WINNERS 2015

WORLD CANCER CARE (UK)

SIKHS IN CHARITY

Kulwant Singh is the Global Ambassador of World Cancer Care a charity that has raised the awareness of cancer amongst the Punjabi community around the world and in particular Punjab, the cancer capital of the world. He works tirelessly and without any expenditure lecturing on various platforms including Gurudwaras on the cancers in our society including daaj, feticide, drugs etc. Regular camps are now held in the state of Punjab on a daily basis and sponsored by NRIs where free counseling and checks up for breast cancer, cervix cancer, prostrate cancer, blood pressure and sugar tests are done for the poor, free of cost. World Cancer Care now organise a free medical camp every month outside the Golden Temple, Amritsar. Kulwant Singh has recently been recognised for his work globally and received the Sant Puran Singh Award.

DR RAGHBIR SINGH BAINS (CANADA)

SIKHS IN EDUCATION

Raghbir Singh is a world known author of the first of its own kind ‘Encyclopedia of Sikhism’ on multimedia technology released by the Honorable Prime Minister in the Parliament House of Canada. He is also a luminary producer/director of the original ‘Multimedia Sikh Museum’ set up at Khadur Sahib, India utilising the latest robotic technology. So far he has set up six Multimedia Sikh Museums in the world. He is a classic writer of many books on Sikhism which he donated to charitable trusts. Raghbir Singh is also a reputed drug therapist, committed community activist, environmentalist, cultural educator, submissive philanthropist and mentor. He has been instrumental in opening the first Punjabi speaking ‘Community Police Station’ in British Columbia, Canada and putting up Punjabi Street signs in Surrey’s Delta Punjabi Bazaar.

SARDAR MOHINDER SINGH SARNA (USA)

SIKHS IN ENTERTAINMENT

Soulful and legendary music director Mohinder Singh is among the last remaining maestros who gave us unforgettable melodies through Bollywood movies in the 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s. His first film was ‘Neeli’ (1950). He received the Presidential Annual Award for his contribution to music for the super-hit Punjabi movie ‘Nanak Naam Jahaz Hai’ in 1970, which featured the voices of Bhai Samund Singh, Mohammad Rafi and Asha Bhonsale. Mohinder Singh composed music for 68 movies. His last Hindi film was ‘Mehlon Ke Khwaab’ produced by Madhubala in 1967. He left India for the USA in 1982 and the last film featuring his music was ‘Maula Jatt’, with Dara Singh in the lead role. He also composed the music for popular film such as Paapi, Shahzada, Naata, Shireen Farhad, Khoobsurat Dhokha, Do Dost, Picnic, Zameen ke taare, Reporter Raju, Karwan, Shrimatiji, Bekhabar, Jai Bhavani, Baanke Sanwaria.

MR BAL SINGH SAMRA (UK)

SIKHS IN MEDIA

Bal Singh Samra is a senior media executive with twenty years of experience and is now operating at the highest level in his field. He holds a number of roles in executive and non-executive capacities. Bal took up his most recent role as Managing Director of BBC Television in July 2014, in addition to his role as Commercial Director for the BBC group. Across the two roles, he leads around 900 staff and is responsible for managing a budget of around £1billion. He is also Chairman of Freesat; a Trustee of the National Film and Television School, furthering the development of the next generation of leading Directors and writers in the industry; he is on the Comic Relief Investment Committee and a Trustee of the Ormiston Academies Trust which sponsors 30 academy schools in the most disadvantaged areas, working to improve facilities and aiming to ensure all pupils achieve the best education. He is a supporter of the Gurkha Welfare Trust and supports the education of two children at the Central Khalsa Orphanage in Amritsar.

MR SANDEEP SINGH SANDHU (UK)

SIKHS IN SPORTS

Sandeep Singh Sandhu son of Sardar Swarn Singh was born on the 9th September 1983 in the village Nangal Ambia, Jalandhar, India. Currently he is residing and married in Wolverhampton, UK. Sundeep Singh is the captain of the UK Kabaddi team and has played many cups, leagues and Kabaddi World Cups. Under his captaincy, his team ‘United Singhs’ won its first World Kabaddi League Cup. He was the top stopper in the 2015 World Kabaddi League, successfully completing 154 stops. This makes him one the top stoppers in the world and one of the most famous Kabaddi players who has played in various poisitions and clubs throughout the world.

DR PARVINDER SINGH PASRICHA (INDIA)

SIKHS IN SEVA

Dr. Parvinder Singh Pasricha is a former Director General of Police, from Maharashtra, known for his dynamism, diligence, and impeccable integrity. He is one of the most accomplished police officers in the country. The recipient of two awards from the President of India, who recognised, his vision and commitment. Dr Parvinder Singh was entrusted with the responsibility of redeveloping Takhat Sri Hazur Sahib for commemorating the 300 years of Gur-ta-Gaddi. He co-ordinated the development of Nanded city by implementing 127 projects that enhanced the socio-economic life of its 700,000 citizens. He also developed convention centre, a museum, buildings for pilgrims, hotels, and hospitals. He employed innovative ideas for propagating the teachings of Sikh Gurus and undertook many welfare measures for 700+ employees of 14 Gurudwaras. Despite many constraints and challenges, he accomplished the mission with resounding success. He was conferred with the title of, ‘Vikas Purush by Takhat Sri Hazur Sahib’.

MR KAVANJIT SINGH HAYRE (UK)

SIKH PEOPLES CHOICE AWARD

Kavanjit Singh aged 25 is the director and shareholder of Hayre Investments & Developments Ltd, Country Construction (UK) Ltd, Sanam Enterprise Ltd, Hayre Developments Ltd, DKH Investments Ltd and DKH Management Ltd which are all under the umbrella of the Hayre Group. In 2011 he graduated in Hotel and Events Management from the International Hotel Management Institute, Switzerland. Kavanjit is also an Executive Board member of Southall Football Club and also the owner of a Kabaddi team, called ‘United Singhs’. Kavanjit tries to do a lot for his local community where he can and has donated building supplies to Gurdwaras in the UK and India. He has also been involved in organising free eye camps for the less fortunate in India.

MR KARAN SINGH BAJWA (INDIA)

SIKHS IN PROFESSION

Karan Bajwa has 27 years’ experience in Telecommunications and IT in the Asia Pacific region. Currently he is the Managing Director for Microsoft India, he has also worked for organisations like Cisco and IBM. With him at the helm of affairs, Microsoft India has won several laurels including the Microsoft ‘Subsidiary of the year’ and demonstrated commendable business results. Karan is a people’s person and a strong believer in enabling people to realize their full potential. In today’s VUCA world, he believes that ‘unlearning’ is just as important as ‘learning’. An Electronics Engineer by training, Karan has a high amount of personal energy and believes in leading from the front. He is actively engaging with the Startup Ecosystem and is a strong advocate of innovating IT regulation to help realise the aspirations of a Digital India.

MR AJINDER PAL SINGH (BOTSWANA)

SIKHS IN BUSINESS – ENTREPRENEUR

Arjinder Pal Singh is a prominent businessman based in Botswana. His business empire spreads across the education, construction, tourism, airline, manufacturing and agriculture industries. He started his humble beginnings in 1992 by venturing into the education sector. In 2007 he set up a manufacturing plant which manufactures medical and houseware products, based in Dubai. In addition to this, he has business interests in Australia and India. Ajinder Pal is also a philanthropist who believes in the welfare of the community and less privileged members of the society.

MS INDIRA SINGH AHLUWALIA (USA)

SIKHS IN BUSINESS – BUSINESS WOMEN

Indira Kaur, an advocate and entrepreneur, built her career on enabling equality systemically on the strength of individual differences. In 2002, she established Development & Training Services, Inc. (dTS) to inculcate equality, accountability, and sustainability in international development. With work in 90 countries, dTS was named Small Business of the Year by the US Agency for International Development in 2014. In 2015, Indira facilitated the acquisition of dTS by Palladium, which delivers positive impact solutions in international development, strategy execution, and logistics for social and commercial good. Indira serves on the Board of the Sikh American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (SALDEF). She holds an M.A. from University of Chicago, and is the proud mother of two.

MR KULDEEP SINGH DHINGRA (INDIA)

SIKHS IN BUSINESS – BUSINESS MAN

Kuldip Singh is chairman of Berger Paints India Ltd since 1991. He is the fourth generation of his family who has been continuously in the paint business since 1898, started by his grandfather in Amritsar. BPIL, is the country’s second largest paint maker, whose soaring shares earn them a spot in the Forbes Richest Indians list at number 39. Berger Paints comprises of operations in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Poland, Russia and collaborations with Becker of Sweden and Japan’s Nippon Paints. Both BPIL & BPB are listed on stock exchanges. The company ranks number 1 in Bangladesh, number 2 in Nepal and Poland and ranked 25 in 2014 list of Global Paints Producers. Berger Paints is one of the top 5 paint producers in Asia. In 2015 the company was included in the Forbes India’s Super 50 Companies List and Forbes also listed Kuldip Singh at number 739 in the Top Global Billionaires List. The company currently has a net worth of $3 billion. He also owns a farm near Delhi.

BIBI PRAKASH KAUR – (INDIA)

SIKH LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT

Bibi Parkash Kaur Ji was left on the street as an abandoned girl child 56 years ago. She has been brought up in unknown homes and has gone through some very difficult days during her childhood. She was later blessed with the support of local community and she founded ‘Unique Home’ where children are welcomed without any discrimination of religion, caste and creed. To this day, it is still rescuing unwanted and unclaimed newly born girls and giving them a secure home and future. Unique Home for girls has 60 odd residents ageing from newly born to 15 years old, who call Parkash Kaur their ‘mother’. “They are my own children” she says. “They are never made to feel like abandoned children”. Bibi Parkash Kaur Ji has touched the lives of many girls who have been cruelly shunned by their own. Girls have found shelter at Unique Home, it is a place where they now enjoy a real family experience that their parents chose to deprive them of, simply because of their gender.