaysia received their Letters of Credence from the Yang di-Pertuan Agong at the Istana Negara on 18 July 2016. Also present were Foreign Minister Anifah Aman and the ministry’s Secretary General Othman Hashim.

Mahinder was previously the Ambassador of Malaysia to Nepal from 2005 to 2007, Counsellor at the Embassy of Malaysia in Manila, the Philippines from 2003 to 2005 and Counsellor at the Embassy of Malaysia in Bonn, Germany from 1996 to 2001.

He had also served as Second Secretary at the Embassy of Malaysia in Moscow, Russia from 1990 to 1993.

Talking about his experience on the diplomat circuit, he says: “Some of my closest friends were from the Indian and Pakistani embassies, especially the Punjabi-speaking ones. We could converse in our mutual mother tongues.”

[ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs in Southeast Asia and surrounding countries. We have a Facebook page, do give it a LIKE! Follow us on Twitter. Visit our website: www.asiasamachar.com]

RELATED STORY:

Singapore Sikh lawyer prosecuting major graft case in Brunei  (Asia Samachar, 10 Aug 2016)

Remembering Karpal Singh – The People’s Lawyer (Asia Samachar, 3 July 2016)

Choor Singh – Diligent and distinguished  (Asia Samachar, 3 June 2016)

Malaysian Timber Certification Council appoints Himmat as chairman (Asia Samachar, 17 May 2016)

President Obama to appoint Sikh to presidential advisory council (Asia Samachar, 14 May 2016)

Dr Sukhdave reappointed as Bank Negara Malaysia deputy governor (Asia Samachar, 24 March 2016)

Singapore lawyer Davinder joins Paris-based commission (Asia Samachar, 12 Feb 2016)

4 Sikhs take up Cabinet berth in Canada (Asia Samachar,  5 Nov 2015)

Davinder named Singapore’s best dispute lawyer (Asia Samachar, 26 Sept 2015)

Surjit joins Singapore’s Presidential Council for Minority Rights (Asia Samachar, 2 Apr 2015)

The post Malaysian ambassador calls young Sikhs to join foreign service appeared first on Asia Samachar.

| Singapore | 10 Aug 2016 | Asia Samachar |

More than three dozen Sikhs received various medals for the Singapore National Day Awards 2016.

There are 22 men and 15 women Sikhs who made the cut this time around.

Among the women on the list are District Judge Jasvender Kaur and Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore Senior Assistant Director Corporate Communications Satwinder Kaur.

Also on the list are Bukit Merah CCMC Vice-Chairman Sarjit Singh and former parliamentarian Inderjit Singh, who is a member of the Nanyang Technological University Board of Trustees.

Also listed is Rajpal Singh, who was appointed as Consul-General Singapore to the Consulate-General in Johor Bahru in December 2015.

They are part of the 3,959 individuals in 19 award categories who received honours which recognises various form of merit and service to Singapore.

THE PUBLIC SERVICE STAR [BINTANG BAKTI MASYARAKAT]

Mr Sarjit Singh s/o Fujah Singh, PBM, Vice-Chairman, Bukit Merah CCMC

THE PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION MEDAL (SILVER) [PINGAT PENTADBIRAN AWAM (PERAK)]

Ms Jasvender Kaur d/o Saudagar Singh, District Judge, Criminal Justice Division State Courts

THE PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION MEDAL (BRONZE) [PINGAT PENTADBIRAN AWAM (GANGSA)]

Mr Rajpal Singh s/o Santokh Singh, Consul-General Singapore Consulate-General in Johor Bahru Ministry of Foreign Affairs

THE COMMENDATION MEDAL [PINGAT KEPUJIAN]

Mr Savinder Singh Dhillon, Head of Department Si Ling Sec Sch, Ministry of Education

Mr Surjeet Singh, Administration Manager Bukit Batok Sec Sch, Ministry of Education

Ms Satwinder Kaur d/o K Singh, Senior Assistant Director Corporate Communications, Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, Ministry of Transport   

THE PUBLIC SERVICE MEDAL [PINGAT BAKTI MASYARAKAT]

Mr Sukhmindar Singh, Member, Potong Pasir CCC

Mr Inderjit Singh Dhaliwal, Member, Nanyang Technological University Board of Trustees, Ministry of Education

THE EFFICIENCY MEDAL [PINGAT BERKEBOLEHAN]

Mdm Balvinder Kour, Management Support Officer Professional & Adult Continuing Education Academy, Singapore Polytechnic

Ms Jasbir Kaur d/o Harban Singh, Defence Executive Officer SAF Personnel Hub (West), Ministry of Defence

Ms Surinder Kaur Basra, Retail Executive NHG Pharmacy National Healthcare Group

THE LONG SERVICE MEDAL (PINGAT BAKTI SETIA)

Ms Nirmaljit Kaur d/o Shiv Singh, Defence Executive Officer Ministry of Defence

Mdm Karamjit Kaur, Senior Teacher Bendemeer Sec Sch, Ministry of Education

Mr Gulzar Gurdev Singh Sandhu, Teacher Gan Eng Seng Sch, Ministry of Education

Ms Surjeet Kaur d/o Shamsher Singh, Teacher St Joseph’s Institution, Ministry of Education

Miss Balbir Kaur d/o Katar Singh, Management Assistant Officer NUS Libraries, National University of Singapore

Ms Lkhvinder Kaur, Health Advisor National Skin Centre National Healthcare Group

Ms Amarjit Kaur d/o Pritam Singh, Senior Customer Service Associate, National University Hospital, National University Health System

Ms Dalbiro d/o Jassa Singh, Senior Staff Nurse, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital Singapore Health Services

Ms Balbir Kour d/o Surat Singh, Senior Associate Executive, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore Health Services

Mr Awtar Singh Brar s/o Amrik Singh, Chief Warder (2), Cluster A, Singapore Prison Service, Ministry of Home Affairs

Mr Dave Singh Calais, Superintendent (1) Cluster B, Singapore Prison Service Ministry of Home Affairs

Mr Jetendra s/o Dharam Pal Singh, Inspector of Police (1) Airport Police Division Singapore Police Force Ministry of Home Affairs

Mr Avtar Singh Dhillon, Assistant Superintendent of Police (1) Clementi Division, Singapore Police Force, Ministry of Home Affairs

Mr Sushminder Singh s/o Endar Singh, Rehabilitation Officer (1) Cluster A, Singapore Prison Service, Ministry of Home Affairs

Mr Terence Singh s/o J Devinder Singh, Sergeant, Cluster C, Singapore Prison Service, Ministry of Home Affairs

Mr Surender Singh s/o Jagdish Singh, Staff Sergeant, Cluster B, Singapore Prison Service, Ministry of Home Affairs

Miss Ranjit Kaur d/o Jagtar Singh, Staff Sergeant, Coastal Command, ICC (Sea) Immigration & Checkpoints Authority, Ministry of Home Affairs

Mr Jogindar Singh s/o Naranyat Singh, Staff Sergeant, Cluster C, Singapore Prison Service Ministry of Home Affairs

Mdm Pajang Kaur, Staff Sergeant, Ports Command, ICC (Sea) Immigration & Checkpoints Authority, Ministry of Home Affairs

Mr Gurmukh Singh s/o Rajan Singh, Staff Sergeant, Cluster A, Singapore Prison Service, Ministry of Home Affairs

Mr Amarjeet Singh s/o Sarjit Singh, Assistant Superintendent of Police (1) Tanglin Division, Singapore Police Force, Ministry of Home Affairs

Mr Daljit Singh s/o B Gurbachan Singh, Chief Warder (1), Community Corrections Command Singapore Prison Service, Ministry of Home Affairs

THE LONG SERVICE MEDAL (MILITARY) [PINGAT BAKTI SETIA (TENTERA)]

MWO Sanjee Singh s/o Saraina, PB, Singapore Armed Forces, Ministry of Defence

1WO Jagdeep Singh s/o Gurdial Singh, Singapore Armed Forces, Ministry of Defence

ME3 Harjit Singh s/o Santa Singh, PB, Singapore Armed Forces, Ministry of Defence

ME2 Karamjit Singh s/o Mehinder Singh, Singapore Armed Forces, Ministry of Defence

RELATED STORY:

Malaysian ambassador calls young Sikhs to join foreign service (Asia Samachar, 10 Aug 2016)

Singapore Sikh lawyer prosecuting major graft case in Brunei  (Asia Samachar, 10 Aug 2016)

Remembering Karpal Singh – The People’s Lawyer (Asia Samachar, 3 July 2016)

Choor Singh – Diligent and distinguished  (Asia Samachar, 3 June 2016)

Malaysian Timber Certification Council appoints Himmat as chairman (Asia Samachar, 17 May 2016)

President Obama to appoint Sikh to presidential advisory council (Asia Samachar, 14 May 2016)

Dr Sukhdave reappointed as Bank Negara Malaysia deputy governor (Asia Samachar, 24 March 2016)

Singapore lawyer Davinder joins Paris-based commission (Asia Samachar, 12 Feb 2016)

4 Sikhs take up Cabinet berth in Canada (Asia Samachar,  5 Nov 2015)

Davinder named Singapore’s best dispute lawyer (Asia Samachar, 26 Sept 2015)

Surjit joins Singapore’s Presidential Council for Minority Rights (Asia Samachar, 2 Apr 2015)

The post 37 Sikhs on Singapore National Day Awards list appeared first on Asia Samachar.

| Singapore | 11 August 2016 | Asia Samachar |

As Singaporeans go about their daily lives, they find comfort that their homes are kept safe by members of the Home Team. Part of this protection includes the tireless work done by the unsung heroes of the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) who keep our borders safe.

ICA’s vision is to ‘Inspire Confidence in All’. Its mission is to ensure that the movement of people, goods and conveyances though its checkpoints is legitimate and lawful and to administer and uphold its laws on immigration, citizenship and national registration fairly and effectively.

The ICA has boasted of many bright, capable and outstanding officers in the course of its history. One such officer is Mr Bhopinder Singh, who is ICA’s current Director of Operations.

Bhopinder was born in Singapore in 1954. Following his graduation from the then-University of Singapore with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Sociology, he began his career in the Ministry of Home Affairs in 1982. He started off with the Singapore Police Force (SPF) where he served for 18 years until he was appointed Assistant Director of Operations (Operations Management) at the police headquarters in 2000. During his tenure there, he was responsible for coordinating the island-wide police operations against illegal immigrants and criminal syndicates. It was not an easy task as he had to ensure proper and adequate measures were in place so that necessary action could be taken, depending on the situation.

In 2003, Singapore Immigration & Registration and the checkpoints operations of Customs & Excise Department merged to form the ICA. After serving as Assistant Director of Operations in the SPF, Bhopinder moved to the newly established ICA where he was appointed Deputy Director (Operations). With his sharp analytical skills, coupled with his deep sense of responsibility, Bhopinder rose to the rank of Senior Assistant Commissioner as well as Director (Operations) of the ICA. His position as Director of Operations increased his responsibilities significantly as he had to supervise the daily operations of the various departments to ensure that they were efficient while meeting their key performance indicators. He stated: “There was tremendous pressure on the job. We had to consistently deliver.”

However, with his affable personality as well as his resourcefulness and dedication, Bhopinder and his team of dedicated ICA officers took it in their stride to confront and successfully overcome all challenges.

Bhopinder is a leader who firmly believes that to get the best from his officers, he has to set an example by walking the talk and being at the frontlines. It is not uncommon for one to see Bhopinder interacting with his team of officers and keeping an eye out for areas where improvements can be made. He encourages officers to always stay ahead and pre-empt issues through the use of the latest technology and methods available to the ICA as well as trusting their instincts when it comes to making decisions.

THE SARS CHALLENGE

Bhopinder’s leadership style, to be among his officers instead of simply directing them, ensured that his officers overcame one of Singapore’s most challenging moments in the ICA history.

In February 2003, Singapore was faced with the outbreak of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). A total of 238 people were infected by the disease which claimed the lives of 33 individuals in Singapore. Many of these casualties were healthcare providers and other frontline staff who had come into direct contact with those infected by the disease.

As a regional hub and a responsible member of the international community, Singapore had to put in place effective measures to isolate and curb any uncontrolled spread of SARS. This meant that the ICA had a key role in putting into place measures to manage the entry of infected persons in Singapore and to prevent the spread of the virus. Bhopinder was a member of the Whole-of-Government Integrated Risk Management put into place to fight SARS. His task was to lead the planning and preparation of all needed measures to be carried out at all checkpoints.

The challenges faced by Bhopinder and his team were extreme and varied. Singapore’s globalised status meant it was a very popular holiday and business destination. It was critical that Singapore had to remain open to welcome visitors and businessmen to her shores while ensuring that the outbreak was controlled.

The task was a tall order, but with the able guidance of Bhopinder, the ICA teams were able to implement the most efficient methods to ensure that the SARS outbreak was monitored. This also prevented more cases from entering Singapore and ensured that there were no infected patients leaving the country, thereby controlling the spread of the virus to other countries.

Bhopinder’s planning and execution highlighted his capabilities and resourcefulness in not only formulating ICA’s crisis management plans, but also in enhancing its level of emergency response and preparedness. His stellar leadership was also a much-needed morale boost for a team which was fearful that it could become infected as well since it was at the frontlines. Looking back at the incident, Bhopinder thoughtfully shared, “The technical and operational know-how in managing the crisis was important. However, the personal experiences and shared sentiments have remained deeply etched over the years since SARS.”

“I have known Bhopinder for more than 30 years. We were university classmates and have been close friends since then. Bhopinder’s soft-spoken and unassuming manner has enabled him to negotiate challenges both in his career and personal life. He has excelled in his job and his current position as Director of Operations at ICA is a recognition of his dedication and professionalism in the service.
In his personal life, he is a loving husband, a caring parent and a filial son to his elderly parents. He has made the right decisions in life because he has a strong moral compass and, more importantly, is supported by a wonderful and loving wife.”
Mr R Raj Kumar Director, Public Affairs Asia-Europe Foundation

With 33 years of experience, Bhopinder’s span of leadership and area of responsibilities now covers the development of plans, policies, strategies and procedures to deal with all operational matters in the ICA. He oversees the Operations Division, which guides ICA’s frontline units on matters pertaining to checkpoint operations, investigation and repatriation of immigration offenders. In spite of his busy schedule, Bhopinder also makes service a priority. As such, he has been part of the Sikh Advisory Board since 2011 and actively contributes to its role as an advisor to the Singapore government on matters concerning Sikhism, as well as on the customs and general welfare of the Sikh community.

As he completes his service to the nation, it is Bhopinder’s fervent hope that the younger generations  Singaporeans will augment and improve on the foundation already set in place by members of his generation of ICA officers in the areas of border security. Through avid societal involvement and a general sense of community pride, the younger generation of ICA officers will be able to spearhead newer initiatives aimed at further strengthening Singapore’s security landscape that is continuously evolving.

The ICA will continue to face new challenges in the context of Singapore’s position as a global and cosmopolitan island state. It has been successful in meeting these challenges in the last 50 years, thanks to the officers at the checkpoints. Singaporeans have been able to take comfort and will continue to do so, knowing that our borders are being protected by brave men and women, led by inspiring and capable leaders like Bhopinder.

[This article is courtesy of SINGAPORE AT 50: 50 SIKHS AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS, a book published by the Young Sikh Association, Singapore (YSA) in conjunction with Singapore’s 50th birthday]

[ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs in Southeast Asia and surrounding countries. We have a Facebook page, do give it a LIKE! Follow us on Twitter. Visit our website: www.asiasamachar.com]

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The post Bhopinder Singh: A capable, resourceful Singapore officer appeared first on Asia Samachar.

| Editorial | 11 Aug 2016 | Asia Samachar |

The cornerstone of a vibrant as well as a democratic society is freedom of expression. This principle is fundamental to Asia Samachar.

Some quarters believe freedom of expression should be unfettered. Others, including nation states and civil societies, believe this principle must be tempered with to ensure that information is shared in a responsible way.

Asia Samachar upholds the freedom of expression but we practise this cautiously so as to provide its readers maximum benefit.

As editors, the primary duties are to disseminate news and views on various happenings and issues in the Sikh community.

The agenda of Asia Samachar — agenda carrying the meaning ‘objective’ — is to be a platform for the Sikh community in this region, and beyond.

The burden of duty of editors, be it print, broadcast or online, is not light. As editors, it is our task to ensure that this news portal carries news and opinions that will enrich readers.

But this is done with several rules in place. When writing news, we remind ourselves and our writers to observe the basic ABCs of journalism. A for accuracy. B for Balance. C for clarity.

With these rules in place, Asia Samachar has operated to fill a vacuum felt by many Sikhs in countries like Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and other Asean nations. Since its inception, Asia Samachar team has strived to become a medium of expression, information and news.

It is with the support of the Sikhs that Asia Samachar has emerged as a player in filling up the role of communicator and disseminator.

At the same time, Asia Samachar has been playing an added role: to push for greater communication among the various segments in the Sikh community. It has offered itself as a medium for Sikhs to discuss issues within the community in a cogent, cohesive and respectful way.

The reality is this: it is often a treacherous path for editors who want to allow their medium to become an open medium for the community they serve. As editors of Asia Samachar, this is not an exception.

Issues, because of their fluid nature, can get blown out of proportion or treated as nothing more than a storm in a tea cup. And most of the time how an issue is to be treated can be influenced by the mood of the readers. How they react or respond plays an important role.

It is not the work of editors to turn an issue into what it is not. The duty as an editor calls us to allow a healthy discussion to take place on our platform.

And in so doing, we are obliged to make sure that the principle of ‘hear the other side’ is maintained at all times.

Nevertheless, going beyond that, we also play the role as moderators when members of the community begin to provide their feedback.

We have to make sure that arguments do not degenerate into a farce. We strive to avoid readers from hurling insults, promote labelling and utter defamatory statements.

Like editors of any publication, we have the right to exercise discretion to ensure that discussions on any issue, even the most sensitive, is done in most civil manner.

Having said that, as editors, we have to face the risk of being admonished, sanctioned, criticised, labelled and even boycotted for doing our job.

Dasam Granth Issue

In the recent spate concerning Dasam Granth, there have been calls for the Asia Samachar to be boycotted.

Various allegations had been thrown at the editor and his team. It makes us reflect on these questions: What are our principles? What do we, as custodians of the Asia Samachar,  stand for?

The question uppermost on any editor’s mind under such a circumstance would be: “Shall I stop the discussion because it is inviting the wrath of a segment of the community?”

“Is the call for boycott an over-reaction? Did I give the various parties the space to respond? Did I exercise a level of impartiality in this issue?”

There are many unpleasant things happening in our lives and around us. How do we choose to deal with these unpleasant circumstances?

The generally accepted advice is to step back a little and diagnose the circumstances and then to choose an appropriate response to the unpleasantness.

In the issue of Dasam Granth discussion, we believe the best move forward is to allow for mature discussion. The calls for boycott does not put an end to the issue.

Let us state our stand. We are clear. There is no backing off. This is a platform that we have created for the bigger benefit of the society. We owe it to our personal conviction and principles that the door is not closed.

We will not be cowered by such calls for if we succumb now, we would be forced to do it again in future.

But here’s the deal: this platform is open to all. And we give an assurance that we will give the opportunity to all sides to present their views provided that the basic rules are adhered to.

Now you state them.

[ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs in Southeast Asia and surrounding countries. We have a Facebook page, do give it a LIKE. Follow us on Twitter. Visit our website: www.asiasamachar.com]

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The post Asia Samachar: A platform to benefit society, where everyone has a voice appeared first on Asia Samachar.

| Putrajaya, Malaysia | 12 Aug 2016 | Asia Samachar |

Gurdwara Sahib Puchong has received a RM30,000 funding earlier pledged by a Government minister to defray part of the cost to build an extended car park at the Sikh place of worship.

Malaysia’s Health Minister Dr S Subramaniam presented the cheque to the gurdwara management committee president Awtar Singh at a ceremony in Putrajaya on 11 Aug 2016.

it is understood that Puchong was the only gurdwara present at the ceremony. Most of the other recipients were Tamil and Hindu-based organisations.

SEE ALSO: Puchong gurdwara tars extended car park

“We have already completed the car park project. It cost us about RM85,000, which we are in instalments,” Awtar told Asia Samachar.

Dr Subramaniam, who is also the Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) president, made the pledge at a Vaisakhi function at the gurdwara in April. Awtar is a local MIC leader in Puchong.

[ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs in Southeast Asia and surrounding countries. We have a Facebook page, do give it a LIKE! Visit our website: www.asiasamachar.com]

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The post Puchong gurdwara gets RM30,000 funding through MIC appeared first on Asia Samachar.

| Putrajaya, Malaysia | 12 Aug 2016 | Asia Samachar |

Two Sikh academicians from Malaysian universities have secured research grants from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).

Prof Dr Kiranjit Kaur from Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) and Associate Prof Dr Sarjit Singh Gill from Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) will lead their respective research teams for the Networked Media Research Collaboration Programme (NMRCP).

“There were more than 100 entries. The selection process was pretty robust,” a person involved in the programme told Asia Samachar.

Prof  Kiranjit is Malaysia first  Professor in Public Relations in Malaysia. Dr Sarjit was one of the academics roped into an independent external committee to investigate the fiasco surrounding the faulty reference materials used in the teaching of “Tamadun Islam dan Tamadun Asia” (Titas) subject at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) recently.

The award ceremony was held at MCMC office in Cyberjaya, Selangor, yesterday (11 Aug 2016).

NMRCP was established to enhance and promote knowledge and research in in communication and social science research in the use of networked media and its impact on the population.

The programme is a collaborative initiative whereby the award of research grants to institutions of higher learning to conduct research in focus areas is undertaken with a view to generating the required knowledge resources to support policy and regulatory decision-making, according to information available at the MCMC website.

Prof Kiranjit will be researching on digital inclusion of marginalised communities and an audit of the Pusat Internet 1Malaysia.

Dr Sarjit, a social anthropologist, will look at developing an ICT model adoption and its impacts on cultural identity amongst the native people in Sabah.

PHOTO: (L-R) MCMC Academy director Ahmad Nasruddin Atiqullah Fakrullah, Dr Kiranjit Kaur, MCMC Adviser Mr Toh Swee Hoe and Dr Sarjit Singh 

[ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs in Southeast Asia and surrounding countries. We have a Facebook page, do give it a LIKE! Visit our website: www.asiasamachar.com]

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The post Two Sikh academics awarded MCMC research grants appeared first on Asia Samachar.

| Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | 12 Aug 2016 | Asia Samachar |

“Naujawan Sabha is not a mere society, it’s a brotherhood for Sikhi parchaar,” quips Amarjit Singh, the immediate past Jathedar of Sikh Naujawan Sabha Malaysia (SNSM) and a long-time volunteer.

After a brief pause, he continues: “What kept us awake at night? Sheer enthusiasm, sheer seva bhavnaa [love abundance for selfless service]. Every night, we planned on running programmes.”

He pauses again. There is a tinge of despondency in the air, discomfort in the voice.

“Times have changed. There is [now] some urge for recognition. Back then, we were still young and just coming out. Back then, we were nobodies.

“As you get recognition, you start feeling that you are a somebody. Seva is such a dangerous thing. As you do seva, you get pats on the back. This is hard to handle, hard to control. That is the devil manifesting itself, it feeds on you. It takes root. We know it, yet it’s there.”

There is a heavy look on the face of the 64-year old, but still active, volunteer of the Kuala Lumpur-based organisation. He retired from corporate life some years ago as one of the top officials at Koperasi Angkatan Tentera Malaysia Bhd.

He joined SNSM in the late 1970s, served in various capacities over the years, and assumed the responsibility of the Jathedar, or president, for two years between 2010-2012.

Amarjit was reflecting on a question posed by Asia Samachar on the state of the SNSM today as the organisation prepares for its 50th annual general meeting (AGM) on Sunday (14 Aug 2016).

“Just like gurdwaras, it is not a society, but you need a legal form to open banking facilities and other stuff. Sabha is a brotherhood of Sikhi parchaar,” he says it again. Parchaar means preaching. “To some, a society is a society. The legal framework overrides the essence. So they talk about voting. That is our downfall.”

VOTING

He knows a thing or two about voting at the organisation. The SNSM constitution states that the house elects a leader called the Jathedar, who then nominates an executive committee (exco). At present, a jathedar is allowed to serve two consecutive terms of two-year each. It used to be three consecutive one-year terms.

In the past, leaders of the organisation went to great lengths to avoid voting at the general house. They would strike out compromises to ensure that they do not have to vote one candidate over the other.

That tradition was put to a test in 2010. Malkith Singh, another long serving volunteer of the organisation and a well-known personality, had just finished his four-year term. He had put forward Pavandeep Singh. A compromise saw Amarjit elected as the Jathedar and Pavandeep as a deputy.

Two years later, the ‘no contest’ tradition came to a breaking point. Backed by Malkith, Pavandeep mounted a challenge against Amarjit. At the AGM, Amarjit backed out from forcing the house to go to a vote, despite some saying that he had enough support on the floor.

“I don’t want to be the person to break this tradition,” he told a fellow sevadar then. When asked, he confirmed the story.

At the AGM on Sunday, the out-going exco is putting forward Dr Jasbir Singh, a central banker and another long-serving volunteer, as the nominee for the Jathedarship.

“If the members deem me fit, I will undertake the responsibility,” he told Asia Samachar when contacted.

MAKING OF JATHEDARS

Looking back, Amarjit said SNSM has seen a dimensional shift in the make-up of its leadership, especially the Jathedar’s role.

In the past, he said the Sabha was made up of deans and lecturers, with the rest as support staff.

“It used to about programme planning, programme structure, with the logistics as a support to make it happen. This dimensional shift has taken place,” he said.

What’s the impact? “We have excellent cooks, excellent logistics people; but with very little material content. That is limited to a few who put their heads together to produce things.”

He added that the Jathedar has to be a father figure who can express to, and relate with, the flock.

“The young has plenty of youthful exuberance, energy, but they are a bit short on seniority to tackle issues, short on maturity, the siaanpa aspect.

“Hosh (wisdom) and josh (action). Excessive amount of josh is all action, no wisdom. You need a combination. To get this combo, you need older jathedars. Not old, but older. When you are too old, you don’t have the fire anymore,” he said, breaking into a laughter as he pointed at himself.

Amarjit spoke out against any idea of bringing back jathedars who have served their full term.

“If you repeat an old jathedar, you are recyling jathedars. If you do so, you are bankrupt of ideas, talent…How to move forward? You will have more of the same. You won’t see innovation. You must bring in new people. Each new person coming in will have his own contacts. It keeps the family growing.”

LOSING VOLUNTEERS

Touching on the Sabha ‘flock’, Amarjit shares another concern. Too many senior volunteers have drifted away from the organisation.

“During Master Daljit’s time, there was an explosion. Everyone came in. Now, we’ve had an implosion,” he said.

Daljit Singh, a retired headmaster, served as SNSM Jathedar between 1982 and 1985 and is credited for spreading the Naujawan Satsang movement in the country.

“The main difference in the last 30-40 years was Master Daljit Singh. He was a draw. He brought so many people into the Sabha. He produced so much material. Until today, when you talk about him, you feel good. It’s his natural love. It was during his time that we bought the first Sabha House and the first Sabha van.”

CHIP-BASED SEVA

Moving forward, Amarjit cautioned younger volunteers to stay focused on performing selfless service and not to treat it like a trade.

“Chip-based seva comes with obligations. You think he’s doing seva, but the person is actually collecting chips to be used for bargaining in the future,” he said.

ENRICHING EXPERIENCE

Despite the ups and downs, Amarjit will not trade the experience with Naujawan Sabha with anything. The more than four decades spent serving the SNSM had also given him tremendous joy and satisfaction.

“The Sabha job had been very enriching. It has been an informal training ground, a university of hard knocks. It had contributed to work place advancement, career advancement. I encourage all my children to get involved.”

[ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs in Southeast Asia and surrounding countries. We have a Facebook page, do give it a LIKE. Follow us on Twitter. Visit our website: www.asiasamachar.com]

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Malaysian Sikh NGOs urged to tap Federal Govt funding, deadline 11 April (Asia Samachar, 19 March  2016)

Naujawan Sabha is broke (Asia Samachar, 14 March  2016)

We have long yearned for permanent Samelan premises (Asia Samachar, 22 Dec 2015)

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4 Malaysian Sikh NGOs receive RM950,000 Federal funding (Asia Samachar, 5 Aug 2015)

The post Naujawan Sabha: A brotherhood for Sikhi parchaar appeared first on Asia Samachar.

| Opinion | 13 Aug 2016 | Asia Samachar |

By I.J. Singh & Ravinder Singh Taneja

Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are immutable God-given rights to each and every one of us. After all, aren’t we the chosen species of God’s handiwork? The American vision treats Equality as a self evident attribute.

And yet, the dominant and recurring theme throughout history has been the struggle between equality and inequality – real or perceived. Look around the world today and you will see that the sense of inequality, of feeling less than the other occupies center stage: in America, Donald Trump is cleverly exploiting this sense of inequality that a growing segment of White Americans feel after centuries of being dominant, while economists worry about the growing wealth gap between the haves and the have-nots.

In India, the treatment of low caste untouchables (Dalits) is an inflammatory but undeniable reality that some Hindus pretend never existed. Then there is the question of what to do with so-called Middle Eastern migrants (refugees) that are inundating Europe. Mostly have-nots, they have everyone all riled up.

Keep in mind that the politico-social reformers and revolutionaries who talk of this persistent inequality do so from a perspective where some are more equal than others. There is always the super-endowed one percent in every culture.

There are two distinct aspects to inequality: that of talent and ability on one hand, and of opportunity on the other. While ability, one could argue, is inherent and God given, opportunity should be and is a societal onus and responsibility. While the former is housed in our individual DNA, the latter is a human construct that gives meaning to our whole struggle in societal existence.

Yes, we can create opportunity that appears unbiased and guarantees the same legal rights for all, but the results depend on how the moment is seized, understood and applied. Not everyone will use the same opportunity equally, not only because the DNA is different but also because the finer points of how one seizes opportunity may be culturally or economically driven.

Legally we may promise equality of opportunity but opportunity often emerges from human interaction and networking. One can’t always methodically and predictably prepare for opportunity; it comes in a myriad ways and also like a stroke of luck from nowhere – religious believers might term it nadar or grace. There is thus no way to forcefully mandate equality — legislatively or otherwise.

Both Experimental Biologists and Behavioral Scientists tell us that it is the intricately complex and life-long interaction of nature (DNA) and nurture (environment) that shapes us, our successes and failures. This makes us what we are.

Some societies override such concerns by promising that each of us receives according to our needs and gives according to our abilities. But this axiom cannot be satisfactorily legislated. And who will decide what to take and how much to give becomes an explosive question.

Many utopian societies that human history documents have failed; nevertheless, they all noted the inequality in human potential, such that we can never totally correct nor compensate for these inadequacies.

Hence the truism that human societies have always been split into rulers and serfs, leaders and followers, kings and slaves. Inevitably then there is always a gulf or stratification in human societies; this becomes history’s enduring lesson.

Indeed, hierarchies appear to be Nature’s organizing principle. They are visible not only in human societies but in the animal world as well. Hierarchies abound in the structure of the Universe itself – from societal systems and information sciences, to cellular and sub-cellular biology, and to the structure of the gene itself. Life appears to be inherently hierarchical.

Why, one might ask, is such an arrangement so pervasive? Human survival and evolution apparently depend upon it. Increasingly complex structures appear to organize in hierarchies.

This never ending tug of war, back and forth in the vertically stratified units of society, particularly in economic terms, have for centuries given birth to periodic human potential movements. Their goal is to provide equal opportunities and rights to the have-nots and narrow the gap between vertically stratified strata in the face of ever present gaps in talent.

Many Utopian movements are religious at their core, some are not. Of the latter, Socialism, and Communism, along with smaller groups with experimental lifestyles might count. If you don’t think of deism as an essential prerequisite of religions, many of these such as Communism deserve to be counted as religions. (It all depends on our definition of “religion.”) Deist religions start with a just, forgiving Creator who treats the believers with a kindly generous eye; redemption from our transgressions is promised, if not in this world, than in another reality after death. The non-believers or those of other faiths are usually not included in such largesse.

M.I.T. economist Daron Acemoglu and Harvard political scientist James Robinson, in their book Why Nations Fail (2012) offer an interesting argument in favor of inclusiveness, claiming that throughout history nations that were not economically and politically inclusive failed. Exploring throughout history, the authors concluded that countries that become internally too unequal go into decline.

When wealth becomes unequal, so the argument goes, the wealthy consolidate their power, democracy is undermined, and the nation —including its economy— starts to disintegrate. The rich undermine their own good fortune by being too greedy!

Watch the political oratory of wannabe leaders in this political season and the trouble brewing for the top one percent of financial tigers of contemporary American society. Does that sound like Bernie Sanders on his pulpit?

The moral: Human societies operate largely as vertically constructed, somewhat of a pyramidal structure with authority concentrated at the top. But liberal, inclusive societies recognize these limitations and focus on enlarging the opportunities for achievement.

In this mix of rulers and serfs who is wise or strong enough, while also being caring enough to be anointed the ruler? What does life teach us? How history informs us? How does religious philosophy, specifically Sikhi, instruct us? Finally, what are the lessons for the day? That’s really the question today.

Keep in mind that the underlying issue is equality of opportunity, not achievement. Transforming a possible opportunity into an action item is a whole new and different ball game. Seize the day (carpe diem) may be the only feasible advice.

Utopian visions – the notion of a perfect political and social system – have been with us since the beginning of Time. Man’s expulsion from the Garden of Eden may have set in motion this downward spiral. Since then, Plato’s Republic, Cicero, Dante and St Augustine, not to mention Thomas Moore have all envisioned a Utopia, a sort of pilgrimage back to Paradise—until utopia became dystopia.

Sikhism, too, remains a powerful idea of a human potential movement.

The Sikh position on Equality is unambiguously stated in its creedal statement, the so-called Mool Mantar: Oneness underlies all the diversity in the Universe. Sikh tradition tells us that Guru Nanak’s enlightenment was accompanied by the assertion, “Na ko Hindu, Na Mussalman” meaning that there is no Hindu or Muslim, thus signifying the equality of all.

It is on this foundational principle of Oneness that Guru Nanak offered a new vision, a new Way of political governance. The bards, Satta and Balvand describe Guru Nanak’s vision as the citadel of Truth and a reversal of the flow of the Ganges (a river sacred to Hindus), no doubt an allusion to the fact that the Guru’s new paradigm dismantled and turned upside down the existing stratified socio-political structure of India.

And this was over 500 years ago.

After his long and extensive travels, Guru Nanak founded Kartarpur in 1521, a commune in present day Pakistan, not far from the Indian border. This experimental township was the practical application of the Guru’s vision of a Utopia and it is here that the foundation of Sikh society was established.

Bhai Gurdas offers us a glimpse of Kartarpur. Here the Guru put his philosophy into practice by combining kirat and keerat – literally meaning honest labor and singing of praises of the One. What that meant was to be productive as we cultivate our God-given talent.

A powerful practice that served as a great equalizer was the Pangat or communal kitchen. By requiring everyone to partake from a common communal kitchen, the Guru took straight aim at the heart of a stratified caste system where the kitchen (with its segregation by caste) was the centerpiece.

The institution of Pangat (also called Langar) is one practice that distinguishes Sikhs today.

Guru Nanak’s strong reaction to the political and economic corruption of his times is an instructive insight into his vision of an equitable society. He did not shrink from calling out the rulers of the day, likening them to wolves and butchers, “Rajje Seeh Mukkadam Kuttey” (Guru Granth p. 1228) – reminding to us to find our voice and give it expression.

How did Sikhi’s message resonate with people? A clear example is when Guru Gobind Singh initiated the order of the Khalsa. After initiating the first five Sikhs he knelt before them and asked them to initiate him. The inherent idea here was of equality and self-governance; the differences between the Guru and the have-nots vanished. This was the institutionalization of Guru Nanak’s message.

We submit that this message of Sikhi is as alive today as it was five centuries ago. Sikhi offers it today as it did then.

Think a moment: Most opportunities arise from differences of opinion. But diversity also fuels growth. We need to cultivate the art of conversation and dialogue and how to disagree without becoming disagreeable. Guru Nanak emphasized openness of dialogue and communication as sure ways to break down walls of inequality and hate. He set the example himself in the discourse with the Yogis. Jab lag duniya rahiye/Nanak kich suniye kich kahiye,” the Guru Granth (p.660) reminds us.

We need to remember that competition is not bad; greed and avarice are evils that need to be discarded from our arsenal.

Equality and fraternity of opportunity, not necessarily of results is the goal.

Notwithstanding Bernie Sander’s now finished political crusade we likely cannot banish inequality absolutely. When we speak of life liberty and pursuit of happiness, we need to note that the operative word here is “pursuit” not attainment. Remember that different children of the same parents differ in talent, temperament and results

Some believe that have-nots are at the bottom of the unwanted pile because of how they sinned in their past lives but that’s a road best not taken. It makes one so smug and satisfied that we tend to hop off the road of enterprise and to walk instead the path of indifference and complacence.

I.J. Singh is a New York based writer and speaker on Sikhism in the Diaspora, and a Professor of Anatomy. Email: ijsingh99@gmail.com. Ravinder Singh can be reached at ravindersinghtaneja@gmail.com

[ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs in Southeast Asia and surrounding countries. We have a Facebook page, do give it a LIKE. Follow us on Twitter. Visit our website: www.asiasamachar.com]

FROM THE SAME AUTHOR:

Principles & Practices: Big Tent Revisited (Asia Samachar, 29 July 2016)

IDEAS: Revolution, Evolution or Slow Death (Asia Samachar, 16 July 2016)

The four wives of a king: A parable revisited (Asia Samachar, 29 June 2016)

1984: Institutionalizing evil (Asia Samachar, 6 June 2016)

AWAT: The Terrible Two’s Again? (Asia Samachar, 28 May 2016)

BLOOD: The Elixir of Life (Asia Samachar, 22 May 2016)

Some bridge building (Asia Samachar, 6 May 2016)

Khoj Gurbani at two (Asia Samachar, 29 April 2016)

False lure of the past: Lap dogs, watch dogs & attack dogs? (Asia Samachar, 5 April 2016)

When our quirks define us: A parable revisited (Asia Samachar, 10 March 2016)

Questioning faith (Asia Samachar, 26 Feb 2016)

The Fragmented self (Asia Samachar, 28 Jan 2016)

You want to respect Guru, make shabad accessible (Asia Samachar, 14 Jan 2016)

Beyond Chamkaur: Wars, battles and memories (Asia Samachar, 23 Dec 2015)

Vand Chhakna: The Sikh way of sharing & caring (Asia Samachar, 4 Dec 2015)

To remember & to celebrate (Asia Samachar, 10 Nov 2015)

The purpose of life (Asia Samachar, 14 Oct 2015)

On sects and denominations in Sikhi (Asia Samachar, 27 Sept 2015)

Mixed marriages in gurduaras (Asia Samachar, 31 Aug 2015)

The fallen amongst us (Asia Samachar, 22 Aug 2015)

Is Sikhism Turning Into The Superbowl? (Asia Samachar, 4 Aug 2015)

Human savagery & nobility (Asia Samachar, 30 July 2015)

When ignorance is bliss… (Asia Samachar, 24 July 2015)

WORSHIP…Love of God: Greed or Mortal Dread (Asia Samachar, 8 July 2015)

Deras & Babas: Why So Many? (Asia Samachar, 24 Oct 2014)

The post Equality & Inequality appeared first on Asia Samachar.

| Sharanpal Kaur | Kampar, Malaysia | 13 Aug 2016 | Asia Samachar |

Gurdwara Sahib Kampar: 100 years

1 of 6

Gurdwara Sahib Kampar celebrated its 100th year anniversary earlier this month. Avid photographer Sharanpal Kaur captured the event. Gurdwara Sahib Kampar was gazetted on 12 February 1916.

A special kirtan semagam featuring Bhai Gurpreet Singh Shimla was held between Aug 3-7, while an akhand path was organised between Aug 5-7.

Sharanpal shares her experience:

The event intended to bring ‘home’ people who had migrated to other towns. The high tea on 6 Aug was the highlight. It carried the theme “Revisiting Roots, Rekindling Memories”.

After a cake cutting ceremony, the guests mingled happily, up-dating information and meeting long lost friends.

It was truly a gathering of old friends and acquaintances. It was a true home coming for many. The air was filled with joy and delight of meeting long lost friends and distant relatives. The Sangat appreciated the effort made by organisers as it gave them a chance to be back at their ‘roots’ and indulge in old memories.

I could see the old and young mixing, chatting, hugging, laughing, sharing tears of joy upon meeting each other. Some could not recognise each other as they have not met for ages.

Gurdwara Sahib Kampar former president Master Santokh Singh was tasked to trace the 100 year history of the gurdwara and the coming of Sikhs to Kampar.

The post Kampar 100: Love is in the air appeared first on Asia Samachar.

| Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | 13 Aug 2016 | Asia Samachar |

Here’s an imaginary conversation between key officials of Sikh Naujawan Sabha Malaysia (SNSM), an outfit known over the years for running Gurmat camps for Sikh youth and managing Sikhi parchaar.

“Seen Jasbir?”

“Which Jasbir”

“Father.”

Those familiar with the Sabha, as the organisation is commonly called, will know who ‘Father’ is. No, they are not looking for someone’s dad or even a leader of some church. They are most probably looking for Dr Jasbir Singh, a likeable and good-natured volunteer at the organisation.

Jasbir, 52, has taken up various roles in SNSM and is currently its secretary. He has been asked by the out-going team to lead the organisation as it prepares for its annual general meeting (AGM) tomorrow (14 Aug 2016) in Kuala Lumpur.

At the AGM, the out-going exco is putting forward Jasbir as the nominee for the Jathedarship. The SNSM leader is called a Jathedar, which literally means a leader of a group.

“When I came back from Australia [after completing his PhD in Knowledge Management at end-2007], it was not same Sabha. I saw disunity. Many of the older sevadars were shying away from Sabha,” he told Asia Samachar in an interview.

“We need to go back to basics. We have diverted from our actual objectives. We don’t do the Sikhi parchaar that we used to do. For example, the Vaisakhi tours by our local jathas. We have just started with our structured mini-samelan and weekend camps.”

SEE ALSO: Naujawan Sabha: A brotherhood for Sikhi parchaar

SEE ALSO: SNSM to elect new Jathedar at AGM on Sunday

If tasked with the responsibility as the SNSM Jathedar, Jasbir intends to emphasise on Sikhi parchaar and the development of the Sikh youth.

He had outlined five areas: 1. Sikhi Parchaar, 2. Youth development 3. Education, 4. Welfare, and 5. House keeping (internal Sabha affairs).

“We need to make Sikhi parchaar as our main objective. The minute you divert from the Guru is when we see disaster,” he said.

Jasbir also emphasised on the importance of developing the youth to become more dynamic.

“We want them to be ready for the job market. We don’t want to give them fish, but to teach them how to fish. We need to develop structured programmes for them,” he said.

Extract from the interview:

Tell us about your early days with the Sabha?

It started in 1988. I was staying with Suret Singh, who was then the Sabha secretary under Jathedar Jai Singh. I used to follow him for some Sabha meetings. I was helping with the setting up of the library at their office at the Sentul gurdwara.

What was your impression of Sabha then?

I saw Sabha as a simple, sincere organisation. I used to see Jai Singh, Master Pritam Singh, Master Daljit Singh [all former Sabha jathedars]. They were sincere and religious people. Sabha was small, but doing high-impact activities. Kirtan jathas were all done by our naujawans.

At that point of time, people knew Naujawan Sabha as the organisation. Whenever they went on kirtan tours, people looked forward to seeing them. They had many mini-samelans. Every other day, they had satsangs at various gurdwaras [in the Klang Valley].

How did you get involved directly?

I was then invited to join the Exco. I was made Assistant Secretary. Then I went to pursue my degree full time at USM in Penang. I used to attend Satsangs, helped Sukhindarpal Singh and the team.

I later served as Secretary under Harbinder Singh, Meet Jathedar with Bulvant Singh and Harvinder Singh. In 2004, I left for Australia to pursue my studies.

Did you get involve in any Sikhi activities in Australia?

I helped to set up Sikh Naujawan Sabha Melbourne. Among the key people were Master Darshan Singh, Dharminder Kaur and her husband Amardeep Singh, Manpal Singh and Sarjit Singh. They wanted to organise Samelans and other activities.

What is the state of the Sabha today?

When I came back from Australia, it was not the same Sabha. I saw disunity. Many of the older sevadars were shying away from Sabha. I see Sabha as more of a religious body. Unfortunately, we did not practice what we preach.

Why do you call Sabha a religious body?

Our main objective is to do Sikhi parchaar. Unfortunately, we were not doing enough of that. We have diverted from our actual objectives. We don’t do the Sikhi parchaar that we used to do. Seva pavnaa (love for selfless service) is lacking. We were looking too much at pleasing people.

What needs to be done?

We need to bring back all our sevadars. The process to get the involvement of the earlier sevadars has started. It will take time.

What Sabha needs to do?

We need to go back to basics. For example, the Vaisakhi tours by our local jathas. We have just started with our structured mini-samelan and weekend camps.

At the annual samelan last year, we had adopted a different way to prepare the learning modules. We used instructional design techniques. Whatever you want to do, you start with the learning objectives. Once you can define that, you then work backwards to see how to achieve them. The activities will be designed in such a way to achieve those objectives. We may use different methodologies like debates, discussions, case studies.

Moving forward, what should be Sabha’s focus?

We are looking at these five areas: 1. Sikhi Parchaar, 2. Youth development 3. Education, 4. Welfare, and 5. House keeping (internal Sabha affairs).

We need to make Sikhi parchaar as our main objective. The minute you divert from the Guru is when we see disaster. We must remain on the path of the Guru’s teachings. We must always put the Guru before us.

What do you mean by Sikhi parchaar? 

We are talking about Sikhi parchaar for all. In parchaar, we also want to relook at the Akaal Purakh ki Fauj. The Fauj was supposed to be a structured way of teaching Sikhi. When we had this movement, the outcome could be seen at Samelans. When you talk to camp participants [who had gone throught the Fauj programmes], you could see they could grasp things better. When we had the Fauj programmes back in the early days, the participants would come eagerly to samelans.

The next thing we need to do is develop our youth to become more dynamic. We want them to be ready for the job market. We don’t want to give them fish, but to teach them how to fish. We need to develop structured programmes for them.

Any change in approach to the way Sabha should do things?

We should not do things on our own. We should collaborate with other organisations, We should maximise our resources. The aim is to get all the youth together.

In January 2016, we collaborated with EKTA, a group of professional  Sikh women who believe in life long learning. We will work with them to help SPM students on things like soft skills, how to prepare resumes, selection of courses.

On education, we should emulate what the Sri Murugan Centre (SMC) is doing. We should target primary students, with the help of university students. We want to get our academicians’ help to see how we can best do this.

On the welfare front, we should emulate what the UK-based Sikh Helpline is doing. We should not do it on our own. We should join hands with the Sikh Welfare Society Malaysia (SWSM), Malaysian Sikh Education Aid Fund (MSEAF), other relevants organisations a well as individuals. We would like to get psychologist and relevant people to join in as well.

Lastly, Sabha needs to keep our house in order. Administratively, we need to have in place a proper filing system and governance in terms of managing our finance.

How do you propose to fund all these projects?

The Sabha should launch a full scale daswand scheme. In our pilot project, we already have 60 people who are contributing a minimum of RM30 a month. Some are giving more. The scheme is known as One for Guru. It means we set aside RM1 a day for the Guru. We are looking at a sustainable income. We cannot depend on government handouts. Whenever we have project, we go to the Sanggat. With this, we will have a flow of sustainable income.

What about the Khalsa Land in KKB?

This will be good for the long term development of Khalsa Land in Kuala Kubu Bharu (KKB). We must look at developing the land. That’s going to be our permanent samelan ground. We have to plan it in such a way that it is used year-round with activities. It should be self-sustaining.

[ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs in Southeast Asia and surrounding countries. We have a Facebook page, do give it a LIKE. Follow us on Twitter. Visit our website: www.asiasamachar.com]

RELATED STORIES:

Naujawan Sabha: A brotherhood for Sikhi parchaar (Asia Samachar, 12 Aug 2016)

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The post SNSM has to return to Sikhi parchaar, says Dr Jasbir Singh appeared first on Asia Samachar.

| Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | 15 Aug 2016 | Asia Samachar |

Long-time volunteer Dr Jasbir Singh was unanimously elected as the 22nd Jathedar of the Sikh Naujawan Sabha Malaysia (SNSM) at its annual general meeting (AGM) in Kuala Lumpur today.

The expected challenge did not materialise.

Jasbir, 52, has taken up various roles in SNSM and was the out-going secretary. He was tasked by the out-going team to lead the organisation.

The five-hour meeting went on in a cordial mood, with members raising various issues and concerns. Topping the list were the management of funds.

“We have broken from the Sikh Sanggat,” former SNSM Jathdar Master Pritam Singh told the house. “We have to keep things under control. We should be spending money on our naujawans. Why are we not employing granthis who can teach our Naujawans how to do paath.”

Another former Jathedar, as the leader of the organisation is called, also cautioned the movement to ensure that it remains open to all Sikhs.

“This Sabha is meant for all Sikhs, irrespective of whichever denomination. We cannot allow the Sabha to be used by one side to bash another. If you are allow this, you will have to pay the price,” said Master Daljit Singh.

Associate Prof Autar Singh, another former SNSM Jathedar, requested the in-coming committee to make available audited accounts on a quarterly basis.

Khushwant Singh, a former executive committee member, said as a registered body and using the Sanggat’s funds, it need to be transparent in its finance.

In his closing speech, Pavandeep said: “It has not been an easy journey.”

[ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs in Southeast Asia and surrounding countries. We have a Facebook page, do give it a LIKE. Follow us on Twitter. Visit our website: www.asiasamachar.com]

RELATED STORIES:

SNSM has to return to Sikhi parchaar, says Dr Jasbir Singh (Asia Samachar, 13 Aug 2016)

Naujawan Sabha: A brotherhood for Sikhi parchaar (Asia Samachar, 12 Aug 2016)

Naujawan Sabha at the crossroads – Take Two (Asia Samachar, 9 Aug 2016)

SNSM to elect new Jathedar at AGM on Sunday (Asia Samachar, 8 Aug 2016)

SNSM gets big waiver for Khalsa Land, 18 Selangor gurdwaras get funding (Asia Samachar, 16 July 2016)

Camp Report: Seremban Naujawans ‘awesome’ time at Khalsa Land (Asia Samachar, 12 July 2016)

Malaysian Sikh NGOs urged to tap Federal Govt funding, deadline 11 April (Asia Samachar, 19 March  2016)

Naujawan Sabha is broke (Asia Samachar, 14 March  2016)

We have long yearned for permanent Samelan premises (Asia Samachar, 22 Dec 2015)

Khalsa Land set to host Malaysia’s largest Gurmat camp (Asia Samachar, 19 Dec 2015)

SNSM AGM: Win back trust, scrutinise Khalsa Land samelan plan (Asia Samachar, 18 Oct 2015)

4 Malaysian Sikh NGOs receive RM950,000 Federal funding (Asia Samachar, 5 Aug 2015)

The post Dr Jasbir Singh elected unanimously as SNSM Jathedar appeared first on Asia Samachar.

| Singapore | 14 Aug 2016 | Asia Samachar |

“I think if you have done something well and it is worthwhile remembering, that is naturally great. In my case, I am basically a teacher. So I think it may not be history that will remember or judge me, I think my students will.” These were the first words of Associate Professor Bilveer Singh when he was interviewed for this piece.

An immediate interpretation one can draw from the above view is the importance Bilveer places on the type of knowledge, values and character that he wants to imbibe in his students. Bilveer is extremely dedicated and focused on nurturing and developing generations of people trained in statecraft and politics. His impact has been huge and his influence has been immense. Many of Singapore’s statesmen and political thinkers have been moulded either through his tutelage or by reading his publications.

The Department of Political Science at National University of Singapore (NUS) takes pride in Bilveer’s career which spans three decades. He has also won 10 teaching excellence awards in NUS.

“I think this year would be my 31st year in the academia and the 35th time that I am teaching this module on Singapore politics because I sometimes teach the same module twice a year. So just imagine the thousands of students who have gone through my hands and I actually have influenced them to think about Singapore’s politics passionately.”

Bilveer was on his way to a potential career in the military where he was an instructor for the Officer Cadet School. However, he decided to continue his studies in the hope that a university education would then improve his chances of attaining a higher rank with the military. After his studies, he was headhunted by the Singapore foreign service and the intelligence agencies due to his multilingual proficiencies, especially Malay, and they already had jobs lined up for him.

A chance encounter with a professor while collecting his certificate changed his life forever. As the top student in the Honours class in 1981, he was offered a scholarship to do a Master and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programme, as well as eventual employment as a senior tutor. This, in essence, sealed his life as an academic in political science. The same professor also had a specific topic for him to specialise in – the Soviet Union. Bilveer eventually completed his Master and PhD on the Soviet Union.

He quipped: “That is how I got my job. I became Singapore’s first Soviet specialist.”

However, the eventual collapse of the Soviet Union changed everything. Bilveer then focused specifically on Indonesia, which he also studied while working on Soviet-Asian relations. He has been an Indonesian specialist since 1990.

Bilveer’s belief in the value of education and the impact of a teacher on his or her students, mirror his life where his teachers from secondary school onwards constantly pushed him to excel despite his slow beginning. He has adopted this practice by constantly pushing his students to explore and confront their comfort levels.

“My job is to produce good students, sharp minds. That is all. I produce good students, thinking students, good citizens, loyal citizens, people who, in time of crisis, will not run away but stand up to be counted and make the difference.”

One of Bilveer’s boldest moves in his academic career was to make the decision to teach ‘Government and Politics of Singapore’. At that point in time, it was a sensitive topic for discussion. However, he felt that it was an important module for young Singaporeans to understand Singapore’s politics in a more intimate and informed manner. He managed to pull it off, largely due to his own deep understanding of the topic and his knowledge of governance.

Bilveer now also teaches such topics as foreign policy and citizenship education. He has also been involved in changes in NUS on modules on nation building and governance, not just relating to Singapore but the wider Southeast Asian region as well. His rationale for doing so is that society has become highly complex and Singaporeans need to know the world better so that they can really make a difference.

Despite not choosing a career in intelligence, Bilveer was appointed Head of the Centre of Excellence for National Security at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies at Nanyang Technological University in 2010. He reported directly to the Prime Minister’s Office on security issues such as terrorism and radicalisation. One key reason for his appointment was his deep knowledge and understanding of the region, particularly Indonesia. This knowledge, arising from decades of work and research, and resulting in numerous publications and papers, provided the opportunity to Bilveer to serve his country. It is an opportunity which he aptly stated as a “great honour for a scholar.” He continues to remain an Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Centre.

Bilveer’s work and contributions, particularly relating to Indonesia and Singapore, are highly regarded locally and internationally. Equally impressive is the fact that he is highly proficient in Bahasa Melayu and Bahasa Indonesia. Apart from being called upon to share his views at various local and international forums and by the media, this proficiency has allowed him to contribute literature in these languages as well. He regularly teaches in Bahasa in different Indonesian universities, including the National Defence University, where he is currently an Eminent Professor. He has 10 books in Bahasa Indonesia – all dealing with security issues. This quality has naturally made him a much sought-after personality since he deals with the important issues of politics, regional security issues, Islamist terrorism, role of great powers in Southeast Asia and the domestic and foreign policies of Singapore.

Describing his most important publication, Politics and Governance in Singapore, Bilveer stated: “…this is the handbook on Singapore politics. It is on politics and governance in Singapore; it is an introduction that anybody can read.”  The book has become a key textbook in Singapore schools.

Bilveer is not just contended with writing for the purpose of education. That is important but he has also made it his mission “…to put books by Asians on the global academic shelves. At the moment, books in the academic world are dominated by the West.”

He tries to restore a balance in this respect in the world academic order. He exposes his students to diverse readings of different writers from different cultural backgrounds.

“I think it is important to bring out books from our region and by Asian authors and make them available to our students. I write about stuff that should be part and parcel of the students’ normal intake. That is why I work and write like there is no tomorrow.”

“I have known Bilveer for about 30 years. He was my lecturer at NUS when I was an undergraduate in Political Science. He was one of the key lecturers who enthralled me with his fast-paced, informative and entertaining lectures. Frankly, he had a big influence on my own decision to subsequently become an academic in national security studies.
Bilveer has certainly inspired succeeding generations of students with his infectious passion for research that influences national debates on security issues affecting Singapore. He remains an inspiration to me!”

– Associate Professor Kumar Ramakrishna Head of Policy Studies S Rajaratnam School of International Studies Nanyang Technological University

Academic knowledge aside, Bilveer strongly believes in the virtues of honesty and integrity. These apply to his work, students and in direct dealings with the government. Quite naturally, this has resulted in him courting controversy with his views as he firmly believes that ‘shading’ history is wrong for if you do, “…somebody will ‘unshade’ and bring out the truth tomorrow. Historians will.” His belief also stems from the fact that he directly influences and impacts the lives of future leaders who will hold key positions. It is vital for him to maintain a high level of integrity and openness. Students are highly impressionable and susceptible to various influences and the people who have that influence need to influence in a proper and positive manner. At the same time, they need to practice what they preach.

When asked once more on how he would like to be remembered by his students, if nothing else, Bilveer remarked: “That I told the truth, that I drove them onto a highway of passion, daring them to ask difficult questions and never shunning away from adversity. In short, I want them to become highly responsible yet caring individuals.”

And the truth be told – Bilveer has indeed left an indelible imprint on his students and the academic world in the last three decades. And he will certainly continue to do so in the many decades to come.

[This article is courtesy of SINGAPORE AT 50: 50 SIKHS AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS, a book published by the Young Sikh Association, Singapore (YSA) in conjunction with Singapore’s 50th birthday]

ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs in Southeast Asia and surrounding countries. We have a Facebook page, do give it a LIKE! Follow us on Twitter. Visit our website: www.asiasamachar.com

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The post Bilveer Singh: Fast-paced, informative and entertaining NUS political scientist appeared first on Asia Samachar.

| Malaysia | 15 Aug 2016 | Asia Samachar |

Malaysian high jumper Nauraj Singh Randhawa’s aim to qualify for the Rio Olympics men’s event went unrealised at the Olympic Stadium in Rio De Janeiro on Sunday.

It was a narrow miss as had Nauraj cleared 2.26m in his first attempt, he would have qualified automatically for the final. The initial qualifying height had been set at 2.31m but it was lowered as the field struggled to meet the lower marks, reports New Straits Times.

Nauraj cleared 2.26m in his second attempt but only those who cleared in their first advanced automatically when the mark was lowered. Nauraj then had to clear 2.29m – which is his personal best – but failed in all three attempts.

SEE ALSO: Nauraj gets to take dad to Rio Olympics 

SEE ALSO: Nauraj smashes Malaysia high jump record to qualify for Olympics 

“I really wanted to make the final but just missed out. Had I cleared 2.26m in the first attempt, I would have advanced.

“Still, I am very happy with how I performed as 2.26 is the highest I have jumped other than my personal best,” the Malaysian newspaper quoted Nauraj. The top 15 advanced with four of them advancing on the 2.26m height.

[ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs in Southeast Asia and surrounding countries. We have a Facebook page, do give it a LIKE. Follow us on Twitter. Visit our website: www.asiasamachar.com]

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High-jumper Nauraj sets personal best at Canberra meet (Asia Samachar, 21 Feb 2016)

Avtar Singh – A credit to the Sikh Community and the Athletics Fratertiny of Singapore (Asia Samachar, 18 April 2016)

Sardar to lead India hockey team for Sultan Azlan Shah Cup (Asia Samachar, 23 March 2016)

Sanjay wins second gold at SEA Games (Asia Samachar, 14 June 2015)

Nauraj retains high jump gold at SEA Games (Asia Samachar, 11 June 2015)

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