Sikhs in Indonesia organise an International Sikh Conference early next month to celebrate 25 years of the main Gurdwara Guru Nanak in Jakarta and to take stock of the social, religious and economic life of Indonesian Sikh residents in the island nation inviting religious and social activists from Amritsar and across the world.

Celebrating 25 years of the foundation of the main Gurdwara Guru Nanak aka Gurdwara Sahib Yayasan Sosial Guru Nanak in Jakarta and taking cognizance of the need for preserving Punjabi culture and Sikh spirit amongst Sikh youth in the professedly Muslim island nation Indonesia, where Sikhs settled nearly a century ago, the Gurdwara management in association with the Global Sikh Council is organizing an International Sikh Conference in Jakarta which will see the participation of missionaries, leaders and activists not only from the home country but from various parts of the world in the first week of December 2017.

Speaking exclusively to World Sikh News, Balwant Singh Rahal, one of the founding members of the Gurdwara, Indonesian representative of the Global Sikh Council and sheet anchor of the programme said, “The International Sikh Conference to be held from 1-3 December 2017 is a humble attempt by the Gurdwara Sahib, Jakarta Gurmat School, Sikh Naujawan Sabha Indonesia and the Sadh Sangat to bring the more  than ten thousand strong Indonesian Sikh community closer to its roots in Punjab. We believe that there is an urgent need to bring the young generation back into the Sikh fold as it combats various challenges of identity and career advancement.”

“The International Sikh Conference to be held from 1-3 December 2017 is a humble attempt to bring the more than ten thousand strong Indonesian Sikh community closer to its roots in Punjab.”

Balwant Singh Rehal, Chief Organiser, ISC

Activist leader Balwant Singh further said, “The participation of activists from across the globe will be to make Indonesian Sikh youth aware of the pristine glory of Sikhs and the event will harbinger new positive changes in our society here. We especially desire our Sikh youth to learn Punjabi language so that they can read Guru Granth Sahib first hand and understand the ideals of our Gurus.”

The Gurdwara Yayasan Social Guru Nanak has embarked upon this programme to preserve Sikh cultural and traditional values and heritage amongst the Indonesian Sikhs, Sindhis and others in the island country.

Balwant Singh told WSN that Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi, Member Parliament from New Zealand and other Sikh stalwarts including Gurmel Singh from Hongkong, social activist Bhupinder Singh Kohli and Kulwant Singh from Mumbai, prominent Sikh leader Kundan Singh Mumbai, scholar Col Dr Dalvinder Singh Grewal from Punjab, Prof. Ravjit Kaur from Chandigarh, Harcharan Singh from Singapore, Dr. H. S. Dhillon from Indonesia and Prof. Harbant Singh from Malaysia have confirmed their participation at the meet.

The President of the Global Sikh Council Lady Dr. Kanwaljit Kaur OBE shall address the sangat via Skype from London while senior member and one of the founding fathers of GSC -Gulbarg Singh Basi from the US and Gurdeep Singh Kundan Secretary of GSC and other members will contribute to accomplishing the primary objective of the meet. GSC is in fine-tuning the details of the conference to make it successful. It would be an interesting homecoming for the author of this piece to participate as a member of GSC, having spent a good span of my life in Indonesia.

“The Gurdwara Yayasan Social Guru Nanak has embarked upon this programme to preserve Sikh cultural and traditional values and heritage amongst the Indonesian Sikhs, Sindhis and others in the island country.”

“Go back to your roots” is the clarion call from Indonesia and many other Southeast Asian countries which heretofore have remained at a distance from homeland Punjab.  Though the country officially recognises only six main religions, namely Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Confucianism. Sikhs are clubbed as Hindus and as Indonesian Hindus are cooperative and accommodating, as such, Sikhs are comfortable in their co-existence with the Balinese Hindus. In fact since 2006, the Indonesian Hindu Parishad has had a Sikh representative Balwant Singh Rahal.

Having lived in Indonesia for quite some time, it is my surmise that Sikhs in Indonesia have the infrastructure to take care of their community. While they face many challenges, they need to work on making the youth aware of their rich heritage and the importance of the practical Sikh way of life.

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Jakarta needs to heed the call of the All India Sikh Students Federation. Whenever there are issues and problems, “look towards Amritsar”.