Son: Ajeetpal Singh Bal & Daughter in Law: Simranjit Kaur Gill
Son: Gurmeet Singh Bal
Dearly missed by grandchildren, sisters, brothers, sister in laws, brother in laws, nephews, nieces, relatives and friends.
PATH DA BHOG 3rd August 2025, Sunday 10 am to 12 pm Gurdwara Sahib Serdang
We wish to express our heartfelt thanks to everyone for your presence, prayers, floral tributes, messages and assistance rendered during our recent bereavement.
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. You can leave your comments at our website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We will delete comments we deem offensive or potentially libelous. You can reach us via WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 or email: asia.samachar@gmail.com. For obituary announcements, click here
Baljit Singh Randhawa, who’s dad Jugjet Singh was an NST sports writer, featured in the New Sunday Times today (July 27, 2025) – Photo: Asia Samachar
By Aftar Singh | NST |
The father held the pen with panache, now the son wields the hockey stick with finesse.
Jugjet Singh, the New Straits Times sports writer who died of cancer last year at the age of 55, would be proud of his son, Baljit Singh Randhawa. The influence of his sports writer father is writ large on Baljit, who aspires to be a national player.
Jugjet, who covered the national hockey team, including their World Cup and Olympic campaigns, had dreams of his son wearing the Malaysia jersey one day. So, the hand that wrote, also became the hand that shaped Baljit’s sport path.
Jugjet would tell colleagues that he was sending his son for hockey training before covering national league matches. Baljit, who will turn 17 tomorrow (July 28), is the fourth and youngest son of Jugjet.
“I took up hockey because of my father. He loved the sport so much and he wrote almost everyday about hockey. My father was my inspiration. He always motivated me in studies and in hockey.
“I want to fulfil my father’s dream to represent Malaysia in the 2027 Junior World Cup. To achieve this, I have to train really hard and I am willing to do whatever it takes to fulfil my father’s dreams.”
Coach Baljit Charun said Baljit is a dedicated player and has shown a lot of improvement since playing for KLSSRC in the junior league in 2023.
“For this year’s MJHL, he is a key player and we know he will give his best. He still has to work hard in training to be a consistent player. I know he will work hard to achieve his goals in hockey.”
For the full story, click here (New Sunday Times, July 27, 2025).
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. You can leave your comments at our website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We will delete comments we deem offensive or potentially libelous. You can reach us via WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 or email: asia.samachar@gmail.com. For obituary announcements, click here
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. You can leave your comments at our website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We will delete comments we deem offensive or potentially libelous. You can reach us via WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 or email: asia.samachar@gmail.com. For obituary announcements, click here
Lately, I’ve been reflecting on how we might understand the difference between Gurmat (the Guru’s wisdom) and Mannmat (self-willed thought) through the lens of contemporary thought processes. For me, this distinction echoes a fundamental difference between authentic learning and reasoning, versus the psychological trap of confirmation bias.
In the modern world, we often confuse opinion with knowledge. Our ego (haumai) tends to drive us towards forming views based not on careful inquiry or lived wisdom, but on emotion, prejudice, or unexamined beliefs. Once we’ve settled on an idea, we then seek out information that confirms what we already think, ignoring or dismissing anything that challenges our position. This is what psychologists call confirmation bias, and it affects all of us to varying degrees.
Mannmat thrives in this environment. It is essentially a mode of thought rooted in self-centredness. We elevate our personal reasoning above all else, often without rigorous self-examination. In contrast, Gurmat begins not with the assumption that we already know, but with a sincere desire to learn and to understand what the Guru teaches. This demands an attitude of humility, openness, and deep introspection.
Approaching Gurbani through Gurmat means listening attentively and receptively, without projecting our own biases onto the text. It involves a willingness to allow the Guru’s words to challenge us, to unsettle us, and to transform our understanding. This is not easy. As Socrates once said, “one has to become a stranger one’s own mind”. In other words, genuine learning requires us to step back from our preconceived notions and be open to perspectives that may be radically different from our own.
In Sikh tradition, the Gurus offer a model of wisdom that is not dogmatic but dialogical. We are encouraged to vichar (reflect) on Gurbani, but not with arrogance or stubbornness. Instead, we must cultivate nimrata (humility) and shardha (trust) in the process. This doesn’t mean blindly accepting everything, but rather entering into a transformative relationship with wisdom that challenges our ego and nurtures our surat (awareness).
In this light, the practice of Gurmat is not simply about religious belief; it is a powerful method of developing our capacity for deep learning, critical reflection, and spiritual growth. It reminds us that truth is not something we possess, but something we are continually called to seek; through sangat (community), through seva (service), and through the constant process of inner dialogue with the Guru.
Gurnam Singh is an academic activist dedicated to human rights, liberty, equality, social and environmental justice. He is an Associate Professor of Sociology at University of Warwick, UK. He can be contacted at Gurnam.singh.1@warwick.ac.uk
* This is the opinion of the writer and does not necessarily represent the views of Asia Samachar.
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. You can leave your comments at our website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We will delete comments we deem offensive or potentially libelous. You can reach us via WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 or email: asia.samachar@gmail.com. For obituary announcements, click here
KLSSRC beat Storm DBKL 3-0 in their opening game for MJHL 2025 on July 24, 2025 – Photo: Supplied
By Asia Samachar | Malaysia |
The Kuala Lumpur Sikh Sports and Recreation Club (KLSSRC) team began their fourth season in Malaysian Junior Hockey League (MJHL) 2025 on a winning note.
They defeated Storm DBKL 3-0 yesterday, with the goals coming from Jaideep Ryan Singh, Shakty Yogenthiran and Jaidev Singh Dio.
The team is up against MHS Junior tonight (July 25, 9pm, NHC1) before meeting Negeri Sembilan (July 27, 8pm, NHC2) and TBSS-MSSMNS (July 29, 8pm, NHC1).
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. You can leave your comments at our website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We will delete comments we deem offensive or potentially libelous. You can reach us via WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 or email: asia.samachar@gmail.com. For obituary announcements, click here
Prime Minister Boris Johnson visiting the Sri Guru Singh Sabha Gurdwara Southall in London for the 550th Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak in 2019 – Photo: Boris Johnson Facebook
By Gurmukh Singh | Opinion |
Defence of the rights of minorities is a true measure of the success of true democracies. That also assumes loyalty to the national values and way of life by minority communities.
British Sikhs have never asked for more except that their rights as a legally distinct ethnic (qaumi) minority should be safeguarded. Otherwise, Sikhs have adjusted well to the British way of life.
When MPs visit Gurdwaras to seek Sikh votes, they are expected to show an understanding of the Sikh tradition, issues and concerns. They should make only those promises which they can deliver. For example, one such promise made by the Labour Party in opposition before the last general election was to hold a judge-led inquiry into the role of UK in 1984 Darbar Sahib attack by the Indian Army. Anti-Sikh measures by PM Margaret Thatcher at the time, need scrutiny. That promise has yet to be delivered by the Labour Government.
MPs of all parties need to be aware that they are dealing with well-educated British Sikh next generations who will make them account for the pre-election promises. Sikhs are not block voters. Depending on party manifestos, Sikhs join all parties and play their role as responsible citizens. This democratic approach by the Sikhs to vote according to own personal political choices can be misread by sitting MPs more inclined to please block-voting communities. They may assume that Sikhs can be safely ignored because they appear to be divided between parties. That can be a miscalculation.
As a distinct British community, Sikhs are well educated, self-reliant, prosperous net contributors to the UK economy. Regardless of their diverse political affiliations, they do share common values as members of the Panth also. That is a unique concept of a religio-political entity focused on honest living in God remembrance, sharing, service and justice akin to British values. That concept of the Panth does unite all Sikhs as often witnessed at major Sikh events. Sikhs can be much more influential in plural societies than their numbers or diverse political affiliations would suggest. To ignore just Sikh rights can be costly for politicians in the long run.
MPs cannot be selective between the majority community and British minorities when upholding the rights of British Citizens including those visiting abroad. Regrettably, that has been the case over the years and the most recent example is that of Jagtar Singh Johal awaiting justice in India.
The collective memory of every community is long. Sikh constituents remember MPs who have supported just Sikh needs and concerns over the last few decades during a time of changing race relations. For example, MP Sydney Bidwell of Ealing Southall is remembered for crucial role in The Turban Victory.
Generally, Sikh contribution to the British way of life, long history of Anglo-Sikh relations, Sikhs as loyal citizens and their massive net contribution to the UK economy are well set out in the successive Sikh Manifestos. Most MPs, and especially those from constituencies with large Sikh populations, should make themselves conversant with these publications since 2015. They should attend All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs) for Sikhs briefings.
By taking up issues of concern to minorities like the Sikhs, MPs place themselves in a stronger position as true guardians of democratic principles.
Gurmukh Singh OBE, a retired UK senior civil servant, chairs the Advisory Board of The Sikh Missionary Society UK. Email: sewauk2005@yahoo.co.uk. Click here for more details on the author.The article first appeared at Panjab Times, UK
* This is the opinion of the writer, organisation or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Asia Samachar.
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. You can leave your comments at our website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We will delete comments we deem offensive or potentially libelous. You can reach us via WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 or email: asia.samachar@gmail.com. For obituary announcements, click here
Parents: Late Gianni Bachittar Singh Ji (Former Head Granthi of Gurdwara Sahib Tatt Khalsa Diwan Selangor) & Late Mata Jaswant Kaur Ji)
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved Massi Jind, a truly beautiful soul who left us on 22nd of July 2025.
Our Massi Jind was a loving, caring, and strong-willed woman whose presence brought warmth, strength, and unwavering support to everyone fortunate enough to know her.
She lived a life with grace, resilience, and deep compassion; always putting others before herself, and offering kindness without hesitation. Her love was a steady light in our lives, and her strength was a source of comfort through all seasons.
Though our Massi Jind may no longer be with us in this world, her memory lives on in the hearts of those she touched, in every act of kindness, every smile she gave so freely, and every lesson she taught us through the way she lived.
With deepest love and gratitude, Her nieces, nephews, grand nieces and grand nephews, who will miss her always.
SEHAJ PATH DA BHOG & followed by Guru Ka Langgar
Saturday, August 2nd, 2025 5pm to 7pm Gurdwara Sahib Tatt Khalsa Diwan Selangor
| Entry: 22 July 2025; Updated 27 July 2025 | Source: Family
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. You can leave your comments at our website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We will delete comments we deem offensive or potentially libelous. You can reach us via WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 or email: asia.samachar@gmail.com. For obituary announcements, click here
SIWEC Management Committee for 2025–2027 led by Sharajit Kaur
By Asia Samachar | Singapore |
Sikh Welfare Council (SIWEC), a social service agency in Singapore launched in 1995, created history with the appointment of its first woman chairperson.
At the same time, the newly elected management committee also features the highest representation of women to date, making up five out of 11 members of irs management committee to steer the outfit for the next two years (2025-2027).
On July 17, law firm director Sharanjit Kaur took over as SIWEC chairperson from veteran volunteer Manmohan Singh.
She will be assisted by Jaspreet Kaur as the Vice Chairperson for Operations and Inderpal Singh as the Vice Chairperson for Administration. Jaspreet Kaur Sidhu-Chopra will handle the secretariat while Sukhbeer Singh will be leading the treasury.
“Led by Sharanjit, the new committee brings fresh perspectives, renewed energy, and a steadfast commitment to SIWEC’s mission of serving with dignity and care,” SIWEC said in an entry announcing the new team at its social media page. “As we embrace this new chapter, we remain committed to the values of seva (selfless service), diversity, and community empowerment.”
Manmohan took the SIWEC helm in 2023 after serving as its vice chairman over the last eight years. Prior to him, SIWEC was led by Harmit Singh, another long-serving volunteer, who served as chairman since 2021.
In the note, SIWEC said under Manmohan’s stewardship, it launched impactful initiatives such as the Mental Health Awareness Programme and significantly expanded its outreach within the community.
“Sewa (volunteering) is one of the core values that I have been brought up with and I am fortunate to have been given the opportunity to give back to society through my Sewa and involvement with the SIWEC since 2013,” Sharanjit told Asia Samachar in an interview in 2021, a year before she joined hands with a friend to set up boutique law firm Advox Law LLC. SEE HERE.
Over the past years, SIWEC has evolved from providing basic assistance to needy Sikh families to offering a wide range of social, financial, educational and mental health support services, to assist the wider Singapore community as well.
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. You can leave your comments at our website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We will delete comments we deem offensive or potentially libelous. You can reach us via WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 or email: asia.samachar@gmail.com. For obituary announcements, click here
| Entry: 20 July 2025; Updated 23 July 2025 | Source: Family
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. You can leave your comments at our website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We will delete comments we deem offensive or potentially libelous. You can reach us via WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 or email: asia.samachar@gmail.com. For obituary announcements, click here
ASIA SAMACHAR is an online newspaper for Sikhs / Punjabis in Southeast Asia and beyond. You can leave your comments at our website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We will delete comments we deem offensive or potentially libelous. You can reach us via WhatsApp +6017-335-1399 or email: asia.samachar@gmail.com. For obituary announcements, click here
