from Sundeep Singh, SCYS UK:
More than 200,000 Sikh veterans of World War I and II have been officially recognised by members of the Handsworth community.
The special event was organised by the Sikh Community & Youth Service UK to pay tribute to all the Sikhs involved in world war I and II.
The Sikh Community and Youth Service UK organised the event in Handsworth, Birmingham to coincide with the Sikh-Diwali celebrations.
The ceremony was attended by leading figures from the local Sikh community including,
Deputy Lord Lieutenant of West Midlands – Dr Jagjit Singh Taunque MBE DL, Lord Tarsem Singh King, Magistrate – Satnam Singh Poonia (Sikh Parents Association), Cllr Chaman Lal, Cllr Mohinder Singh Tagger, Honorary Alderman – Gurdev Singh Manku, Barrister – Charnjit Singh Jutla, Raghbir Singh Mangat – Akali Dal Party, Former Cllr John Tyrrell – Socialist Labour Party, Mick Archer – Secretary Handsworth Wood Ward Labour Party, Ranjit Singh Randhawa – General Secretary Akali Dal Jalandhar, Bhupinder Singh Reyat, Gurdeep Singh Mann, Harjit Singh, Balbir Singh Dhesi – Former Magistrate, Chan Boparai – Ravidass Gurdwara, Inder Singh Sohal – Dasmesh Sikh Temple, Major Khella, Mrs Virdi, Mrs Matharu, Mrs Khella and Amardeep Kaur. Members of the West Midlands Co-operative society, Members of the West Midlands Labour Party and Members of the Ramgarhia Gurdwara.
Acclaimed poets and singers from the Punjabi Sikh Community also present at the event included, Ranjit Singh Rana – Sahib Magazine, Tarlochan Singh Chan Jandalvi – Poet, Nirmal Singh Khandalwi, Surinder Singh Shinda, Dev Raj Jassal.
Councillor Surinder Kaur Dhesi – Former Mayor of Banbury, Rajinder Singh Pardesi from Ludhiana Punjab – World Reknowned Poet were presented with a plaque by Dal Singh Dhesy Chairman of Sikh Community & Youth Service UK and prominent figure from the Sikh community in recognition of their contribution to the Punjabi-Sikh community.
Sikh Community and Youth Service UK Chairman Dal Singh Dhesy said: “The Sikh contribution and involvement in the war is often overlooked. “This event will serve as an important and poignant reminder to today’s generation of the sacrifice our forefathers made while fighting for Britain. The contribution of over 200,000 Sikh Servicemen in World War 1 and 2 and the various other wars that the Sikh servicemen have served in should be covered in the National curriculum to ensure that the younger generations both Sikh and wider communities are aware of the sacrifices made by the Sikh people”
Sikh Community & Youth Service UK is a ‘one stop’ advice, training and development centre which has been established for over 30 years and been providing specialist support to the local community. The project is presently funded to provide a number of key services linked to employment, housing, welfare, education and health.
Sikh Community & Youth Service (UK)
Open To All Communities
(Charity No. 518946)
348 Soho Road, Handsworth
Birmingham B21 9QL, UK
Tel : 0044 (0)121-523-0147
Website