{"history":[],"article":{"id":"89fb5bfa-e469-48bf-8f79-7e970234d1db","title":"Sikhs","slug":"sikhs","content":":::summary\n![Maharaja Ranjit Singh listening to Guru Granth Sahib being recited at the Golden Temple, Amritsar](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/Ranjit///Singh///at///Harmandir///Sahib///-///August///Schoefft///-///Vienna///1850///-///Princess///Bamba///Collection///-///Lahore///Fort.jpg)\n**Group:** Sikhs \n**Founder:** [Guru Nanak](https://bliptext.com/articles/guru-nanak) \n**Population:** c. 25–30 million \n**Region 1:** [India](https://bliptext.com/articles/india) \n**Pop 1:** 23,786,000–28,000,000 \n**Region 2:** [Canada](https://bliptext.com/articles/canada) \n**Pop 2:** 771,790 \n**Region 3:** [United Kingdom](https://bliptext.com/articles/united-kingdom) \n**Pop 3:** 524,140 \n**Region 4:** [United States](https://bliptext.com/articles/united-states) \n**Pop 4:** 280,000–500,000 \n**Region 5:** [Italy](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikhism-in-italy) \n**Pop 5:** 220,000 \n**Region 6:** [Australia](https://bliptext.com/articles/australia) \n**Pop 6:** 210,400 \n**Region 7:** [Malaysia](https://bliptext.com/articles/malaysia) \n**Pop 7:** 100,000 \n**Region 1 0:** [Thailand](https://bliptext.com/articles/thailand) \n**Pop 1 0:** 70,000 \n**Region 1 1:** [Saudi Arabia](https://bliptext.com/articles/saudi-arabia) \n**Pop 1 1:** 67,000 \n**Region 1 2:** [United Arab Emirates](https://bliptext.com/articles/united-arab-emirates) \n**Pop 1 2:** 52,000 \n**Region 1 3:** [Philippines](https://bliptext.com/articles/philippines) \n**Pop 1 3:** 50,000 \n**Region 1 4:** [New Zealand](https://bliptext.com/articles/new-zealand) \n**Pop 1 4:** 40,908 \n**Region 1 5:** [Oman](https://bliptext.com/articles/oman) \n**Pop 1 5:** 35,540 \n**Region 1 6:** [Portugal](https://bliptext.com/articles/portugal) \n**Pop 1 6:** 35,000 \n**Region 1 7:** [France](https://bliptext.com/articles/france) \n**Pop 1 7:** 30,000 \n**Region 1 8:** [Spain](https://bliptext.com/articles/spain) \n**Pop 1 8:** 26,000 \n**Region 1 9:** [Germany](https://bliptext.com/articles/germany) \n**Pop 1 9:** 25,000 \n**Region 2 0:** [Greece](https://bliptext.com/articles/greece) \n**Pop 2 0:** 20,000 \n**Region 2 1:** [Hong Kong](https://bliptext.com/articles/hong-kong) \n**Pop 2 1:** 15,000 \n**Region 2 2:** [Kuwait](https://bliptext.com/articles/kuwait) \n**Pop 2 2:** 15,000 \n**Region 2 3:** [Netherlands](https://bliptext.com/articles/netherlands) \n**Pop 2 3:** 15,000 \n**Region 2 4:** [Cyprus](https://bliptext.com/articles/cyprus) \n**Pop 2 4:** 13,280 \n**Region 2 5:** [Singapore](https://bliptext.com/articles/singapore) \n**Pop 2 5:** 12,051 \n**Region 2 6:** [Indonesia](https://bliptext.com/articles/indonesia) \n**Pop 2 6:** 10,000–15,000 \n**Region 2 7:** [Belgium](https://bliptext.com/articles/belgium) \n**Pop 2 7:** 10,000 \n**Region 2 8:** [Austria](https://bliptext.com/articles/austria) \n**Pop 2 8:** 9,000 \n**Region 2 9:** [Pakistan](https://bliptext.com/articles/pakistan) \n**Pop 2 9:** 6,146 ([NADRA](https://bliptext.com/articles/national-database-and-registration-authority)), 20,000 ([USDOS](https://bliptext.com/articles/united-states-department-of-state)) \n**Region 3 0:** [Kenya](https://bliptext.com/articles/kenya) \n**Pop 3 0:** 6,000 \n**Region 3 1:** [Norway](https://bliptext.com/articles/norway) \n**Pop 3 1:** 4,080 \n**Religions:** Khanda.svg [Sikhism](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikhism) \n**Scriptures:** [Guru Granth Sahib](https://bliptext.com/articles/guru-granth-sahib) [Dasam Granth](https://bliptext.com/articles/dasam-granth) [Sarbloh Granth](https://bliptext.com/articles/sarbloh-granth) \n**Languages:** Contemporarily** [Modern Punjabi](https://bliptext.com/articles/punjabi-language) • [Hindi](https://bliptext.com/articles/hindi) • [English](https://bliptext.com/articles/english-language) •[French](https://bliptext.com/articles/french-language) • [Italian](https://bliptext.com/articles/italian-language) • [Spanish](https://bliptext.com/articles/spanish-language) • [Dutch](https://bliptext.com/articles/dutch-language) **Historically** [Punjabi](https://bliptext.com/articles/punjabi-language) • [Punjabi](https://bliptext.com/articles/punjabi-language) dialects ([Gurmukhi](https://bliptext.com/articles/gurmukhi) script) • [Khalsa bole](https://bliptext.com/articles/khalsa-bole) • [Sant Bhasha](https://bliptext.com/articles/sant-bhasha) ([liturgical](https://bliptext.com/articles/sacred-language)) \n**Flag:** Khanda (Sikh Symbol).svg \n**Flag Size:** 100px \n**Flag Caption:** The [Khanda](https://bliptext.com/articles/khanda-sikh-symbol), a common symbol of the Sikh people \n:::\n\n# \n****Sikh**s** (singular **Sikh**: or ;, ) are an [ethnoreligious group](https://bliptext.com/articles/ethnoreligious-group) who adhere to **Sikh**ism, a religion that originated in the late [15th century](https://bliptext.com/articles/15th-century) in the [Punjab](https://bliptext.com/articles/punjab) region of the [Indian subcontinent](https://bliptext.com/articles/indian-subcontinent), based on the revelation of [Guru Nanak](https://bliptext.com/articles/guru-nanak).\nThe term Sikh has its origin in the [Sanskrit](https://bliptext.com/articles/sanskrit) word , meaning 'seeker', disciple or student.\nAccording to Article I of Chapter 1 of the Sikh Rehat Maryada (code of conduct), the definition of Sikh is: Any human being who faithfully believes in\n

One Immortal Being
Ten Gurus, from Guru Nanak Sahib to Guru Gobind Singh Sahib
The Guru Granth Sahib
The utterances and teachings of the ten Gurus and
The [initiation](https://bliptext.com/articles/initiation), known as the [Amrit Sanchar](https://bliptext.com/articles/amrit-sanskar), bequeathed by the tenth Guru and who does not owe allegiance to any other religion, is a Sikh.

\nMale Sikhs generally have [Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/singh) (lion) as their last name, though not all [Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/singh)s are necessarily Sikhs; likewise, female Sikhs have [Kaur](https://bliptext.com/articles/kaur) (princess) as their last name.\nThese unique last names were given by the Gurus to allow Sikhs to stand out and also as an act of defiance to [India's caste system](https://bliptext.com/articles/caste-system-in-india), which the Gurus were always against.\nSikhs strongly believe in the idea of [sarbat da bhala](https://bliptext.com/articles/sarbat-da-bhala) (welfare of all) and are often seen on the frontline to provide humanitarian aid across the world.\nSikhs who have undergone the [Amrit Sanchar](https://bliptext.com/articles/amrit-sanchar) (initiation by Khanda), an initiation ceremony, are known as [Khalsa](https://bliptext.com/articles/khalsa) from the day of their initiation and they must at all times have on their bodies the [five Ks](https://bliptext.com/articles/the-five-ks):\nThe Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent has been the historic homeland of the [Sikhs](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikh), having even been ruled by the [Sikhs](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikh) for significant parts of the 18th and 19th centuries.\nToday, [Canada](https://bliptext.com/articles/canada) has the largest national Sikh proportion (2.1%) in the world, while the [Punjab](https://bliptext.com/articles/punjab-india) state in [India](https://bliptext.com/articles/india) has the largest Sikh proportion (58%) amongst all [administrative divisions](https://bliptext.com/articles/administrative-division) in the world.\nWith 25–30 millions, Sikhs represent less than 0.3% of the total world population in 2021.\nMany countries, such as Canada and the United Kingdom, recognize Sikhs as a designated religion on their censuses and, as of 2020, Sikhs are considered as a separate [ethnic group](https://bliptext.com/articles/ethnic-group) in the United States.\nThe UK also considers Sikhs to be an [ethno-religious](https://bliptext.com/articles/ethnoreligious-group) people, as a direct result of the [Mandla v Dowell-Lee](https://bliptext.com/articles/mandla-v-dowell-lee) case in 1982.\n# [Tarn Taran Sahib – the world's largest sarovar (sacred pool) | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0c/Tarn///Taran///1.jpg]\n\n# History\n[Guru Nanak](https://bliptext.com/articles/guru-nanak) (1469–1539), the founder of [Sikhism](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikhism), was born in a [Khatri](https://bliptext.com/articles/khatri) family to [Mehta Kalu](https://bliptext.com/articles/mehta-kalu) and [Mata Tripta](https://bliptext.com/articles/mata-tripta) in the village of [Talwandi](https://bliptext.com/articles/talwandi), present-day [Nankana Sahib](https://bliptext.com/articles/nankana-sahib), near [Lahore](https://bliptext.com/articles/lahore).\nThroughout his life, Guru Nanak was a religious leader and social reformer.\nHowever, Sikh political history may be said to begin in 1606, with the death of the fifth Sikh guru, [Guru Arjan Dev](https://bliptext.com/articles/arjan-dev).\nReligious practices were formalised by [Guru Gobind Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/guru-gobind-singh) on March 30, 1699, when the Guru initiated five people from a variety of social backgrounds known as the [Panj Piare](https://bliptext.com/articles/panj-piare) (beloved five), to form a collective body of initiated Sikhs known as the [Khalsa](https://bliptext.com/articles/khalsa) (pure).\nThe early followers of Guru Nanak were [Khatris](https://bliptext.com/articles/khatri), but later a large number of [Jats](https://bliptext.com/articles/jat) joined the faith.\n[Khatris](https://bliptext.com/articles/khatri) and [Brahmins](https://bliptext.com/articles/brahmin) opposed \"the demand that the Sikhs set aside the distinctive customs of their castes and families, including the older rituals.\"\n[Pashaura Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/pashaura-singh-sikh-scholar) analyzed references made within the 11th ballad of the [Varan](https://bliptext.com/articles/varan-bhai-gurdas) of [Bhai Gurdas](https://bliptext.com/articles/bhai-gurdas) to form a picture of the caste-makeup of the early Sikh community. At the time of the writing the Vaar, the early Sikh community was composed of various castes and backgrounds, such as:\nThe early Sikhs varied widely in their occupations and position in society's hierarchy: some were rich merchants ([Seths](https://bliptext.com/articles/seth-surname) and [Sarrafs](https://bliptext.com/articles/sarraf)), others were heads of villages ([Chowdhury](https://bliptext.com/articles/chowdhury)), some were labourers, others were enslaved, whilst others still were artisans, craftsmen, shopkeepers or simple peasants.\nDuring the rule of the [Mughal Empire](https://bliptext.com/articles/mughal-empire) in India, two [Sikh gurus](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikh-gurus) were martyred.\n([Guru Arjan](https://bliptext.com/articles/guru-arjan) was martyred on suspicion of helping in betrayal of Mughal Emperor [Jahangir](https://bliptext.com/articles/jahangir) and [Guru Tegh Bahadur](https://bliptext.com/articles/guru-tegh-bahadur) was martyred by the Mughal Emperor [Aurangzeb](https://bliptext.com/articles/aurangzeb)) As the Sikh faith grew, the Sikhs subsequently militarized to oppose Mughal rule.\nAfter defeating the [Afghans](https://bliptext.com/articles/afghan-sikh-wars) and [Mughals](https://bliptext.com/articles/mughal-sikh-wars), sovereign states called [Misls](https://bliptext.com/articles/misl) were formed under [Jassa Singh Ahluwalia](https://bliptext.com/articles/jassa-singh-ahluwalia).\nThe Confederacy of these states was unified and transformed into the [Sikh Empire](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikh-empire) under [Maharaja Ranjit Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/ranjit-singh).\nThis era was characterised by religious tolerance and [pluralism](https://bliptext.com/articles/religious-pluralism), including Christians, Muslims and Hindus in positions of power.\nIts secular administration implemented military, economic and governmental reforms.\nThe empire is considered the zenith of political Sikhism, encompassing [Kashmir](https://bliptext.com/articles/kashmir), [Ladakh](https://bliptext.com/articles/ladakh) and [Peshawar](https://bliptext.com/articles/peshawar).\n[Hari Singh Nalwa](https://bliptext.com/articles/hari-singh-nalwa), the commander-in-chief of the [Sikh Khalsa Army](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikh-khalsa-army) in the [North-West Frontier](https://bliptext.com/articles/north-west-frontier-province), expanded the confederacy to the [Khyber Pass](https://bliptext.com/articles/khyber-pass).\n# [Gurdwara Janam Asthan, the birthplace of Guru Nanak | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/96/Outside///view///of///Gurdwara///Janam///Asthan.jpg]\n# [The Sikh Empire at its greatest extent | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/98/Sikh///Empire///tri-lingual.jpg]\n# [The Samadhi of Emperor Ranjit Singh in Lahore, Pakistan | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5d/Shrine///of///ranjit///singh.jpg]\n# [The Golden Temple | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9b/Darbar///Sahib///27///September///2018.jpg]\n# [A Sikh Khalsa Army sowar's battle helmet | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/Sikh///helmet.jpg]\n# [Max Arthur Macauliffe (1841–1913), a senior British administrator who was posted to India during the British rule of Punjab, converted to Sikhism in the 1860s. | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ad/Photograph///of///Max///Arthur///Macauliffe///wearing///a///turban.jpg]\n\n## British rule in India\nAfter the annexation of the Sikh kingdom by the British, the British Army began recruiting significant numbers of Sikhs and [Punjabis](https://bliptext.com/articles/punjabis).\nDuring the 1857 [Indian mutiny](https://bliptext.com/articles/indian-mutiny), the Sikhs stayed loyal to the British, resulting in heavy recruitment from Punjab to the [British Indian Army](https://bliptext.com/articles/british-indian-army) for the next 90 years of the [British Raj](https://bliptext.com/articles/british-raj) in [colonial India](https://bliptext.com/articles/colonial-india).\nThe distinct turban that differentiates a Sikh from other turban wearers is a relic of the rules of the British Indian Army.\nThe British colonial rule saw the emergence of many reform movements in India, including Punjab, such as the formation of the First and Second [Singh Sabha](https://bliptext.com/articles/singh-sabha-movement) in 1873 and 1879 respectively.\nThe Sikh leaders of the Singh Sabha worked to offer a clear definition of Sikh identity and tried to purify Sikh belief and practice.\nThe later years of British colonial rule saw the emergence of the [Akali movement](https://bliptext.com/articles/akali-movement) to bring reform in the [gurdwaras](https://bliptext.com/articles/gurdwara) during the early 1920s.\nThe movement led to the introduction of Sikh [Gurdwara](https://bliptext.com/articles/gurdwara) Bill in 1925, which placed all the historical Sikh shrines in India under the control of the Shiromani [Gurdwara](https://bliptext.com/articles/gurdwara) Parbandhak Committee.\n# [Sikh armour and weapons | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/51/Sikh///Armour///and///weapons.jpg]\n# [“Sikh Sardar”, photograph by John McCosh taken circa 1848–49 | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/74/%E2%80%9CSikh///Sardar%E2%80%9D%2C///photograph///by///John///McCosh///taken///in///circa///1848-9.jpg]\n\n## Partition and post-Partition\nAt the time of the [Indian independence movement](https://bliptext.com/articles/indian-independence-movement), the Sikh ruler of the [Kapurthala State](https://bliptext.com/articles/kapurthala-state) fought to [oppose the partition of India](https://bliptext.com/articles/opposition-to-the-partition-of-india) and advocated for a united, secular country.\nSikh organizations, including the [Chief Khalsa Dewan](https://bliptext.com/articles/chief-khalsa-diwan) and [Shiromani Akali Dal](https://bliptext.com/articles/shiromani-akali-dal) led by [Master Tara Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/master-tara-singh), condemned the [Lahore Resolution](https://bliptext.com/articles/lahore-resolution) and the movement to create Pakistan, viewing it as inviting possible persecution, with [Akali Dal](https://bliptext.com/articles/shiromani-akali-dal) instead favouring an undivided Azad Punjab as an independent Sikh State or [Khalistan](https://bliptext.com/articles/khalistan-movement), having passed the Sikh State Resolution in 1946.\nThe Sikhs therefore [strongly fought against the partition of Punjab](https://bliptext.com/articles/tara-singh-activist).\nThe months leading up to the 1947 [partition of Punjab](https://bliptext.com/articles/partition-of-india) were marked by conflict in the [Punjab](https://bliptext.com/articles/punjab) between Sikhs and [Muslims](https://bliptext.com/articles/muslims).\nThis caused the religious migration of Punjabi Sikhs and [Hindus](https://bliptext.com/articles/hindus) from [West Punjab](https://bliptext.com/articles/punjab-pakistan) to the east (modern India), mirroring a simultaneous religious migration of [Punjabi Muslims](https://bliptext.com/articles/punjabi-muslims) from [East Punjab](https://bliptext.com/articles/punjab-india) to the west (modern Pakistan).\nFollowing partition, the Government of India had begun to redraw states corresponding to demographic and linguistic boundaries.\nHowever, this was not effective in the northern part of the country, as the government reconsidered redrawing states in the north.\nWhile states across the country were extensively redrawn on linguistic lines at the behest of linguistic groups, the only languages not considered for statehood were [Punjabi](https://bliptext.com/articles/punjabi-language), [Sindhi](https://bliptext.com/articles/sindhi-language) and [Urdu](https://bliptext.com/articles/urdu).\nLeading to the launch of the [Punjabi Suba movement](https://bliptext.com/articles/punjabi-suba-movement) and the presentation for a Punjabi Suba as a policy in April 1948 by [Master Tara Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/tara-singh-activist).\nAlso, on January 26, 1950, Sikh representatives refused to sign the Indian constitution.\nAs Sikhs were recognized as Hindus and Sikhs were not provided with scheduled castes concessions given to Hindu scheduled castes.\nThe Punjab Suba experienced heavy government crackdown with the Congress Government arresting as many as 21,000 people.\nAttempted negotiations with Congress-led the agitation to be adjourned twice, though [Jawaharlal Nehru](https://bliptext.com/articles/jawaharlal-nehru) continued to reject the demand.\nOn July 4, 1955, government police forces, led by [DIG](https://bliptext.com/articles/deputy-inspector-general-of-police) Ashwini Kumar, forced entry into the [Golden Temple](https://bliptext.com/articles/golden-temple) premises and heavy-handedly arrested protestors and took them into custody, along with the head [granthis](https://bliptext.com/articles/granthi) of the [Akal Takht](https://bliptext.com/articles/akal-takht) and [Golden Temple](https://bliptext.com/articles/golden-temple), volunteer protestors and even cooks of the temple's [langar](https://bliptext.com/articles/langar-sikhism).\nThe Guru Ram Das Serai and Shiromani Akali Dal offices were also raided and batons used and tear gas and shells were fired to disperse the protestors gathered on the periphery of the temple, damaging the periphery and Sarovar, or pool, of the temple.\nThe government stopped volunteers on the way to the Golden Temple and troops were ordered to flag-march through the bazaars and streets surrounding the site.\nOver 200 protestors were killed, thousands arrested, and thousands, including women and children, were injured.\nThe Congress government agreed to the Punjab Suba in 1966 after protests and recommendation of the States Reorganisation Commission.\nThe state of East [Punjab](https://bliptext.com/articles/punjab-india) was later split into the states of [Himachal Pradesh](https://bliptext.com/articles/himachal-pradesh), the new state [Haryana](https://bliptext.com/articles/haryana) and current day [Punjab](https://bliptext.com/articles/punjab-india).\nHowever, there was a growing alienation between Punjabi Sikh and Hindu populations.\nThe latter of which reported [Hindi](https://bliptext.com/articles/hindi) rather than Punjabi as their primary language.\nThe result was that Punjabi-speaking areas were left out of the new state and given to Haryana and Himachal Pradesh resulting in the state of Punjab to be roughly 35,000 square miles smaller than the Punjabi-speaking areas based on pre-1947 census figures.\nMoreover, the 1966 reorganization left Sikhs highly dissatisfied, with the capital [Chandigarh](https://bliptext.com/articles/chandigarh) being made into a shared a [union territory](https://bliptext.com/articles/union-territory) and the capital of Punjab and Haryana.\nIn the late 1960s, the [Green Revolution](https://bliptext.com/articles/green-revolution) in India was first introduced in Punjab as part of a development program issued by international donor agencies and the Government of India.\nWhile, Green Revolution in Punjab had several positive impacts, the introduction of the mechanised agricultural techniques led to uneven distribution of wealth.\nThe industrial development was not done at the same pace as agricultural development, the Indian government had been reluctant to set up heavy industries in Punjab due to its status as a high-risk border state with Pakistan.\nThe rapid increase in the higher education opportunities without an adequate rise in the jobs resulted in the increase in the unemployment of educated youth.\nIn 1973 as a result, of unaddressed grievances and increasing inequality the [Akali Dal](https://bliptext.com/articles/akali-dal) put forward the [Anandpur Sahib Resolution](https://bliptext.com/articles/anandpur-sahib-resolution).\nThe resolution included both religious and political issues.\nIt asked for recognising Sikhism as a religion, it also demanded the devolution of power from the Central to state governments.\nThe Anandpur Resolution was rejected by the government as a secessionist document.\nThousands of people joined the movement, feeling that it represented a real solution to demands such as a larger share of water for irrigation and the return of Chandigarh to Punjab.\nAfter unsuccessful negotiations the Dharam Yuddh Morcha (righteous campaign) was launched on August 4, 1982, by the [Akali Dal](https://bliptext.com/articles/akali-dal) in partnership with [Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale](https://bliptext.com/articles/jarnail-singh-bhindranwale), with its stated aim being the fulfillment of a set of devolutionary objectives based on the [Anandpur Sahib Resolution](https://bliptext.com/articles/anandpur-sahib-resolution).\nIndian police responded to protestors with high-handed police methods creating state repression affecting a very large segment of Punjab's population.\nPolice brutality resulted in retaliatory violence from a section of the Sikh population, widening the scope of the conflict by the use of violence of the state on its own people.\nA \"state of chaos and repressive police methods\" combined to create \"a mood of overwhelming anger and resentment in the Sikh masses against the authorities.\"\nLeading to Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale gaining prominence and demands of independence gain currency, even amongst moderates and Sikh intellectuals.\nIn 1982 and early 1983, extrajudicial killings by the police of orthodox Sikh youth in rural areas in Punjab provoked reprisals.\nOver 190 Sikhs had been killed in the first 19 months of the protest movement.\nIn May 1984, a Grain Roko morcha was planned and to be initiated on June3 with protestors practising civil disobedience by refusing to pay land revenue, water or electricity bills and blocking the flow of grain out of Punjab.\nIndian Prime minister [Indira Gandhi](https://bliptext.com/articles/indira-gandhi) launched [Operation Blue Star](https://bliptext.com/articles/operation-blue-star) on June1 prior to the Grain Roko morcha in order to remove Bhindranwale from the [Golden Temple](https://bliptext.com/articles/harmandir-sahib).\nThis subsequently led to Gandhi's assassination by her Sikh bodyguards.\nHer assassination was followed by government-sponsored pogroms against Sikh communities across India and the killing of thousands of Sikhs throughout India.\nThese events triggered an [Insurgency in Punjab](https://bliptext.com/articles/insurgency-in-punjab) which would consume Punjab until the early 1990s.\nDuring the day of [Vaisakhi](https://bliptext.com/articles/vaisakhi) in 1999, Sikhs worldwide celebrated the 300th anniversary of the creation of the [Khalsa](https://bliptext.com/articles/khalsa).\n[Canada Post](https://bliptext.com/articles/canada-post) honoured Sikh Canadians with a commemorative stamp in conjunction with the anniversary.\nLikewise, on April 9, 1999, Indian president [K. R. Narayanan](https://bliptext.com/articles/k-r-narayanan) issued a stamp commemorating the 300th anniversary of the Khalsa as well.\n\n# Art and culture\nSikh art and culture are nearly synonymous with that of Punjab and Sikhs are easily recognised by their distinctive turban ([Dastar](https://bliptext.com/articles/dastar)).\nPunjab has been called India's melting pot, due to the confluence of invading cultures from the rivers from which the region gets its name.\nSikh culture is therefore a synthesis of cultures.\nSikhism has forged a unique [architecture](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikh-architecture), which S. S. Bhatti described as \"inspired by [Guru Nanak](https://bliptext.com/articles/guru-nanak)'s creative mysticism\" and \"is a mute harbinger of holistic humanism based on pragmatic spirituality.\"\nThe American non-profit organization [United Sikhs](https://bliptext.com/articles/united-sikhs) has fought to have Sikh included on the [U.S.](https://bliptext.com/articles/united-states) census as well, arguing that Sikhs \"self-identify as an ethnic minority\" and believe \"that they are more than just a religion.\"\nDuring the [Mughal](https://bliptext.com/articles/mughal-empire) and [Afghan](https://bliptext.com/articles/durrani) persecution of the Sikhs during the 17th and 18th centuries, the latter were concerned with preserving their religion and gave little thought to art and culture.\nWith the rise of [Ranjit Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/ranjit-singh) and the [Sikh Raj](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikh-raj) in [Lahore](https://bliptext.com/articles/lahore) and [Delhi](https://bliptext.com/articles/delhi), there was a change in the landscape of art and culture in Punjab; Hindus and Sikhs could build decorated shrines without the fear of destruction or looting.\nThe Sikh Confederacy was the catalyst for a uniquely Sikh form of expression, with Ranjit Singh commissioning forts, palaces, bungas (residential places) and colleges in a Sikh style.\nSikh architecture is characterised by gilded fluted domes, cupolas, kiosks, stone lanterns, ornate [balusters](https://bliptext.com/articles/baluster) and square roofs.\nA pinnacle of Sikh style is [Harmandir Sahib](https://bliptext.com/articles/harmandir-sahib) (also known as the Golden Temple) in [Amritsar](https://bliptext.com/articles/amritsar).\nSikh culture is influenced by militaristic motifs (with the [Khanda](https://bliptext.com/articles/khanda-religious-symbol) the most obvious) and most Sikh artifacts—except for the relics of the Gurus—have a military theme.\nThis theme is evident in the Sikh festivals of [Hola Mohalla](https://bliptext.com/articles/hola-mohalla) and [Vaisakhi](https://bliptext.com/articles/vaisakhi), which feature marching and displays of valor.\nAlthough the art and culture of the Sikh diaspora have merged with that of other Indo-immigrant groups into categories like \"British Asian,\" \"Indo-Canadian\" and \"Desi-Culture,\" a minor cultural phenomenon that can be described as \"political Sikh\" has arisen.\nThe art of diaspora Sikhs like Amarjeet Kaur Nandhra and Amrit and Rabindra Kaur Singh ([The Singh Twins](https://bliptext.com/articles/the-singh-twins)) is influenced by their Sikhism and current affairs in Punjab.\n[Bhangra](https://bliptext.com/articles/bhangra-dance) and [Giddha](https://bliptext.com/articles/giddha) are two forms of Punjabi folk dancing which have been adapted and pioneered by Sikhs.\nPunjabi Sikhs have championed these forms of expression worldwide, resulting in Sikh culture becoming linked to Bhangra (although \"Bhangra is not a Sikh institution but a Punjabi one\").\n# [Opaque watercolour-on-paper Nakashi art, about 1880, by an unknown artist from Lahore or Amritsar and used to decorate the walls of Harmandir Sahib | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/SikhNakashi.jpg]\n# [Darbar Sahib, circa 1870 | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6a/HarmindarSahib.jpg]\n\n## Painting\nSikh painting is a direct offshoot of the [Kangra school](https://bliptext.com/articles/kangra-painting) of painting.\nIn 1810, Ranjeet Singh (1780–1839) occupied [Kangra Fort](https://bliptext.com/articles/kangra-fort) and appointed Sardar Desa Singh Majithia his governor of the Punjab hills.\nIn 1813, the Sikh army occupied [Guler State](https://bliptext.com/articles/guler-state) and Raja Bhup Singh became a vassal of the Sikhs.\nWith the Sikh kingdom of Lahore becoming the paramount power, some of the Pahari painters from Guler migrated to Lahore for the patronage of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh and his Sardars.\nThe Sikh school adapted Kangra painting to Sikh needs and ideals.\nIts main subjects are the ten Sikh gurus and stories from Guru Nanak's [Janamsakhis](https://bliptext.com/articles/janamsakhi).\nThe tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, left a deep impression on the followers of the new faith because of his courage and sacrifices.\nHunting scenes and portraits are also common in Sikh painting.\n# [Painting of Guru Nanak with companions Bhai Mardana and Bhai Bala, in debate with the Siddhs | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/36/Guru///Nanak///with///companions%2C///Bhai///Mardana///and///Bhai///Bala%2C///in///debate///with///the///Siddhs.jpg]\n\n## Shrines\nThere is an old Sikh shrine called 'Prachin Guru Nanak Math', which lies at a small hill, just next to [Bishnumati](https://bliptext.com/articles/bishnumati-river) bridge at Balaju.\nGuru Nanak is said to have visited Nepal during his third Udasi while returning from [Mount Kailash](https://bliptext.com/articles/mount-kailash) in Tibet.\nNanak is said to have stayed at Balaju and Thapathali in [Kathmandu](https://bliptext.com/articles/kathmandu).\nThe Nanak Math shrine at Balaju is managed by the Guru-Ji and the Udasin Akardha, a sect developed by Guru Nanak's son, Sri Chandra.\n\n## Daily routine\nFrom the [Guru Granth Sahib](https://bliptext.com/articles/guru-granth-sahib):\n\"One who calls themself a Sikh of the Guru, the True Guru, shall rise in the early morning hours and meditate on the Lord's Name. Upon arising early in the morning, he is to bathe and cleanse himself in the pool of nectar. Following the Instructions of the Guru, he is to chant the Name of the Lord, 'Har, Har.' All sins, misdeeds, and negativity shall be then erased. Then, at the rising of the sun, he is to sing Gurbani; whether sitting down or standing up, he is to meditate on the Lord's Name. One who meditates on my Lord, Har, Har, with every breath and every morsel of food and – that GurSikh becomes pleasing to the Guru's Mind. That person, unto whom my Lord and Master is kind and compassionate – upon that GurSikh, the Guru's Teachings are bestowed. Servant Nanak begs for the dust of the feet of that GurSikh, who himself chants the Naam, and inspires others to chant it.\"\nThe [Sikh Rahit Maryada](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikh-rehat-maryada) (Code of Conduct) clearly states that [initiated](https://bliptext.com/articles/amrit-sanskar) Amritdhari [Khalsa](https://bliptext.com/articles/khalsa) Sikhs must recite or listen to the recitation of [Japji Sahib](https://bliptext.com/articles/japji-sahib), [Jaap Sahib](https://bliptext.com/articles/jaap-sahib), [the 10 Sawayyas](https://bliptext.com/articles/tav-prasad-savaiye), Sodar [Rehraas](https://bliptext.com/articles/rehras) and [Sohila](https://bliptext.com/articles/kirtan-sohila).\nEvery Sikh is also supposed take the [Hukam](https://bliptext.com/articles/hukamnama) (divine order) from the [Guru Granth Sahib](https://bliptext.com/articles/guru-granth-sahib) after awakening in the [ambrosial hours of the morning (three hours before the dawn)](https://bliptext.com/articles/amrit-vel) before eating.\nIn his [52 Hukams](https://bliptext.com/articles/the-52-hukams-of-guru-gobind-singh), [Guru Gobind Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/guru-gobind-singh) orders his followers to arise during [Amritvela](https://bliptext.com/articles/amrit-vel) (early morning) and to recite the late evening prayer \"[Sohila](https://bliptext.com/articles/kirtan-sohila)\" and the verse \"Pavan guru pani pita...\"\nbefore sleeping.\n\n## Five Ks\nThe five Ks (panj kakaar) are five articles of faith which all initiated (Amritdhari) Sikhs are obliged to wear.\nThe symbols represent the ideals of Sikhism: honesty, equality, fidelity, meditating on [Waheguru](https://bliptext.com/articles/waheguru) and never bowing to tyranny.\nThe five symbols are:\n# [Kanga, Kara and Kirpan: three of the five Sikh articles of faith | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fa/Sikh///Articles///of///Faith.JPG]\n\n## Music and instruments\nThe Sikhs have a number of musical instruments, including the [rebab](https://bliptext.com/articles/seni-rebab), [dilruba](https://bliptext.com/articles/esraj), [taus](https://bliptext.com/articles/taus-instrument), jori and [sarinda](https://bliptext.com/articles/sarinda-instrument).\nPlaying the [sarangi](https://bliptext.com/articles/sarangi) was encouraged by [Guru Hargobind](https://bliptext.com/articles/guru-hargobind).\nThe rebab was played by [Bhai Mardana](https://bliptext.com/articles/bhai-mardana) as he accompanied Guru Nanak on his journeys.\nThe jori and sarinda were introduced to Sikh devotional music by [Guru Arjan](https://bliptext.com/articles/guru-arjan).\nThe taus (Persian for \"peacock\") was designed by Guru Hargobind, who supposedly heard a peacock singing and wanted to create an instrument mimicking its sounds.\nThe dilruba was designed by [Guru Gobind Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/guru-gobind-singh) at the request of his followers, who wanted a smaller instrument than the taus.\nAfter [Japji Sahib](https://bliptext.com/articles/japji-sahib), all of the [shabad](https://bliptext.com/articles/shabad-hymn) in the [Guru Granth Sahib](https://bliptext.com/articles/guru-granth-sahib) were composed as [raags](https://bliptext.com/articles/raga).\nThis type of singing is known as [Gurmat Sangeet](https://bliptext.com/articles/gurmat-sangeet).\nWhen they marched into battle, the Sikhs would play a Ranjit nagara (victory drum) to boost morale.\nNagaras (usually two to three feet in diameter, although some were up to five feet in diameter) are played with two sticks.\nThe beat of the large drums and the raising of the [Nishan Sahib](https://bliptext.com/articles/nishan-sahib), meant that the Singhs were on their way.\n# [Woman playing the dilruba | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Dilruba///woman.jpg]\n\n# Khalistan movement\nThe [Khalistan movement](https://bliptext.com/articles/khalistan-movement) is a Sikh separatist movement, which seeks to create a separate country called Khalistān (The Land of the Khalsa) in the [Punjab](https://bliptext.com/articles/punjab-india) state of [India](https://bliptext.com/articles/india) to serve as a homeland for Sikhs.\nThe territorial definition of the proposed country Khalistan consists of the [Punjab, India](https://bliptext.com/articles/punjab-india) and includes [Haryana](https://bliptext.com/articles/haryana), [Himachal Pradesh](https://bliptext.com/articles/himachal-pradesh), [Jammu and Kashmir](https://bliptext.com/articles/jammu-and-kashmir-state) and [Rajasthan](https://bliptext.com/articles/rajasthan).\nKhalistan movement began as an [expatriate](https://bliptext.com/articles/expatriate) venture.\nIn 1971, the first explicit call for Khalistan was made in an advertisement published in the New York Times by an expat ([Jagjit Singh Chohan](https://bliptext.com/articles/jagjit-singh-chohan)).\nBy proclaiming the formation of Khalistan, he was able to collect millions of dollars from the [Sikh diaspora](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikh-diaspora).\nOn April 12, 1980, he declared the formation of the \"National Council of Khalistan,\" at [Anandpur Sahib](https://bliptext.com/articles/anandpur-sahib).\nHe declared himself as the President of the council and named Balbir Singh Sandhu as its Secretary General.\nIn May 1980, Chohan traveled to [London](https://bliptext.com/articles/london) and announced the formation of Khalistan.\nA similar announcement was made by Balbir Singh Sandhu in [Amritsar](https://bliptext.com/articles/amritsar), where he began releasing stamps and currency of Khalistan.\nThe inaction of the authorities in Amritsar and elsewhere was decried as a political stunt by the [Congress(I)](https://bliptext.com/articles/indian-national-congress) party of Indira Gandhi by the Akali Dal, headed by the Sikh leader [Harchand Singh Longowal](https://bliptext.com/articles/harchand-singh-longowal).\nThe movement flourished in the Indian state of Punjab following [Operation Blue Star](https://bliptext.com/articles/operation-blue-star) and the [Anti-Sikh Pogroms](https://bliptext.com/articles/anti-sikh-riots).\nAs proponents were able to generate funding from a grieving diaspora.\nIn June 1985, [Air India Flight 182 was bombed](https://bliptext.com/articles/air-india-flight-182) by [Babbar Khalsa](https://bliptext.com/articles/babbar-khalsa), a pro-Khalistani terrorist organization.\nIn January 1986, the Golden Temple was occupied by militants belonging to [All India Sikh Students Federation](https://bliptext.com/articles/all-india-sikh-students-federation) and [Damdami Taksal](https://bliptext.com/articles/damdami-taksal).\nOn January 26, 1986, a gathering known as the [Sarbat Khalsa](https://bliptext.com/articles/sarbat-khalsa) (a de facto parliament) passed a resolution (gurmattā) favouring the creation of Khalistan.\nSubsequently, a number of rebel militant groups in favour of Khalistan waged a [major insurgency](https://bliptext.com/articles/punjab-insurgency) against the government of India.\nIndian security forces suppressed the insurgency in the early 1990s, but Sikh political groups such as the [Khalsa Raj Party](https://bliptext.com/articles/khalsa-raj-party) and [SAD (A)](https://bliptext.com/articles/shiromani-akali-dal-amritsar) continued to pursue an independent Khalistan through non-violent means.\nPro-Khalistan organisations such as [Dal Khalsa (International)](https://bliptext.com/articles/dal-khalsa-international) are also active outside India, supported by a section of the Sikh diaspora.\nIn the 1990s, the insurgency abated, and the movement failed to reach its objective due to multiple reasons including a heavy police crackdown on separatists, divisions among the Sikhs and loss of support from the Sikh population.\nHowever, various pro-Khalistan groups, both political and militant, remain committed to the separatist movement.\nThere are claims of funding from [Sikhs outside India](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikh-diaspora) to attract young people into militant groups.\nThere have also been multiple claims that the movement is motivated and supported by the Pakistan's external intelligence agency, the ISI.\n# [Sikhs in London protesting against Indian government actions | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b2/Sikh///march///against///Indian///policy%2C///London///10-Jun-12.JPG]\n\n# Demographics\nSikhs number about 26–30 million worldwide, of whom 24–28 million live in India, which thus represents around 90 percent of the total Sikh population.\nAbout 76 percent of all Indian Sikhs live in the northern [Indian state of Punjab](https://bliptext.com/articles/punjab-india), forming a majority of about 58 per cent of the state's population, roughly around 16 million.\nSubstantial communities of Sikhs live in the Indian states or union territories of [Haryana](https://bliptext.com/articles/haryana), where they number around 1.2 million and form 4.9 percent of the population, [Rajasthan](https://bliptext.com/articles/rajasthan) (872,000 or 1.3 percent of the population), [Uttar Pradesh](https://bliptext.com/articles/uttar-pradesh) (643,000, 0.3 percent), [Delhi](https://bliptext.com/articles/delhi) (570,000, 3.4 percent), [Uttarakhand](https://bliptext.com/articles/uttarakhand) (236,000, 2.3 percent), [Jammu and Kashmir](https://bliptext.com/articles/jammu-and-kashmir-union-territory) (234,000, 1.9 percent), [Chandigarh](https://bliptext.com/articles/chandigarh) (138,000, 13.1 percent) and [Himachal Pradesh](https://bliptext.com/articles/himachal-pradesh) (86,000, 1.2 percent).\nCanada is home to the largest national Sikh proportion (2.1 percent of the total population) in the world.\nA substantial community of Sikhs exist in the western province of [British Columbia](https://bliptext.com/articles/british-columbia), numbering nearly 300,000 persons and forming approximately 5.9 percent of the total population.\nThis represents the third-largest Sikh proportion amongst all global [administrative divisions](https://bliptext.com/articles/administrative-divisions), behind only [Punjab](https://bliptext.com/articles/punjab-india) and Chandigarh in India.\nFurthermore, British Columbia, [Manitoba](https://bliptext.com/articles/manitoba) and [Yukon](https://bliptext.com/articles/yukon) hold the distinction of being three of the only four [administrative divisions](https://bliptext.com/articles/administrative-divisions) in the world with Sikhism as the second most followed religion among the population.\n# [Global map of Sikh population (estimated 2023) | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f3/Global///Map///of///Sikh///Population///%28Estimated///2023%29.png]\n\n## Census data and official statistics\nAs a religious minority, Sikhs have fought long and hard to get official status and to be counted in many countries across the world.\nThrough the efforts of Sikh organisations and communities in their respective countries, there is now readily available population data on Sikhs as part of the census or official statistics in the following territories:\nNote: Official statistics do not count unregistered arrivals or those who have not completed the census or surveys.\nHowever, they do provide for a much more accurate depiction of Sikh communities as opposed to estimates from various Sikh organisations whose estimates can vary vastly with no statistically valuable source.\nThus, official statistics and census data is highly important and Sikh communities continue to push for census inclusion in many countries where they are still not counted.\n# [2011–2021 change in Sikh % | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6b/2011-2021///Change///in///Sikh///%25.png]\n\n## Migration\nSikh migration from [British India](https://bliptext.com/articles/british-india) began in earnest during the second half of the 19th century, when the British completed their annexation of the Punjab, which led to Sikh migration throughout India and the [British Empire](https://bliptext.com/articles/british-empire).\nDuring the Raj, semiskilled Sikh artisans were transported from the Punjab to [British East Africa](https://bliptext.com/articles/british-east-africa) to help build railroads.\nSikhs emigrated from India after World War II, most going to the [United Kingdom](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikhism-in-united-kingdom) but many also to North America.\nSome Sikhs who had settled in eastern Africa were expelled by Ugandan dictator [Idi Amin](https://bliptext.com/articles/idi-amin) in 1972.\nEconomics is a major factor in Sikh migration and significant communities exist in the United Kingdom, the United States, [Malaysia](https://bliptext.com/articles/malaysia), [East Africa](https://bliptext.com/articles/east-africa), [Australia](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikhism-in-australia), [Singapore](https://bliptext.com/articles/singapore) and [Thailand](https://bliptext.com/articles/thailand).\nAfter the [Partition of India](https://bliptext.com/articles/partition-of-india) in 1947, many Sikhs from what would become the [Punjab of Pakistan](https://bliptext.com/articles/punjab-of-pakistan) migrated to India as well as to [Afghanistan](https://bliptext.com/articles/afghanistan) due to fear of persecution.\nAfghanistan was home to hundreds of thousands of Sikhs and Hindus as of the 1970s, but due to the wars in Afghanistan in the 2010s, the vast majority of Afghan Sikhs had migrated to India, Pakistan or the west.\nAlthough the rate of Sikh migration from the Punjab has remained high, traditional patterns of Sikh migration favouring English-speaking countries (particularly the United Kingdom) have changed during the past decade due to stricter immigration laws.\nMoliner (2006) wrote that as a consequence of Sikh migration to the UK becoming \"virtually impossible since the late 1970s,\" migration patterns evolved to continental Europe.\nItaly is a rapidly growing destination for Sikh migration, with [Reggio Emilia](https://bliptext.com/articles/reggio-emilia) and [Vicenza](https://bliptext.com/articles/vicenza) having significant Sikh population clusters.\nItalian Sikhs are generally involved in [agriculture](https://bliptext.com/articles/agriculture), agricultural processing, the manufacture of machine tools and [horticulture](https://bliptext.com/articles/horticulture).\n\n## Growth\nJohnson and Barrett (2004) estimate that the global Sikh population increases annually by 392,633 (1.7% per year, based on 2004 figures); this percentage includes births, deaths and conversions.\nPrimarily for [socio-economic](https://bliptext.com/articles/socio-economic) reasons, [Indian Sikhs](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikhism-in-india) have the lowest adjusted growth rate of any major religious group in India, at 16.9 percent per decade (estimated from 1991 to 2001) and it has further declined to just 8.4 per cent in 2011 census report.\nSikhs in the world have the lowest fertility rate of 1.6 children per women as per (2019–20) estimation research.\nThe Sikh population has the lowest gender balance in India, with only 903 women per 1,000 men according to the 2011 Indian census.\nThe estimated world's Sikh population was over 30 million in 2020 and it will reach 42 million by 2050.\nIt is expected to increase up to 62 million by 2100, given that the anticipated growth rate of 1.7% per year and adding at least 400,000 followers annually.\nSince the Sikh growth rate dropped from 1.7% (16.9% in 1991 to 2001 estimate) to 0.8% (8.4% in 2001–2011) in 2011 report, hence based on their growth rate, their population in India will increase 196,316 (0.8% based on 2011 figures) per year and will reach 36 million in 2050, it expected to reach 52 million in 2100 given that the anticipated growth rate of 0.8% and adding at least 200,000 followers annually.\n[Sikhism](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikhism) is the fastest growing religion in [Canada](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikhism-in-canada), [Australia](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikhism-in-australia) and [New Zealand](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikhism-in-new-zealand).\nThe growth is mainly contributed by the immigration of [Indian Sikhs](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikhism-in-india) there over the decades.\nSikhism is fourth-largest religion in [Canada](https://bliptext.com/articles/canada), fifth-largest religion in [Australia](https://bliptext.com/articles/australia) and [New Zealand](https://bliptext.com/articles/new-zealand).\nThe decadal growth of Sikhs is more in those countries as compared to the decadal growth of Sikh population in India, thus making them the fastest-growing religion there.\n[Canada](https://bliptext.com/articles/canada) has the highest proportion of Sikhs in the globe, which stands at 2.1% as of 2021, as compared to [India](https://bliptext.com/articles/india) which stands at 1.7% as of 2011 respectively.\n# [A group of Sikh people | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9e/Sikh///people.jpg]\n# [A Sikh of European descent learning Santhiya or elocution of Sikh Scripture | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/51/A///caucasian///Sikh///learning///Santhiya%2C///or///the///elocution///of///Sikh///Scripture.png]\n\n## Castes\nSikhs have remained a relatively homogeneous ethnic group with exceptions.\n[Caste](https://bliptext.com/articles/caste-system-in-india) may still be practiced by some Sikhs, despite Guru Nanak's calls for treating everyone equally in Guru Granth Sahib.\nAlong with Guru Nanak, other Sikh gurus had also denounced the hierarchy of the caste system, however, they all belonged to the same caste, the [Khatris](https://bliptext.com/articles/khatri).\nMost Sikhs belong to the [Jat](https://bliptext.com/articles/jat-sikh) ([Jat](https://bliptext.com/articles/jat-sikh)t), traditionally Agriculturist class in occupation.\nDespite being very small in numbers, the [Khatri](https://bliptext.com/articles/khatri) and [Arora](https://bliptext.com/articles/arora) castes wield considerable influence within the Sikh community.\nOther common Sikh castes include [Ahluwalias](https://bliptext.com/articles/ahluwalia-caste) (Brewers), Kambojs or Kambos (Rural caste), Ramgarhias (Carpenters), [Brahmins](https://bliptext.com/articles/brahmins) (Priestly class), [Rajputs](https://bliptext.com/articles/rajput) (Kshatriyas – Warriors), Sainis, Rai Sikh (Ironsmiths), Labanas (Merchants), Kumhars (Potters), [Mazhabi](https://bliptext.com/articles/mazhabi) (Cleaners) and the [Ramdasia](https://bliptext.com/articles/ramdasia)/Ravidasias(Chamar – Tanners).\nSome Sikhs, especially those belonging to the landowning dominant castes, have not shed all their prejudices against the Dalits.\nWhile Dalits were allowed entry into the village [gurdwaras](https://bliptext.com/articles/gurdwara), in some [gurdwaras](https://bliptext.com/articles/gurdwara), they were not permitted to cook or serve langar (communal meal).\nTherefore, wherever they could mobilize resources, the Sikh Dalits of Punjab have tried to construct their own gurdwara and other local level institutions in order to attain a certain degree of cultural autonomy.\nIn 1953, Sikh leader and activist Master Tara Singh succeeded in persuading the Indian government to include Sikh castes of the converted untouchables in the list of [scheduled castes](https://bliptext.com/articles/scheduled-castes).\nIn the [Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee](https://bliptext.com/articles/shiromani-gurdwara-prabandhak-committee), 20 of the 140 seats are reserved for low-caste Sikhs.\nOther castes (over 1,000 members) include the [Arain](https://bliptext.com/articles/arain), [Bhatra](https://bliptext.com/articles/bhatra-sikhs), [Bairagi](https://bliptext.com/articles/bairagi), [Bania](https://bliptext.com/articles/vanika), [Basith](https://bliptext.com/articles/basith), Bawaria, [Bazigar](https://bliptext.com/articles/bazigar), [Bhabra](https://bliptext.com/articles/bhabra), [Chamar](https://bliptext.com/articles/chamar), [Chhimba (cotton farmers)](https://bliptext.com/articles/chhimba), Darzi, [Dhobi](https://bliptext.com/articles/dhobi), [Gujar](https://bliptext.com/articles/gujjar), [Jhinwar](https://bliptext.com/articles/jhinwar), [Kahar](https://bliptext.com/articles/kahar), [Kalal](https://bliptext.com/articles/kalwar-rajasthan), [Kumhar](https://bliptext.com/articles/kumhar), [Lohar](https://bliptext.com/articles/lohar-caste), [Mahtam](https://bliptext.com/articles/mahtam), [Megh](https://bliptext.com/articles/meghwal), [Mirasi](https://bliptext.com/articles/mirasi), [Mochi](https://bliptext.com/articles/mochi-sikh), [Nai](https://bliptext.com/articles/nai-caste), [Ramgharia](https://bliptext.com/articles/ramgarhia), [Sansi](https://bliptext.com/articles/sansi-people), [Sudh](https://bliptext.com/articles/sood-surname), [Tarkhan](https://bliptext.com/articles/tarkhan-punjab) and [Kashyap](https://bliptext.com/articles/kashyap-caste)\nKarnail Singh Panjoli, member of the [Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee](https://bliptext.com/articles/shiromani-gurdwara-parbandhak-committee), says that there are several communities within the term [Nanakpanthis](https://bliptext.com/articles/nanakpanthi) too.\nApart from [Sindhi Hindus](https://bliptext.com/articles/sindhi-hindus), \"There are groups like Sikhligarh, Vanjaarey, [Nirmaley](https://bliptext.com/articles/nirmala-sect), Lubaney, Johri, Satnamiye, Udaasiyas, [Punjabi Hindus](https://bliptext.com/articles/punjabi-hindus), etc. who call themselves Nanakpanthis despite being Hindus.\n\n# Diaspora\nAs Sikhs wear [turbans](https://bliptext.com/articles/turban) and keep beards, Sikh men in [Western](https://bliptext.com/articles/western-world) countries have been mistaken for [Muslim](https://bliptext.com/articles/muslim), [Arab](https://bliptext.com/articles/arabs) and/or [Afghan](https://bliptext.com/articles/afghans) since the [September 11 attacks](https://bliptext.com/articles/september-11-attacks) and the [Iraq War](https://bliptext.com/articles/iraq-war).\nSeveral days after the 9/11 attacks, [Sikh-American](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikhism-in-the-united-states) gas station owner [Balbir Singh Sodhi](https://bliptext.com/articles/balbir-singh-sodhi) was murdered in [Arizona](https://bliptext.com/articles/arizona) by a man who took Sodhi to be a member of [al-Qaeda](https://bliptext.com/articles/al-qaeda), marking the first recorded hate-crime in America motivated by 9/11.\nCNN would go on to suggest an increase in hate crimes against Sikh men in the US and the UK after the 9/11 attacks.\nIn an attempt to foster Sikh leaders in the Western world, youth initiatives by a number of organisations exist.\nThe Sikh Youth Alliance of North America sponsors an annual [Sikh Youth Symposium](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikh-youth-symposium).\nThe Sikh diaspora has been most successful in the UK, and UK Sikhs have the highest percentage of home ownership (82%) of any religious community.\nUK Sikhs are the second-wealthiest religious group in the UK (after the [Jewish](https://bliptext.com/articles/jewish) community), with a median total household wealth of GB£229,000.\nIn May 2019, the UK government exempted \"[Kirpan](https://bliptext.com/articles/kirpan)\" from the list of banned knives.\nThe U.K. government passed an amendment by which Sikhs in the country would be allowed to carry kirpans and use them during religious and cultural functions.\nThe bill was amended to ensure that it would not impact the right of the British Sikh community to possess and supply kirpans or religious swords.\nSimilarly, the [Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikh-american-legal-defense-and-education-fund) overturned a 1925 [Oregon](https://bliptext.com/articles/oregon) law banning the wearing of turbans by teachers and government officials in 2010.\n# [Nagar kirtan convoy passing over the bridge along Northern Relief Road (A124) in East London | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9a/Simon///King///Sikh///Sikhi///Nagar///Kirtan///Convoy.jpg]\n\n# Agriculture\nHistorically, most Indians have been farmers and 66 per cent of the Indian population are engaged in [agriculture](https://bliptext.com/articles/agriculture).\nIndian Sikhs are employed in agriculture to a lesser extent; India's 2001 census found 39 per cent of the working population of the Punjab employed in this sector.\nAccording to the Swedish political scientist [Ishtiaq Ahmad](https://bliptext.com/articles/ishtiaq-ahmed-political-scientist), a factor in the success of the [Indian green revolution](https://bliptext.com/articles/indian-green-revolution) was the \"Sikh cultivator, often the [Jat](https://bliptext.com/articles/jat-sikh) and Kamboj or Kamboh, whose courage, perseverance, spirit of enterprise and muscle prowess proved crucial.\"\nHowever, Indian [physicist](https://bliptext.com/articles/physicist) [Vandana Shiva](https://bliptext.com/articles/vandana-shiva) wrote that the green revolution made the \"negative and destructive impacts of science (i.e., the green revolution) on nature and society\" invisible and was a catalyst for Punjabi Sikh and Hindu tensions despite a growth in material wealth.\n\n# Sikhs in modern history\n[Manmohan Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/manmohan-singh) is an Indian economist, academic and politician who served as the 13th Prime Minister of India from 2004 to 2014.\nThe first and only Sikh and non-Hindu in office, Singh was also the first prime minister since [Jawaharlal Nehru](https://bliptext.com/articles/jawaharlal-nehru) to be re-elected after completing a full five-year term.\nNotable Sikhs in science include [nuclear](https://bliptext.com/articles/nuclear-physics) scientist [Piara Singh Gill](https://bliptext.com/articles/piara-singh-gill), [fibre-optics](https://bliptext.com/articles/fibre-optics) pioneer [Narinder Singh Kapany](https://bliptext.com/articles/narinder-singh-kapany); and physicist, science writer and broadcaster [Simon Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/simon-singh).\nIn business, the UK-based clothing retailers [New Look](https://bliptext.com/articles/new-look-store) and the Thai-based JASPAL were founded by Sikhs.\nIndia's largest pharmaceutical company, [Ranbaxy Laboratories](https://bliptext.com/articles/ranbaxy-laboratories), is headed by Sikhs.\n[Apollo Tyres](https://bliptext.com/articles/apollo-tyres) is headed by [Onkar Singh Kanwar](https://bliptext.com/articles/onkar-singh-kanwar).\nIn Singapore, Kartar Singh Thakral expanded his family's trading business, Thakral Holdings, into assets totalling almost US$1.4 billion and is Singapore's 25th-richest person.\nSikh [Bob Singh Dhillon](https://bliptext.com/articles/bob-singh-dhillon) is the first [Indo-Canadian](https://bliptext.com/articles/indo-canadian) billionaire.\n[Mastercard's](https://bliptext.com/articles/mastercard) [CEO](https://bliptext.com/articles/ceo) was a Sikh named [Ajaypal Singh Banga](https://bliptext.com/articles/ajaypal-singh-banga).\nIn sports, Sikhs include England cricketer [Monty Panesar](https://bliptext.com/articles/monty-panesar); former 400-metre runner [Milkha Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/milkha-singh); his son, professional golfer Jeev [Milkha Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/milkha-singh); Indian wrestler and actor [Dara Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/dara-singh); former Indian hockey team captains [Sandeep Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/sandeep-singh), Ajitpal Singh and [Balbir Singh Sr](https://bliptext.com/articles/balbir-singh-sr).; former Indian cricket captain [Bishen Singh Bedi](https://bliptext.com/articles/bishen-singh-bedi); [Harbhajan Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/harbhajan-singh), India's most successful [off spin](https://bliptext.com/articles/off-spin) [cricket bowler](https://bliptext.com/articles/bowling-cricket); [Yuvraj Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/yuvraj-singh), World Cup winning allrounder; [Maninder Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/maninder-singh-cricketer), World Cup winning [off spin](https://bliptext.com/articles/off-spin)ner; and [Navjot Singh Sidhu](https://bliptext.com/articles/navjot-singh-sidhu), former Indian cricketer-turned-politician.\nSikhs in Bollywood, in the arts in general, include poet and lyricist [Rajkavi Inderjeet Singh Tulsi](https://bliptext.com/articles/rajkavi-inderjeet-singh-tulsi); [Gulzar](https://bliptext.com/articles/gulzar); [Jagjit Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/jagjit-singh); [Dharmendra](https://bliptext.com/articles/dharmendra); [Sunny Deol](https://bliptext.com/articles/sunny-deol); [Diljit Dosanjh](https://bliptext.com/articles/diljit-dosanjh) writer [Khushwant Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/khushwant-singh); actresses [Neetu Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/neetu-singh), [Simran Judge](https://bliptext.com/articles/simran-judge), [Poonam Dhillon](https://bliptext.com/articles/poonam-dhillon), [Mahi Gill](https://bliptext.com/articles/mahi-gill), [Esha Deol](https://bliptext.com/articles/esha-deol), [Parminder Nagra](https://bliptext.com/articles/parminder-nagra), [Gul Panag](https://bliptext.com/articles/gul-panag), [Mona Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/mona-singh), [Namrata Singh Gujral](https://bliptext.com/articles/namrata-singh-gujral); and directors [Gurinder Chadha](https://bliptext.com/articles/gurinder-chadha) and Parminder Gill.\nSikhs in Punjabi Music industry include [Sidhu Moosewala](https://bliptext.com/articles/sidhu-moosewala), [Diljit Dosanjh](https://bliptext.com/articles/diljit-dosanjh), [Babu Singh Maan](https://bliptext.com/articles/babu-singh-maan), [Surjit Bindrakhia](https://bliptext.com/articles/surjit-bindrakhia), [Ammy Virk](https://bliptext.com/articles/ammy-virk), [Karan Aujla](https://bliptext.com/articles/karan-aujla), [Jazzy B](https://bliptext.com/articles/jazzy-b), [Miss Pooja](https://bliptext.com/articles/miss-pooja).\nIn December 2022, the [U.S. Marine Corps](https://bliptext.com/articles/united-states-marine-corps) was compelled by a court order to allow two Sikhs to wear the turban and grow beards.\nThis was a milestone for religious freedom and in the prevention of employment discrimination against Sikhs.\n# [Manmohan Singh, Indian politician and economist and the only Sikh Prime Minister of India, served from 2004–2014 | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6f/Prime///Minister///Manmohan///Singh///in///WEF///%2C2009///%28cropped%29.jpg]\n# [Harpreet Kaur Chandi, a British Sikh and the first woman to reach the South Pole solo and unsupported | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/48/Preet///Chandi///training///in///Finse%2C///Norway.jpg]\n# [Jagmeet Singh, Canadian Sikh politician | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/db/Jagmeet///Singh///at///the///OFL///Convention///-///2017///%2838554422812%29.jpg]\n# [American Sikhs | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e6/City///Sikhs///Team///hosting///the///Sikhnet///Team///from///America///in///the///UK///Parliament.jpg]\n\n# In the Indian and British armies\nAccording to a 1994 estimate, Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus comprised 10 to 15% of all ranks in the [Indian Army](https://bliptext.com/articles/indian-army).\nThe Indian government does not release religious or ethnic origins of a military personnel, but a 1991 report by Tim McGirk estimated that 20% of Indian Army officers were Sikhs.\nTogether with the [Gurkhas](https://bliptext.com/articles/gurkha) recruited from Nepal, the [Maratha Light Infantry](https://bliptext.com/articles/maratha-light-infantry) from Maharashtra and the [Jat Regiment](https://bliptext.com/articles/jat-regiment), the Sikhs are one of the few communities to have exclusive regiments in the Indian Army.\nThe [Sikh Regiment](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikh-regiment) is one of the most-decorated [regiments](https://bliptext.com/articles/regiment) in the army, with 73 [Battle Honours](https://bliptext.com/articles/battle-honours), 14 [Victoria Crosses](https://bliptext.com/articles/victoria-cross), 21 first-class [Indian Orders of Merit](https://bliptext.com/articles/indian-order-of-merit) (equivalent to the Victoria Cross), 15 [Theatre Honours](https://bliptext.com/articles/battle-honour), 5 COAS Unit Citations, two [Param Vir Chakras](https://bliptext.com/articles/param-vir-chakra), 14 [Maha Vir Chakras](https://bliptext.com/articles/maha-vir-chakra), 5 [Kirti Chakras](https://bliptext.com/articles/kirti-chakra), 67 [Vir Chakras](https://bliptext.com/articles/vir-chakra) and 1,596 other awards.\nThe highest-ranking general in the history of the Indian Air Force is a Punjabi Sikh, Marshal of the Air Force [Arjan Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/arjan-singh).\nPlans by the [United Kingdom Ministry of Defence](https://bliptext.com/articles/ministry-of-defence-united-kingdom) for a Sikh [infantry](https://bliptext.com/articles/infantry) regiment were scrapped in June 2007.\nSikhs supported the British during the [Indian Rebellion of 1857](https://bliptext.com/articles/indian-rebellion-of-1857).\nBy the beginning of [World War I](https://bliptext.com/articles/world-war-i), Sikhs in the [British Indian Army](https://bliptext.com/articles/british-indian-army) totaled over 100,000 (20 per cent of the force).\nUntil 1945, fourteen [Victoria Crosses](https://bliptext.com/articles/victoria-cross) (VC) were awarded to Sikhs, a per-capita regimental record.\nIn 2002, the names of all Sikh VC and [George Cross](https://bliptext.com/articles/george-cross) recipients were inscribed on the monument of the [Memorial Gates](https://bliptext.com/articles/memorial-gates-constitution-hill) on [Constitution Hill](https://bliptext.com/articles/constitution-hill-london), next to [Buckingham Palace](https://bliptext.com/articles/buckingham-palace).\n[Chanan Singh Dhillon](https://bliptext.com/articles/chanan-singh-dhillon) was instrumental in campaigning for the memorial.\nDuring World War I, Sikh battalions fought in Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia, [Gallipoli](https://bliptext.com/articles/gallipoli) and France.\nSix battalions of the [Sikh Regiment](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikh-regiment) were raised during [World War II](https://bliptext.com/articles/world-war-ii), serving in the [Second Battle of El Alamein](https://bliptext.com/articles/second-battle-of-el-alamein), the [Burma](https://bliptext.com/articles/burma-campaign) and [Italian campaigns](https://bliptext.com/articles/italian-campaign-world-war-ii) and in [Iraq](https://bliptext.com/articles/anglo-iraqi-war), receiving 27 battle honours.\nAround the world, Sikhs are commemorated in [Commonwealth](https://bliptext.com/articles/commonwealth-war-graves-commission) cemeteries.\n\n# Citations\n\n## General and cited sources","current_revision":null,"created_by":"kACnuQmH5k9Nr5VNVEpVeg7XpvUmMctD","created_at":"2025-01-25T17:38:38.523Z","updated_at":"2025-01-25T17:38:38.523Z","search_vector":"'sikh':1","search_content":" \n \n**Group:** Sikhs \n**Founder:** [Guru Nanak](https://bliptext.com/articles/guru-nanak) \n**Population:** c. 25–30 million \n**Region 1:** [India](https://bliptext.com/articles/india) \n**Pop 1:** 23,786,000–28,000,000 \n**Region 2:** [Canada](https://bliptext.com/articles/canada) \n**Pop 2:** 771,790 \n**Region 3:** [United Kingdom](https://bliptext.com/articles/united-kingdom) \n**Pop 3:** 524,140 \n**Region 4:** [United States](https://bliptext.com/articles/united-states) \n**Pop 4:** 280,000–500,000 \n**Region 5:** [Italy](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikhism-in-italy) \n**Pop 5:** 220,000 \n**Region 6:** [Australia](https://bliptext.com/articles/australia) \n**Pop 6:** 210,400 \n**Region 7:** [Malaysia](https://bliptext.com/articles/malaysia) \n**Pop 7:** 100,000 \n**Region 1 0:** [Thailand](https://bliptext.com/articles/thailand) \n**Pop 1 0:** 70,000 \n**Region 1 1:** [Saudi Arabia](https://bliptext.com/articles/saudi-arabia) \n**Pop 1 1:** 67,000 \n**Region 1 2:** [United Arab Emirates](https://bliptext.com/articles/united-arab-emirates) \n**Pop 1 2:** 52,000 \n**Region 1 3:** [Philippines](https://bliptext.com/articles/philippines) \n**Pop 1 3:** 50,000 \n**Region 1 4:** [New Zealand](https://bliptext.com/articles/new-zealand) \n**Pop 1 4:** 40,908 \n**Region 1 5:** [Oman](https://bliptext.com/articles/oman) \n**Pop 1 5:** 35,540 \n**Region 1 6:** [Portugal](https://bliptext.com/articles/portugal) \n**Pop 1 6:** 35,000 \n**Region 1 7:** [France](https://bliptext.com/articles/france) \n**Pop 1 7:** 30,000 \n**Region 1 8:** [Spain](https://bliptext.com/articles/spain) \n**Pop 1 8:** 26,000 \n**Region 1 9:** [Germany](https://bliptext.com/articles/germany) \n**Pop 1 9:** 25,000 \n**Region 2 0:** [Greece](https://bliptext.com/articles/greece) \n**Pop 2 0:** 20,000 \n**Region 2 1:** [Hong Kong](https://bliptext.com/articles/hong-kong) \n**Pop 2 1:** 15,000 \n**Region 2 2:** [Kuwait](https://bliptext.com/articles/kuwait) \n**Pop 2 2:** 15,000 \n**Region 2 3:** [Netherlands](https://bliptext.com/articles/netherlands) \n**Pop 2 3:** 15,000 \n**Region 2 4:** [Cyprus](https://bliptext.com/articles/cyprus) \n**Pop 2 4:** 13,280 \n**Region 2 5:** [Singapore](https://bliptext.com/articles/singapore) \n**Pop 2 5:** 12,051 \n**Region 2 6:** [Indonesia](https://bliptext.com/articles/indonesia) \n**Pop 2 6:** 10,000–15,000 \n**Region 2 7:** [Belgium](https://bliptext.com/articles/belgium) \n**Pop 2 7:** 10,000 \n**Region 2 8:** [Austria](https://bliptext.com/articles/austria) \n**Pop 2 8:** 9,000 \n**Region 2 9:** [Pakistan](https://bliptext.com/articles/pakistan) \n**Pop 2 9:** 6,146 ([NADRA](https://bliptext.com/articles/national-database-and-registration-authority)), 20,000 ([USDOS](https://bliptext.com/articles/united-states-department-of-state)) \n**Region 3 0:** [Kenya](https://bliptext.com/articles/kenya) \n**Pop 3 0:** 6,000 \n**Region 3 1:** [Norway](https://bliptext.com/articles/norway) \n**Pop 3 1:** 4,080 \n**Religions:** Khanda.svg [Sikhism](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikhism) \n**Scriptures:** [Guru Granth Sahib](https://bliptext.com/articles/guru-granth-sahib) [Dasam Granth](https://bliptext.com/articles/dasam-granth) [Sarbloh Granth](https://bliptext.com/articles/sarbloh-granth) \n**Languages:** Contemporarily** [Modern [Punjabi](https://bliptext.com/articles/punjabi-language)](https://bliptext.com/articles/punjabi-language) • [Hindi](https://bliptext.com/articles/hindi) • [English](https://bliptext.com/articles/english-language) •[French](https://bliptext.com/articles/french-language) • [Italian](https://bliptext.com/articles/italian-language) • [Spanish](https://bliptext.com/articles/spanish-language) • [Dutch](https://bliptext.com/articles/dutch-language) **Historically** [Punjabi](https://bliptext.com/articles/punjabi-language) • [Punjabi](https://bliptext.com/articles/punjabi-language) dialects ([Gurmukhi](https://bliptext.com/articles/gurmukhi) script) • [Khalsa bole](https://bliptext.com/articles/khalsa-bole) • [Sant Bhasha](https://bliptext.com/articles/sant-bhasha) ([liturgical](https://bliptext.com/articles/sacred-language)) \n**Flag:** Khanda (Sikh Symbol).svg \n**Flag Size:** 100px \n**Flag Caption:** The [Khanda](https://bliptext.com/articles/khanda-sikh-symbol), a common symbol of the Sikh people \n \n\n# \n****Sikh**s** (singular **Sikh**: or ;, ) are an [ethnoreligious group](https://bliptext.com/articles/ethnoreligious-group) who adhere to **Sikh**ism, a religion that originated in the late [15th century](https://bliptext.com/articles/15th-century) in the [Punjab](https://bliptext.com/articles/punjab) region of the [Indian subcontinent](https://bliptext.com/articles/indian-subcontinent), based on the revelation of [Guru Nanak](https://bliptext.com/articles/guru-nanak).\nThe term Sikh has its origin in the [Sanskrit](https://bliptext.com/articles/sanskrit) word , meaning 'seeker', disciple or student.\nAccording to Article I of Chapter 1 of the Sikh Rehat Maryada (code of conduct), the definition of Sikh is: Any human being who faithfully believes in\n \n One Immortal Being \n Ten Gurus, from Guru Nanak Sahib to Guru Gobind Singh Sahib \n The Guru Granth Sahib \n The utterances and teachings of the ten Gurus and \n The [initiation](https://bliptext.com/articles/initiation), known as the [Amrit Sanchar](https://bliptext.com/articles/amrit-sanskar), bequeathed by the tenth Guru and who does not owe allegiance to any other religion, is a Sikh. \n \nMale Sikhs generally have [Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/singh) (lion) as their last name, though not all [Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/singh)s are necessarily Sikhs; likewise, female Sikhs have [Kaur](https://bliptext.com/articles/kaur) (princess) as their last name.\nThese unique last names were given by the Gurus to allow Sikhs to stand out and also as an act of defiance to [India's caste system](https://bliptext.com/articles/caste-system-in-india), which the Gurus were always against.\nSikhs strongly believe in the idea of [sarbat da bhala](https://bliptext.com/articles/sarbat-da-bhala) (welfare of all) and are often seen on the frontline to provide humanitarian aid across the world.\nSikhs who have undergone the [Amrit Sanchar](https://bliptext.com/articles/amrit-sanchar) (initiation by Khanda), an initiation ceremony, are known as [Khalsa](https://bliptext.com/articles/khalsa) from the day of their initiation and they must at all times have on their bodies the [five Ks](https://bliptext.com/articles/the-five-ks):\nThe Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent has been the historic homeland of the [Sikhs](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikh), having even been ruled by the [Sikhs](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikh) for significant parts of the 18th and 19th centuries.\nToday, [Canada](https://bliptext.com/articles/canada) has the largest national Sikh proportion (2.1%) in the world, while the [Punjab](https://bliptext.com/articles/punjab-india) state in [India](https://bliptext.com/articles/india) has the largest Sikh proportion (58%) amongst all [administrative divisions](https://bliptext.com/articles/administrative-division) in the world.\nWith 25–30 millions, Sikhs represent less than 0.3% of the total world population in 2021.\nMany countries, such as Canada and the United Kingdom, recognize Sikhs as a designated religion on their censuses and, as of 2020, Sikhs are considered as a separate [ethnic group](https://bliptext.com/articles/ethnic-group) in the United States.\nThe UK also considers Sikhs to be an [ethno-religious](https://bliptext.com/articles/ethnoreligious-group) people, as a direct result of the [Mandla v Dowell-Lee](https://bliptext.com/articles/mandla-v-dowell-lee) case in 1982.\n# [Tarn Taran Sahib – the world's largest sarovar (sacred pool) | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0c/Tarn///Taran///1.jpg]\n\n# History\n[Guru Nanak](https://bliptext.com/articles/guru-nanak) (1469–1539), the founder of [Sikhism](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikhism), was born in a [Khatri](https://bliptext.com/articles/khatri) family to [Mehta Kalu](https://bliptext.com/articles/mehta-kalu) and [Mata Tripta](https://bliptext.com/articles/mata-tripta) in the village of [Talwandi](https://bliptext.com/articles/talwandi), present-day [Nankana Sahib](https://bliptext.com/articles/nankana-sahib), near [Lahore](https://bliptext.com/articles/lahore).\nThroughout his life, Guru Nanak was a religious leader and social reformer.\nHowever, Sikh political history may be said to begin in 1606, with the death of the fifth Sikh guru, [Guru Arjan Dev](https://bliptext.com/articles/arjan-dev).\nReligious practices were formalised by [Guru Gobind Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/guru-gobind-singh) on March 30, 1699, when the Guru initiated five people from a variety of social backgrounds known as the [Panj Piare](https://bliptext.com/articles/panj-piare) (beloved five), to form a collective body of initiated Sikhs known as the [Khalsa](https://bliptext.com/articles/khalsa) (pure).\nThe early followers of Guru Nanak were [Khatris](https://bliptext.com/articles/khatri), but later a large number of [Jats](https://bliptext.com/articles/jat) joined the faith.\n[Khatris](https://bliptext.com/articles/khatri) and [Brahmins](https://bliptext.com/articles/brahmin) opposed \"the demand that the Sikhs set aside the distinctive customs of their castes and families, including the older rituals.\"\n[Pashaura Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/pashaura-singh-sikh-scholar) analyzed references made within the 11th ballad of the [Varan](https://bliptext.com/articles/varan-bhai-gurdas) of [Bhai Gurdas](https://bliptext.com/articles/bhai-gurdas) to form a picture of the caste-makeup of the early Sikh community. At the time of the writing the Vaar, the early Sikh community was composed of various castes and backgrounds, such as:\nThe early Sikhs varied widely in their occupations and position in society's hierarchy: some were rich merchants ([Seths](https://bliptext.com/articles/seth-surname) and [Sarrafs](https://bliptext.com/articles/sarraf)), others were heads of villages ([Chowdhury](https://bliptext.com/articles/chowdhury)), some were labourers, others were enslaved, whilst others still were artisans, craftsmen, shopkeepers or simple peasants.\nDuring the rule of the [Mughal Empire](https://bliptext.com/articles/mughal-empire) in India, two [Sikh gurus](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikh-gurus) were martyred.\n([Guru Arjan](https://bliptext.com/articles/guru-arjan) was martyred on suspicion of helping in betrayal of Mughal Emperor [Jahangir](https://bliptext.com/articles/jahangir) and [Guru Tegh Bahadur](https://bliptext.com/articles/guru-tegh-bahadur) was martyred by the Mughal Emperor [Aurangzeb](https://bliptext.com/articles/aurangzeb)) As the Sikh faith grew, the Sikhs subsequently militarized to oppose Mughal rule.\nAfter defeating the [Afghans](https://bliptext.com/articles/afghan-sikh-wars) and [Mughals](https://bliptext.com/articles/mughal-sikh-wars), sovereign states called [Misls](https://bliptext.com/articles/misl) were formed under [Jassa Singh Ahluwalia](https://bliptext.com/articles/jassa-singh-ahluwalia).\nThe Confederacy of these states was unified and transformed into the [Sikh Empire](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikh-empire) under [Maharaja Ranjit Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/ranjit-singh).\nThis era was characterised by religious tolerance and [pluralism](https://bliptext.com/articles/religious-pluralism), including Christians, Muslims and Hindus in positions of power.\nIts secular administration implemented military, economic and governmental reforms.\nThe empire is considered the zenith of political Sikhism, encompassing [Kashmir](https://bliptext.com/articles/kashmir), [Ladakh](https://bliptext.com/articles/ladakh) and [Peshawar](https://bliptext.com/articles/peshawar).\n[Hari Singh Nalwa](https://bliptext.com/articles/hari-singh-nalwa), the commander-in-chief of the [Sikh Khalsa Army](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikh-khalsa-army) in the [North-West Frontier](https://bliptext.com/articles/north-west-frontier-province), expanded the confederacy to the [Khyber Pass](https://bliptext.com/articles/khyber-pass).\n# [Gurdwara Janam Asthan, the birthplace of Guru Nanak | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/96/Outside///view///of///Gurdwara///Janam///Asthan.jpg]\n# [The Sikh Empire at its greatest extent | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/98/Sikh///Empire///tri-lingual.jpg]\n# [The Samadhi of Emperor Ranjit Singh in Lahore, Pakistan | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5d/Shrine///of///ranjit///singh.jpg]\n# [The Golden Temple | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9b/Darbar///Sahib///27///September///2018.jpg]\n# [A Sikh Khalsa Army sowar's battle helmet | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/Sikh///helmet.jpg]\n# [Max Arthur Macauliffe (1841–1913), a senior British administrator who was posted to India during the British rule of Punjab, converted to Sikhism in the 1860s. | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ad/Photograph///of///Max///Arthur///Macauliffe///wearing///a///turban.jpg]\n\n## British rule in India\nAfter the annexation of the Sikh kingdom by the British, the British Army began recruiting significant numbers of Sikhs and [Punjabis](https://bliptext.com/articles/punjabis).\nDuring the 1857 [Indian mutiny](https://bliptext.com/articles/indian-mutiny), the Sikhs stayed loyal to the British, resulting in heavy recruitment from Punjab to the [British Indian Army](https://bliptext.com/articles/british-indian-army) for the next 90 years of the [British Raj](https://bliptext.com/articles/british-raj) in [colonial India](https://bliptext.com/articles/colonial-india).\nThe distinct turban that differentiates a Sikh from other turban wearers is a relic of the rules of the British Indian Army.\nThe British colonial rule saw the emergence of many reform movements in India, including Punjab, such as the formation of the First and Second [Singh Sabha](https://bliptext.com/articles/singh-sabha-movement) in 1873 and 1879 respectively.\nThe Sikh leaders of the Singh Sabha worked to offer a clear definition of Sikh identity and tried to purify Sikh belief and practice.\nThe later years of British colonial rule saw the emergence of the [Akali movement](https://bliptext.com/articles/akali-movement) to bring reform in the [gurdwaras](https://bliptext.com/articles/gurdwara) during the early 1920s.\nThe movement led to the introduction of Sikh [Gurdwara](https://bliptext.com/articles/gurdwara) Bill in 1925, which placed all the historical Sikh shrines in India under the control of the Shiromani [Gurdwara](https://bliptext.com/articles/gurdwara) Parbandhak Committee.\n# [Sikh armour and weapons | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/51/Sikh///Armour///and///weapons.jpg]\n# [“Sikh Sardar”, photograph by John McCosh taken circa 1848–49 | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/74/%E2%80%9CSikh///Sardar%E2%80%9D%2C///photograph///by///John///McCosh///taken///in///circa///1848-9.jpg]\n\n## Partition and post-Partition\nAt the time of the [Indian independence movement](https://bliptext.com/articles/indian-independence-movement), the Sikh ruler of the [Kapurthala State](https://bliptext.com/articles/kapurthala-state) fought to [oppose the partition of India](https://bliptext.com/articles/opposition-to-the-partition-of-india) and advocated for a united, secular country.\nSikh organizations, including the [Chief Khalsa Dewan](https://bliptext.com/articles/chief-khalsa-diwan) and [Shiromani [Akali Dal](https://bliptext.com/articles/shiromani-akali-dal)](https://bliptext.com/articles/shiromani-akali-dal) led by [Master Tara Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/master-tara-singh), condemned the [Lahore Resolution](https://bliptext.com/articles/lahore-resolution) and the movement to create Pakistan, viewing it as inviting possible persecution, with [Akali Dal](https://bliptext.com/articles/shiromani-akali-dal) instead favouring an undivided Azad Punjab as an independent Sikh State or [Khalistan](https://bliptext.com/articles/khalistan-movement), having passed the Sikh State Resolution in 1946.\nThe Sikhs therefore [strongly fought against the partition of Punjab](https://bliptext.com/articles/tara-singh-activist).\nThe months leading up to the 1947 [partition of [Punjab](https://bliptext.com/articles/punjab)](https://bliptext.com/articles/partition-of-india) were marked by conflict in the [Punjab](https://bliptext.com/articles/punjab) between Sikhs and [Muslims](https://bliptext.com/articles/muslims).\nThis caused the religious migration of Punjabi Sikhs and [Hindus](https://bliptext.com/articles/hindus) from [West Punjab](https://bliptext.com/articles/punjab-pakistan) to the east (modern India), mirroring a simultaneous religious migration of [Punjabi Muslims](https://bliptext.com/articles/punjabi-muslims) from [East Punjab](https://bliptext.com/articles/punjab-india) to the west (modern Pakistan).\nFollowing partition, the Government of India had begun to redraw states corresponding to demographic and linguistic boundaries.\nHowever, this was not effective in the northern part of the country, as the government reconsidered redrawing states in the north.\nWhile states across the country were extensively redrawn on linguistic lines at the behest of linguistic groups, the only languages not considered for statehood were [Punjabi](https://bliptext.com/articles/punjabi-language), [Sindhi](https://bliptext.com/articles/sindhi-language) and [Urdu](https://bliptext.com/articles/urdu).\nLeading to the launch of the [Punjabi Suba movement](https://bliptext.com/articles/punjabi-suba-movement) and the presentation for a Punjabi Suba as a policy in April 1948 by [Master Tara Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/tara-singh-activist).\nAlso, on January 26, 1950, Sikh representatives refused to sign the Indian constitution.\nAs Sikhs were recognized as Hindus and Sikhs were not provided with scheduled castes concessions given to Hindu scheduled castes.\nThe Punjab Suba experienced heavy government crackdown with the Congress Government arresting as many as 21,000 people.\nAttempted negotiations with Congress-led the agitation to be adjourned twice, though [Jawaharlal Nehru](https://bliptext.com/articles/jawaharlal-nehru) continued to reject the demand.\nOn July 4, 1955, government police forces, led by [DIG](https://bliptext.com/articles/deputy-inspector-general-of-police) Ashwini Kumar, forced entry into the [Golden Temple](https://bliptext.com/articles/golden-temple) premises and heavy-handedly arrested protestors and took them into custody, along with the head [granthis](https://bliptext.com/articles/granthi) of the [Akal Takht](https://bliptext.com/articles/akal-takht) and [Golden Temple](https://bliptext.com/articles/golden-temple), volunteer protestors and even cooks of the temple's [langar](https://bliptext.com/articles/langar-sikhism).\nThe Guru Ram Das Serai and Shiromani Akali Dal offices were also raided and batons used and tear gas and shells were fired to disperse the protestors gathered on the periphery of the temple, damaging the periphery and Sarovar, or pool, of the temple.\nThe government stopped volunteers on the way to the Golden Temple and troops were ordered to flag-march through the bazaars and streets surrounding the site.\nOver 200 protestors were killed, thousands arrested, and thousands, including women and children, were injured.\nThe Congress government agreed to the Punjab Suba in 1966 after protests and recommendation of the States Reorganisation Commission.\nThe state of East [Punjab](https://bliptext.com/articles/punjab-india) was later split into the states of [Himachal Pradesh](https://bliptext.com/articles/himachal-pradesh), the new state [Haryana](https://bliptext.com/articles/haryana) and current day [Punjab](https://bliptext.com/articles/punjab-india).\nHowever, there was a growing alienation between Punjabi Sikh and Hindu populations.\nThe latter of which reported [Hindi](https://bliptext.com/articles/hindi) rather than Punjabi as their primary language.\nThe result was that Punjabi-speaking areas were left out of the new state and given to Haryana and Himachal Pradesh resulting in the state of Punjab to be roughly 35,000 square miles smaller than the Punjabi-speaking areas based on pre-1947 census figures.\nMoreover, the 1966 reorganization left Sikhs highly dissatisfied, with the capital [Chandigarh](https://bliptext.com/articles/chandigarh) being made into a shared a [union territory](https://bliptext.com/articles/union-territory) and the capital of Punjab and Haryana.\nIn the late 1960s, the [Green Revolution](https://bliptext.com/articles/green-revolution) in India was first introduced in Punjab as part of a development program issued by international donor agencies and the Government of India.\nWhile, Green Revolution in Punjab had several positive impacts, the introduction of the mechanised agricultural techniques led to uneven distribution of wealth.\nThe industrial development was not done at the same pace as agricultural development, the Indian government had been reluctant to set up heavy industries in Punjab due to its status as a high-risk border state with Pakistan.\nThe rapid increase in the higher education opportunities without an adequate rise in the jobs resulted in the increase in the unemployment of educated youth.\nIn 1973 as a result, of unaddressed grievances and increasing inequality the [Akali Dal](https://bliptext.com/articles/akali-dal) put forward the [Anandpur Sahib Resolution](https://bliptext.com/articles/anandpur-sahib-resolution).\nThe resolution included both religious and political issues.\nIt asked for recognising Sikhism as a religion, it also demanded the devolution of power from the Central to state governments.\nThe Anandpur Resolution was rejected by the government as a secessionist document.\nThousands of people joined the movement, feeling that it represented a real solution to demands such as a larger share of water for irrigation and the return of Chandigarh to Punjab.\nAfter unsuccessful negotiations the Dharam Yuddh Morcha (righteous campaign) was launched on August 4, 1982, by the [Akali Dal](https://bliptext.com/articles/akali-dal) in partnership with [Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale](https://bliptext.com/articles/jarnail-singh-bhindranwale), with its stated aim being the fulfillment of a set of devolutionary objectives based on the [Anandpur Sahib Resolution](https://bliptext.com/articles/anandpur-sahib-resolution).\nIndian police responded to protestors with high-handed police methods creating state repression affecting a very large segment of Punjab's population.\nPolice brutality resulted in retaliatory violence from a section of the Sikh population, widening the scope of the conflict by the use of violence of the state on its own people.\nA \"state of chaos and repressive police methods\" combined to create \"a mood of overwhelming anger and resentment in the Sikh masses against the authorities.\"\nLeading to Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale gaining prominence and demands of independence gain currency, even amongst moderates and Sikh intellectuals.\nIn 1982 and early 1983, extrajudicial killings by the police of orthodox Sikh youth in rural areas in Punjab provoked reprisals.\nOver 190 Sikhs had been killed in the first 19 months of the protest movement.\nIn May 1984, a Grain Roko morcha was planned and to be initiated on June3 with protestors practising civil disobedience by refusing to pay land revenue, water or electricity bills and blocking the flow of grain out of Punjab.\nIndian Prime minister [Indira Gandhi](https://bliptext.com/articles/indira-gandhi) launched [Operation Blue Star](https://bliptext.com/articles/operation-blue-star) on June1 prior to the Grain Roko morcha in order to remove Bhindranwale from the [Golden Temple](https://bliptext.com/articles/harmandir-sahib).\nThis subsequently led to Gandhi's assassination by her Sikh bodyguards.\nHer assassination was followed by government-sponsored pogroms against Sikh communities across India and the killing of thousands of Sikhs throughout India.\nThese events triggered an [Insurgency in Punjab](https://bliptext.com/articles/insurgency-in-punjab) which would consume Punjab until the early 1990s.\nDuring the day of [Vaisakhi](https://bliptext.com/articles/vaisakhi) in 1999, Sikhs worldwide celebrated the 300th anniversary of the creation of the [Khalsa](https://bliptext.com/articles/khalsa).\n[Canada Post](https://bliptext.com/articles/canada-post) honoured Sikh Canadians with a commemorative stamp in conjunction with the anniversary.\nLikewise, on April 9, 1999, Indian president [K. R. Narayanan](https://bliptext.com/articles/k-r-narayanan) issued a stamp commemorating the 300th anniversary of the Khalsa as well.\n\n# Art and culture\nSikh art and culture are nearly synonymous with that of Punjab and Sikhs are easily recognised by their distinctive turban ([Dastar](https://bliptext.com/articles/dastar)).\nPunjab has been called India's melting pot, due to the confluence of invading cultures from the rivers from which the region gets its name.\nSikh culture is therefore a synthesis of cultures.\nSikhism has forged a unique [architecture](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikh-architecture), which S. S. Bhatti described as \"inspired by [Guru Nanak](https://bliptext.com/articles/guru-nanak)'s creative mysticism\" and \"is a mute harbinger of holistic humanism based on pragmatic spirituality.\"\nThe American non-profit organization [United Sikhs](https://bliptext.com/articles/united-sikhs) has fought to have Sikh included on the [U.S.](https://bliptext.com/articles/united-states) census as well, arguing that Sikhs \"self-identify as an ethnic minority\" and believe \"that they are more than just a religion.\"\nDuring the [Mughal](https://bliptext.com/articles/mughal-empire) and [Afghan](https://bliptext.com/articles/durrani) persecution of the Sikhs during the 17th and 18th centuries, the latter were concerned with preserving their religion and gave little thought to art and culture.\nWith the rise of [Ranjit Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/ranjit-singh) and the [Sikh Raj](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikh-raj) in [Lahore](https://bliptext.com/articles/lahore) and [Delhi](https://bliptext.com/articles/delhi), there was a change in the landscape of art and culture in Punjab; Hindus and Sikhs could build decorated shrines without the fear of destruction or looting.\nThe Sikh Confederacy was the catalyst for a uniquely Sikh form of expression, with Ranjit Singh commissioning forts, palaces, bungas (residential places) and colleges in a Sikh style.\nSikh architecture is characterised by gilded fluted domes, cupolas, kiosks, stone lanterns, ornate [balusters](https://bliptext.com/articles/baluster) and square roofs.\nA pinnacle of Sikh style is [Harmandir Sahib](https://bliptext.com/articles/harmandir-sahib) (also known as the Golden Temple) in [Amritsar](https://bliptext.com/articles/amritsar).\nSikh culture is influenced by militaristic motifs (with the [Khanda](https://bliptext.com/articles/khanda-religious-symbol) the most obvious) and most Sikh artifacts—except for the relics of the Gurus—have a military theme.\nThis theme is evident in the Sikh festivals of [Hola Mohalla](https://bliptext.com/articles/hola-mohalla) and [Vaisakhi](https://bliptext.com/articles/vaisakhi), which feature marching and displays of valor.\nAlthough the art and culture of the Sikh diaspora have merged with that of other Indo-immigrant groups into categories like \"British Asian,\" \"Indo-Canadian\" and \"Desi-Culture,\" a minor cultural phenomenon that can be described as \"political Sikh\" has arisen.\nThe art of diaspora Sikhs like Amarjeet Kaur Nandhra and Amrit and Rabindra Kaur Singh ([The Singh Twins](https://bliptext.com/articles/the-singh-twins)) is influenced by their Sikhism and current affairs in Punjab.\n[Bhangra](https://bliptext.com/articles/bhangra-dance) and [Giddha](https://bliptext.com/articles/giddha) are two forms of Punjabi folk dancing which have been adapted and pioneered by Sikhs.\nPunjabi Sikhs have championed these forms of expression worldwide, resulting in Sikh culture becoming linked to Bhangra (although \"Bhangra is not a Sikh institution but a Punjabi one\").\n# [Opaque watercolour-on-paper Nakashi art, about 1880, by an unknown artist from Lahore or Amritsar and used to decorate the walls of Harmandir Sahib | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/SikhNakashi.jpg]\n# [Darbar Sahib, circa 1870 | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6a/HarmindarSahib.jpg]\n\n## Painting\nSikh painting is a direct offshoot of the [Kangra school](https://bliptext.com/articles/kangra-painting) of painting.\nIn 1810, Ranjeet Singh (1780–1839) occupied [Kangra Fort](https://bliptext.com/articles/kangra-fort) and appointed Sardar Desa Singh Majithia his governor of the Punjab hills.\nIn 1813, the Sikh army occupied [Guler State](https://bliptext.com/articles/guler-state) and Raja Bhup Singh became a vassal of the Sikhs.\nWith the Sikh kingdom of Lahore becoming the paramount power, some of the Pahari painters from Guler migrated to Lahore for the patronage of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh and his Sardars.\nThe Sikh school adapted Kangra painting to Sikh needs and ideals.\nIts main subjects are the ten Sikh gurus and stories from Guru Nanak's [Janamsakhis](https://bliptext.com/articles/janamsakhi).\nThe tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, left a deep impression on the followers of the new faith because of his courage and sacrifices.\nHunting scenes and portraits are also common in Sikh painting.\n# [Painting of Guru Nanak with companions Bhai Mardana and Bhai Bala, in debate with the Siddhs | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/36/Guru///Nanak///with///companions%2C///Bhai///Mardana///and///Bhai///Bala%2C///in///debate///with///the///Siddhs.jpg]\n\n## Shrines\nThere is an old Sikh shrine called 'Prachin Guru Nanak Math', which lies at a small hill, just next to [Bishnumati](https://bliptext.com/articles/bishnumati-river) bridge at Balaju.\nGuru Nanak is said to have visited Nepal during his third Udasi while returning from [Mount Kailash](https://bliptext.com/articles/mount-kailash) in Tibet.\nNanak is said to have stayed at Balaju and Thapathali in [Kathmandu](https://bliptext.com/articles/kathmandu).\nThe Nanak Math shrine at Balaju is managed by the Guru-Ji and the Udasin Akardha, a sect developed by Guru Nanak's son, Sri Chandra.\n\n## Daily routine\nFrom the [Guru Granth Sahib](https://bliptext.com/articles/guru-granth-sahib):\n\"One who calls themself a Sikh of the Guru, the True Guru, shall rise in the early morning hours and meditate on the Lord's Name. Upon arising early in the morning, he is to bathe and cleanse himself in the pool of nectar. Following the Instructions of the Guru, he is to chant the Name of the Lord, 'Har, Har.' All sins, misdeeds, and negativity shall be then erased. Then, at the rising of the sun, he is to sing Gurbani; whether sitting down or standing up, he is to meditate on the Lord's Name. One who meditates on my Lord, Har, Har, with every breath and every morsel of food and – that GurSikh becomes pleasing to the Guru's Mind. That person, unto whom my Lord and Master is kind and compassionate – upon that GurSikh, the Guru's Teachings are bestowed. Servant Nanak begs for the dust of the feet of that GurSikh, who himself chants the Naam, and inspires others to chant it.\"\nThe [Sikh Rahit Maryada](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikh-rehat-maryada) (Code of Conduct) clearly states that [initiated](https://bliptext.com/articles/amrit-sanskar) Amritdhari [Khalsa](https://bliptext.com/articles/khalsa) Sikhs must recite or listen to the recitation of [Japji Sahib](https://bliptext.com/articles/japji-sahib), [Jaap Sahib](https://bliptext.com/articles/jaap-sahib), [the 10 Sawayyas](https://bliptext.com/articles/tav-prasad-savaiye), Sodar [Rehraas](https://bliptext.com/articles/rehras) and [Sohila](https://bliptext.com/articles/kirtan-sohila).\nEvery Sikh is also supposed take the [Hukam](https://bliptext.com/articles/hukamnama) (divine order) from the [Guru Granth Sahib](https://bliptext.com/articles/guru-granth-sahib) after awakening in the [ambrosial hours of the morning (three hours before the dawn)](https://bliptext.com/articles/amrit-vel) before eating.\nIn his [52 Hukams](https://bliptext.com/articles/the-52-hukams-of-guru-gobind-singh), [Guru Gobind Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/guru-gobind-singh) orders his followers to arise during [Amritvela](https://bliptext.com/articles/amrit-vel) (early morning) and to recite the late evening prayer \"[Sohila](https://bliptext.com/articles/kirtan-sohila)\" and the verse \"Pavan guru pani pita...\"\nbefore sleeping.\n\n## Five Ks\nThe five Ks (panj kakaar) are five articles of faith which all initiated (Amritdhari) Sikhs are obliged to wear.\nThe symbols represent the ideals of Sikhism: honesty, equality, fidelity, meditating on [Waheguru](https://bliptext.com/articles/waheguru) and never bowing to tyranny.\nThe five symbols are:\n# [Kanga, Kara and Kirpan: three of the five Sikh articles of faith | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fa/Sikh///Articles///of///Faith.JPG]\n\n## Music and instruments\nThe Sikhs have a number of musical instruments, including the [rebab](https://bliptext.com/articles/seni-rebab), [dilruba](https://bliptext.com/articles/esraj), [taus](https://bliptext.com/articles/taus-instrument), jori and [sarinda](https://bliptext.com/articles/sarinda-instrument).\nPlaying the [sarangi](https://bliptext.com/articles/sarangi) was encouraged by [Guru Hargobind](https://bliptext.com/articles/guru-hargobind).\nThe rebab was played by [Bhai Mardana](https://bliptext.com/articles/bhai-mardana) as he accompanied Guru Nanak on his journeys.\nThe jori and sarinda were introduced to Sikh devotional music by [Guru Arjan](https://bliptext.com/articles/guru-arjan).\nThe taus (Persian for \"peacock\") was designed by Guru Hargobind, who supposedly heard a peacock singing and wanted to create an instrument mimicking its sounds.\nThe dilruba was designed by [Guru Gobind Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/guru-gobind-singh) at the request of his followers, who wanted a smaller instrument than the taus.\nAfter [Japji Sahib](https://bliptext.com/articles/japji-sahib), all of the [shabad](https://bliptext.com/articles/shabad-hymn) in the [Guru Granth Sahib](https://bliptext.com/articles/guru-granth-sahib) were composed as [raags](https://bliptext.com/articles/raga).\nThis type of singing is known as [Gurmat Sangeet](https://bliptext.com/articles/gurmat-sangeet).\nWhen they marched into battle, the Sikhs would play a Ranjit nagara (victory drum) to boost morale.\nNagaras (usually two to three feet in diameter, although some were up to five feet in diameter) are played with two sticks.\nThe beat of the large drums and the raising of the [Nishan Sahib](https://bliptext.com/articles/nishan-sahib), meant that the Singhs were on their way.\n# [Woman playing the dilruba | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Dilruba///woman.jpg]\n\n# Khalistan movement\nThe [Khalistan movement](https://bliptext.com/articles/khalistan-movement) is a Sikh separatist movement, which seeks to create a separate country called Khalistān (The Land of the Khalsa) in the [Punjab](https://bliptext.com/articles/punjab-india) state of [India](https://bliptext.com/articles/india) to serve as a homeland for Sikhs.\nThe territorial definition of the proposed country Khalistan consists of the [Punjab, India](https://bliptext.com/articles/punjab-india) and includes [Haryana](https://bliptext.com/articles/haryana), [Himachal Pradesh](https://bliptext.com/articles/himachal-pradesh), [Jammu and Kashmir](https://bliptext.com/articles/jammu-and-kashmir-state) and [Rajasthan](https://bliptext.com/articles/rajasthan).\nKhalistan movement began as an [expatriate](https://bliptext.com/articles/expatriate) venture.\nIn 1971, the first explicit call for Khalistan was made in an advertisement published in the New York Times by an expat ([Jagjit Singh Chohan](https://bliptext.com/articles/jagjit-singh-chohan)).\nBy proclaiming the formation of Khalistan, he was able to collect millions of dollars from the [Sikh diaspora](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikh-diaspora).\nOn April 12, 1980, he declared the formation of the \"National Council of Khalistan,\" at [Anandpur Sahib](https://bliptext.com/articles/anandpur-sahib).\nHe declared himself as the President of the council and named Balbir Singh Sandhu as its Secretary General.\nIn May 1980, Chohan traveled to [London](https://bliptext.com/articles/london) and announced the formation of Khalistan.\nA similar announcement was made by Balbir Singh Sandhu in [Amritsar](https://bliptext.com/articles/amritsar), where he began releasing stamps and currency of Khalistan.\nThe inaction of the authorities in Amritsar and elsewhere was decried as a political stunt by the [Congress(I)](https://bliptext.com/articles/indian-national-congress) party of Indira Gandhi by the Akali Dal, headed by the Sikh leader [Harchand Singh Longowal](https://bliptext.com/articles/harchand-singh-longowal).\nThe movement flourished in the Indian state of Punjab following [Operation Blue Star](https://bliptext.com/articles/operation-blue-star) and the [Anti-Sikh Pogroms](https://bliptext.com/articles/anti-sikh-riots).\nAs proponents were able to generate funding from a grieving diaspora.\nIn June 1985, [Air India Flight 182 was bombed](https://bliptext.com/articles/air-india-flight-182) by [Babbar Khalsa](https://bliptext.com/articles/babbar-khalsa), a pro-Khalistani terrorist organization.\nIn January 1986, the Golden Temple was occupied by militants belonging to [All India Sikh Students Federation](https://bliptext.com/articles/all-india-sikh-students-federation) and [Damdami Taksal](https://bliptext.com/articles/damdami-taksal).\nOn January 26, 1986, a gathering known as the [Sarbat Khalsa](https://bliptext.com/articles/sarbat-khalsa) (a de facto parliament) passed a resolution (gurmattā) favouring the creation of Khalistan.\nSubsequently, a number of rebel militant groups in favour of Khalistan waged a [major insurgency](https://bliptext.com/articles/punjab-insurgency) against the government of India.\nIndian security forces suppressed the insurgency in the early 1990s, but Sikh political groups such as the [Khalsa Raj Party](https://bliptext.com/articles/khalsa-raj-party) and [SAD (A)](https://bliptext.com/articles/shiromani-akali-dal-amritsar) continued to pursue an independent Khalistan through non-violent means.\nPro-Khalistan organisations such as [Dal Khalsa (International)](https://bliptext.com/articles/dal-khalsa-international) are also active outside India, supported by a section of the Sikh diaspora.\nIn the 1990s, the insurgency abated, and the movement failed to reach its objective due to multiple reasons including a heavy police crackdown on separatists, divisions among the Sikhs and loss of support from the Sikh population.\nHowever, various pro-Khalistan groups, both political and militant, remain committed to the separatist movement.\nThere are claims of funding from [Sikhs outside India](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikh-diaspora) to attract young people into militant groups.\nThere have also been multiple claims that the movement is motivated and supported by the Pakistan's external intelligence agency, the ISI.\n# [Sikhs in London protesting against Indian government actions | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b2/Sikh///march///against///Indian///policy%2C///London///10-Jun-12.JPG]\n\n# Demographics\nSikhs number about 26–30 million worldwide, of whom 24–28 million live in India, which thus represents around 90 percent of the total Sikh population.\nAbout 76 percent of all Indian Sikhs live in the northern [Indian state of Punjab](https://bliptext.com/articles/punjab-india), forming a majority of about 58 per cent of the state's population, roughly around 16 million.\nSubstantial communities of Sikhs live in the Indian states or union territories of [Haryana](https://bliptext.com/articles/haryana), where they number around 1.2 million and form 4.9 percent of the population, [Rajasthan](https://bliptext.com/articles/rajasthan) (872,000 or 1.3 percent of the population), [Uttar Pradesh](https://bliptext.com/articles/uttar-pradesh) (643,000, 0.3 percent), [Delhi](https://bliptext.com/articles/delhi) (570,000, 3.4 percent), [Uttarakhand](https://bliptext.com/articles/uttarakhand) (236,000, 2.3 percent), [Jammu and Kashmir](https://bliptext.com/articles/jammu-and-kashmir-union-territory) (234,000, 1.9 percent), [Chandigarh](https://bliptext.com/articles/chandigarh) (138,000, 13.1 percent) and [Himachal Pradesh](https://bliptext.com/articles/himachal-pradesh) (86,000, 1.2 percent).\nCanada is home to the largest national Sikh proportion (2.1 percent of the total population) in the world.\nA substantial community of Sikhs exist in the western province of [British Columbia](https://bliptext.com/articles/british-columbia), numbering nearly 300,000 persons and forming approximately 5.9 percent of the total population.\nThis represents the third-largest Sikh proportion amongst all global [administrative divisions](https://bliptext.com/articles/administrative-divisions), behind only [Punjab](https://bliptext.com/articles/punjab-india) and Chandigarh in India.\nFurthermore, British Columbia, [Manitoba](https://bliptext.com/articles/manitoba) and [Yukon](https://bliptext.com/articles/yukon) hold the distinction of being three of the only four [administrative divisions](https://bliptext.com/articles/administrative-divisions) in the world with Sikhism as the second most followed religion among the population.\n# [Global map of Sikh population (estimated 2023) | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f3/Global///Map///of///Sikh///Population///%28Estimated///2023%29.png]\n\n## Census data and official statistics\nAs a religious minority, Sikhs have fought long and hard to get official status and to be counted in many countries across the world.\nThrough the efforts of Sikh organisations and communities in their respective countries, there is now readily available population data on Sikhs as part of the census or official statistics in the following territories:\nNote: Official statistics do not count unregistered arrivals or those who have not completed the census or surveys.\nHowever, they do provide for a much more accurate depiction of Sikh communities as opposed to estimates from various Sikh organisations whose estimates can vary vastly with no statistically valuable source.\nThus, official statistics and census data is highly important and Sikh communities continue to push for census inclusion in many countries where they are still not counted.\n# [2011–2021 change in Sikh % | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6b/2011-2021///Change///in///Sikh///%25.png]\n\n## Migration\nSikh migration from [British India](https://bliptext.com/articles/british-india) began in earnest during the second half of the 19th century, when the British completed their annexation of the Punjab, which led to Sikh migration throughout India and the [British Empire](https://bliptext.com/articles/british-empire).\nDuring the Raj, semiskilled Sikh artisans were transported from the Punjab to [British East Africa](https://bliptext.com/articles/british-east-africa) to help build railroads.\nSikhs emigrated from India after World War II, most going to the [United Kingdom](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikhism-in-united-kingdom) but many also to North America.\nSome Sikhs who had settled in eastern Africa were expelled by Ugandan dictator [Idi Amin](https://bliptext.com/articles/idi-amin) in 1972.\nEconomics is a major factor in Sikh migration and significant communities exist in the United Kingdom, the United States, [Malaysia](https://bliptext.com/articles/malaysia), [East Africa](https://bliptext.com/articles/east-africa), [Australia](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikhism-in-australia), [Singapore](https://bliptext.com/articles/singapore) and [Thailand](https://bliptext.com/articles/thailand).\nAfter the [Partition of India](https://bliptext.com/articles/partition-of-india) in 1947, many Sikhs from what would become the [Punjab of Pakistan](https://bliptext.com/articles/punjab-of-pakistan) migrated to India as well as to [Afghanistan](https://bliptext.com/articles/afghanistan) due to fear of persecution.\nAfghanistan was home to hundreds of thousands of Sikhs and Hindus as of the 1970s, but due to the wars in Afghanistan in the 2010s, the vast majority of Afghan Sikhs had migrated to India, Pakistan or the west.\nAlthough the rate of Sikh migration from the Punjab has remained high, traditional patterns of Sikh migration favouring English-speaking countries (particularly the United Kingdom) have changed during the past decade due to stricter immigration laws.\nMoliner (2006) wrote that as a consequence of Sikh migration to the UK becoming \"virtually impossible since the late 1970s,\" migration patterns evolved to continental Europe.\nItaly is a rapidly growing destination for Sikh migration, with [Reggio Emilia](https://bliptext.com/articles/reggio-emilia) and [Vicenza](https://bliptext.com/articles/vicenza) having significant Sikh population clusters.\nItalian Sikhs are generally involved in [agriculture](https://bliptext.com/articles/agriculture), agricultural processing, the manufacture of machine tools and [horticulture](https://bliptext.com/articles/horticulture).\n\n## Growth\nJohnson and Barrett (2004) estimate that the global Sikh population increases annually by 392,633 (1.7% per year, based on 2004 figures); this percentage includes births, deaths and conversions.\nPrimarily for [socio-economic](https://bliptext.com/articles/socio-economic) reasons, [Indian Sikhs](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikhism-in-india) have the lowest adjusted growth rate of any major religious group in India, at 16.9 percent per decade (estimated from 1991 to 2001) and it has further declined to just 8.4 per cent in 2011 census report.\nSikhs in the world have the lowest fertility rate of 1.6 children per women as per (2019–20) estimation research.\nThe Sikh population has the lowest gender balance in India, with only 903 women per 1,000 men according to the 2011 Indian census.\nThe estimated world's Sikh population was over 30 million in 2020 and it will reach 42 million by 2050.\nIt is expected to increase up to 62 million by 2100, given that the anticipated growth rate of 1.7% per year and adding at least 400,000 followers annually.\nSince the Sikh growth rate dropped from 1.7% (16.9% in 1991 to 2001 estimate) to 0.8% (8.4% in 2001–2011) in 2011 report, hence based on their growth rate, their population in India will increase 196,316 (0.8% based on 2011 figures) per year and will reach 36 million in 2050, it expected to reach 52 million in 2100 given that the anticipated growth rate of 0.8% and adding at least 200,000 followers annually.\n[Sikhism](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikhism) is the fastest growing religion in [Canada](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikhism-in-canada), [Australia](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikhism-in-australia) and [New Zealand](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikhism-in-new-zealand).\nThe growth is mainly contributed by the immigration of [Indian Sikhs](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikhism-in-india) there over the decades.\nSikhism is fourth-largest religion in [Canada](https://bliptext.com/articles/canada), fifth-largest religion in [Australia](https://bliptext.com/articles/australia) and [New Zealand](https://bliptext.com/articles/new-zealand).\nThe decadal growth of Sikhs is more in those countries as compared to the decadal growth of Sikh population in India, thus making them the fastest-growing religion there.\n[Canada](https://bliptext.com/articles/canada) has the highest proportion of Sikhs in the globe, which stands at 2.1% as of 2021, as compared to [India](https://bliptext.com/articles/india) which stands at 1.7% as of 2011 respectively.\n# [A group of Sikh people | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9e/Sikh///people.jpg]\n# [A Sikh of European descent learning Santhiya or elocution of Sikh Scripture | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/51/A///caucasian///Sikh///learning///Santhiya%2C///or///the///elocution///of///Sikh///Scripture.png]\n\n## Castes\nSikhs have remained a relatively homogeneous ethnic group with exceptions.\n[Caste](https://bliptext.com/articles/caste-system-in-india) may still be practiced by some Sikhs, despite Guru Nanak's calls for treating everyone equally in Guru Granth Sahib.\nAlong with Guru Nanak, other Sikh gurus had also denounced the hierarchy of the caste system, however, they all belonged to the same caste, the [Khatris](https://bliptext.com/articles/khatri).\nMost Sikhs belong to the [Jat](https://bliptext.com/articles/jat-sikh) ([Jat](https://bliptext.com/articles/jat-sikh)t), traditionally Agriculturist class in occupation.\nDespite being very small in numbers, the [Khatri](https://bliptext.com/articles/khatri) and [Arora](https://bliptext.com/articles/arora) castes wield considerable influence within the Sikh community.\nOther common Sikh castes include [Ahluwalias](https://bliptext.com/articles/ahluwalia-caste) (Brewers), Kambojs or Kambos (Rural caste), Ramgarhias (Carpenters), [Brahmins](https://bliptext.com/articles/brahmins) (Priestly class), [Rajputs](https://bliptext.com/articles/rajput) (Kshatriyas – Warriors), Sainis, Rai Sikh (Ironsmiths), Labanas (Merchants), Kumhars (Potters), [Mazhabi](https://bliptext.com/articles/mazhabi) (Cleaners) and the [Ramdasia](https://bliptext.com/articles/ramdasia)/Ravidasias(Chamar – Tanners).\nSome Sikhs, especially those belonging to the landowning dominant castes, have not shed all their prejudices against the Dalits.\nWhile Dalits were allowed entry into the village [gurdwaras](https://bliptext.com/articles/gurdwara), in some [gurdwaras](https://bliptext.com/articles/gurdwara), they were not permitted to cook or serve langar (communal meal).\nTherefore, wherever they could mobilize resources, the Sikh Dalits of Punjab have tried to construct their own gurdwara and other local level institutions in order to attain a certain degree of cultural autonomy.\nIn 1953, Sikh leader and activist Master Tara Singh succeeded in persuading the Indian government to include Sikh castes of the converted untouchables in the list of [scheduled castes](https://bliptext.com/articles/scheduled-castes).\nIn the [Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee](https://bliptext.com/articles/shiromani-gurdwara-prabandhak-committee), 20 of the 140 seats are reserved for low-caste Sikhs.\nOther castes (over 1,000 members) include the [Arain](https://bliptext.com/articles/arain), [Bhatra](https://bliptext.com/articles/bhatra-sikhs), [Bairagi](https://bliptext.com/articles/bairagi), [Bania](https://bliptext.com/articles/vanika), [Basith](https://bliptext.com/articles/basith), Bawaria, [Bazigar](https://bliptext.com/articles/bazigar), [Bhabra](https://bliptext.com/articles/bhabra), [Chamar](https://bliptext.com/articles/chamar), [Chhimba (cotton farmers)](https://bliptext.com/articles/chhimba), Darzi, [Dhobi](https://bliptext.com/articles/dhobi), [Gujar](https://bliptext.com/articles/gujjar), [Jhinwar](https://bliptext.com/articles/jhinwar), [Kahar](https://bliptext.com/articles/kahar), [Kalal](https://bliptext.com/articles/kalwar-rajasthan), [Kumhar](https://bliptext.com/articles/kumhar), [Lohar](https://bliptext.com/articles/lohar-caste), [Mahtam](https://bliptext.com/articles/mahtam), [Megh](https://bliptext.com/articles/meghwal), [Mirasi](https://bliptext.com/articles/mirasi), [Mochi](https://bliptext.com/articles/mochi-sikh), [Nai](https://bliptext.com/articles/nai-caste), [Ramgharia](https://bliptext.com/articles/ramgarhia), [Sansi](https://bliptext.com/articles/sansi-people), [Sudh](https://bliptext.com/articles/sood-surname), [Tarkhan](https://bliptext.com/articles/tarkhan-punjab) and [Kashyap](https://bliptext.com/articles/kashyap-caste)\nKarnail Singh Panjoli, member of the [Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee](https://bliptext.com/articles/shiromani-gurdwara-parbandhak-committee), says that there are several communities within the term [Nanakpanthis](https://bliptext.com/articles/nanakpanthi) too.\nApart from [Sindhi Hindus](https://bliptext.com/articles/sindhi-hindus), \"There are groups like Sikhligarh, Vanjaarey, [Nirmaley](https://bliptext.com/articles/nirmala-sect), Lubaney, Johri, Satnamiye, Udaasiyas, [Punjabi Hindus](https://bliptext.com/articles/punjabi-hindus), etc. who call themselves Nanakpanthis despite being Hindus.\n\n# Diaspora\nAs Sikhs wear [turbans](https://bliptext.com/articles/turban) and keep beards, Sikh men in [Western](https://bliptext.com/articles/western-world) countries have been mistaken for [Muslim](https://bliptext.com/articles/muslim), [Arab](https://bliptext.com/articles/arabs) and/or [Afghan](https://bliptext.com/articles/afghans) since the [September 11 attacks](https://bliptext.com/articles/september-11-attacks) and the [Iraq War](https://bliptext.com/articles/iraq-war).\nSeveral days after the 9/11 attacks, [Sikh-American](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikhism-in-the-united-states) gas station owner [Balbir Singh Sodhi](https://bliptext.com/articles/balbir-singh-sodhi) was murdered in [Arizona](https://bliptext.com/articles/arizona) by a man who took Sodhi to be a member of [al-Qaeda](https://bliptext.com/articles/al-qaeda), marking the first recorded hate-crime in America motivated by 9/11.\nCNN would go on to suggest an increase in hate crimes against Sikh men in the US and the UK after the 9/11 attacks.\nIn an attempt to foster Sikh leaders in the Western world, youth initiatives by a number of organisations exist.\nThe Sikh Youth Alliance of North America sponsors an annual [Sikh Youth Symposium](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikh-youth-symposium).\nThe Sikh diaspora has been most successful in the UK, and UK Sikhs have the highest percentage of home ownership (82%) of any religious community.\nUK Sikhs are the second-wealthiest religious group in the UK (after the [Jewish](https://bliptext.com/articles/jewish) community), with a median total household wealth of GB£229,000.\nIn May 2019, the UK government exempted \"[Kirpan](https://bliptext.com/articles/kirpan)\" from the list of banned knives.\nThe U.K. government passed an amendment by which Sikhs in the country would be allowed to carry kirpans and use them during religious and cultural functions.\nThe bill was amended to ensure that it would not impact the right of the British Sikh community to possess and supply kirpans or religious swords.\nSimilarly, the [Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikh-american-legal-defense-and-education-fund) overturned a 1925 [Oregon](https://bliptext.com/articles/oregon) law banning the wearing of turbans by teachers and government officials in 2010.\n# [Nagar kirtan convoy passing over the bridge along Northern Relief Road (A124) in East London | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9a/Simon///King///Sikh///Sikhi///Nagar///Kirtan///Convoy.jpg]\n\n# Agriculture\nHistorically, most Indians have been farmers and 66 per cent of the Indian population are engaged in [agriculture](https://bliptext.com/articles/agriculture).\nIndian Sikhs are employed in agriculture to a lesser extent; India's 2001 census found 39 per cent of the working population of the Punjab employed in this sector.\nAccording to the Swedish political scientist [Ishtiaq Ahmad](https://bliptext.com/articles/ishtiaq-ahmed-political-scientist), a factor in the success of the [Indian green revolution](https://bliptext.com/articles/indian-green-revolution) was the \"Sikh cultivator, often the [Jat](https://bliptext.com/articles/jat-sikh) and Kamboj or Kamboh, whose courage, perseverance, spirit of enterprise and muscle prowess proved crucial.\"\nHowever, Indian [physicist](https://bliptext.com/articles/physicist) [Vandana Shiva](https://bliptext.com/articles/vandana-shiva) wrote that the green revolution made the \"negative and destructive impacts of science (i.e., the green revolution) on nature and society\" invisible and was a catalyst for Punjabi Sikh and Hindu tensions despite a growth in material wealth.\n\n# Sikhs in modern history\n[Manmohan Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/manmohan-singh) is an Indian economist, academic and politician who served as the 13th Prime Minister of India from 2004 to 2014.\nThe first and only Sikh and non-Hindu in office, Singh was also the first prime minister since [Jawaharlal Nehru](https://bliptext.com/articles/jawaharlal-nehru) to be re-elected after completing a full five-year term.\nNotable Sikhs in science include [nuclear](https://bliptext.com/articles/nuclear-physics) scientist [Piara Singh Gill](https://bliptext.com/articles/piara-singh-gill), [fibre-optics](https://bliptext.com/articles/fibre-optics) pioneer [Narinder Singh Kapany](https://bliptext.com/articles/narinder-singh-kapany); and physicist, science writer and broadcaster [Simon Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/simon-singh).\nIn business, the UK-based clothing retailers [New Look](https://bliptext.com/articles/new-look-store) and the Thai-based JASPAL were founded by Sikhs.\nIndia's largest pharmaceutical company, [Ranbaxy Laboratories](https://bliptext.com/articles/ranbaxy-laboratories), is headed by Sikhs.\n[Apollo Tyres](https://bliptext.com/articles/apollo-tyres) is headed by [Onkar Singh Kanwar](https://bliptext.com/articles/onkar-singh-kanwar).\nIn Singapore, Kartar Singh Thakral expanded his family's trading business, Thakral Holdings, into assets totalling almost US$1.4 billion and is Singapore's 25th-richest person.\nSikh [Bob Singh Dhillon](https://bliptext.com/articles/bob-singh-dhillon) is the first [Indo-Canadian](https://bliptext.com/articles/indo-canadian) billionaire.\n[Mastercard's](https://bliptext.com/articles/mastercard) [CEO](https://bliptext.com/articles/ceo) was a Sikh named [Ajaypal Singh Banga](https://bliptext.com/articles/ajaypal-singh-banga).\nIn sports, Sikhs include England cricketer [Monty Panesar](https://bliptext.com/articles/monty-panesar); former 400-metre runner [Milkha Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/milkha-singh); his son, professional golfer Jeev [Milkha Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/milkha-singh); Indian wrestler and actor [Dara Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/dara-singh); former Indian hockey team captains [Sandeep Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/sandeep-singh), Ajitpal Singh and [Balbir Singh Sr](https://bliptext.com/articles/balbir-singh-sr).; former Indian cricket captain [Bishen Singh Bedi](https://bliptext.com/articles/bishen-singh-bedi); [Harbhajan Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/harbhajan-singh), India's most successful [off spin](https://bliptext.com/articles/off-spin) [cricket bowler](https://bliptext.com/articles/bowling-cricket); [Yuvraj Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/yuvraj-singh), World Cup winning allrounder; [Maninder Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/maninder-singh-cricketer), World Cup winning [off spin](https://bliptext.com/articles/off-spin)ner; and [Navjot Singh Sidhu](https://bliptext.com/articles/navjot-singh-sidhu), former Indian cricketer-turned-politician.\nSikhs in Bollywood, in the arts in general, include poet and lyricist [Rajkavi Inderjeet Singh Tulsi](https://bliptext.com/articles/rajkavi-inderjeet-singh-tulsi); [Gulzar](https://bliptext.com/articles/gulzar); [Jagjit Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/jagjit-singh); [Dharmendra](https://bliptext.com/articles/dharmendra); [Sunny Deol](https://bliptext.com/articles/sunny-deol); [Diljit Dosanjh](https://bliptext.com/articles/diljit-dosanjh) writer [Khushwant Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/khushwant-singh); actresses [Neetu Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/neetu-singh), [Simran Judge](https://bliptext.com/articles/simran-judge), [Poonam Dhillon](https://bliptext.com/articles/poonam-dhillon), [Mahi Gill](https://bliptext.com/articles/mahi-gill), [Esha Deol](https://bliptext.com/articles/esha-deol), [Parminder Nagra](https://bliptext.com/articles/parminder-nagra), [Gul Panag](https://bliptext.com/articles/gul-panag), [Mona Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/mona-singh), [Namrata Singh Gujral](https://bliptext.com/articles/namrata-singh-gujral); and directors [Gurinder Chadha](https://bliptext.com/articles/gurinder-chadha) and Parminder Gill.\nSikhs in Punjabi Music industry include [Sidhu Moosewala](https://bliptext.com/articles/sidhu-moosewala), [Diljit Dosanjh](https://bliptext.com/articles/diljit-dosanjh), [Babu Singh Maan](https://bliptext.com/articles/babu-singh-maan), [Surjit Bindrakhia](https://bliptext.com/articles/surjit-bindrakhia), [Ammy Virk](https://bliptext.com/articles/ammy-virk), [Karan Aujla](https://bliptext.com/articles/karan-aujla), [Jazzy B](https://bliptext.com/articles/jazzy-b), [Miss Pooja](https://bliptext.com/articles/miss-pooja).\nIn December 2022, the [U.S. Marine Corps](https://bliptext.com/articles/united-states-marine-corps) was compelled by a court order to allow two Sikhs to wear the turban and grow beards.\nThis was a milestone for religious freedom and in the prevention of employment discrimination against Sikhs.\n# [Manmohan Singh, Indian politician and economist and the only Sikh Prime Minister of India, served from 2004–2014 | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6f/Prime///Minister///Manmohan///Singh///in///WEF///%2C2009///%28cropped%29.jpg]\n# [Harpreet Kaur Chandi, a British Sikh and the first woman to reach the South Pole solo and unsupported | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/48/Preet///Chandi///training///in///Finse%2C///Norway.jpg]\n# [Jagmeet Singh, Canadian Sikh politician | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/db/Jagmeet///Singh///at///the///OFL///Convention///-///2017///%2838554422812%29.jpg]\n# [American Sikhs | upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e6/City///Sikhs///Team///hosting///the///Sikhnet///Team///from///America///in///the///UK///Parliament.jpg]\n\n# In the Indian and British armies\nAccording to a 1994 estimate, Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus comprised 10 to 15% of all ranks in the [Indian Army](https://bliptext.com/articles/indian-army).\nThe Indian government does not release religious or ethnic origins of a military personnel, but a 1991 report by Tim McGirk estimated that 20% of Indian Army officers were Sikhs.\nTogether with the [Gurkhas](https://bliptext.com/articles/gurkha) recruited from Nepal, the [Maratha Light Infantry](https://bliptext.com/articles/maratha-light-infantry) from Maharashtra and the [Jat Regiment](https://bliptext.com/articles/jat-regiment), the Sikhs are one of the few communities to have exclusive regiments in the Indian Army.\nThe [Sikh Regiment](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikh-regiment) is one of the most-decorated [regiments](https://bliptext.com/articles/regiment) in the army, with 73 [Battle Honours](https://bliptext.com/articles/battle-honours), 14 [Victoria Crosses](https://bliptext.com/articles/victoria-cross), 21 first-class [Indian Orders of Merit](https://bliptext.com/articles/indian-order-of-merit) (equivalent to the Victoria Cross), 15 [Theatre Honours](https://bliptext.com/articles/battle-honour), 5 COAS Unit Citations, two [Param [Vir Chakras](https://bliptext.com/articles/vir-chakra)](https://bliptext.com/articles/param-vir-chakra), 14 [Maha [Vir Chakras](https://bliptext.com/articles/vir-chakra)](https://bliptext.com/articles/maha-vir-chakra), 5 [Kirti Chakras](https://bliptext.com/articles/kirti-chakra), 67 [Vir Chakras](https://bliptext.com/articles/vir-chakra) and 1,596 other awards.\nThe highest-ranking general in the history of the Indian Air Force is a Punjabi Sikh, Marshal of the Air Force [Arjan Singh](https://bliptext.com/articles/arjan-singh).\nPlans by the [United Kingdom Ministry of Defence](https://bliptext.com/articles/ministry-of-defence-united-kingdom) for a Sikh [infantry](https://bliptext.com/articles/infantry) regiment were scrapped in June 2007.\nSikhs supported the British during the [Indian Rebellion of 1857](https://bliptext.com/articles/indian-rebellion-of-1857).\nBy the beginning of [World War I](https://bliptext.com/articles/world-war-i), Sikhs in the [British Indian Army](https://bliptext.com/articles/british-indian-army) totaled over 100,000 (20 per cent of the force).\nUntil 1945, fourteen [Victoria Crosses](https://bliptext.com/articles/victoria-cross) (VC) were awarded to Sikhs, a per-capita regimental record.\nIn 2002, the names of all Sikh VC and [George Cross](https://bliptext.com/articles/george-cross) recipients were inscribed on the monument of the [Memorial Gates](https://bliptext.com/articles/memorial-gates-constitution-hill) on [Constitution Hill](https://bliptext.com/articles/constitution-hill-london), next to [Buckingham Palace](https://bliptext.com/articles/buckingham-palace).\n[Chanan Singh Dhillon](https://bliptext.com/articles/chanan-singh-dhillon) was instrumental in campaigning for the memorial.\nDuring World War I, Sikh battalions fought in Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia, [Gallipoli](https://bliptext.com/articles/gallipoli) and France.\nSix battalions of the [Sikh Regiment](https://bliptext.com/articles/sikh-regiment) were raised during [World War II](https://bliptext.com/articles/world-war-ii), serving in the [Second Battle of El Alamein](https://bliptext.com/articles/second-battle-of-el-alamein), the [Burma](https://bliptext.com/articles/burma-campaign) and [Italian campaigns](https://bliptext.com/articles/italian-campaign-world-war-ii) and in [Iraq](https://bliptext.com/articles/anglo-iraqi-war), receiving 27 battle honours.\nAround the world, Sikhs are commemorated in [Commonwealth](https://bliptext.com/articles/commonwealth-war-graves-commission) cemeteries.\n\n# Citations\n\n## General and cited sources","revisionCount":0},"hasMore":false,"nextCursor":null}