4th Awards Winners

Harbans Singh Gill began working with the Sikh Welfare Society Malaysia as a committee member in 1988, in 2001 he was appointed as the President. They started the ‘Adopt a Family’ scheme so that they could provide financial assistance to the needy, for the last 12 years they have provided funds of RM 150,000.00 every year. In 2008, Harbans Singh formed a resident association for the betterment and the security of their neighbourhood of which he is the President. In 2009, he was one of the founding members of The Coalition of Malaysian Sikh Societies, which works with the Malaysian government on all Sikh related issues.

UK

Tavneet is the Maurice F. Strong Career Development Associate Professor at MIT Sloan School of Management. Focusing on Sub-Saharan Africa, she is an expert on agriculture and mobile money. Recently, she has been studying governance in Nairobi slums and the role of mobile technology in political participation during the 2013 Kenyan election. She has presented to policy makers in Rwanda, Kenya and Sierra Leone. Poets and Quants named her one of the 40 best business school professors under the age of 40. Tavneet holds a BA in economics from Cambridge University, an MA, MPhil and PhD from Yale University.

USA

Prabjot Kaur is the chief political television correspondent at WIS TV, an NBC television station based in Columbia. As one of the only Sikh journalists in the American mainstream media, she passionately represents issues of social justice, religious freedom, and state politics in her reports which are seen across the American Southeast, including South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia with a total viewership well into the millions. In 2012, she made history in the American Midwest by becoming the first Sikh morning news anchor for KOTA TV, an ABC affiliate station in Rapid City, South Dakota.

Harbinder Singh launched his first newspaper The Asian Pacific Post in the early 90’s,he spent many years travelling throughout the world. Exploration turned to purpose when he landed in Vancouver, Canada and spotted a gap in the market his stable of newspapers now include The Filipino Post and the Jack Webster award-winning, South Asian Post. Harbinder has also investigated and co-authored a book on the honour killing of Jaswinder Kaur Sidhu (Justice for Jassi) which led to the conviction of the murderers, produced and collaborated on a series on Punjab’s abandoned brides, and founded Canada’s first army cadet corp.

Avtar Singh is one of the greatest hockey players that Kenya has ever produced. He played for Kenya at the Olympics in 1960, 1964, 1968, and 1972. He was captain for the last three and was Head Coach at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. Avtar was team captain for Kenya in the 1971 and 1973 World Cups. He appeared in the Guinness Book of Records in 1979 to 1985 for Most International Appearances. Avtar was a member of the F.I.H Development and Coaching Committee from 1987 to 2007. Amongst many awards he also earned the Head of State Commendation Award in 2004.

UK

Jatinder is a 25 year old artist who work has been exhibited around the world. He has participated in exhibitions at the Tate Modern and on the walls of Art Basel, a profound art fair. His work has also featured in museums such as the National Army Museum. Spirituality is a major influence in his work and he has always been inspired by history. Jatinder is discovering new work in that, there is no boundary except the Ego. His work is constantly testing himself on new levels, creation is very sacred to him

UK

Harminder Singh is the Chair and professor of Ophthalmology and a consultant eye surgeon, at the University Hospital Nottingham, since 1994. His corneal and stem cell transplant unit attracts patients from all over the world and techniques developed by him have changed clinical practice. He is the current President of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists and Editor-in-chief of the British Journal of Ophthalmology. He has over 250 scientific publications and has recently discovered a new layer, now officially known as the ‘Dua Layer’ in the human cornea, which has attracted international interest among scientists and the lay public.

USA

Kamalpreet Singh is the Chairman and President for the Aequor Group of Companies consisting of Aequor Technologies, Healthcare, Media, and Education. With the leadership skills that he has acquired through his education at some of the elite universities in USA (Columbia University, New Jersey Institute of Technology and Rutgers University), he has transitioned Aequor Group from a local New Jersey based company into a World class leading global entity with branch offices throughout the globe. During his lifetime Kamalpreet has been honoured at numerous occasions and most recently was announced as the recipient of the Outstanding 50 Asian Americans in Business Award.

Mr Harpal Singh Saggu Harpal Singh is from Agra, India. He formed ‘Synergy TSP’ in 2009. He now operates ‘SYNERGY GROUP’ which has an annual turnover of $200 Million and over 4000 employees. In November 2012, Harpal Singh revolutionised the construction industry across globe with the launch of ‘INSTACON’. Instancon is an ultrafast smart building solution manufactured in a controlled factory environment and shipped to a prepared building site for installation. Limca Book of Records awarded him for the successful construction of a 10 storey building within 48 Hours. He also led the rescue operations in the recent floods in Uttrakhand and provided accommodation for the victims.

Harpeet Kaur was only 11 years old when she began investing in the stock market. She has won over 100 awards in ECA from her school, college and various organisations. She is an alumna of Bournemouth University and the University of Delhi, and has a triple masters in International Business, Literature and Feminism. Harpreet is the founder of GICF Group, which consists of GICF Education, Finance, Productions and Soch Trust. She is a mentor and has clients’ in United Kingdom, India, USA, Sweden, Netherlands, Canada and Hong Kong. She promotes faith, commitment and a healthy life lead to happiness and success.

Jinda Shaheed, Singh Sahib Jathedar Sant Baba Nihal Singh Ji, of the Sikh organisation Misl Shaheedan Tarna Dal Harian Belan, is a living embodiment of the true teachings of the Sikh religion. Baba Ji, as he is respectfully and lovingly known, was born in 1942. He is married and is a father and grandfather. He received his religious education at the Sikh temple of Harian Belan, of which he was selected leader at the remarkably young age of 24. In 1964 he led a peaceful mission to occupy and liberate the temple at Paonta Sahib. Eleven of the Singhs were killed by local authorities while reciting prayers and Baba Ji was gravely injured.

UK

David Cameron became Prime Minister in May 2010, leading a Coalition Government of the Conservative and Liberal Democrat parties. Earlier this year, he visited India, accompanied by the largest trade delegation ever taken overseas by a British prime minister. During this visit he became the first serving prime minister to pay his respects at The Darbar Sahib (The Golden Temple) and at the memorial site in Jallianwala Bagh Gardens, in Amritsar. David Cameron is also the first serving UK Prime Minister to host a Vaisakhi celebration reception at Downing Street where ‘Keertan’ (singing God’s praises and invoking his blessings) was performed at his residence for the first time.