By Harjinder Singh Lallie | Malaysia |
It has finally sunk in. I attended my investiture ceremony [today] and received my OBE.
My working life has been dedicated to education and in particular, empowering young voices and investing opportunities. I would never have dreamt where I am right now. Until around the age of 10, English was a second language. My parting interview with a careers officer at school recommended I registered on the YTS scheme, “education is not for you”. I did a national diploma and then a higher national diploma (I could t get onto a decent degree).
After my degree, I completed two masters and a PhD — all part time, balancing my family committments and work with my study. Finally, I graduated from the school of hard knocks.
During that time, I have led numerous degrees and taught thousands of students. I hope I’ve played my part in shaping their life views and professional journeys. I’ve tried to give them voices, opportunities, and inspirations that count and make a real difference.
In parallel, a resounding second chapter emerged: the rediscovery of a nearly extinct musical heritage. This was Sikh music as it sounded 500 years ago, in the time of our Gurus. Over centuries, the tradition had faded into a whisper—the sacred instruments had vanished, the voices had fallen silent, and the original melodies were little more than rumors. I felt a profound calling to bring that silence back to life.
I found myself asking: Why was I only now hearing this soul-capturing music? Why was it absent from every Sikh stage in the world? I knew I couldn’t just wonder—I had to act. I set out to breathe new life into these sounds. I taught it, I practiced it, and I shared its story wherever I could. What started as a personal mission grew into a movement: hundreds of students began to learn, we established a dedicated music school, I traveled the country giving talks, and we even launched a formal examination board to ensure this heritage would never be ‘lost’ again.
I realise there are a lot of ‘I’s’ in that story—which, in truth, isn’t very Sikh-like at all! In reality, none of this would have been remotely possible without the energy, enthusiasm, and love of the Sangat.
(Dr. Harjinder Singh Lallie is a University Reader in Cyber Security at the University of Warwick. He is a prominent academic and author specializing in AI-driven phishing detection, cyber security, and risk analysis, often featuring in cybersecurity industry discussions. He was awarded an OBE for his work in education and community service. The article was adapted from his social media posting)
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