Left: Dilbagh Singh. Right: Baljit Singh welcoming Singapore PM Lee Hsien Loong the opening of the renovated Gurdwara Sahib Silat Road on 3 July 2021
By Asia Samachar | Singapore |
A new team has been elected unopposed to run the Central Sikh Gurdwara Board (CSGB), a statutory body that manages two gurdwaras and a Sikh centre.
Retired educationist Dilbag Singh is the new president, taking over from Baljit Singh who served two terms of two years each. The board’s election was held on Aug 7.
“The new Council comprises a few members who had previously served for several years and many new younger members.The older members bring to the Council the experience and new younger members will provide vigour and enthusiasm,” Dilbagh said in a note in the latest CSGB bulletin.
The CSGB manages and operates the daily running of two Singapore’s Gurdwaras – Central Sikh Temple (CST) at the junction of Towner Road/Serangoon Road and the Silat Road Sikh Temple (SRST) along Jalan Bukit Merah. The board, formalised through the enactment of the Central Sikh Gurdwara Board Act of the Singapore Parliament, is a gazetted statutory board recognised by the Government of Singapore.
Dilbagh Singh, 79, an educationist who retired as a school principal in 2004, is no stranger to CSGB having served in various capacities since 1985, including two terms as president in 2001 and 2004.
“Somehow, I was asked to do this round….call of duty,” he told Asia Samachar when contacted.
Outgoing president Baljit will continue to serve as a vice president and SRST chairperson. When contacted, he told Asia Samachar: “They gave me seva at Silat Road. I’m tasked to groom individuals to take over. It’s important. We want to groom and mentor them, so that they can pick up faster and run faster.”
In the CSGB bulletin, Dilbagh said the out-going team, working under several restrictions and lockdowns, had managed to set up religious services streaming for both gurdwaras, allowing the Sikhi Parchar and Gurmat Sangeet classes to continue on Zoom.
Moving forward, he noted that new religious services for the ladies, youth and elderly will be planned and introduced, while explanations of Gurbani in English will be phased in.
He also said the renovation and expansion of SRST headed by Balbir Singh Padri was completed on time and within budget.
CSGB LINE-UP FOR 2021-2023
CSGB President: Dilbagh Singh
CSGB Vice Presidents: Baljit Singh (SRST Chairperson), Gurdip Singh Usma, Karpal Singh
CSGB Secretary: Manmohan Singh Malla
CSGB Assistant Secretary: Rajeshpal Singh Sandhu (SC Secretary)
CSGB Treasurer: Jaspal Singh
CSGB Assistant Treasurer: Sukhbir Singh Rode
SRST Chairperson: Baljit Singh
CST Chairperson: Amritpal Singh Randhawa
SC Chairperson: Kuldeep Kaur
SRST Vice Chairperson: Talwinder Singh
CST Vice Chairperson: Jasmindar Singh Gholia
SC Vice Chairperson: Hardip Kaur Gill
SRST Secretary: Harjit Kaur
CST Secretary: Narinder Kaur
SC Secretary: Rajeshpal Singh Sandhu
SRST Assistant Secretary: Gurpreet Singh
CST Assistant Secretary: Amritpal Singh Sidhu
SC Assistant Secretary: Jagjit Singh Sandhu
SRST Treasurer: Gurpal Singh
CST Treasurer: Sukhbir Singh Nijer
SC Treasurer: Avtar Singh
SRT Assistant Treasurer: Harbhajan Singh Ghosal
CST Assistant Treasurer: Satvinder Singh
CST Committee Members: Bhupinder Singh Pabbian, Simranjit Singh (Youth Task Force)
RELATED STORY:
Singapore PM opens renovated Silat Road gurdwara (Asia Samachar, 3 July 2021)
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond.Facebook | WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 | Email: editor@asiasamachar.com | Twitter | Instagram | Obituary announcements, click here |
