The Association of Sikh Professionals recently awarded their 5th Sikh Heritage Award to Sen. Jesse Helms Rep. NC. The Senator has been proud supporter of the Sikhs and has helped the Sikh community in North Carolina in many different ways as well as being a booster of their causes.
The award was accepted on his behalf by Sen. Launch Faircloth the junior Senator from NC at the Award ceremony the Senator Pair cloth spoke about his experiences with Sikhs. He commended the community for upholding their values and congratulated them for becoming involved in the American political process and serving as shining examples of what imagines to this country can achieve with hard work. He was concemed about the reports that he had received about the status of Sikhis in India and requested the audience to bring all such reports for his attention. When Award was presented at a formal dinner hosted by the ASP in Raleigh Durham area on April 23 The dinner was held at the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting of the Association and was arranged and hosted by Dr-Tejpal S Dhillon of Raleigh NC. About 150 Sikhs in North Carolina and other states attended the function The President of ASP Dr. Jagmeet S. Soin welcomed the guests and outlined the activities of the organization.
These included providing help to Sikh orphans in New Delhi The launching and support of an Education Aid Fund for Sikh Children. Producing a video of Bhagat Puran Singh. Support of emerging Sikh business ventures. Encouraging Sikh children to explore and write on Sikh Issues. Supporting a computer network for Sikhs. And financial assistance to Sikh Youth Camps. He emphasized the fact that this was a service organization and asked others to join them in their work for the betterment of the community. After speeches and dinner the guests were entertained by the Kesri group from Washington who performed memorably with Punjabi songs which were enlivened by Bhangra on the floor.
Article extracted from this publication >> May 27, 1994
