Sikhs Making a Difference Around the World

Harbinder Singh Sewak – Winner of Sikh Award 2013
Harbinder Singh Sewak – Winner of Sikh Award 2013

VANCOUVER, BC—Every year, Sikhs from around the world gather at a stunning gala in London, England to honor, and celebrate, the heroes of their global community.

The Sikh Awards ceremony, which began in 2010 showcases the skills, achievements and successes of the Sikh community, and its global supporters.

The latest ceremony held last fall also presented British Prime Minister David Cameron a Special Recognition Award for his work with the Sikh community in India.

Vancouver publisher, Harbinder Singh Sewak whose work with the Canadian military, and with newspapers to highlight social issues facing immigrants in Canada, took the top media prize at the latest World Sikh awards in London.

“[Although] the award is a Sikh award, I feel I’m representing Canada as a whole…Canada is playing a major role in highlighting issues that affect Sikhs all over the world,” Sewak said after being honored.

In Vancouver, Sewak publishes the Asian Pacific Post, the South Asian Post, and the Filipino Post.

He was first South Asian print publisher to win a Jack Webster excellence in journalism award in mainstream categories. He was also the co-author of Justice for Jassi, a book following the so-called ‘honor killing’ of Jaswinder Jassi Sidhu, the 25-year-old Maple Ridge girl who was allegedly murdered in 2000 for marrying an Indian rickshaw driver. Sidhu’s mother, and uncle, have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder in India.

Sewak founded the 3300 B.C. Regiment Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps (RCACC), the first-ever corps funded by a Sikh community group, The Friends of the Sikh Cadet Corps Society, which now has more than 75 cadets and has seen interest not only in B.C., but across the country.

He was instrumental in arranging for the Canadian military participation at the mammoth Surrey Vaisakhi festival parades.

Major-General Robert Nitsch of the UK Support Command, hailed Sewak’s work with the Canadian military, especially the cadet program.

“I look forward to sharing your ideas for our British military outreach initiatives,” said Nitsch, who was among the 750 guests at the gala event held at the Hilton Park Lane hotel in London.

Receiving his award, Prime Minister Cameron said, “It is a tremendous honor to receive this award and I’d like to say a big thank you for the privilege.”

Other Sikhs honored at the latest Sikh Awards for making a difference around the world include:

Tavneet Kaur Suri (Education)

Tavneet is the Maurice F. Strong Career Development Associate Professor at MIT Sloan School of Management. Focusing on Sub-Saharan Africa, she is an expert on agriculture and mobile money. Poets and Quants named her one of the 40 best business school professors under the age of 40. Tavneet holds a BA in economics from Cambridge University, an MA, MPhil and PhD from Yale University.

Dr Sarup Singh Alag (Service)

Sarup Singh is the founder of AlagShabadYug International Charitable Trust and is known for his selfless service to humanity in variety of ways He has authored 94 publications concerning Sikhism, and humanitarianism, which have been distributed around the world to encourage humanitarian efforts.

Prabjot Kaur Randhawa (Entertainment)

Prabjot Kaur is the chief political television correspondent at WIS TV, an NBC television station based in Columbia. As one of the few Sikh journalists in the American mainstream media, she passionately represents issues of social justice, religious freedom, and politics. In 2012, she made history in the American Midwest by becoming the first Sikh morning news anchor for KOTA TV, an ABC affiliate station in Rapid City, South Dakota.

Avtar Singh Sohal (Sports)

Avtar Singh is one of the greatest field hockey players that Kenya has ever produced. He represented Kenya in four Olympics and was the Africa nation’s head coach at the 1984 Los Angeles games. He was listed in the Guinness Book of Records from 1979 to 1985 for Most International Appearances. He is also the recipient of the Head of State Commendation Award 2004.

Prof. Harminder Singh Dua (Profession)

Harminder Singh is the Chair and professor of Ophthalmology and a consultant eye surgeon, at the University Hospital Nottingham, since 1994. His corneal and stem cell transplant unit attracts patients from all over the world, and techniques developed by him have changed clinical practice. He is the current President of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists and Editor-in-chief of the British Journal of Ophthalmology. He has authored 250 scientific publications.

Jatinder Singh Durhailay (Peoples Choice)

Jatinder is a 25 year old artist who work has been exhibited around the world. He has participated in exhibitions at the Tate Modern, and on the walls of Art Basel, a profound art fair. His work has also featured in museums such as the National Army Museum. Spirituality is a major influence in his work, and he has always been inspired by history.

Kamalpreet Singh Virdi (Entrepreneur)

Kamalpreet Singh is the Chairman and President for the Aequor Group of Companies consisting of Aequor Technologies, Healthcare, Media, and Education. He has studied at Columbia University, New Jersey Institute of Technology and Rutgers University. Kamalpreethas been honored on numerous occasions for his entrepreneurial spirit, and is a recipient of the Outstanding 50 Asian Americans in Business Award.

Harpal Singh Saggu (Businessman of the Year)

Harpal Singh from Agra, India operates Synergy Group which has an annual turnover of $200 million, and over 4000 employees. In November 2012, Harpal Singh revolutionized the construction industry across globe with the launch of Instacon, an ultrafast smart building solution manufactured in a controlled factory environment, and shipped to a prepared building site for installation.

Harpreet Kaur (Businesswoman of the Year)

Harpeet Kaur was only 11 years old when she began investing in the stock market. With a triple masters in International Business, Literature and Feminism, Harpreet is the founder of GICF Group, which provides professional, user-friendly plans for business start-up, growth and expansion. She is also the founder of the Soch Trust formed to develop skills in youth, by providing skill-based training.

Jathedar Sant Baba Nihal Singh Ji (Lifetime Achievement Award)

Jathedar Sant Baba Nihal Singh Ji, of the Sikh organization Misl Shaheedan Tarna Dal Harian Belan, is a considered a living embodiment of the true teachings of the Sikh religion. Baba Ji, as he is respectfully and lovingly known, was born in 1942. He is married, and is a father, and grandfather. He received his religious education at the Sikh temple of Harian Belan, of which he was selected as leader at the young age of 24.

Sikh Welfare Association Malaysia (Charity)

The association provide financial aid as well as food, and other essentials, to widows, single mothers, foreign wives who are stranded in Malaysia as a result of broken marriages, seniors, neglect, and poverty. It also helps needy schoolchildren, and the disabled with donations. Harbans Singh Gill is the current president. He is also one of the founding members of The Coalition of Malaysian Sikh Societies which works with the Malaysian government on all Sikh related issues.

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