NEW YORK: The Board of Trustees of Sikh Cultural Society, Richmond Hill unanimously resolved to establish a chair in Sikh Studies at Columbia University. This will be one of the first chairs in Sikh Studies ever to be established outside the Punjab.
The purpose of the chair is to promote the study of Sikh tradition, its religion, history, language and literature. Columbia University with its large resources will provide an excellent institutional support. The department of religion will offer courses in Sikh tradition, and support other related scholarly activities and projects. The Sikh Cultural
Society has been partly supporting a modest program in Sikh Studies since 1988-89. Columbia University is the only place in the country where courses in Sikhism and Gurbani are regularly taught. Sikhism, a survey course, focuses on the religious beliefs, literature and history of the Sikhs. The Gurbani course begins with the intensive study of the script and grammar of the language, and goes on to offer the reading and analysis of selected passages from Guru Granth Sahib and early Sikh literature, In 199091, modem Punjabi is being introduced.
The last two years’ association with Columbia was extremely stimulating for the local Sikh community and responding to this collective expression, the Sikh Cultural Society took up the initiative to put this program on a permanent footing. After a long and amicable discussion the Board unanimously decided to take up the project.
Professor John S. Hawley, Director, Southern Asian Institute speaking on behalf of the Columbia authorities warmly welcomed the decision. Referring to the record of dedication of the Sikh Cultural Society he hoped that the idea will soon be translated into concrete reality.
The establishment of the chair will require 1.5 million dollars, which will have to be deposited in a few years’ time. The Sikh Cultural Society committed $125,000 from its own resources and constituted a fund raising committee to work out the details for collecting the amount required. This committee will meet soon to evolve a method to appeal to other Sikh institutions and individuals to support the project.
Mr. Jagjit Singh Mangat hailed the decision as historic and hoped that this will be an accomplishment which will make our children proud of us. He claimed that the leadership of the Sikh Cultural Society is acutely conscious of the important role of the Sikh gurdwaras in Sikh history and would like to do its utmost to help shaping the future of the Sikhs here and in the Punjab.
He emphasized that a chair at a university of Columbia’s stature will establish Sikhism as a full-fledged member on the world academic scene. He added that the Sikh movement of settling overseas started a hundred years ago and the chair in Sikhism at Columbia indicates the measure of success the community has achieved here.
Mr. Baldev Singh claimed that the decision indicates the foresightedness of the Sikh community and echoes the work of the Singh Sabha stalwarts of the late 19th century, who toiled hard to introduce modem education to the ‘Sikhs. Their work helped our generation in the Punjab to move up in the educational hierarchy and we have rightly decided to invest for the future of our community here in America, he said.
Mr. Baldev Singh went on to add that the establishment of a chair in Sikh studies at Columbia University is the best way to celebrate the centenary jubilee of the foundation of the Khalsa College and pay our homage to the great Sikh educationists of the Singh Sabha period.
Mr. Rabinder Singh Bhamra said that he has been closely associated with the cause of Sikh education for many years but nothing has fired his imagination as strongly as the project of a chair in Sikh Studies at Columbia. He expressed happiness that the Sikh community has decided to avail this historic opportunity which came on their way. Mr. Amarjit Singh Grewal, Dr. Satnam Singh Dhami, Dr. Harbans Singh, Mr. Jatinder Singh Sabharwal, all expressed their enthusiasm for the project and were confident that a broad based support will emerge from the community for this project.
Donation cheques (tax exempt) should be made out to Sikh Cultural Society and mailed to Columbia Sikh Studies Program, Sikh Cultural Society 95-30 118th Street, Richmond Hill, NY 11419. For additional information please call Jagjit Singh Mangat at (516) 3640555 / Rabinder Singh Bhamra at (516) 334-6696 / Gurinder Singh Mann at (212) 864-4996.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 10, 1990
