3rd Awards Winners
Harpal Singh studied chemical engineering at Cambridge and an MBA at Harvard, he worked in scientific research and management consultancy, before taking on a number of CEO roles in both the commercial and charity sectors. Harpal managed ‘Cancer Research Technology’ where he was responsible for discovering new cancer drugs. Today he is Chief Executive Officer of Cancer Research UK, the world’s leading cancer research charity. He is responsible for a £500m annual budget and for driving the strategy that ensures survival rates improve for every type of cancer. He advises senior ministers on cancer and tobacco control and is a regular media spokesperson.
Dr Jagir Singh is a rare combination of teacher, researcher and kirtankar. He has served as a lecturer at The Guru Gobind Singh College in Chandigarh, he was a professor and chairman of the Gurmat Sangeet Department at The Punjabi University in Patiala and as Deputy Director of The Punjab School Education Board, he introduced the subject of Gurmat Sangeet at senior secondary level. He has spread his knowledge of Kirtan and Gurbani through his well-known magazine called ‘Amrit Kirtan’. Jagir Singh’s academic research and practical achievements in the world of music are well known and among contemporary professionals, he is seen as an academician of exclusive eminence.
Gurpreet played the lead role of Sardar Baghel Singh in first feature film on Sikh History ‘Baba Deep Singh Ji’. He has since starred in various movies and soaps with leading roles like great general Baba Banda Singh Bahadur and Sardar Jassa Singh Ramgariah. When not filming he worked for IBN 7, MH 1 and India News as a journalist. On the channel Zee Punjabi he hosted the series ‘Ek Onkar’ and later became head of the religious programs division. Currently Gurpreet is the Managing Editor at the channel 7 Sea and hosts programmes such as ‘Eknoor’, ‘Daso Leader Ji’ and Prime 7 Talk.
Guruka Singh is the original founder of SikhNet. He is co-founder of the computer consulting firm Sun & Son. He served as Senior Producer at a major entertainment software company and now serves as President and C.E.O of SikhNet. Guruka Singh is a teacher, writer and inveterate punster. His love of poetry and Gurbani has led him to translate Yogi Bhajan’s Gurmukhi poems in several publications like Furmaan Khalsa, The Game of Love, Heros, Saints & Yogis and the Path of Sikh Dharma. His writings and videos are a source of inspiration to the Sikh community throughout the world.
Rashpal lives in Chandigarh, India. She was diagnosed with a life threatening brain tumour, which involved her losing her sight. She had to leave her teaching job at a local school where she taught dance. In 1996 Rashpal began learning Gatka, the traditional Sikh martial art, at a local Gurudwara and since has taken part in various Gatka competitions and won many gold medals. She now acts in religious plays organised by Punjab University. Recently Rashpal performed Gatka on Zee TV’s Dance India Dance reality show. Her talent and dedication to the sport has been recognised by the media throughout India.
Lakshmi Mittal is an Indian steel magnate, chairman and CEO of ArcelorMittal, founder of Mittal Steel Company (formerly the LNM Group) in 1976 and continuously been No 1 in the rich list since 2005 with a turnover of £12.7 billion. In March 2012, Mittal paid obeisance at the Golden Temple and presented a substantial donation towards the day’s langar (community kitchen) at the shrine. A joint venture between State-owned Hindustan Petroleum Corp (HPCL) and Mittal Energy Ltd (HMEL) made fully operational its 9 million tonne a year or 180,000 barrels a day Guru Gobind Singh Refinery (GGSR) at Phullokari, Bhatinda.
Paul Uppal is the only Sikh Member of Parliament and is seen as a future star of the Conservative Party. Working tirelessly for Wolverhampton, he has represented and helped thousands of constituents at his weekly surgeries. Paul recently became Parliamentary Private Secretary PPS to David Willetts, Minister for Universities and Science. Born in Smethwick, a working class area of Birmingham, Paul attended both a state primary school and comprehensive state secondary school. Paul later went on study politics at the University of Warwick after he was encouraged to fulfil his academic potential under the guidance of one his teachers.
Gurmant, elected an MP within six years of immigrating to Canada, was the first minority to serve as Deputy House Leader; Foreign Affairs Shadow Minister and Chair of a Joint Committee of both Houses. He has raised numerous issues including redress of Komagate Maru tragedy and the recognition of the Sikh 5 K’s. He initiated the annual Vaisakhi celebration in Parliament and took his party leaders to visit Amritsar. He has delivered more speeches than any other MP and presented 50 Bills in Parliament. The Prime Minister of Canada called Gurmant “the Ironman of the Canadian Parliament”. He was awarded the Queens Golden Jubilee Medal.
Suneet is the founder and CEO of DataWind Ltd, he has 22 years of experience as a serial entrepreneur having previously launched two successful companies that conducted Initial Public Offerings on the Nasdaq stock market. Suneet has helped patent many technologies, which were designed to further develop scanning, printing and imaging products that have set world records in both price and performance. These ventures have received numerous awards and accolades, including recognition by the Guinness Book of Records. DataWind has received awards from CNBC TV 18, Mercedes Benz, The Young Turks Innovation Award and earlier this year DataWind was awarded the UK’s Most Innovative Mobile Company for 2012.
Sukhinder began her career in investment banking, media and online services while working at Merrill Lynch, British Sky Broadcasting and Amazon. She started her first company Yodlee Inc in 1999, based in Silicon Valley she was the Co-founder and Vice President of business development, Yodlee is a leading software provider. Sukhinder then served as President of Asia Pacific and Latin America at Google for over six years. More recently she was Chief Executive Officer of Polyvore.com, a leading fashion community website. With the wealth of experience behind her she is now the Founder and Chairman of Joyus.com, the first premium online video shopping destination.
Rajinder Singh is a respected businessman and philanthropist. He is the Co-founder and Managing Director of Multiple Hauliers (East Africa) Ltd, which is the flagship of the ‘Multiple Group of Companies’. The Group has an annual turnover of over $200m, employs 3000 individuals and operates a fleet of over 1,300 trucks. Multiple Hauliers are market leaders in the Transport Industry. Rajinder also assembles and distributes renowned franchises like RANDON Trailers and VW Trucks and Buses, imports petroleum products, owns a Construction Company, operates Inland Container and Warehousing Terminals, Clearing and Forwarding, Plastics and Polypropylene Industries and has recently invested in a Port Facility which will be East Africa’s largest private infrastructure development this decade.
Dr. Inderjit Kaur was born on 25th January 1942 into a Gursikh family of father Dr. Harbans Singh and mother Ranjit Kaur. She grew up in an environment of benevolence and empathy and emulating her father, studied medicine. She acquired the M.B.B.S. degree from Govt. Medical College, Patiala in 1967 and after a brief stint with Directorate of Health Services, Punjab, she took to private practice with her father. After the demise of her father in 1975, Bhagat Puran Singh, founder of the Society took her as his daughter. She emulated him in all the ways and devoted her entire attention and energy to the service of the suffering humanity. In 1986, Bhagat Puran Singh nominated Dr. Inderjit Kaur as his successor, and she succeeded him as Patron President of the Society after his demise in August, 1992.
Surender Singh was the youngest President of the Automobile Association of Andhra Pradesh and the youngest Captain of the Emirates Golf Club in Dubai. He is now the Chairman of Al Dobowi Group, one of the largest tyre distribution companies in the world. Contributing a total of 65million Arab Emirate Dirhams he has helped to build the first legal Gurudwara in the United Arab Emirates. Built on land donated by the ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the structure is over 100,000sq foot and has served over 40,000 worshippers in a single day. The Gurudwara had its opening ceremony in 2012 and many VIP’s attended.