Sandeep Singh in the Haryana state assembly – Photo: Personal Facebook
By Asia Samachar | India |
Haryana sports minister Sandeep Singh has resigned from his post pending investigations into allegations that the BJP state leader had sexually harassed a junior athletics coach.
The 36-year-old hockey star turned politician called for a thorough investigation into the allegations of sexual harassment and outraging modesty by the junior athletics coach which he has described as an attempt to smear his image.
Sandeep, who was part of the Indian men’s hockey team at the London 2012 Olympics, was dubbed “Flicker Singh” for his specialization of the drag-flick, then one of the fastest in the world. Holding a DSP rank in the Haryana Police, he was elected as MLA in 2019 from Pehowa constituency in Kurukshetra, Haryana from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and appointed as the state sports minister.
He is facing a case under Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354-A (sexual harassment), 354-B (assault or criminal force to woman with intent of disrobe), 342 (wrongful confinement) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC, according to local media reports.
The reports suggested that Sandeep used to send her messages on Instagram and Snapchat. On July 1, 2022, Sandeep had allegedly called the victim via Snapchat and asked her to visit his official residence in Chandigarh’s Sector 7 in order to verify certain documents. When she went there, the minister indulged in sexual misconduct, the woman alleged.
“He then took me to a side cabin of his residence… He placed my documents on the side table and placed his hand on my foot. He said when he saw me for the first time, he liked me… He said you keep me happy and I will keep you happy,” the woman alleged, according to one local newspaper. “I removed his hand…he even tore my T-shirt. I was crying and I raised an alarm for help and though all his staff was there, no one helped me.”
Sandeep’s international debut was in January 2004 in Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Kuala Lumpur. Under his captaincy, the Indian team managed to clinch the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in 2009 after defeating Malaysia in the finals at Ipoh – after a 13-year wait – and emerged as the top goal scorer.
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. When you leave a comment at the bottom of this article, it takes time to appear as it is moderated by human being. Unless it is offensive or libelous, it should appear. You can also comment at Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can reach us via WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 or email: asia.samachar@gmail.com. For obituary announcements, click here.
Punjabi mainstream cinema for long has been dominated by the mind numbing, low budget slapstick comedies starring the likes of Jaswinder Bhalla, Gippy Grewal and Amy Virk where producers rent sub-urban kothis for actors to engage in verbal jousts which end up with chase scenes in and around Mohali.
Unlike Punjabi music which is truly world class, Punjabi cinema struggles even at India level. Punjabi Cinema is the Mithun Chakraborty to the Michael Jackson of Punjabi music.
It is in this void that CAT, directed by Balwinder Singh Janjua and starring Randeep Hooda, emerges. This 8-part crime thriller on Netflix engages with the last 35 years of Punjab history.
The series set in the border areas of Punjab weaves together a complex mosaic of Punjab including militancy, drugs, IELTS, family feuds, pop culture, gaudy weddings, gyms etc where unscrupulous politicians and diabolical policemen use and manipulate small farmers, and promising athletes to act as their moles and pawns. It is also a dark tale of underclass desperate youth willing to do anything for their foreign dreams.
The series is deeply political too.It questions the dominating narratives of Punjab.Its heroes are a CAT Gurnam Singh who prays at a Bhagat Sain Gurudwara and a Dalit-turned-Christian Babita Masih. Both are victims of violence and societal discrimination which forces them to embrace their current identities but without finding solace or redemption. Caste, class andgender politics all make their subtle presence. Political rapacity and Police criminality are shown in all their naked ugliness.
Among the performances Randeep Hooda stands out with his controlled rage, innocence and vulnerability. He as Gurnam Singh along with Sartaj Singh (Saif Ali Khan in Sacred Games) has ushered in a new era of complex and sensitive Sikh characters long caricatured for their bravado or buffoonery in popular Bolywood. Abhishant Rana as a young Gurnam Singh also stands out .Suvinder Vicky (Shaitab Singh) as the sinister and unscrupulous police inspector can substitute for any Punjab Police’s hall of shame in the last 30 years.However both the lead politicians in Madame Aulakh and Jaggi Prdhan disappoints.
The series starts a bit flat but rises with each episode. Choice of actual locations including wheat fields, motors, village houses ,rice mills, gyms, derelict buildings, mohallas gives an authentic Punjabi look to the series.Some characters abruptly breaking into Hindi looks a bit odd .Resource constraints seems to be a issue in some of the scenes involving marriage, kabaddi matches or pop concerts. One should expect a more lavish budget for the next parts of the series.
Overall the success of CAT should prove to be a milestone in Punjabi OTT [over-the-top] cinema and should encourage a new wave of Punjabi writers, directors and actors to narrate the many stories of Punjab which are awaiting to be told.
Harjeshwar Pal Singh is an assistant professor at Sri Guru Gobind Singh College, Chandigarh, where he teaches history. He is an avid political commentator.
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. When you leave a comment at the bottom of this article, it takes time to appear as it is moderated by human being. Unless it is offensive or libelous, it should appear. You can also comment at Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can reach us via WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 or email: asia.samachar@gmail.com. For obituary announcements, click here.
None of the political shenanigans one hears about Bihar in Eastern India have deterred me from continuing to proclaim myself a proud Bihari. How could I not? Born and brought up in the Old City of Patna in the land of Buddha and Mahavira, of Chandragupta, Ashoka and Chanakya, where Sita was born and where the heroes of the Mahabharta gambolled, I have always revelled in the moniker.
But the clincher for my ego was that I was born not far from the birthplace and neighbourhood of young Gobind Rai, the son of Tegh Bahadar who later succeeded his father as our Tenth Guru. He is the one who would become the sixth soul to take Amrit on the historic First Vaisakhi Day, and be transformed into Gobind Singh.
Once known as Pataliputra, the capital of the great Mauryan empire, it now honours Guru Gobind Singh in its new name, Patna Sahib.
It’s my only claim to fame, but it is no small mercy. Being a Bihari who spent the first 21 years of his life in the State’s capital city has shaped me in so many different ways.
My childhood and early years are therefore different from those of most other Sikhs who hail from Punjab, because West Punjab (now in Pakistan, since 1947) is where my parents fled from during the great human tragedy of Partition, and East Punjab (in the newly-carved India) was for me but a place to visit every now and then to visit relatives or to explore the part of Sikhdom that was now left to a diminished India.
My earliest memories of Patna are, of course, of the Gurdwara. Being the birthplace of Guru Gobind Singh, the sprawling complex constitutes a Takht, one of the four original Thrones (now five) of temporal authority in Sikhdom.
It was a much smaller edifice then. Its features remain etched in my mind in considerable detail since my earliest days even though none of the original structure, sadly, is around today. Probably because we were there so often and because I saw the old structure being taken down and the current one being built before my very eyes.
I recall the commotion and the massive mess and operation around the building of a grand new, monumental gurdwara, commencing around the time I was barely four years old. I remember the regular visits to do seva as volunteers from across the country came in droves to help in the construction.
I vividly remember the hullabaloo around the arrival of Yadavindra Singh, the then Maharaja of Patiala. It caught the imagination of all of us that a Prince would dirty his hands and soil his clothes to personally carry cement and bricks up the scaffolding. It seemed to give everyone added fervour. I remember the electricity in the air while he and his entourage did their seva mingling freely with the rest of the workers.
HAPPY GURPURAB
[Editor’s Note: Guru Gobind Singh’s birthday falls on 5th Jan as per the Nanakshahi Calendar. Some gurdwaras observing the Bikrami calendar may celebrate it on a different date)
T. Sher Singh, born September 11, 1949, at Patna, Bihar, India. Have worn various hats (actually, turbans), including as Police Commissioner, Lawyer/Attorney, Speaker, TV Host, Radio commentator, Newspaper Columnist on current affairs for Toronto Star et al, World Traveler, and travel writer. Canadian citizen, and resident of Canada since 1971. He was also the editor and publisher at sikhchic.com. The article, an excerpt from his book “The Lion & The Princess, was shared at his LinkedIn.
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
Final year Thai law student Rasna Rajkitkul has clearly envisioned a path moving forward. And the fourth generation Sikh, born and raised in Bangkok, is bent on sticking to her plan. And it’s an interesting plan.
“My long-term career goals are to work as an attorney at a multinational law firm, and eventually become a judge specializing in technology law,” she tells Asia Samachar in an interview.
Now in the final year of my Bachelor of Law (LLB) degree at Thammasat University in Bangkok, Rasna (Raspreet Kaur Khurana) describes herself as an ‘extremely ambitious, with a strong moral codex’.
For the past three years, the 21-year-old has been an active member of her university’s Moot Society, serving as its president. Moot Society, for those who may not be very familiar with it, is an advocacy society, very similar to a mock court hearing. She was kept busy in October when her university hosted the Thai-led of the Hong Kong Red Cross International Humanitarian Law Moot Competition.
Tell us something about your parents.
I come from a close-knit Sikh family. My father, Kris (Prabhpal Singh Khurana), was also born and raised in Bangkok Thailand. My mother, Malika who’s originally from Sri Ganganagar, Rajasthan. I’ve also got a younger sister, Satkar, who grew up watching me and has now decided to join the same law school and program as myself. As an older sibling, I am so proud, to get to see her grow and become a young adult herself. Both my parents have played a vital role in who I am today. Without their struggles and teachings, I wouldn’t be where I am today. From a young age, my parents have never placed any form of pressure on my education, have allowed me to pursue whatever I desired, and given me the reassurance that they would support me no matter what path I decided to take in my higher education. Having that safety blanket of support given by my parents, allowed me to find my passion and where my interest lay. My parents are both hard workers, and through that, they’ve instilled a rigorous work ethic, determination, and resilience in their children, all the while keeping us grounded in our roots as well. They’ve been there for me every step of the way, and for that, I’m very grateful.
Along with my parents, I’ve been raised in a Sikh community with a strong, supportive, and loving Sangat, without which I wouldn’t be the person I am today. Their constant support and guidance have helped carry me through my ambition of pursuing my first law degree. The past three and a half years, of giving up weekends, holidays, and many sleepless nights to dedicate and work on myself to reach where I am today and to set myself up for bigger things in the future, hasn’t been an easy one. But with the constant support and love given by both my family and my Sangat, I’ve reached here, and hope to only work up from here and make them proud.
What made you take up law?
Studying law isn’t a walk in the park, there are a lot of sacrifices that come with it whether that’s in your personal or social life. Law school also takes a lot out of you physically, emotionally, and mentally. While I did take all those factors into account, I found that Law was an excellent match for me. I found that I had developed great communication and argumentative skills during my years at Ascot International School Bangkok while doing the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. I am extremely ambitious, with a strong moral codex. During my first year in this program, I researched different majors I could apply for when college applications opened. I had come across law and researched as much content as possible. I looked at different law programs, courses offered, sectors within the law I could specialize in, and what I could achieve after gaining a law degree. The more research I had done the more I could envision myself as a lawyer, more specifically a corporate lawyer. This fascination with the field of law got me determined to work through law school to become a skilled lawyer. Once I had set my mind to studying law, and applying for law school I focused all my time and energy on working towards this goal.
What is your ambition?
My long-term career goals are to work as an attorney at a multinational law firm, and eventually become a judge specializing in technology law. I would love the opportunity to work at a firm on cases related to technology law. After gaining experience at a law firm I would work myself to become a judge., and maybe a part-time law professor at a law school. What drew me to technology law, was to be able to specialize in such a sector of law, I would have to stay up-to-date with the latest development in the world of technology. I do consider myself to be a lifelong learner. Knowing that the world of technology is one that would be constantly changing, and I would have to keep myself updated on every development is exciting. As my LLB degree is near its end, I plan to further my education by doing my LLM in the US specializing in technology law.
What helps to keep you on track in your studies?
I would say that my mentality has allowed me to keep myself on track and keep a consistent level of discipline. Within this mindset, I’ve found that you must be passionate, obsessive, relentless, and resilient. I have developed a mindset, where I’m trying to be the best version of myself. Every day I’m trying to become better. My goal since the beginning of my journey in law has been to become the best I could possibly be in law. To do that, I needed to work on the fundamental skills needed in a lawyer and prepare myself as much as possible and as often as possible. I had that passion going into my first year of law school, and I had to consistently keep that passion for the law to keep myself working at a high-functioning level. Through that, the obsessiveness comes through, when you’re so passionate about something obsessiveness comes hand in hand. I became obsessed with working and working constantly on anything that would allow me to reach my goal, and better myself. From my freshmen year, I joined as many workshops, clubs, organizations, and societies as possible. Firstly, so I could gain exposure to different aspects of the law, socialize with as many lawyers and law professors as possible, and gain fundamental skills needed as a law student and aspiring lawyer. Through diving into as many opportunities in my first year, I was able to build relationships with societies which allowed me to work my way up the leadership ladder, to eventually pay my dues and get the presidency at the moot society. Through being the president of the moot society, I found a strong leader in myself and have challenged myself in ways that have allowed me to grow and develop even further.
What else do you do?
For the past couple of years, I’ve been tutoring students from the ages of four to forty-five. I’ve found that the most rewarding aspect of tutoring has been the ability to assist my students to achieve their goals year after year. Through tutoring, I’ve found this ambition to want to teach, and have considered becoming a law school professor sometime down the years in my career. With the support of my professors and my own passion for teaching, I’ve decided to work towards that goal.
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. When you leave a comment at the bottom of this article, it takes time to appear as it is moderated by human being. Unless it is offensive or libelous, it should appear. You can also comment at Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can reach us via WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 or email: asia.samachar@gmail.com. For obituary announcements, click here.
A federal court has ruled to protect the right of Sikhs to maintain religious beards and serve their country in the United States Marine Corps.
Aekash Singh, Jaskirat Singh, and Milaap Singh Chahal were denied accommodations to enter basic training even though the US Marines regularly allow beards for secular reasons.
In Singh v. Berger, the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit vindicated the recruits’ right to maintain a religious beard and wear a turban during basic training, according to a statement by Becket, a non-profit, public-interest legal and educational institute with a mission to protect the free expression of all faiths.
The court wrote that the Marine Corps has never explained “why the Corps cannot apply the same or similar [religious] accommodations that the Army, Navy, and Air Force, and Coast Guard provide,” especially in light of “the exemptions already made for other Marine recruits’ beards, hair, and other individual physical indicia,” as well as the Corps’ “own history of flexible grooming and uniform requirements” since its creation in 1775. In light of all this, the Court found that the Sikh recruits “not only have a substantial likelihood of success on the merits—it is difficult to imagine them losing.”
The Marine Corps argued that allowing Sikhs to maintain religious beards would disrupt troop uniformity and appearance among recruits and ultimately threaten national security. However, the Marines already allow recruits to grow beards for medical reasons if they have psuedofolliculitis barbae (razor bumps) and have recently loosened restrictions on uniformity requirements by allowing tattoos and women to keep long hair. Other U.S. military branches—including the largest, the Army—have accommodated religious beards for years, as well as many respected militaries around the globe.
In the opinion for the D.C. federal appeals court, Circuit Judge Patricia A Millett noted that the case arises at the intersection of weighty competing interests. On the one hand, “no military organization can function without strict discipline and regulation that would be unacceptable in a civilian setting.” On the other hand, the cost of military service has never entailed the complete surrender of all “basic rights[.]”
In the judgment, Millett says: “Jaskirat Singh, Milaap Singh Chahal, and Aekash Singh wish to serve their Nation by enlisting in the United States Marine Corps. They are each fully qualified to enlist, having satisfied the Corps’ preenlistment criteria. There is just one barrier to their entry. Jaskirat, Milaap, and Aekash are members of the Sikh faith, which requires them, as relevant here, to maintain unshorn hair and beards and to wear certain articles of faith. Those religious practices conflict with the Marine Corps’ standard grooming policy for the initial training of newly enlisted recruits, commonly known as boot camp. The Corps has agreed to accommodate Plaintiffs’ religious commitments (with some limitations not relevant here) after each of them finishes basic training. But it will brook no exception for the Sikh faith during those initial thirteen weeks of boot camp.
“The district court denied Plaintiffs’ request for a preliminary injunction based solely on an analysis of the public interest. We reverse in part and remand for the prompt issuance of a preliminary injunction in favor of Jaskirat Singh and Milaap Chahal, and for reconsideration of Aekash Singh’s request for a preliminary injunction in light of this opinion.”
REACTION
“Today’s ruling is a major victory for these Sikh recruits, who can now begin basic training without having to forfeit their religious beliefs,” said Eric Baxter, vice president and senior counsel at Becket. “It is also a victory for our nation, as three brave and dedicated men will soon serve our nation with valor in the Marine Corps.”
PALM SPRINGS, CA – OCTOBER 18, 2021: Photographic session with Lt. Toor and attorneys from the Sikh Coalition. Photographed by Mark Abramson for the Sikh Coalition
Sikhs have a long history of serving in militaries around the globe, motivated by their religious teachings that instruct them to defend the defenseless. Many Sikhs live out this duty by serving their countries while maintaining beards, turbans, and other articles of faith. But for years, the Marine Corps—unlike other branches of the military—barred Sikh recruits with religious beards from entry into basic training. Today, the federal circuit court struck that rule down as a violation of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA).
“Sikhs have a storied history of capable service in the U.S. Army and Air Force as far back as World War I, doing so with beards, turbans, and other articles of faith,” said Giselle Klapper, senior staff attorney at the Sikh Coalition. “Today’s ruling means that faithful Sikhs who are called to serve our country can now also do so in the U.S. Marine Corps.”
Winston & Strawn, the Sikh Coalition, and Baker Hostetler are also representing the recruits.
Case Snapshot (courtesy of Becket): Aekash Singh, Jaskirat Singh, and Milaap Singh Chahal are Marine Corps recruits and devout members of the Sikh faith. After being recruited for service in the Marines, all three were told they had to choose between their religious obligation to maintain a beard and a turban, or their faith’s call to defend the defenseless. Although the Marine Corps routinely accommodates soldiers who need to grow beards for other reasons, the recruits have been told they cannot enter basic training if they grow beards for religious reasons. Now the three recruits, joined by Sukhbir Toor, a Marine captain, are asking the Marines to ensure that all Sikhs who are called to serve can receive the religious accommodations that fairness—and federal law—demand. No one should be forced to abandon their religious beliefs to serve our country.
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. When you leave a comment at the bottom of this article, it takes time to appear as it is moderated by human being. Unless it is offensive or libelous, it should appear. You can also comment at Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can reach us via WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 or email: asia.samachar@gmail.com. For obituary announcements, click here.
Surjit Singh Bains is a board member at the Sikh Gurdwara San Jose. More than 20,000 Sikhs reside in Santa Clara County. Photo: Loan-Anh Pham / San Jose Spotlight
By Loan-Anh Pham | San José Spotlight | United States |
California Sikhs have received statewide recognition, and San Jose’s own Sikh community played a crucial role.
The state Assembly approved a resolution earlier this year to recognize and promote understanding of the ethnic and religious group that totals more than 20,000 residents in Santa Clara County and more than 200,000 statewide, according to census data. The state Senate is expected to take up a corresponding resolution next year.
Assemblymember Ash Kalra, author of the resolution, said it affirms Sikhs as part of a distinct ethnic and religious minority, and serves as a starting point for people to learn more about the community. Kalra represents District 25, which includes a large part of San Jose and parts of Santa Clara.
Sikh Gurdwara San Jose, also known as Sikh Gurdwara Sahib, is the largest Sikh temple in the world outside of India.
“We literally have a point of national and even international significance right here in our hometown,” Kalra told San José Spotlight. “That’s why working with the San Jose Gurdwara and getting this resolution passed has extra significance.”
San Jose Sikh leaders worked with other Sikh community members in the Central Valley to draft the resolution, before working with local lawmakers to move it forward.
Surjit Singh Bains, a board member at Sikh Gurdwara San Jose, said the inspiration for the resolution came from similar legislation in other states, including Pennsylvania. The legislation carries Sikh principles such as equality and sharing resources, Bains said, while also instilling a sense of belonging for younger Sikh Americans.
“All people, all over the U.S.A., Northern California and other states, they will know who we are,” Bains told San José Spotlight.
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. When you leave a comment at the bottom of this article, it takes time to appear as it is moderated by human being. Unless it is offensive or libelous, it should appear. You can also comment at Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can reach us via WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 or email: asia.samachar@gmail.com. For obituary announcements, click here.
Last respects can be paid at residence Block 17-01-04 Taman Sri Sentosa Apt, Jalan Klang Lama, 58000, Kuala Lumpur
Cortege leaves residence at 2.00pm, 28 December 2022 (Wednesday)
Saskaar/ Cremation: 3pm, 28 December 2022 (Wednesday) at Shamshan Bhoomi Hall (Loke Yew Crematorium), Kuala Lumpur
Path da Bhog will be held on 14th January 2023 (Saturday) at Gurdwara Sahib Petaling Jaya from 8am onwards follow by Guru ka Langgar
Contact: Deepa 0193839875 Shindi 0166511750
| Entry: 27 Dec 2022 | Source: Family
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. When you leave a comment at the bottom of this article, it takes time to appear as it is moderated by human being. Unless it is offensive or libelous, it should appear. You can also comment at Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can reach us via WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 or email: asia.samachar@gmail.com. For obituary announcements, click here.
Mikey Hothi has been unanimously selected mayor of Lodi City, making him the first Sikh to hold the position in the California city.
Hothi, first elected to the council in 2020 representing the council’s fifth district, has served as vice mayor this past year under mayor Mark Chandler, who announced last summer he would not seek re-election.
“Honored to be sworn in as the 117th Mayor of the City of Lodi,” he tweeted on Friday (23 Dec 2022).
Born to parents from India’s Punjab region, Hothi joins a growing list of Sikhs who have occupied the mayoral office in the United States (US).
In 2017, Ravinder Singh Bhalla became the US’ only directly elected turbaned Sikh mayor with his victory at Hoboken, New Jersey. The lawyer and city councilman emerged victorious in the six-person mayoral race, becoming the first Sikh mayor of the Mile Square City — and the state of New Jersey.
In the same year, Preet Didbal, an Indian-American daughter of a labourer who herself ‘did the peaches, the prunes’, was named as the first Sikh woman mayor of California’s Yuba City. The appointment also makes her the first Sikh woman mayor in the United States.
Born to parents from India’s Punjab region, Hothi told the Lodi News-Sentinel that growing up in Lodi was a challenge, particularly after 9/11, when many Muslims and Sikhs experienced unfair harassment due to an perceived association to the terrorist organization responsible for the World Trade Center attacks.
But Hothi explained that his family not only survived, but thrived in Lodi. Many became business owners and entrepreneurs who still manage successful companies today. His family was also instrumental in founding the Sikh temple on Armstrong Road, he said.
“Our experience is similar to that of the Hispanic community that came before us, the Greek community, the Germans,” he said. “Everyone came to Lodi because they realized it was a safe family town. (It has) great education, great people, great culture, great values, and just hard-working people in this town. I’m just proud to represent this community as its next mayor.”
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. When you leave a comment at the bottom of this article, it takes time to appear as it is moderated by human being. Unless it is offensive or libelous, it should appear. You can also comment at Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can reach us via WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 or email: asia.samachar@gmail.com. For obituary announcements, click here.
Harjit Singh with a copy of a news report on the Aceh humanitarian mission – Photo: FMT
By Dineskumar Ragu | FMT | Malaysia |
GEORGE TOWN: Hockey coach and dragon boat racing instructor Harjit Singh still cannot shake off the gruesome memories of a humanitarian mission he joined after Aceh’s Boxing Day tsunami tragedy 18 years ago.
He and other mission members were travelling a month later on a tongkang (junk) from Paro, an Aceh village, to Banda Aceh when the boat was hit by massive waves.
“The waves were so big that our boat was lifted up and then dropped several metres. It was as if it would break up in pieces. Some volunteers were terrified and the situation was made worse because only three of us could swim.
“We could have drowned even if we could swim. But the captain told us not to worry,” he said.
Harjit was part of a 30-member volunteer group from the Global Sikhs humanitarian relief team that sailed to Aceh from Langkawi in two yachts. The mission was not for the faint of heart because of the risk of dying from diseases or drowning, and the volunteers had to sign indemnity forms.
They travelled to Indonesia’s semi-autonomous province with a group of Langkawi-based sailors called “The Waves of Mercy” and a US-based group called United Sikhs.
The yachts carried food and medical supplies for tsunami survivors donated by the public and Buddhist Maha Vihara. The sea journey was perilous as rebels from the Free Aceh Movement patrolled the region’s coastal areas.
Harjit said the yachts had to sail with lights dimmed to avert a rebel attack. At Paro, they found corpses scattered all around. The crew distributed the food and medical supplies to the survivors, repaired damaged roads, and moved the bodies to burial sites.
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. When you leave a comment at the bottom of this article, it takes time to appear as it is moderated by human being. Unless it is offensive or libelous, it should appear. You can also comment at Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You can reach us via WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 or email: asia.samachar@gmail.com. For obituary announcements, click here.
Shenjeet Kaur Gill-Sekhon (left) with her family (right)
By Asia Samachar | Australia |
Seremban-born Shenjeet Kaur Gill-Sekhon has been elected as the new councillor for the City of Canning, probably the first Malaysian Sikh woman to join the city’s local government. Canning is in Western Australia [corrected].
Popularly known as Shen Sekhon, she will serve as the new councillor for the Beeliar for 10 months before she faces the polls again.
Shenjeet was born in the Malaysian city of Seremban, Negeri Sembilan and grew up in Kepong Baru. She had completed a Diploma in Media and Communications at Limkokwing University and then the BA in Mass Communications in Curtin Perth in 2003.
Upon graduation, she joined Limkokwing University as its marketing and communications manager.
She met her husband, Harveer (Harry) who was originally from Klang but has been in Perth since 1992 and returned to Perth in 2006. Shen continued to work in the higher education industry for a further 10 years with Curtin University’s International Affairs department and completed her MBA in the process.
“As soon as my children commenced primary school, I got involved in community service,” she told Asia Samachar in an interview.
She joined the Parent and Citizens Association (P&C) at their primary school and eventually became their president. Subsequently, she was invited to join the school board and she also founded the Culturally and Linguistically (CALD) Women’s Business community organisation aimed at connecting, engaging and empowering the women in her local and wider school community as well as assist migrant women integrate into the local community.
That led her to being involved with the local government through their Cultural Ambassador pilot project; aimed at identifying community leaders from the CALD background and assist in bridging the gap between the city and its diverse communities.
“When the City of Canning’s Councillor role with the local government became vacant, I was encouraged to go for it due to my active involvement with local community groups,” she said. She won with a landslide victory against four other candidates.
In her days, she was a gymnast, head prefect and head of the Girl Scouts.
“Having serving on boards, managing the P&C (PTA) and community organisations, I would like to give back to the society using my knowledge, experience and skills. Volunteering in the community gives me a sense of fulfilment as I grew up watching my grandmother do ‘sewa‘ (selfless service) in the Gurudwara. Being able to have a say in decisions that will impact not only the my local ward but the wider City of Canning community motivated me to campaign for the local government councillor seat,” she said.
She said her inspiration is her late grandmother who moved to Malaysia in the early 1950s for a better life for her children, parents Sarbjit Singh and Kuldip Kaur for instilling in her the values of hardwork and to never give up, and her mother-in-law Parkash Kaur who always stood by her and supported her.
“And last, but least my husband, Harry who is my strength and rock alongside my three amazing children,” she said.
Shenjeet Kaur Gill-Sekhon (left) in one of roles as a cultural ambassador
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