Gurdeep Singh

The best effort to save Sikhi among the younger generation, particularly those born in North American Countries, has been the holding of Sikh Youth Camps in those countries. A number of persons have been doing this service of organizing such camps in America for the last many years, as a result of which, a new generation of Sikh youth has started emerging. One of these persons, who is known for holding such camps is S. Gurdeep Singh, who is living in Maryland in U.S.A. Gurdeep was born on 28th January 1970 at Delhi in the house of S. Darshan Singh Sayal and Sdn. Suvinder Kaur Sayal. He obtained a degree in Mechanical Engineering at MNREC (now MNNIT), Allahabad. After shifting to U.S.A., he added to his qualification by getting a Masters Degree at University of Maryland, College Park. He has been working as Senior Systems Architect at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from the past 21 years. As a Sikh, his interest has always been to educate and motivate the Sikh youth and to raise them as Gursikhs in their lives. In 1995, he founded a non-profit organization, Guru Harkrishan Institute of Sikh Studies (GHISS).

He started holding yearround Saturday Gurmat and Punjabi classes as well as Annual Sikh Youth Gurmat Camps under the banner of GHISS. In these camps during all these 22 years, a number of activities were included. These activities relate to the various aspects of Gursikhi Jeevan. The participants are taught keertan, playing tabla and string instruments, Gatka training, and communication skills. They participate in discussions on various topics of Sikh history and Gurmat and also compete in Quiz and other competitions organized in the camp. One unique feature of these camps is that they get an opportunity to meet prominent sikh personalities from different fields and interact with them. For example, in the 21st Annual Sikh Youth Gurmat Camp held from July 30, 2016 to August 6, 2016, the prominent Sikhs invited included Bhai Manjeet Singh Ji (Glasgow), a world renowned Keertaniyaa, Suneet Singh Tuli from Toronto, a famous Sikh entrepreneur, Major Kamaljeet Singh Kalsi, the first turbaned sikh in the US Army, Vishvajit Singh (Sikh Captain America) a famous Sikh Cartoonist, and Sukhjeet Kaur Khalsa of Australia Got Talent Fame. The great role model has already motivated hundreds of youngsters. He is living at Boyds, Maryland with his parents, wife Kulwinder Kaur, and two Children. His Email is sikhlink@gmail.com.