2nd Awards Winners
The late Dr. Manjit Singh Bhogal was the founder and chairperson of Sikh Aid International, with headquarters in Birmingham, serving those in need in developing countries like India, Indonesia, Africa and Pakistan etc. its mission is to save and support people from natural disasters with annual eye, dental and orphanage camps. They provide coaching workshops in India. Sikh Aid holds several workshops and health clinics inviting individuals from diverse communities to collaborate in making a difference. Wholly run by volunteer professionals, who fund their own air travel to take part in this Seva. Sikh Aid is developing its own Sikh model of Coaching and Therapy, that people from all walks of life can clear their path to life fulfilment, and do selfless voluntary service in return (Seva).
After a PhD in physics at Cambridge University, Simon Singh joined the BBC, where he was a producer on Tomorrow’s World and won a BAFTA for his documentary about Fermat’s Last Theorem. He authored a book on the same subject, which was the first mathematics book to become a UK No.1 bestseller and translated into twenty languages. He also authored “The Code Book”, “Big Bang” and “Trick or Treatment?”. The British Chiropractic Association sued him for libel in 2008, and after winning his case he has become a campaigner for free speech, particularly in science. In 2003 he received an MBE for services to science education.
Gurmeet Kaur Sodhi is a television host/producer and one of the youngest Sikh females to launch her own talk show. She is an icon in the international entertainment communities. In recent times she has become known as somewhat of an ‘Indian Oprah’ among the south-Asian community worldwide. Gurmeet Kaur was recently invited by the President of United States of America to attend a special reception at the White House. This is the first time an Indian talk show host was invited to such an event at the White House. Her invitation to the reception is a testament and recognition of her work in the community. With almost a decade of experience as a talk show host, Gurmeet Kaur is known as one of the most influential woman in the south Asian media. She continues to empower women and give back to the community through her philanthropic work.
Ravi Singh is the CEO and founder of ElectionMall Technologies, a pioneer company in the field of online politics. Ravi Singh is the first American with a turban to graduate from a US Military Academy and the first Asian American and Sikh with a turban to run for office in the 42nd Illinois General Assembly. He has dedicated his life to the promotion of e-democracy, which earned him the name of Campaign Guru. Singh has been profiled in Business Week Magazine and many others and has served as technology adviser for current Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, among other world leaders.
Harbhajan Singh Plaha born 3 July 1980 in Jalandhar, Punjab, is a Professional Indian cricketer. A specialist bowler, he has the second-highest number of Test wickets by an off spinner. Harbhajan Singh made his Test and One Day International (ODI) debuts in early 1998. He is established himself as the team’s leading spinner and he is the first Indian bowler to take a hat trick in Test cricket. Harbhajan’s success to a work ethic that includes a three hour training session in the morning, followed by an afternoon session lasting from 3 pm until after sunset. 13 years after he made his debut, 10 years after he cemented his place in the squad, he is the 11th bowler in the history of Test cricket to claim 400 wickets. Harbhajan Singh was a major contributor to the Indian cricket team’s victory during last year’s world cup.
Kulvinder Singh Sihra was born in Nairobi Kenya in 1969. He operates a successful business in construction of office interiors and fabrication industries in Nairobi. He is the present chairman of the Ramgarhia Youth Association (RYA), a subsidiary of the East African Ramgarhia Board and has been actively involved in social and community work from the age of 23 as a general member of the RYA and has since served in the capacity of honourable secretary and treasurer before being unanimously elected as chairman in 2005. He has been intimately involved with RYA and has been the team leader in organizing many social events for fund raising, sports & religious events, installation and commissioning of water boreholes in semi arid dry areas in the country, blood donation camps, food donations to famine stricken and slum areas all over Kenya, medical and educational assistance to needy individuals.
Dr. Raminder Singh Ranger MBE, FRSA is a successful businessman who has been honoured five times by Her Majesty the Queen, four times for Business and once for services to the British Asian Community and was made a Member of British Empire in 2005. Raminder set up his first business in 1987 with a mere 2 pounds capital from a rented room in Hayes and with sheer dedication and commitment, he now runs two of Britain’s fastest growing companies with an annual turnover in excess of 120 million pounds. He did not have an elite education or the old school boy network to back him up. This year the company was added to the Sunday Times most profitable 100 companies in Britain in their “Profit Track 100”. Raminder also devotes his time to benefit society by launching ground breaking initiatives designed to strengthen social cohesion in Britain. Raminder set up the
Dr Jogishwar Singh is the first Sikh to have been selected by the world renowned Rothschild Group in Switzerland as a Managing Director. Born at Khanna (India) in 1951, Dr Singh served in the IPS and IAS before leaving India in 1984, a year of cataclysmic events for Sikhs in India. He restarted his professional career from scratch in Switzerland where his previous experience as an IAS officer had no resonance at all. M.Sc (Hons School) in Physics, M.A. in History from Panjab University Chandigarh, Dr Singh did his D.E.S.S. at Sorbonne in Paris, followed by a PhD from Ruprecht-Karls University in Heidelberg, Germany. Dr Singh is fluent in eight languages and has basic knowledge of two others.
Harvinder Singh runs PSI inCONTROL which is the fastest growing subsidiary of the PSI AG Group of Companies. Harvinder’s businesses ventures and seen phenomenal growth in its order intake from a mere RM 5.7 Million in 2000 to a high of RM 104 Million in 2010 and still growing. The company has already made successful inroads internationally by winning projects amidst global competition in Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and Sri Lanka and is well on course to become a Malaysian MNC. He was the winner of the Ernst & Young Technology Entrepreneur of The Year in 2008. Harvinder Singh is also director of the Global Sikhs Mission, he was responsible for the delivery of more then RM11 million
Positioned as a leader in the market, Nosh Detox was set up by mother of three and inspirational entrepreneur, Geeta Kaur Sidhu, to offer long-term health and well-being to all. Nosh Detox is a highly successful and reputable nationwide well-being delivery service – sending delicious, nutritionally balanced menus to people’s homes and offices in the form of food, smoothies and snacks. Nosh Detox offers unique, natural health solutions for clients with various concerns, including sufferers of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, infertility, sleep problems, pre and post pregnancy care, weight issues, digestive problems, stress, fighting infections and much more.
Analjit Singh is the founder & chairman of Max India Limited, chairman of Max New York Life Insurance Company Limited; Max Healthcare Institute Limited and Max Bupa Health Insurance Company Limited. He has been the driving force behind the Max India Group’s sustained growth and success since the mid 80’s. Max India Group’s turnover for the year 2010 was over INR 78,300 million with a customer base of 4.4 million. The total investment in various businesses at the end of 2010 stood at INR 22,500 million. The Group has over 400 offices across India; with people strength of over 73,000. Recognising Analjit Singh’s contribution towards building India Inc., he has recently been awarded one of India’s highest civilian honours, the Padma Bhushan, by the President of India.
Prof Kartar Singh, an octogenarian is a legendary figure, an epitome of dedication to the Kirtan music in its original form. Born in Ghumanke village,Lahore, he has travelled a long way to the spiritual peak of Kirtan. This man has won many accolades to his name and secured unlimited contribution to the Sikh community. He was assigned with the service of restarting Kirtan with String Instruments at Sri Darbar Sahib, was honoured by the President of India, has performed during Commonwealth Games 2010, and authored 5 books on Gurmat Sangeet. At the age of 83, he is still as enthusiastic about music as ever. After dedicating 70 years of his life to music, he says music is the only legacy he would like to leave behind.
Stephen Grosz joined London solicitors Bindmans as a trainee in 1976. He became a partner in 1981 and now heads the firm’s highly regarded public law and human rights department. Over the years, Stephen has often defended the rights of Sikhs to assert their identity. In the early 1980s, he acted for the CRE in a number of cases whose object was to secure recognition of Sikhs as an ethnic group protected by the Race Relations Act and to establish that rules requiring Sikh men to remove their turbans were discriminatory. This recognition was finally achieved with the House of Lords’ ruling in Mandla v Dowell Lee.
Tariq Jahan was thrust in to the limelight as a result of the recent civil disturbances when he appealed to people not to seek revenge after his 21-year-old son Haroon and his two friends brothers Shazad Ali, 30, and Adbul Musavir, 21, who died when they were hit by a car during the disorder. Tariq, the bereaved father who gave an impassioned plea for calm during the riots in Birmingham (UK) received a “Special Faith Award”. Tariq gave a dignified and impassioned speech to the community calling for people of all faiths and none to abandon violence.