News Bits | | Page 3

A lecture theater at the University of California Santa Barbara. (credit: The Graduate Post at UC Santa Barbara)

California assembly member introduces resolution to include Sikhism in college religion courses

February 21, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

In California, State Assembly Member Dan Logue has introduced an Assembly resolution supporting the addition of Sikhism to world religion courses offered by the University of California (UC), California State University (CSU), and California Community Colleges systems (via the American Sikh Political Action Committee): “I am a proud supporter of the Sikh community which has the largest community in the United States in the Yuba-Sutter area,” said Logue. “It’s about time that the CSU and UCs recognize the importance that […]

Categories: News Bits • Tags: ACR-20, California, California Community Colleges, California State University, Dan Logue, Education, University of California, world religions courses

"The bodies of Shindiver Grover, 52, his wife Damanjit, 47, and their two sons, Sartag, 12 and Gurtej, 5, were found in their first-floor apartment in Johns Creek, Ga., at around 11:30 a.m. Monday, according to local reports." (Source: NY Daily News. Photo credit: CBS Atlanta)

Atlanta, GA, Sikh family found dead in apparent murder-suicide

February 5, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Tragic news broke today that a Sikh family in Atlanta, Georgia, was found dead in their home. The bodies of father Shindiver Grover (52), mother Damanjit Grover (47) and their two sons, Sartaj (12), and Gurtej (5), were discovered in their apartment when Damanjit did not report for work on Monday. Police are still investigating what is called a “complicated” crime scene, but believe it was a murder-suicide: The nature of the murder – the city’s first since it was […]

Categories: News Bits, Resources • Tags: Atlanta, Damanjit Grover, Georgia, Gurtej Grover, Johns Creek, murder-suicide, Sartaj Grover, Shindiver Grover, Sikh Family Center

Surveillance video capture of men robbing the donation box at the Guru Nanak Sikh Temple in Livingston, California, early Sunday morning. (source: Merced Sun-Star)

Overnight armed robbery of Livingston, CA, Gurdwara

January 30, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

“I was in Fresno when I got the call,” Samra said. “The first thing that flashed in my mind was Wisconsin, right away.” — Livingston, California’s Mayor Pro Tem Gurpal Samra comments on the overnight armed robbery at the Guru Nanak Sikh Temple in Livingston, California. Three men entered the Gurdwara in the early hours of Sunday morning to steal money from the Gurdwara’s donation box. Worshippers were present in the Gurdwara but no one was reported hurt. Read more […]

Categories: News Bits • Tags: armed robbery, California, Gurpal Samra, Guru Nanak Sikh Temple, Livingston, Oak Creek, Sikh Temple of Wisconsin, Wisconsin

Utah Sikh holds awareness event for local students

January 18, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Kaysville, Utah, is probably not the first place that comes to mind when thinking about where Sikhs are in the United States, and perhaps this is why a local Sikh named PJ Singh held an event to teach local students about Indians and Sikhs: Andrew Smalley was one of approximately 130 students in the audience during the presentation. “I learned a lot,” said Smalley. “I didn’t know where Sanskrit started and I didn’t know about how they valued education in […]

Categories: News Bits • Tags: Kaysville, PJ Singh, Utah

New Center for Sikh Studies coming to southern California

January 10, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

On February 1, Claremont Lincoln University, a graduate school in southern California that focuses on multi-cultural and multi-religious education, will be inaugurating their new Center for Sikh Studies: The Center plans to establish courses in Sikh Studies, to construct online resources on Sikh history and practice, to develop close ties with Sikh communities across Southern California, and eventually to establish an accredited Sikh graduate program in Sikh Studies. It is both fitting and bittersweet that this historic new beginning is […]

Categories: Events, News Bits • Tags: California, Center for Sikh Studies, Claremont, Claremont Lincoln University, Harry Sidhu, Harvinder Sahota, Philip Clayton

The family of Satwant Singh Kaleka was honored by Sikh officials in Amritsar, India (source: demotix.com)

Family of Oak Creek, WI, shooting victim honored in Amritsar, India

January 8, 2013 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

Having gone to India to release the ashes of Satwant Singh Kaleka, the family of the Oak Creek, Wisconsin shooting victim was honored in Amritsar, India, by Sikh officials from the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, ( “SGPC“, the central Sikh organization in India): Kaleka’s family was honoured for his exemplary courage shown during shoot out incident at Oak Kreek Gurdwara in US on August 5th 2012 where a White supremacist Wade Michael Page who had opened fire in Gurdwara killing […]

Categories: Hate Crimes, News Bits • Tags: Amritsar, hate crimes, India, Oak Creek, Punjab, Satwant Singh Kaleka, SGPC, Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, Sikh Temple of Wisconsin, Wisconsin

Children are evacuated from their elementary school in Newtown, CT, after a shooter attacked on December 14, 2012. (source: CNN)

Thoughts and prayers for the innocent lives lost in Newtown, CT

December 14, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

I am sickened with today’s news of another mass shooting in this country, this time at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut. Preliminary reports indicate around 20 people are dead, half or more of whom are children. It was only a couple of days ago that we were still coming to terms with a shooting at a mall in Portland, Oregon. Gun violence has been a recurring topic on this blog during the last two years, after shootings that took […]

Categories: Hate Crimes, News Bits • Tags: California, Connecticut, Elk Grove, gun violence, Gurmej Atwal, hate crimes, Newtown, Oak Creek, Surinder Singh, Wisconsin

Gunman opens fire in Oregon mall (source: CNN)

No solution to gun violence without meaningful discussion

December 12, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

After yet another mass shooting in the United States — this time at a mall in Portland, Oregon yesterday — Congressman Eric Blumenauer made a statement today in the House of Representatives about the plague of gun violence that has now victimized residents of his home district: Mr. Speaker, one is haunted by these events—we had one in Aurora, Colorado in the theater where there were twelve people killed, sixty wounded;, six people killed at the Sikh temple this summer; […]

Categories: Hate Crimes, News Bits, Politics • Tags: Eric Blumenauer, gun violence, Oregon, Portland

Sikh Community Center volunteers serving hot meals in the Far Rockaways, via AP. (source: Gawker)

NY Sikhs respond during Hurricane Sandy

November 26, 2012 by Rupinder Mohan Singh

The BBC provides a listen on the response by New York’s Sikh community in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy: The group United Sikhs has been coordinating storm relief activities with various city agencies to identify areas of greatest need, and they have been cooking and distributing up to 1,500 meals a day. [Volunteer Jagjit] Singh says the Sikhs were among the first group to bring hot meals into hard hit Far Rockaway in Queens. The efforts by the local Sikh […]

Categories: News Bits • Tags: BBC, Far Rockaway, Hurricane Sandy, New York, Queens, United Sikhs

Considering the experience of Sikhs in America.

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