Sunday, 20th November 2016, London:
The 7th annual The Sikh Awards 2016 returned to the UK at Park Plaza Hotel, Westminster Bridge, to honour an array of deserving winners from the international Sikh community. They included Mr Ram Singh Nayyar (Sikh in Sport), the first turbaned Sikh to have led a Canadian team to the Olympic games, Mr Jaspal Singh Bindra (Sikhs in Profession), a global financial services industry executive with a consistent track record of driving profitable growth and increasing brand and shareholder value in a broad range of leadership roles with major banking groups such as Standard Chartered Bank, UBS and Bank of America, Canadian billionaire & property entrepreneur Bob Singh Dhillon (Business Man) and serial entrepreneur, life coach at Design the Lifestyle You Desire, author and residential and hospitality interior designer Mrs Kiran Singh (Business Woman). His Highness Sheik Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum received The Special Recognition Award.
Hosted by Ranvir Singh, a journalist and broadcaster, best known for her presenting role on the ITV Breakfast programme ‘Good Morning Britain’, The Sikh Awards recognises the pivotal contributions made by the Sikh community across a variety of fields, from business, charity, education, entertainment, professional services, seva (selfless service), and sport, with winners selected across the globe from Asia, USA, Canada, Australia, Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
This year’s winners included:
Business Man Award Mr. Bob Dhillon (Canada), Founder, President and CEO of Mainstreet Equity Corp, Canada’s highest performing real estate company, with assets valued over $1.5 Billion.
Business Woman Award Mrs Kiran Singh (UK), life coach at Design the Lifestyle You Desire, an author and residential and hospitality interior designer at Studio Kiran Singh, founder and chief editor of Vivacious Mum, My Unique Home and Passion for Food –
Entrepreneur award Mr Supreet Singh Manchanda (USA), CEO of Akal Global a $1Billon global security firm
Sikhs in Charity Khalsa Aid (UK), a global charitable organisation with a vision to spread the message of humanity as taught by the Sikh Gurus
Sikhs in Education Dr Brinder Singh Mahon (UK), Chief Executive Officer and Director of The Nishkam School Trust
Sikhs in Entertainment Mrs Manika Kaur (Dubai), Australia born devotional singer from Dubai
Sikhs in Media Akaal Television / Mr Amrik Singh Kooner (UK), Founder of Akaal Television, the most watched Sikh channel in 106 countries
Sikhs in Profession Mr Jaspal Singh Bindra (India), a global financial services industry executive with a consistent track record of driving profitable growth and increasing brand and shareholder value in a broad range of leadership roles with major banking groups such as Standard Chartered Bank, UBS and Bank of America. He has successfully led businesses with revenues ranging from $1-13 billion
Sikhs in Seva Mr Gurmeet Singh (India), a 55year old small business owner from Patna, Bihar in India. For over 20 years he has been visiting the abandoned patient’s ward of Bihar’s
biggest government hospital every night with food, medicine and compassion for poor patients who have no one to turn to.
Sikhs in Sport Mr Ram Singh Nayyar (Canada), the first turbaned Sikh to have led a Canadian team to the Olympic games
The Sikh People’s Choice Award Natasha Kaur Mudhar (UK), CEO & MD of the international communications agency Sterling Media representing United Nations backed projects to end poverty to Bollywood and Hollywood talent
The Sikh Lifetime Achievement Award Sant Baba Iqbal Singh Ji (India), shifted to the Agriculture Department in Himachal Pradesh from Punjab and worked relentlessly to achieve the vision of Sant Attar Singh ji Mastuanewale, of providing value-based education to rural youth.
Baba Ji retired as Director of Agriculture, HP and started the first school at Baru Sahib with only 5 kids in 1986. Today he leads a chain of 129 schools, 2 universities benefiting 60,000 rural students across 6450 villages. He is Chancellor of two universities and President of Kalgidhar Trust and Society
The Sikh Lifetime Achievement Award His Highness Sheik Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum (Dubai)
The prestigious event saw 750 guests in attendance from elite international dignitaries to public figures, community heroes, sports stars and celebrities such as the iconic music group Sister Sledge.
Each year, The Sikh Awards takes a theme as the central focus for the evening’s celebrations. The seventh annual event recognized and Honoured two major events: the 547th Birth Anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, who was born in 1469 in Rai Bhoi Di Talwandi, now called Nankana Sahib in Pakistan. As a child Guru Nanak Dev Ji was extraordinary in many ways; he had a contemplative mind and rational thinking. He amazed his teachers with his sublime knowledge and by the age of 13 he had mastered Hindi, Sanskrit and Persian. Not until 1522 did Guru Nanak Dev Ji settle down at Kartarpur, which was where he spent the rest of his life.
Guru Nanak Dev Ji had laid down the foundations of Sikhism and ascended to heavenly abode on 22nd September 1539.
The event also looked ahead of the 350th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh Ji which takes place on 5th January 2017. The ancient venerated city of Patna, Bihar, is poised to host a magnificent celebration centered on Takhat Sri Harimandir Ji, Patna Sahib, one of the five seats of spiritual and temporal authority of Sikhism. It is envisaged that over one million Sikh and other pilgrims will visit Patna over a two-month period from 1st December 2016 to 31st.
January 2017 for the celebrations. The paramount purpose of celebrating Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s 350th birth anniversary is to pay loving tribute to the Saint-Soldier Guru, who not only created the Khalsa fraternity, but also blessed Sikhs with the highest exalted spiritual authority –Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.
Another highlight of the event, which was hosted by the media organization The Sikh Directory, was the launch of the fifth edition of The Sikh 100 Power List, detailing the world’s most prominent Sikhs in the global community.
The Sikh Awards, was founded by the successful entrepreneur, Navdeep Singh. Speaking about the event, Navdeep Singh said: “The Sikh Awards is now in its seventh glorious year. Our purpose with the awards is to recognize, Honour and celebrate the enormous achievements of the Sikh community who continue to contribute immensely to the social, cultural, and economic fabric of societies globally, as well as making a difference to people’s lives through philanthropy.
I would also like to congratulate all of this year’s winners. May they continue to be a beacon that shines out to future generations, who will continue to strive for excellence in their chosen professions.”
Speaking about The Sikh Awards, The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Ms Theresa May, sent the following message: “I am delighted to send my very best wishes to everyone at this year’s Annual World Sikh Awards. Over half a million British Sikhs make an immense contribution to our country in so many ways. Whether it’s in the fields of enterprise or skills or whether it’s the way hard working families who are doing the right thing and getting on in life – Britain’s Sikhs are a success story and model community that is doing great things for our nation.
World Sikh Awards do a fantastic job of honouring those with exceptional entrepreneurial achievements – people of whom our country can be truly proud of. I would like to take this opportunity to once again to thank the World Sikh Awards for everything you have done and continue to do.”
Sadiq Khan, The Mayor of London also sent the organisers of The Sikh Awards the following message of support: “I would like to send my best wishes and congratulations to all the nominees and winners of The Sikh Awards. Guru Nanak was born almost five and a half centuries ago. His ideas were revolutionary and universal. He upheld the rights of the poor and underprivileged in society, and travelled across Asia and the Arab world to preach equality for all people, regardless of caste, religion or gender.
“The Sikh community continues to follow in Guru Nanak’s footsteps, be it by feeding the homeless, fighting for equal rights for all, and by working hard in all industries and professions. They are an inspiration to all Londoners. London is an amazingly diverse city, and its communities are what make it unique. Much like Guru Nanak’s vision of the world, London is open to everyone, regardless of who they are, where they come from or what they believe in. Thank you to the organisers of the Sikh awards for highlighting the fantastic work from the community.”
Sikhism is a religion founded by Guru Nanak Dev Ji and has over 26 million followers worldwide. It is ranked as the world’s fifth largest religion.
