sikhpride

Gurmukh Singh, a prominent British Sikh community mentor and a social activist, was born on 11 September 1938. After completing his education in India he went to UK in 1960 and joined the Department of Trade and Industry in December 1962. He held many high profile position in the Department while serving in over 12 diverse areas of trade and industry. His efficiency and hard work brought him quick promotions (four times) and then he was made Personal and Staff Training Manager at the National Economic Development Office (NEDO). He was the first Sikhi sarup Sikh to represent in UK Civil Service Department at European Forums and GATT (later the World Trade Organisation) at First Secretary equilant position. Then he was promoted as a policy principal where he worked for nine years and retired in June 1996 from the Aerospace Division of the Department of Trade and Industry. Apart from his distinguished positions in the Government of UK, his very well known in the Sikh circle also. In fact after retirement, he is dedicated his full time to community service, supporting and advising many Sikh organization, local representative and Members of Parliament. Through his faith advisory services for many groups within the community, he had played a significant role catalities in keeping UK Sikh affairs on an even Keel while promoting transparency in Sikh government interface. His close association with the origin open British Sikh consummative forum, which has brought diverse Sikh organization around one table on major Sikh issues in that country, he has rendered a useful service by inviting the members of the Board of Jathedar of the Sikh Council UK, by producing a number of useful publications including translations and various articles on topical issues relating to British Sikhs and also by promoting Sikh social activism and charities working diverse field outside Gurudwaras. He has given various tasks by interpreting the scripture in the context of the 21 century issue. The topics include environmental and the earth charter topics, Sikh religious views on aging and care of the elder persons, issued concerning advances in Science and many other educational and welfare topics. His weekly column in the Sikh Times published by The Eastern Media Group, for a number of years provided useful information, and later on he started giving his column in English, News and Views in UK Punjab Times. All these services being render by him from the court of his heart make him a rolemodel. He has won many honours and awards including Sirdar Kapur Singh Khalsa Millennium Award in 2001in recognition of his scholarly interpretation of Sikh ideology. Some of the organization which has honoured him include Gurmat Gyan Missionary College Ludhiana, Sikh Missionary Society UK, and Jathedar Sri Akal Takht Sahib for his services. A group of organizations in England like Sikh Federation and British Sikhs hounred him with Life Time Achievement award at the time of Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s Parkash Gurpurab (birthday) at the UK Parliament organized for the first time. The heads of all the Sikhs were laised when this role-model Sikh was honoured by the Government of UK with Order of the British Empire (OBE) at the house of Lords on 21 October 2016.