Sikh Missionary Society (U.K.)
ਸਿੱਖ ਮਿਸ਼ਨਰੀ ਸੁਸਾਇਟੀ (ਯੂ.ਕੇ.)

At Anandpur in Panjab, Guru Gobind Singh presented the final form of a transcaste egalitarian order. The Guru looked on with satisfaction at the first five Sikhs who had risen above the fear of death, and who were prepared to tread the path of truthful conduct. They had offered their heads to the Guru and the Guru had given them a new identity and way of life, and embraced them as the Five Beloved Ones (Panj Piaray). They had qualified for admission to the fully evolved order of the Khalsa Panth. They were ready to accept the spiritual and worldly discipline of Sikhism as responsible householders and social activists. Today, the Panj Piaray (the Five Beloved Ones) represent the ideal of service and sacrifice towards which every Sikh, the after truth, aspires.

The joint Guruship of Guru Granth and Guru Panth is a unique feature of Sikh tradition. It means that collectively, the Sikhs are empowered by the Guru to interpret the Guru's Word in Guru Granth Sahib. The Guru has given us the constitution, Guru Granth Sahib, and the egalitarian and democratic institutions to work together towards an ideal just society, united in its diversity.

It is in this sense that it may be said that Sikhi (Sikh Religion) is truly a religion of the people, by the people and for the people!

Khalsa Vaisakhi Day is also the time to reflect on the challenges faced by the independent Khalsa ideology, institutions and identity. As late Sirdar Kapur Singh reminded us, the independent status and the prerogatives of the Khalsa are imprescriptible. (The Golden Temple: Its Theo-political Status)

It is in that true Khalsa spirit that we should celebrate the Khalsa Vaisakhi Day on 14 April 2023.

For further information -

• see Relevance of the Khalsa Today under Articles
• see Vaisakhi 1699: The High Point of Guru Nanak Jote-Jugat Mission under Articles
• see Vaisakhi 1699 - The High Point of Sikhism (Guru Nanak's Ideal Society: The Khalsa Panth) under Publications
• see Nirmal Panth to Khalsa Panth under Articles
• see From Gur-Sangat to Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa under Articles
• see Progress of Guru Nanak Sahib's mission: Chronological Table of Gurus under Publications
• see Challenges to Sikh Identity in The West under Articles

Year 2021 marked the 400th Parkash Year of Nanak IX, Guru Tegh Bahadur. To commemorate the life, mission and martyrdom of Guru Ji, the Society's acclaimed publication Guru Tegh Bahadur (1621-1675): The True Story has been revised and updated with Guru Ji's Gurbani by Society sewadar, S. Gurmukh Singh OBE. The Digital Edition has been made available to diaspora Sikh organisations for publication.

• Second Edition: Guru Tegh Bahadur (1621-1675) - The True Story under Publications
• Second Edition "Guru Tegh Bahadur: The True Story" previewed by renowned Dya Singh (Australia)
• First Edition "Guru Tegh Bahadur: The True Story" reviewed by renowned scholar Dr Hardev Singh Virk , published by The Sikh Review (Kolkata), Sikhnet, Asian Samachar and ResearchGate.
• Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur: An Overview of His Life and Bani
• Guru Tegh Bahadur - Calmness, Tranquility and Detachment. under Sikhism

Current Affairs advisories from Sardar Gurmukh Singh OBE, Chair of the Sikh Missionary Society Advisory Board -

• The Sikhs; Their Religion and Tradition
• Guru Granth Sahib
• Who is my Guru?
• Sikh religious titles, duties and related skills
• Sikh weddings: Anand Karaj
• Mixed-marriages : Professing Non-Sikh Faith But Married in Gurdwara
• Sikh Council UK Guidelines: Marriages in Gurdwaras where one partner is not of Sikh origin
• Women in Sikh Tradition
• Sikhism and the Status of Women
• Heritage of the Sikhs - The Sikh Martial Tradition
• Role of Sikh Women in 18th Century Khalsa Struggle
• The First Anglo-Sikh War - Amarpal Sidhu - Book Review
• A Sikh Approach to War and Peace
• Radicalization & Confused Government Policy
• Sikhism & Care of the Planet
• Sikhism & Ecological Issues
• Sikhism & The Earth Charter
• Understanding types of Gurdwara and main Sikh groupings in the UK (Report: Research into Sikh Presence and Relationships in the Region for East of England Faiths Council)
• The UK Sikh Manifesto 2015-20: Sikh theo-political (piri-miri) objectives
• Sikh Manifesto 2020-25

Further Reading

• His study about the Life and Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur, published as a book by The Sikh Missionary Society UK with the title - Guru Tegh Bahadur: The True Story"
• Articles by S. Gurmukh Singh can be read under Articles on Sikh Idealogy & Identity
• His weekly Current Sikh Affairs "News & Views" column in Panjab Times
• His monthly articles on SikhNet

Sikhs worldwide remember the 1984 pogrom in which, according to official figures, at least 3,000 Sikhs were killed by organized mobs in Delhi in the first 3 days of November 1984. Thousands of Sikhs were also killed in other cities of India. While the terror of the human slaughter within such a short time was horrifying, the contrived completeness of the failure of the Indian administrative system was inexcusable.

In an ever shrinking world, no one can remain immune from large scale selective massacre of one community and prolonged delay in the delivery of justice. We remember those who lost their lives in the Sikh genocide of November 1984 and their families who continue to be denied justice to this day.

Further Reading

• Sifting the Dust of 84 Pogrom for Some Positives
• I Accuse...The Anti-Sikh Violence of 1984 - Jarnail Singh journalist - Book Review
• EU Sikh Summit Speech Goes Viral

The British Sikh Inquiry (BSI) project aims to record evidence which shows institutional bias against the Sikhs because they are “different”. Thus, “Institutional racism” was defined by Sir William Macpherson in the UK’s Lawrence report (1999) as:

“The collective failure of an organization to provide an appropriate and professional service to people because of their colour, culture, or ethnic origin. It can be seen or detected in processes, attitudes and behaviour that amount to discrimination through prejudice, ignorance, thoughtlessness, and racist stereotyping which disadvantage minority ethnic people.”

Institutional racism in the government and agencies, politics, local and national assemblies, the judiciary, the media, the health and educational systems and other public and private sector bodies is directed against a people like the Sikhs because they are seen to be “different”. They are different not just because of their visible identity in case of Amritdhari (initiated) Sikhs and Sikhs who keep turbans and beards but also due to their association with a way of life based on creed, culture and historical tradition as a distinct people.

There have been numerous recorded cases since the arrival of Sikhs in the UK from about mid-1950's, which show that Sikhs have been victims of institutional discrimination because of their qaumi (theo-national) way of life, values, behaviour and characteristics. Varying degrees of religious observance may be one characteristic.

Otherwise, “The Sikhs are a role model community and provide an exceptionally interesting example of successful integration whilst maintaining a very visible and distinctive religious identity.” (The Sikh Manifesto 2015-2020).

Findings of the prolonged Daniel Morgan murder investigation into Scotland Yard remind UK Sikhs of their own negative experience in dealing with public servants and ministers. The most recent example is the highly questionable "consultation" process used by the Office for National Statistics to decide if the Sikhs should be allocated own ethnic (Qaumi) tick box in Census 2021.

The British Sikh Inquiry (BSI) section at the Sikh Missionary Society UK aims to collate and preserve as part of British Sikh history, cases, news reports, briefings and investigative articles relating to institutional racism against British Sikhs as a distinct community in the British plural society.

Project co-ordinator:

Gurmukh Singh OBE: sewauk2005@yahoo.co.uk

(First contact by e-mail only).

Please visit the new section of the website -

• History of Institutional Racism Against British Sikhs

Achieving this Guidance on the wearing of Sikh Articles of Faith in the workplace and public spaces by the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is an important step forward in recognition of the Sikh religious identity in the UK. The Sikh Missionary Society UK was represented by Gurmukh Singh (UK) in the drafting of the Equality and Human Rights Commission guidelines.

Further Reading

• see Guidance on the wearing of Sikh articles of faith in the workplace and public spaces under Articles (also available in Panjabi)
• Turban-wearing Sikhs are exempt from the need to wear head protection in the workplace

  Sections 11 and 12 of the Employment Act 1989 as amended by Section 6 of the Deregulation Act 2015 exempts turban-wearing Sikhs from any legal requirement to wear head protection at a workplace.
  

• Sikh Rehat Maryada also available as PDF in English  and Panjabi