LOS ANGELES: Over 150 Sikh youth joined an equal number of audit’s from all over US A to attend the three day conference held in Los Angeles area from June 30 through July 2, Of the six main sessions, 21/2 were devoted entirely to the topics concerning Sikh youth. These sessions were conducted by youth including the speakers, ‘Their topics included “Growing up as a Sikh in America”, “Dating Vs. Arranged Marriage” and “Domestic Violence among Sikh Families”.
The Conference started with an invocation Shabad and Ardas followed by:
opening remarks by Dr. Jaswant Singh Neki, former Director, PGI Chandigarh, and advisor to World Health Organization, and one of the founders of AllIndia Sikh Students Federation, 50 years ago. He emphasized the need! of such a conference and the importance of making our younger generation aware of the niece of Sikhism and the Teachings of our Greal Gurus.
Dr. Bhai Harbans Lal, Professor and Chairman, Dept. of Pharmacology, University of North Texas, presented a paper on Guru Nanak s Rehit of Nam.
Dr, Ujagar Singh Bawa, Professor of Economics, Bloomsburg University, Pennsylvania, and author of several books on Sikhism spoke on the Sikh Identity in the Contemporary World.
Dr. Gurbakhsh Singh, former Dean, College of Agriculture, Punjab Agriculture University, and author of many books on Sikhism, gave a discourse on the Sikh Rehit Maryada. Professor Atamjit Singh, formerly Chairman Dept. of Punjabi, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, and currently Lecturer of Punjabi, at UC Berkeley, Dept. of South and Southeast Asian Studies, spoke on “Uncut Haira Distinctive Mark of Sikh Personality”
S, Gurpal Singh Khaira of Los Angeles, gave an in depth analysis of “Casteism in Sikhs and its Eradication”. Dr. Harnam Singh Shan, formerly Professor and Chairman, Dept. of Punjabi and Sikh Studies, Punjab University, Chandigarh, and author of many books and research papers on Sikhism, gave a talk on “The Sikh Identity in the Contemporary World”.
- Mohinder Singh, Editor India Journal, gave a thought provoking talk on “The Image of Sikhs and Sikhism”.
Dr. Gurinder Singh Mann, Professor in the Dept. of Religion, Columbia University, New York, and Coauthor of the book, “Studying the Sikhs” spoke on “The Institutional Development in the Early Sikh History”. Dr. Inderjit Singh, Professor of Anatomy, at New York University, and
‘Author of the book, “Sikhs and Sikhisma Biased View”, discussed the training and education of Granthis, Ragis and Parcharaks.
Dr. Jasbir Singh Mann, author of several research articles and editor of books, made an audiovisual presentation on the Sources of Sikh Literature for Young Sikhs. Dr. Sunder Singh Saluja, Professor at the University of North Dakota, delivered a lecture on “The Prescription Essential for Sikh Renaissance” Baldev Multa, a Community Development Worker in the Regional Musicality of Peel, Ontario, Canada, gave a very elaborate Audiovisual present with eye opening statistics on the Domestic Violence in the Sikh Commuin Ganada.
The speakers on Sikh Youth Perspectives were very enthusiastic, precise and very impressive, Gurdit Singh, a graduate student at Harvard Divinity School ‘presented a paper on Texts. Contemporary Art, and Gyberspacean American “Road to Sikh Renaissance. Jaideep Singh. who is working for his Ph.D. degree in ethnic studies at U C Berkeley, presented a paper on Contemporary Construction of Sikh Identity.
Ms. Amandeep Kaur who is very active in the Sikh Student Association at U C Berkeley, spoke about politicizing Sikh Youth.
Kulmeet Singh from Chicago gave an emotionally charged talk on “Rediscovering the Gunn the Fountainhead of and Sikh Renaissance.”
Dr. Sukhmander Singh, Professor and Chairman, Dept. of Civil Engineering, Santa Clara University, spoke on Parents’ Perspective on growing Sikh Youth.
In the session on arranged marriage and dating, Maninder Singh Dhillon, a graduate from U S C, Los Angeles, presented a paper on cultural clash, Navneet Kaur Gogia, a graduate of U C Berkeley, presented a paper on Wester influence on Eastern Tradition. Harman Singh, a graduate from San Francisco State University, spoke on the Misconceptions about Arranged Marriage and Dating. Satvinder Kaur, a student at U C Berkeley, spoke on “Networking”, A panel discussion consisting of Dr Hamam Singh Shan, Dr. Hakam Singh, Dr. Gurinder Singh Mann, Dr, Inderjit Singh, Dr, Gurmail Sidhu, Dr, Jasbir Singh Mann, and S. Rabinder Singh Bhamra discussed in detail the pros and cons of having chairs of Sikh studies in the Western Universities. Dr. Jaswant Singh Neki acted as moderator.
Group workshops consisting separately of youth and adults on various topics. of interest were also held. Dr. Hakam Singh, chairman of Sikh Welfare Foundation of North America’ and the main organizer of the conference and Jasdeep Singh, a graduate student’ at the US C, and organizer of the conference made the closing remarks. The conference concluded with Ardas.
Article extracted from this publication >> July 28, 1995
