- This is a worthy objective, and deserves the support of the entire community.
Hockey Stadium: Sikhs used to be the life and soul of the national hockey team. It is deplorable that this year’s team does not have a single Sikhs. All over the world hockey is now played on Astroturf. It is necessary to have at least three Astroturf Hockey fields in the Punjab immediately. so that Punjabis can win back their glory at the world hockey stage.
Hospitals and Health Activities
(a)International Standard Blood Banks: The movement for blood banks has not made much headway in India. In the UK every patient can get as much blood as required. The friends and relatives do not have to be forced to donate blood on an emergency basis. Every healthy person between 17-55 years of age donates blood 4 to 20 times. As a result blood banks are always in surplus. Let the Khalsa strive to achieve a unique distinction in this area. Blood Banks may be established one each at Amritsar, Ludhiana, Delhi and Bombay. The Sikhs of UK, USA, Canada Thailand can undertake to set up similar banks. In India a vigorous campaign should be mounted among Sikhs for blood donation. In the beginning each bank should aim at producing 10,000 units per month, to be provided free for all in need, irrespective of race or religion. These four banks can have their branches in other cities. At these places there should be machines for separating the various components of blood and for production of blood plasma in the form of fresh, frozen state or powder. Every unit should carry a guarantee of being free from infections like AIDS or other diseases. This writer wishes to appeal to Sikh doctors outside India to take up this program and make it a success.
(b) International Plastic and Orthopedic Center: This should be established at Tarn Taran for the treatment of patients of Leprosy.
(c)Guru Nanak Memorial Leprosy Hospital and Rehabilitation Center: A high-level Institute should be set up at Puri in Orissa, with branches at various places. The aim of this project should be complete eradication of Leprosy from Eastern India. This program will be welcomed by all. World Health Organization (WHO) might help in a big way. Sikh doctors in the USA should take the lead in this venture.
(d)Treatment of Cancer in the Punjab: Rapid advances are taking place in the treatment of cancer. Creation of a top-level hospital takas a long time, because of paucity of qualified staff. In the beginning we can help the Mohan Dei Oswal Cancer hospital at Ludhiana, Canadian Sikhs may consider providing a new model Cobalt machine. Additional equipment worth Rs. 10 million may be contributed by Thai Sikhs Similarly, Sikhs in Malaysia could be asked to arrange a fixed deposit of Rs.10 million. Interest on this amount could be used for financial assistance to patients. Even today much help is provided at this hospital.
(e) Dormitories for Attendants and Patients: Over 65% of the population in the Punjab lives in the villages where medical facilities are elementary. When they come to towns for treatment, their biggest problem is a lack of accommodation. In every big town there should be a serai, or set of dormitories, attached to the central Gurdwara, where the patients as well as their relatives attending them could stay. Such a project has been taken up at Gurdwara Guru Tegh Bahadur, Sector 15, Chandigarh. Progress is. however, slow for want of funds.
Education
(a) Teaching of Punjabi in Gurumukhi Script: At least 70% of our people cannot read or write Punjabi. Most of them are completely illiterate, so it is difficult to take any project to them. Those who cannot read Gurbani, know very little about the teachings of the Gurus. This is the reason why the influence of Brahmanism is on the in- crease among Sikhs. Tantric practices and visits to tombs and mandirs are not uncommon. Teaching of Punjabi in Gurmukhi script should be taken up as a crash program. This task should receive the attention of the Sikh Student Federation on top priority. A large number of granthis are available in villages, because the demand for akhand paths has made this occupation quite lucrative. These granthis should be persuaded to enroll in the two-year correspondence course offered by the Sikh Missionary College at Ludhiana. They should also take up Gurmukhi classes in the local Gurdwaras..
(b)Residential Public Schools: The Panth needs at least 10 schools run on the lines of the Akal Academy at Baru Sahib in Himachal Pradesh and the Guru Nanak Sikh College, Hayes, London, U.K. (c)Nishkam Sikh Welfare Council: One such Council is now functioning at BF-33. Tagore Garden, New Delhi – 110027. More such institutions are needed. Want of funds should not be a constraint on their activities. Funds avail- able in the Khalsa 1999 Account should be utilized for this purpose to the extent required. Similarly, for other worth- while projects it should not be necessary to go from door to door for collection of funds.
A National English Daily Newspaper
Need for such a paper is recognized by all Sikhs. In case the movement for Khalsa 1999 Deposit Account picks up, launching of such a newspaper will not be a problem.
The Blessing of Amrit
Without Amrita Sikh is spiritually incomplete. The Guru says, “Rehani rahe soi Sikh mera, of Sahib main uska chera.” (He alone is my Sikh who follows the prescribed Rehat or code of conduct. Nay, he is the Master, and I am his disciple.) Since the Rehat starts with amrit pahul, we should so plan as to have every Sikh become a Singh with Amrit by the year 1999.
Monthly Khalsa March
Since 1982 we are victims of disinformation and slander. We have done very little to highlight the universal message of Guru Granth Sahib, or the richness of the Sikh tradition and history. We can no longer afford to look to the central organizations. It is the duty of every Sikh brother and sister to become a missionary of Sikhism. One simple way of doing this is to organize a nagar kirtan march from every gurdwaras on the first Sunday of every month, for one hour over a distance of 1-2 kilometers. This is an activity in which all the 20 million Sikhs can participate, it will bring about solidarity and infuse a new spirit of hope and charhdi kala. Every participant in this procession should carry placard with selected Sikh doc- trine written the local language. One of the verses translated in the beginning of this article or hundreds of others could be adopted for this purpose. Every Sikh, except invalid or hospitalized, should join this march. This will go along way in conveying to the world community the message of the Gurus and the concerns of the Khalsa Panth
Conclusion
The above views are offered for serious consideration and collective adoption by the community. This is a practical program which will rehabilitate our self-respect and restore the pristine image of the Khalsa. This is also the way to move to the center-stage of the world.
Courtesy; Sikh Review .
Article extracted from this publication >> April 8, 1994
