By IANS,
Chandigarh : US-based Sikh Council on Religion and Education (Score) held a function here Sunday and honoured prominent Sikh personalities and organisations for excellence in their fields and humanitarian service.
“In America we are working for the past five years to bring Sikhs in the mainstream of the society,” Rajwant Singh, chairman of Washington-based SCORE told IANS.
“American Sikhs have done wonders in the fields of Information Technology, electronics, agriculture and education so we are just trying to underline their contributions among the political leaders of America,” he said.
“Our endeavour is to honour those people who have created a positive image of the Sikh community and those who have been doing pioneering work in different areas,” he added.
Sikhs from diverse fields were honoured at ‘Excellence among Sikhs’ programme. Many Indians residing in countries like Canada, the US and Britain, attended the event.
Those who were honoured include Balbir Singh Seechewal, an environmentalist, Rabbi Shergill, a singer, Ranjodh Singh, head of a business establishment, Arpana Caur, an internationally renowned artist, Inderjit Kaur, head of Pingalwara institution in Amritsar, and the Nishkam Sikh Welfare Council, a Delhi based NGO which has done humanitarian service since 1984.
“I am proud to be a Sikh and such awards will act as a motivation for other Sikh youths to stick to the principles of Sikhism and work for the welfare of the community,” said Rabbi Shergill.
“It will give a boost to various NGOs and self-help groups. It will facilitate funding for such noble causes,” said Harbhajan Singh, founder member of Nishkam.
Score has worked closely with White House officials and the US Congress on various Sikh related issues in America. Rajwant Singh has on several occasions presented Sikhs’ issues before US President George W. Bush and then president Bill Clinton.