Shanvir Singh

Ice hockey is the national winter sport of Canada. Canadians take lots of interest in playing this game and there are number of Ice grounds for this purpose. This being a favorite game of the Canadian people, they start playing it right from their childhood. Many children, when they grew up became national players. One of these children, who have a great potential to become national hero’s of this game is a Sikh boy, who was born in 2006 in Edmonton, Canada. This boy named as Shanvir Singh is very fond of this game. He figured in news when in 2015, he was not allowed to play because he was wearing a small Kirpan as a article of his faith. The boy was registered to play in a league organized by the Millwoods Hockey Association. After his first session, Shanvir Singh’s mother, Gurjit Kaur, was told that Shanvir Singh’s Kirpan had been removed by the coach and placed in his hockey bag.Gurjit Kaur was told that Shanvir Singh would not be able to wear the Kirpan during games nor would he be permitted to bring the Kirpan into the hockey arena. Gurjit Kaur contacted the WSO for assistance.

The World Sikh Organization of Canada (WSO) is a non-profit organization with a mandate to promote and protect the interests of Canadian Sikhs as well as to promote and advocate for the protection of human rights for all individuals, irrespective of race, religion, gender, ethnicity, and social and economic status. It offers free advice and advocacy for individuals requiring assistance at their schools, workplaces or elsewhere with respect to religious accommodation issues. After initiating a dialogue with the Millwoods Hockey Rajinder Singh Rahelu Sajjan Singh Cheema Shanvir Singh 500 Sikh 248 Role Models Association, it was agreed that Shanvir Singh would be permitted to wear his Kirpan underneath his hockey gear, as long as it is wrapped in cloth and secured close to his body. The story of Shanvir’s love for the game and for his religion is highly inspiring and makes him a role model for all the youngsters, particulary the sikh boys who are baptized and want to full fill their ambition in a particular field by keeping their articles of faith intact like true Sikhs of the Guru’s.