Sikh Professionals Organizations

North American Sikh Medical and Dental Association

This organisation registered at 7501 South Tangle Drive, Raleigh, NC 27613 is an organisation of Sikh medical and dental doctors formed to provide a platform for the Sikh professional to network and interact with each other. Abbreviated as NASMDA, the organisation started working in 1992 at Washington, DC, USA. It meets every year and in course of this meeting all the doctors, members of this organisation share their experiences and enrich themselves with further knowledge of their fields. The younger Doctors are highly benefitted by hearing from the senior Doctors. The 26th Annual Meeting of this organisation was scheduled from July 12-15 at the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto. During all these years NASMDA has grown to an organisation of over 1000 Sikh medical and dental professionals spread across North America. NASMDA strives to provide a platform for Sikh medical and dental professionals to network and interact with each other. The member of NASMDA have been actively involved with helping out and supporting various Sikh organisations, young medical students and physicians. The conference also provides the opportunity to network, share, and build a sense of community and belonging. This year’s conference was held in Toronto and this event was marked as Sikh Professionals Convention.

Sikh Professionals Convention 2018 –

Although, a few Sikh professionals have formed some associations, there has been no big organisation of the Sikhs professionals and as such many efforts have been made to create the same. As NASMDA has been working for the last 25 years, this year, on the special occasion they invited various Sikh professionals to network and connect with each other so that the other professionals could also expand like this organisation in the medical field. This invitation was accepted by a large number of professionals and the convention held at Toronto from July 12-15, 2018 became very successful. Various issues relating to different professions were discussed at different gatherings. The professional also got opportunity to interact with each other and ensure further meetings, associations and useful partnerships. A special feature of this convention was a large scale exhibition of Sikh History paintings at the site of the convention, historic Fairmont Royal York Hotel. Apart from a large number of members of the North American Sikh Medical and Dental Association, this convention was attended by such distinguished guests S. Gurbir Singh Grewal, Attorney General of the State of New Jercy and S. Ravinder Singh Bhalla, Mayor of the New Jercy.

Sikh American Veterans Alliance (SAVA)

When it was felt in USA that Sikh identity had become an eye sore for the Americans, and it was becoming difficult for them to join American Army with their identity, the Sikhs struggled for their rights and LTC Kamal Singh Kalsi became the first Sikh solider who was permitted to wear a turban and maintain a beard in uniform. In 2017, he founded an organisation known as Sikh American Veteran Alliance for encouraging Sikhs to join Army with their religious identity. This organisation named as the Sikh American Veteran Alliance is also dedicated to promote Sikh military history and service. Through effective advocacy and engagement, the alliance seeks to mobilize community members and policy makers to promote the core values of loyalty, duty, and selfless service intrinsic to both Sikhism and military service fight religious extremism and intolerance, and advance an inclusive, diverse and thereby stronger military.

As the organisation wants to ensure all people to have the freedom of their religion, it propagates this view point along with the issue of supporting and strengthening American army. Presently, the American army adopts religious accommodation policy and this has been possible with such like efforts as have been made by this organisation along with others. The Sikh community’s work to change the army policy has opened up opportunity for other Americans of faith also to serve their country while wearing religious head covering such as turbans and yarmulkes. LTC Kamal Singh Kalsi is the Founder and President of this alliance. When on 13 November 2017, the New Jercy Governor elect Phill Murphy announced his transition to 2018 leadership team. LTC Kamal Singh Kalsi was included therein.

Toronto Sikh Professionals

Toronto is one of those cities in the world, which has a large Sikh population. The Greater Toronto Area (GTA) is comprise of many towns like Brampton and Mississauga where Sikh popular is highly concentrated. Thus, various Sikh professionals living in Toronto thought of making an organisation called Toronto Sikh Professionals (TSP). This organisation came into being in 1980 and since then has evolved and is now comprised of more than 3300 members. Its mission is to strengthen the Sikh community through relationship building, personal and professional development, mentorship and volunteering initiatives. They claim the following as their four pillars.

Provide a forum for members to connect and build relationships.
Facilitate personal and professional development.
Develop leaders.
Give back to the community.

The members of this organisation meet frequently and discuss various common issues. It is not a registered charitable organisation, but a non-profit organisation run by a team of volunteers. Sometimes the events have a specific theme like focus on a particular industry, and in those events the concerned members participate.
General events are generally held in the down town in the financial district city. Sometimes networking events also take place in Markham and Mississauga. The organisation holds several events throughout the years. All events are designed to be informative and/or inspirational. In the past, we have organized Series Events where prominent Senior Level Executives have spoken on the topics of “Leadership” and “Women in Business”. There is also a TSP Membership Directory which provides the contact details of the Members, subject to member approval. The team of this organisation includes Puneet Mann, Pradeep Singh Gill, and Gurpreet Singh Rekhi as the Directors.

Young Sikh Professional Network

Young Sikh Professional Network, popularly known as YSPN Australia is a community organization for creating a network of Sikh Professionals living in Australia based in Melbourne, it organizes a number of programmes to connect them with their peers and leaders. The professionals get a chance to interact with each other and expand their professional activities. The organization has its units at different places in Australia. Their programmes are not only confined to professional meetings and get together, but, also are related to Sikhism. They highlight the concept of Sewa, which is considered by them not only as an integral part of Sikh culture, but also as the strongest thread that binds the fabrics of different communities together to form a truly inclusive society. In one of their programmes planned for 9th February 2019 at Sydney Australia, they aim at highlighting this concept of selfless and all pervading sense of service. This organization also organizes functions to honour the Sikh achievers, who bring glory to their religion.

City Sikhs

The City Sikhs is an international not profit making organization of UK, created to promote net working education and volunteering among Sikh and Sikh Asian Professionals and to provide a platform for engagement with a worldwide professional Sikh Community. As City Sikhs network, they are committed to Sikh Values of integrity, honesty, openness, personal excellence, constructive self criticism and mutual respect. Their aim is to provide a voice for professional Sikhs whilst empowering people to create positive change within society as a whole. This organization is a group of professionals representing various professions. There are trustees and advisory board of the organization. The trustees are responsible for the day to day running of the organization as well as deciding on the overall service portfolio for the network. The advisory board provides additional support and guidance. If S. Jasvir Singh OBE is a law barrister, Dr. Kamel Hothiove is associated with banking. Similarly S. Omkardeep Singh MBE is visual designer, S. Param Singh is a real estate specialist. City Sikhs network organises one flag ship event called Recipes for Success consisting of short inspirational talks followed by a panel discussion given by leading professionals from the Sikhs and the wider community.

The objective of these evenings is to inspire, motivate and encourage success. Our speakers share some of their unique insights into how they have achieved such phenomenal success within their life, overcome difficulties and retained a world life balance. These are great events to listen, ask questions, be inspired, meet other city professionals and enjoy networking opportunities over drinks and canapés. For example in July 2017 the subject was ‘Recipes for Success’. This talk was organized in Birmingham. The Chairman of the City Sikhs is S. Jasvir Singh OBE who was appointed Honorary Fallow of the Edward Cadbury Centre on May 13, 2018.

Organisations in other Sectors

It is not only in business or profession that Sikh organisations are working, there are organisations who strengthen the position of Sikhs in various services also. For example, there is a Sikh officers association in USA which aims at strengthening the relationship between the Sikh Americans and law enforcement by promoting the Sikh values of justice, equality and selfless service. It is this organization, which made efforts for getting the Newyork Police Department’s Policy changed in favour of Sikhs by allowing them to wear Turbans. Further, this organization of NYPD Sikh officers Association encouraged other Sikhs to join the law enforcement. During this year, when the Newyork Police got its first female Turbaned Sikh Auxiliuary Police Officer (Gursoach Kaur), it was a big achievement for them. This officers association not only voices the concern of the Sikh community, and encourages Sikhs to join the service, but also participates in charity work, recruitment events and educating the youth about law enforcement.

Organisations for promoting Sikhs in Politics

It is known fact that Sikhs have made their position strong not only in Indian politics, but more than that in the politics of other countries also. There are two turbaned Sikhs Ministers in Canadian Parliament. There is a turbaned Sikh Member of Parliament in U.K. and Malaysia (Minister also). There are Sikhs active in politics even in other European and East Asian countries. In Australia also, they are coming up to hold political position. Although, India is their country of birth and origin and they are visible in politics of centre as well as states, they don’t have a strong political party to protect their interest and take up their issues at the appropriate levels. Shiromani Akali Dal in the only political party which appears to be a Sikh party. It was formed on 14 December 1920 as an associated political organisation with the Sikh religious body, SGPC. S. Sarmukh Singh Chubbal was the first President of the then Akali Dal, it became prominent under the leadership of Master Tara Singh. He remained leader for a long time and was there even when Sikhs had to fight for the creation of a Punjabi speaking state. This party was being led by S. Parkash Singh Badal till when he passed on the leadership to his son S. Sukhbir Singh Badal. Presently, he is the President of the main group of Akali Dal, though there are other splinter groups also using this name. The two other groups known as Akali Dal along with the name of their leader are Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) led by S. Simranjit Singh Maan in Punjab and Shiromani Akali Dal, Delhi led by S. Paramjit Singh Sarna. Recently, SAD has witnessed another split as its veteran leaders have floated a parallel party named as Shiromani Akali Dal (Taksali) in which S. Ranjit Singh Brahmpura has been named as the President and Dr. Ratan Singh Ajnala as the Senior Vice President. S. Sewa Singh Sekhwan has becomes its Secretary General. This party has announced that they will get registered with election commission of India and may contest any election in the future, particularly SGPC election. They want this election to be held at the earliest.

Sikhs in other Political Parties

As mentioned above, the Akali Dal has split in a number of groups, many Sikhs not satisfied with them are members of other political parties like Congress, BJP, SP, BSP and so on. Despite, their participation in politics through many parties, the Panthik issues have never become an agenda of any of the political parties and as such they are facing a number of problems in present times. However, their position in foreign countries has improved in this field because of their qualities of hard work sincerity, dedication and humanity in the true spirit of Sikh principles of Sarbat Da Bhala. In U.K. we have an ‘All Party Parliament Group on Mentoring and Sikhs’, which is presently headed by the first Sikh lady Member of Parliament Preet Kaur Gill.

Sikh PAC

When a Sikh gentleman named S. Gurinder Singh Khalsa was asked to remove his turban at buffalo airport when he was to fly to his home Sacramanto, he refused. Being an American citizen, he felt humiliated and decided to form a Sikh based organisation across the country to prevent such incidents with other Sikhs in the coming times. He used all his contacts and with his lobbying efforts in Congress got a change made in TSE head were policy that now allows Sikhs to pass through airport security while wearing their turbans. He did not stop their at in 2016, setup a Sikhs PAC, a political committee that today influences the election in 2020. As this committee functional in Indiana state of USA, Khalsa Ji wants Sikh leadership to emerge in that place as powerful as to become a major factor in influencing the election. In 2016 only this organisation collected more than $375,000 and made donations to both the Democrat and the Republican candidates in races for Governor, state schools superintendent and attorney general.
Its goal is to bring awareness to the estimated 10,000 Sikhs living in Indiana, many of whom are immigrants from India. They own 3,500 businesses here-many of which are gas stations, convenience stores and trucking companies. Part of their awareness campaign is to teach others the significance of the turbans worn by Sikh men, and some women. With 25 million adherents, the Sikh faith is the fifth-largest in the world, but Khalsa thinks it remains largely unknown. Ignorance fuels fear. “Pepole see it and they think ‘Osama bin Laden,” Khalsa said of the dastaar. After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, images of the white turban al-Qaida leader saturated the media. “We became victims of violence,” he said. “People looked at the news and saw Osama in a head scarf, and they thought he was one of us.”
Since 9/11, the New York-based Sikh Coalition has reported 700 incidents of violence or harassment against members of the faith living in the United States. Being visibly faithful is an integral part of Sikh life. The religion, founded in 1469 in the Punjab region in India and Pakistan, teaches that people are essentially equal in God’s eyes. Its founders, rebelling against India’s strict caste system, exhorted followers to don the turban to symbolize that equality. But it’s not just a political statement. It’s a declaration of humility before God, Khalsa said. “To be asked to remove it is painful,” he said. “It’s a violation of our faith.” Politically, Khalsa would like to see state education leaders encourage schools to add an explanation of the faith to a world cultures, curriculum that already teaches students about Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, and Islam. And he’d like the General Assembly to eventually pass a hate crimes bill – legislation that’s been rejected in the past. Both ideas seem ambitious in the Statehouse, but Khalsa is an optimist. He is convinced Americans are willing to embrace diversity. “In this country, if you ask for something, you can get it,” he said. “It’s what makes this country great.”

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