Dr Indarjit Singh CBE is the Director of the Network of Sikh Organisations UK. He is the Vice Chair and founding member of the Inter Faith Network UK, a national body promoting inter faith understanding, and is Head of the Sikh Chaplaincy Service, which works for the pastoral care of Sikhs in prisons. 

He is also the co-ordinator of pastoral care for Sikhs in hospitals and in the Armed Forces, and a trustee of the World Congress of Faiths. Dr Singh has represented the UK Sikh community on national occasions, including the Remembrance Service at the Cenotaph and the Westminster Abbey Service to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the coronation of HM the Queen. 

And now the first 'Sardar' within the Houses of Parliament.

Our congratulations were published in Des Pardes on hearing this important news.

Sir Paul Stephenson, Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis London was taken to visit the Golden Temple by Ranjit Singh OBE, he said the diversity of the race system was a great boon for London and added that he received tremendous support from the ethnic communities, which have made England their home.

Talking to newsmen on his maiden visit to the holy city recently, Paul said the London police was ready to share intelligence inputs on global terrorist activities.

The Police Commissioner, along with a 15-member delegation, had come to participate in a high level security meet to be held in Mumbai and was invited to visit Punjab at the behest of the Sikh Forum International to pay obeisance at the Golden Temple. The commissioner said he had great regard for the vibrant Sikh community settled in England and added that he had received a lot of love and affection and was here to visit the Mecca of Sikhs and other places of interest in Amritsar. He said he was amazed at the beauty of the temple and added that it gave him a lot of spiritual strength. Later, he witnessed the beating retreat ceremony at the Attari-Wagah check post with Ranjit Singh OBE.

Aims and Objectives Of Guru Nanak International Educational Trust

1. Our Trust raises money which goes towards providing free! subsidized education to weaker section of society, irrespective of caste, creed or religion. To support schools financially, who help skilled! educated! unskilled deserving youth for technical/ industrial/vocational training by awarding scholarship or sponsoring them for training to technical/ industries/ vocational institutions, recognized or otherwise, as grant, or interest- free loans payable on "when able" basis.
2. To assist socially weaker persons or communities, particularly Sikligars, Vanjaras, Satnamies Living below the poverty line.
3. To financially help organisations that establish and maintain centres for imparting literacy in Punjabi and/or other local languages, adult education and other health and craft training centres, etc, in identified villages and also to impart moral education.
4. To meet capital and training cost of organisations that publish and arrange supporting materials and equipments for such centres or otherwise for free distribution in the rural areas, particularly those inhabited by Vanjarasl Sikligarsl Satnamies and other weaker section of the society.
5. To fmancially support organisations that educate and promote environment cleaning and pollution eradication, and create awareness about evils of drug addiction etc.

Diwali is one of the most widely celebrated festivals on the Sikh and Hindu calendars. It takes place on the night of the new moon between October and November every year. The festival essentially marks the beginning of the New Year for many Indians and symbolizes the triumph of good over evil. Diwali, which is also known as the Festival of Lights, comes from the Sanskrit word 'Deepavali', which means row of lamps.

Diwali has held a significant place in Sikhism since the illumination of Amritsar, which marked the return of Guru Har Gobind Ji, the Sixth Guru of Sikhism. Guru Har Gobind Ji and 52 Hindu kings were imprisoned by the Emperor Jahangir.The Guru only agreed to his release if others were released also. Due to this great, humble event, Sikhs refer to Diwali as 'the day of release of detainees' - 'Bandi Chhor Divas'.

Happy Diwali!