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A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism, a monotheistic religion which originated during the 15th century in the Punjab region. The term "Sikh" has its origin in the Sanskrit words शिष्य (śiṣya; disciple, student) or शिक्ष (śikṣa; instruction). A Sikh is a disciple of a guru. According to Article I of the Sikh Rehat Maryada (the Sikh code of conduct), a Sikh is "any human being who faithfully believes in One Immortal Being; ten Gurus, from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh; Guru Granth Sahib; the teachings of the ten Gurus and the baptism bequeathed by the tenth Guru". "Sikh" properly refers to adherents of Sikhism as a religion, not an ethnic group. However, because Sikhs often share strong ethno-religious ties, many countries, such as the U.K., recognize Sikh as a designated ethnicity on their censuses. The American non-profit organization United Sikhs has fought to have Sikh included on the U.S. census as well, arguing that Sikhs "self-identify as an 'ethnic minority'" and believe "that they are more than just a religion".

Male Sikhs usually have "Singh" (Lion), and female Sikhs have "Kaur" (Princess) as their middle or last name. Sikhs who have undergone the khanḍe-kī-pahul (the Sikh initiation ceremony) may also be recognized by the five Ks: uncut hair (kesh); an iron or steel bracelet (kara); a kirpan (a sword tucked into a gatra strap); kachehra, a cotton undergarment, and kanga, a small wooden comb. Baptized male Sikhs must cover their hair with a turban, which is optional for baptized female Sikhs. The greater Punjab region is the historic homeland of the Sikhs, although significant communities exist around the world.

HISTORY

Sikh political history may be said to begin with the death of the fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjan Dev, in 1606. Guru Nanak was a religious leader and social reformer in the 15th-century Punjab. Religious practices were formalized by Guru Gobind Singh on 30 March 1699. Singh baptized five people from a variety of social backgrounds, known as the Panj Piare (the five beloved ones) to form the Khalsa, or collective body of initiated Sikhs. Sikhism has generally had amicable relations with other religions, except for the period of Mughal rule in India (1556–1707). Several Sikh gurus were killed by the Mughals for opposing their persecution of minority religious communities including Sikhs. Sikhs subsequently militarized to oppose Mughal rule. The emergence of the Sikh Confederacy under Ranjit Singh was characterized by religious tolerance and pluralism, with Christians, Muslims and Hindus in positions of power. The confederacy is considered the zenith of political Sikhism, encompassing Kashmir, Ladakh and Peshawar. Hari Singh Nalwa, the commander-in-chief of the Sikh army in the North West Frontier, expanded the confederacy to the Khyber Pass. Its secular administration implemented military, economic and governmental reforms. The months leading up to the partition of India in 1947 were marked by conflict in the Punjab between Sikhs and Muslims. This caused the religious migration of Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus from West Punjab, mirroring a similar religious migration of Punjabi Muslims from East Punjab.

The 1960s saw growing animosity between Sikhs and Hindus in India, with the Sikhs demanding the creation of a Punjab state on a linguistic basis similar to other states in India. This was promised to Sikh leader Master Tara Singh by Jawaharlal Nehru, in return for Sikh political support during negotiations for Indian independence. Although the Sikhs obtained the Punjab, they lost Hindi-speaking areas to Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan. Chandigarh was made a union territory and the capital of Haryana and Punjab on 1 November 1966.

Tensions arose again during the late 1970s, fueled by Sikh claims of discrimination and marginalisation by the Hindu-dominated Indian National Congress party and tactics adopted by the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

According to Katherine Frank, Indira Gandhi's assumption of emergency powers in 1975 resulted in the weakening of the "legitimate and impartial machinery of government", and her increasing "paranoia" about opposing political groups led her to institute a "despotic policy of playing castes, religions and political groups against each other for political advantage". Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale articulated Sikh demands for justice, and this triggered violence in the Punjab. The prime minister's 1984 defeat of Bhindranwale led to an attack on the Golden Temple in Operation Blue Star and to her assassination by her Sikh bodyguards. Gandhi's assassination resulted in an explosion of violence against Sikh communities and the killing of thousands of Sikhs throughout India. Khushwant Singh described the riots as a Sikh pogrom; he "felt like a refugee in my country. In fact, I felt like a Jew in Nazi Germany". Since 1984, relations between Sikhs and Hindus have moved toward a rapprochement aided by economic prosperity. However, a 2002 claim by the Hindu right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) that "Sikhs are Hindus" disturbed Sikh sensibilities. The Khalistan movement campaigns for justice for the victims of the violence, and for the political and economic needs of the Punjab.

In 1996, United Nations Commission on Human Rights Freedom of Religion or Belief Special Rapporteur Abdelfattah Amor (Tunisia, 1993–2004) visited India to report on religious discrimination. The following year Amor concluded, "In India it appears that the situation of the Sikhs in the religious field is satisfactory, but that difficulties are arising in the political (foreign interference, terrorism, etc.), economic (in particular with regard to sharing of water supplies) and even occupational fields. Information received from nongovernment (sic) sources indicates that discrimination does exist in certain sectors of the public administration; examples include the decline in the number of Sikhs in the police force and the military, and the absence of Sikhs in personal bodyguard units since the murder of Indira Gandhi".

Although Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks of the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, they make up 1.87 percent of the Indian population.

During the 1999 Vaisakhi, Sikhs worldwide celebrated the 300th anniversary of the creation of the Khalsa. Canada Post honoured Sikh Canadians with a commemorative stamp in conjunction with the 300th anniversary of Vaisakhi. On April 9, 1999, Indian president K.R. Narayanan issued a stamp commemorating the 300th anniversary of the Khalsa.

DEFINITION

According to Guru Granth Sahib:

One who calls himself 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, the Sikh is to bathe, and cleanse himself in the pool of nectar. Following the Instructions of the Guru, the Sikh is to chant the Name of the Lord, Har. All sins, misdeeds and negativity shall be erased. Then, at the rising of the sun, the Sikh is to sing Gurbani; whether sitting down or standing up, the Sikh is to meditate on the Lord's Name. One who meditates on my Lord, Har, with every breath and every morsel of food – 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.

Simran of the Lord's name is a recurring theme of Guru Granth Sahib, and Sukhmani Sahib were composed to allow a devotee to recite Nam throughout the day. Rising at Amrit Velā (before sunrise) is a common Sikh practice. Sikhism considers the spiritual and secular lives to be intertwined: "In the Sikh Weltanschauung ... the temporal world is part of the Infinite and partakes of its characteristics." According to Guru Nanak, living an "active, creative, and practical life" of "truthfulness, fidelity, self-control and purity" is superior to a purely contemplative life.

FIVE Ks

The five Ks (panj kakaar) are five articles of faith which all baptized Sikhs (Amritdhari Sikhs) are obliged to wear. The symbols represent the ideals of Sikhism: honesty, equality, fidelity, meditating on God and never bowing to tyranny. The five symbols are:

- Kesh: Uncut hair, usually tied and wrapped in a Dastar

- Kanga: A wooden comb, usually worn under a Dastar

- Katchera: Cotton undergarments, historically appropriate in battle due to increased mobility when compared to a dhoti. Worn by both sexes, the katchera is a symbol of chastity.

- Kara: An iron bracelet, a weapon and a symbol of eternity

- Kirpan: An iron dagger in different sizes. In the UK Sikhs can wear a small dagger, but in the Punjab they might wear a traditional curved sword from one to three feet in length.

MUSIC & INSTRUMENTS

The Sikhs have a number of musical instruments: the rebab, dilruba, taus, jori and sarinda. Playing the sarangi was encouraged in Guru Har Gobind. The rubab was first played by Bhai Mardana as he accompanied Guru Nanak on his journeys. The jori and sarinda were designed by Guru Arjan. The taus was made by Guru Hargobind, who supposedly heard a peacock singing and wanted to create an instrument mimicking its sounds (taus is the Persian word for peacock). The dilruba was made by Guru Gobind Singh at the request of his followers, who wanted a smaller instrument than the taus. After Japji Sahib, all of the shabda in the Guru Granth Sahib were composed as ragas. This type of singing is known as Gurmat Sangeet.

When they marched into battle, the Sikhs would play a Ranjit Nagara (victory drum) to boost morale. Nagaras (usually two to three feet in diameter, although some were up to five feet in diameter) are played with two sticks. The beat of the large drums, and the raising of the Nishan Sahib, meant that the singhs were on their way.

DISTRIBUTION

Numbering about 27 million worldwide, Sikhs make up 0.39 percent of the world population; approximately 83 percent live in India. About 76 percent of all Sikhs live in the north Indian State of Punjab, where they form a majority (about two-thirds) of the population. Substantial communities of Sikhs (more than 200,000) live in the Indian states or union territories of Haryana (more than 1.1 million), Rajasthan, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh Assam and Jammu and Kashmir.

Sikh migration from British India began in earnest during the second half of the 19th century, when the British completed their annexation of the Punjab. The British Raj recruited Sikhs for the Indian Civil Service (particularly the British Indian Army), which led to Sikh migration throughout India and the British Empire. During the Raj, semiskilled Sikh artisans were transported from the Punjab to British East Africa to help build railroads. Sikhs emigrated from India and Pakistan after World War II, most going to the United Kingdom but many to North America. Some Sikhs who had settled in eastern Africa were expelled by Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in 1972. Economics is a major factor in Sikh migration, and significant communities exist in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Malaysia, East Africa, Australia and Thailand.

Although 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. Moliner (2006) wrote that as a consequence of Sikh migration to the UK "becom[ing] virtually impossible since the late 1970s", migration patterns evolved to continental Europe. Italy is a rapidly growing destination for Sikh migration, with Reggio Emilia and Vicenza having significant Sikh population clusters. Italian Sikhs are generally involved in agriculture, agricultural processing, the manufacture of machine tools and horticulture.

Primarily for socio-economic reasons, Indian Sikhs have the lowest adjusted growth rate of any major religious group in India, at 16.9 percent per decade (estimated from 1991 to 2001). Johnson and Barrett (2004) estimate that the global Sikh population increases annually by 392,633 (1.7 percent per year, based on 2004 figures); this percentage includes births, deaths and conversions.

REPRESENTATION

Sikhs have been represented in Indian politics by former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh and the deputy chairman of the Indian Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is also a Sikh. Past Sikh politicians in India include former president Giani Zail Singh, Sardar Swaran Singh (India's first foreign minister), Speaker of Parliament Gurdial Singh Dhillon and former Chief Minister of Punjab Pratap Singh Kairon.

Politicians from the Sikh diaspora include the first Asian American member of the United States Congress, Dalip Singh Saund, British MPs Piara Khabra, Parmjit Dhanda and Paul Uppal, the first couple to sit together in a Commonwealth parliament (Gurmant Grewal and Nina Grewal, who requested a Canadian government apology for the Komagata Maru incident), former Canadian Shadow Social Development Minister Ruby Dhalla, Canadian Minister of State for Sport Baljit Singh Gosal and Legislative Assembly of Ontario members Vic Dhillon and Jagmeet Singh. Ujjal Dosanjh was the New Democratic Party Premier of British Columbia from July 2004 to February 2005, and was later a Liberal frontbench MP in Ottawa. In Malaysia, two Sikhs were elected MPs in the 2008 general elections: Karpal Singh (Bukit Gelugor) and his son, Gobind Singh Deo (Puchong). Two Sikhs were elected assemblymen: Jagdeep Singh Deo (Datuk Keramat) and Keshvinder Singh (Malim Nawar).

Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks in the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, while making up 1.87 percent of the Indian population. The Sikh Regiment is one of the most-decorated regiments in the army, with 73 Battle Honours, 14 Victoria Crosses, 21 first-class Indian Orders of Merit (equivalent to the Victoria Cross), 15 Theatre Honours, five COAS Unit Citations, two Param Vir Chakras, 14 Maha Vir Chakras, five Kirti Chakras, 67 Vir Chakras and 1,596 other awards. The highest-ranking general in the history of the Indian Air Force is a Punjabi Sikh, Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh. Plans by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence for a Sikh infantry regiment were scrapped in June 2007.

Historically, most Indians have been farmers and 66 percent of the Indian population are engaged in agriculture. Indian Sikhs are employed in agriculture to a lesser extent; India's 2001 census found 39 percent of the working population of the Punjab employed in this sector. The success of the 1960s Green Revolution, in which India went from "famine to plenty, from humiliation to dignity", was based in the Punjab (which became known as "the breadbasket of India"). The Punjab is the wealthiest Indian state per capita, with the average Punjabi income three times the national average. The Green Revolution centred on Indian farmers adopting more intensive and mechanised agricultural methods, aided by the electrification of the Punjab, cooperative credit, consolidation of small holdings and the existing, British Raj-developed canal system. According to Swedish political scientist Ishtiaq Ahmad, a factor in the success of the Indian green revolution was the "Sikh cultivator, often the Jat, whose courage, perseverance, spirit of enterprise and muscle prowess proved crucial". However, not all aspects of the green revolution were beneficial. Indian physicist 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.

Punjabi Sikhs are engaged in a number of professions which include science, engineering and medicine. Notable examples are nuclear scientist Piara Singh Gill (who worked on the Manhattan Project), fibre-optics pioneer Narinder Singh Kapany and physicist, science writer and broadcaster Simon Singh.

In business, the UK-based clothing retailers New Look and the Thai-based Jaspal were founded by Sikhs. India's largest pharmaceutical company, Ranbaxy Laboratories, is headed by Sikhs. UK Sikhs have the highest percentage of home ownership (82 percent) of any religious community. UK Sikhs are the second-wealthiest (after the Jewish community) religious group in the UK, with a median total household wealth of £229,000. In Singapore Kartar Singh Thakral expanded his family's trading business, Thakral Holdings, into total assets of almost $1.4 billion and is Singapore's 25th-richest person. Sikh Bob Singh Dhillon is the first Indo-Canadian billionaire. The Sikh diaspora has been most successful in North America, especially in California’s fertile Central Valley. American Sikh farmers such as Harbhajan Singh Samra and Didar Singh Bains dominate California agriculture, with Samra specialising in okra and Bains in peaches.

Sikh intellectuals, sportsmen and artists include writer Khushwant Singh, England cricketer Monty Panesar, former 400m runner Milkha Singh, Indian wrestler and actor Dara Singh, former Indian hockey team captains Ajitpal Singh and Balbir Singh Sr., former Indian cricket captain Bishen Singh Bedi, Harbhajan Singh (India's most successful off spin cricket bowler), Bollywood actress Neetu Singh, Sunny Leone, actors Parminder Nagra, Neha Dhupia, Gul Panag, Mona Singh, Namrata Singh Gujral, Archie Panjabi and director Gurinder Chadha.

Sikhs have migrated worldwide, with a variety of occupations. The Sikh Gurus preached ethnic and social harmony, and Sikhs comprise a number of ethnic groups. Those with over 1,000 members include the Ahluwalia, Arain, Arora, Bhatra, Bairagi, Bania, Basith, Bawaria, Bazigar, Bhabra, Chamar, Chhimba, Darzi, Dhobi, Gujar, Jatt, Jhinwar, Kahar, Kalal, Kamboj, Khatri, Kumhar, Labana, Lohar, Mahtam, Mazhabi, Megh, Mirasi, Mochi, Nai, Rajput, Ramgarhia, Saini, Sarera, Sikligar, Sunar, Sudh, Tarkhan and Zargar.

An order of Punjabi Sikhs, the Nihang or the Akalis, was formed during Ranjit Singh's time. Under their leader, Akali Phula Singh, they won many battles for the Sikh Confederacy during the early 19th century.

IN THE INDIAN & BRITISH ARMIES

Sikhs supported the British during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. By the beginning of World War I, Sikhs in the British Indian Army totaled over 100,000 (20 percent of the force). Until 1945 fourteen Victoria Crosses were awarded to Sikhs, a per-capita regimental record. In 2002 the names of all Sikh VC and George Cross recipients were inscribed on the monument of the Memorial Gates on Constitution Hill, next to Buckingham Palace. Chanan Singh Dhillon was instrumental in campaigning for the memorial.

During World War I, Sikh battalions fought in Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Gallipoli and France. Six battalions of the Sikh Regiment were raised during World War II, serving in the Second Battle of El Alamein, the Burma and Italian campaigns and in Iraq and receiving 27 battle honours. Around the world, Sikhs are commemorated in Commonwealth cemeteries.

In the last two world wars 83,005 turban wearing Sikh soldiers were killed and 109,045 were wounded. They all died or were wounded for the freedom of Britain and the world, and during shell fire, with no other protection but the turban, the symbol of their faith.

—General Sir Frank Messervy

British people are highly indebted and obliged to Sikhs for a long time. I know that within this century we needed their help twice [in two world wars] and they did help us very well. As a result of their timely help, we are today able to live with honour, dignity, and independence. In the war, they fought and died for us, wearing the turbans.

—Sir Winston Churchill

IN THE WEST

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Sikhs began to emigrate to East Africa, the Far East, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. In 1907 the Khalsa Diwan Society was established in Vancouver, and four years later the first gurdwara was established in London. In 1912 the first gurdwara in the United States was founded in Stockton, California.

Since Sikhs (like Middle Eastern men) wear turbans, some in Western countries have been mistaken for Muslim or Arabic men since the September 11 attacks and the Iraq War. Several days after the 9/11 attacks Sikh Balbir Singh Sodhi was murdered by Frank Roque, who thought Sodhi was connected with al-Qaeda. CNN suggested an increase in hate crimes against Sikh men in the United States and the UK after the 9/11 attacks.

Since Sikhism has never actively sought converts, the Sikhs have remained a relatively homogeneous ethnic group. The Kundalini Yoga-based activities of Harbhajan Singh Yogi in his 3HO (Happy, Healthy, Holy) organisation claim to have inspired a moderate growth in non-Indian adherents of Sikhism. In 1998 an estimated 7,800 3HO Sikhs, known colloquially as ‘gora’ (ਗੋਰਾ) or ‘white’ Sikhs, were mainly centred around Española, New Mexico and Los Angeles, California. Sikhs and the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund overturned a 1925 Oregon law banning the wearing of turbans by teachers and government officials.

In an attempt to foster Sikh leaders in the Western world, youth initiatives by a number of organisations have begun. The Sikh Youth Alliance of North America sponsors an annual Sikh Youth Symposium, a public-speaking and debate competition held in gurdwaras throughout the U.S. and Canada.

ART & CULTURE

Sikh art and culture are nearly synonymous with that of the Punjab, and Sikhs are easily recognised by their distinctive turban (Dastar). The Punjab has been called India’s melting pot, due to the confluence of invading cultures (Greek, Mughal and Persian) from the rivers from which the region gets its name. Sikh culture is therefore a synthesis of cultures. Sikhism has forged a unique architecture, which S. S. Bhatti described as "inspired by Guru Nanak’s creative mysticism" and "is a mute harbinger of holistic humanism based on pragmatic spirituality".

During the Mughal and Afghan 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. With the rise of Ranjit Singh and the Sikh Raj in Lahore and Delhi, there was a change in the landscape of art and culture in the Punjab; Hindus and Sikhs could build decorated shrines without the fear of destruction or looting.

The 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. Sikh architecture is characterised by gilded fluted domes, cupolas, kiosks, stone lanterns, ornate balusters and square roofs. A pinnacle of Sikh style is Harmandir Sahib (also known as the Golden Temple) in Amritsar.

Sikh culture is influenced by militaristic motifs (with the Khanda the most obvious), and most Sikh artifacts - except for the relics of the Gurus - have a military theme. This theme is evident in the Sikh festivals of Hola Mohalla and Vaisakhi, which feature marching and displays of valor.

Although 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 which can be described as "political Sikh" has arisen. The art of diaspora Sikhs like Amarjeet Kaur Nandhra and Amrit and Rabindra Kaur Singh (the "Singh Twins") is influenced by their Sikhism and current affairs in the Punjab.

Bhangra and Giddha are two forms of Punjabi folk dancing which have been adapted and pioneered by Sikhs. Punjabi 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").

PAINTING

Sikh painting is a direct offshoot of the Kangra school of painting. In 1810, Ranjeet Singh (1780–1839) occupied Kangra Fort and appointed Sardar Desa Singh Majithia his governor of the Punjab hills. In 1813 the Sikh army occupied Guler State, and Raja Bhup Singh became a vassal of the Sikhs. With 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.

The Sikh school adapted Kangra painting to Sikh needs and ideals. Its main subjects are the ten Sikh gurus and stories from Guru Nanak's Janamsakhis. The tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, left a deep impression on the followers of the new faith because of his courage and sacrifices. Hunting scenes and portraits are also common in Sikh painting.

WIKIPEDIA

Denton West's players pose for the cameras of family and friends at Bradshaw Cricket Club before the Greater Manchester League's Derek Kay Cup final. Premier League leaders Prestwich, hot favourites, beat by six wickets Denton West, pacesetters of Premier League Two. Derek Kay, after whom the knockout competition is named, was a stalwart of the Bradshaw club.

As many expected, Prestwich proved too strong for underdogs Denton West, whose total never looked like being big enough.

From 33-2, Akbar ur Rehman (77) and Aaqib Uppal (48) put on 113 for the third Denton West wicket. Both went in quick succession, however, as the second tier side were pegged back to 181-7. In at No 8, John Barnett (27) contributed useful runs down the order. Dan Pawson took 2-28, Shivan Chauhan 2-31 and Ryan Stanbury 2-32. Chauhan struck twice in one over, removing Rehman and Uppal, to derail Denton West's recovery.

Denton West's fielding was nowhere near as tight as Prestwich's had been. Crucially, catches were spilled at 55-0 (two fielders leaving a high ball to each other) and at 58-0 (a sharp chance put down at first slip). James Wharmby (53) and Martin Walters (50) capitalised to add 99 for the first Prestwich wicket. Wharmby's half-century required 43 balls. No 4 Chauhan's sparkling 72 not out, off 33 balls, steered Prestwich home in exciting style. His explosive innings featured 12 fours and two sixes. Pawson chipped in with 37. Liam Kilburn finished with 2-43.

Match statistics

Denton West versus Prestwich

Greater Manchester Cricket League, Derek Kay Cup, final @ Bradshaw Cricket Club (45 overs, 1pm start)

Admission: free. Programme: £1 (four pages). Attendance: 375. Denton West won the toss and elected to bat. Denton West 219 off 45 overs (Akbar ur Rehman 77, Aaqib Uppal 48, Dan Pawson 2-28) lost by six wickets to Prestwich 225-4 off 31.2 overs (Shivan Chauhan 72 not out, James Wharmby 53, Martin Walters 50, Dan Pawson 37, Liam Kilburn 2-43).

A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism, a monotheistic religion which originated during the 15th century in the Punjab region. The term "Sikh" has its origin in the Sanskrit words शिष्य (śiṣya; disciple, student) or शिक्ष (śikṣa; instruction). A Sikh is a disciple of a guru. According to Article I of the Sikh Rehat Maryada (the Sikh code of conduct), a Sikh is "any human being who faithfully believes in One Immortal Being; ten Gurus, from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh; Guru Granth Sahib; the teachings of the ten Gurus and the baptism bequeathed by the tenth Guru". "Sikh" properly refers to adherents of Sikhism as a religion, not an ethnic group. However, because Sikhs often share strong ethno-religious ties, many countries, such as the U.K., recognize Sikh as a designated ethnicity on their censuses. The American non-profit organization United Sikhs has fought to have Sikh included on the U.S. census as well, arguing that Sikhs "self-identify as an 'ethnic minority'" and believe "that they are more than just a religion".

Male Sikhs usually have "Singh" (Lion), and female Sikhs have "Kaur" (Princess) as their middle or last name. Sikhs who have undergone the khanḍe-kī-pahul (the Sikh initiation ceremony) may also be recognized by the five Ks: uncut hair (kesh); an iron or steel bracelet (kara); a kirpan (a sword tucked into a gatra strap); kachehra, a cotton undergarment, and kanga, a small wooden comb. Baptized male Sikhs must cover their hair with a turban, which is optional for baptized female Sikhs. The greater Punjab region is the historic homeland of the Sikhs, although significant communities exist around the world.

HISTORY

Sikh political history may be said to begin with the death of the fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjan Dev, in 1606. Guru Nanak was a religious leader and social reformer in the 15th-century Punjab. Religious practices were formalized by Guru Gobind Singh on 30 March 1699. Singh baptized five people from a variety of social backgrounds, known as the Panj Piare (the five beloved ones) to form the Khalsa, or collective body of initiated Sikhs. Sikhism has generally had amicable relations with other religions, except for the period of Mughal rule in India (1556–1707). Several Sikh gurus were killed by the Mughals for opposing their persecution of minority religious communities including Sikhs. Sikhs subsequently militarized to oppose Mughal rule. The emergence of the Sikh Confederacy under Ranjit Singh was characterized by religious tolerance and pluralism, with Christians, Muslims and Hindus in positions of power. The confederacy is considered the zenith of political Sikhism, encompassing Kashmir, Ladakh and Peshawar. Hari Singh Nalwa, the commander-in-chief of the Sikh army in the North West Frontier, expanded the confederacy to the Khyber Pass. Its secular administration implemented military, economic and governmental reforms. The months leading up to the partition of India in 1947 were marked by conflict in the Punjab between Sikhs and Muslims. This caused the religious migration of Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus from West Punjab, mirroring a similar religious migration of Punjabi Muslims from East Punjab.

The 1960s saw growing animosity between Sikhs and Hindus in India, with the Sikhs demanding the creation of a Punjab state on a linguistic basis similar to other states in India. This was promised to Sikh leader Master Tara Singh by Jawaharlal Nehru, in return for Sikh political support during negotiations for Indian independence. Although the Sikhs obtained the Punjab, they lost Hindi-speaking areas to Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan. Chandigarh was made a union territory and the capital of Haryana and Punjab on 1 November 1966.

Tensions arose again during the late 1970s, fueled by Sikh claims of discrimination and marginalisation by the Hindu-dominated Indian National Congress party and tactics adopted by the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

According to Katherine Frank, Indira Gandhi's assumption of emergency powers in 1975 resulted in the weakening of the "legitimate and impartial machinery of government", and her increasing "paranoia" about opposing political groups led her to institute a "despotic policy of playing castes, religions and political groups against each other for political advantage". Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale articulated Sikh demands for justice, and this triggered violence in the Punjab. The prime minister's 1984 defeat of Bhindranwale led to an attack on the Golden Temple in Operation Blue Star and to her assassination by her Sikh bodyguards. Gandhi's assassination resulted in an explosion of violence against Sikh communities and the killing of thousands of Sikhs throughout India. Khushwant Singh described the riots as a Sikh pogrom; he "felt like a refugee in my country. In fact, I felt like a Jew in Nazi Germany". Since 1984, relations between Sikhs and Hindus have moved toward a rapprochement aided by economic prosperity. However, a 2002 claim by the Hindu right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) that "Sikhs are Hindus" disturbed Sikh sensibilities. The Khalistan movement campaigns for justice for the victims of the violence, and for the political and economic needs of the Punjab.

In 1996, United Nations Commission on Human Rights Freedom of Religion or Belief Special Rapporteur Abdelfattah Amor (Tunisia, 1993–2004) visited India to report on religious discrimination. The following year Amor concluded, "In India it appears that the situation of the Sikhs in the religious field is satisfactory, but that difficulties are arising in the political (foreign interference, terrorism, etc.), economic (in particular with regard to sharing of water supplies) and even occupational fields. Information received from nongovernment (sic) sources indicates that discrimination does exist in certain sectors of the public administration; examples include the decline in the number of Sikhs in the police force and the military, and the absence of Sikhs in personal bodyguard units since the murder of Indira Gandhi".

Although Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks of the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, they make up 1.87 percent of the Indian population.

During the 1999 Vaisakhi, Sikhs worldwide celebrated the 300th anniversary of the creation of the Khalsa. Canada Post honoured Sikh Canadians with a commemorative stamp in conjunction with the 300th anniversary of Vaisakhi. On April 9, 1999, Indian president K.R. Narayanan issued a stamp commemorating the 300th anniversary of the Khalsa.

DEFINITION

According to Guru Granth Sahib:

One who calls himself 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, the Sikh is to bathe, and cleanse himself in the pool of nectar. Following the Instructions of the Guru, the Sikh is to chant the Name of the Lord, Har. All sins, misdeeds and negativity shall be erased. Then, at the rising of the sun, the Sikh is to sing Gurbani; whether sitting down or standing up, the Sikh is to meditate on the Lord's Name. One who meditates on my Lord, Har, with every breath and every morsel of food – 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.

Simran of the Lord's name is a recurring theme of Guru Granth Sahib, and Sukhmani Sahib were composed to allow a devotee to recite Nam throughout the day. Rising at Amrit Velā (before sunrise) is a common Sikh practice. Sikhism considers the spiritual and secular lives to be intertwined: "In the Sikh Weltanschauung ... the temporal world is part of the Infinite and partakes of its characteristics." According to Guru Nanak, living an "active, creative, and practical life" of "truthfulness, fidelity, self-control and purity" is superior to a purely contemplative life.

FIVE Ks

The five Ks (panj kakaar) are five articles of faith which all baptized Sikhs (Amritdhari Sikhs) are obliged to wear. The symbols represent the ideals of Sikhism: honesty, equality, fidelity, meditating on God and never bowing to tyranny. The five symbols are:

- Kesh: Uncut hair, usually tied and wrapped in a Dastar

- Kanga: A wooden comb, usually worn under a Dastar

- Katchera: Cotton undergarments, historically appropriate in battle due to increased mobility when compared to a dhoti. Worn by both sexes, the katchera is a symbol of chastity.

- Kara: An iron bracelet, a weapon and a symbol of eternity

- Kirpan: An iron dagger in different sizes. In the UK Sikhs can wear a small dagger, but in the Punjab they might wear a traditional curved sword from one to three feet in length.

MUSIC & INSTRUMENTS

The Sikhs have a number of musical instruments: the rebab, dilruba, taus, jori and sarinda. Playing the sarangi was encouraged in Guru Har Gobind. The rubab was first played by Bhai Mardana as he accompanied Guru Nanak on his journeys. The jori and sarinda were designed by Guru Arjan. The taus was made by Guru Hargobind, who supposedly heard a peacock singing and wanted to create an instrument mimicking its sounds (taus is the Persian word for peacock). The dilruba was made by Guru Gobind Singh at the request of his followers, who wanted a smaller instrument than the taus. After Japji Sahib, all of the shabda in the Guru Granth Sahib were composed as ragas. This type of singing is known as Gurmat Sangeet.

When they marched into battle, the Sikhs would play a Ranjit Nagara (victory drum) to boost morale. Nagaras (usually two to three feet in diameter, although some were up to five feet in diameter) are played with two sticks. The beat of the large drums, and the raising of the Nishan Sahib, meant that the singhs were on their way.

DISTRIBUTION

Numbering about 27 million worldwide, Sikhs make up 0.39 percent of the world population; approximately 83 percent live in India. About 76 percent of all Sikhs live in the north Indian State of Punjab, where they form a majority (about two-thirds) of the population. Substantial communities of Sikhs (more than 200,000) live in the Indian states or union territories of Haryana (more than 1.1 million), Rajasthan, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh Assam and Jammu and Kashmir.

Sikh migration from British India began in earnest during the second half of the 19th century, when the British completed their annexation of the Punjab. The British Raj recruited Sikhs for the Indian Civil Service (particularly the British Indian Army), which led to Sikh migration throughout India and the British Empire. During the Raj, semiskilled Sikh artisans were transported from the Punjab to British East Africa to help build railroads. Sikhs emigrated from India and Pakistan after World War II, most going to the United Kingdom but many to North America. Some Sikhs who had settled in eastern Africa were expelled by Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in 1972. Economics is a major factor in Sikh migration, and significant communities exist in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Malaysia, East Africa, Australia and Thailand.

Although 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. Moliner (2006) wrote that as a consequence of Sikh migration to the UK "becom[ing] virtually impossible since the late 1970s", migration patterns evolved to continental Europe. Italy is a rapidly growing destination for Sikh migration, with Reggio Emilia and Vicenza having significant Sikh population clusters. Italian Sikhs are generally involved in agriculture, agricultural processing, the manufacture of machine tools and horticulture.

Primarily for socio-economic reasons, Indian Sikhs have the lowest adjusted growth rate of any major religious group in India, at 16.9 percent per decade (estimated from 1991 to 2001). Johnson and Barrett (2004) estimate that the global Sikh population increases annually by 392,633 (1.7 percent per year, based on 2004 figures); this percentage includes births, deaths and conversions.

REPRESENTATION

Sikhs have been represented in Indian politics by former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh and the deputy chairman of the Indian Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is also a Sikh. Past Sikh politicians in India include former president Giani Zail Singh, Sardar Swaran Singh (India's first foreign minister), Speaker of Parliament Gurdial Singh Dhillon and former Chief Minister of Punjab Pratap Singh Kairon.

Politicians from the Sikh diaspora include the first Asian American member of the United States Congress, Dalip Singh Saund, British MPs Piara Khabra, Parmjit Dhanda and Paul Uppal, the first couple to sit together in a Commonwealth parliament (Gurmant Grewal and Nina Grewal, who requested a Canadian government apology for the Komagata Maru incident), former Canadian Shadow Social Development Minister Ruby Dhalla, Canadian Minister of State for Sport Baljit Singh Gosal and Legislative Assembly of Ontario members Vic Dhillon and Jagmeet Singh. Ujjal Dosanjh was the New Democratic Party Premier of British Columbia from July 2004 to February 2005, and was later a Liberal frontbench MP in Ottawa. In Malaysia, two Sikhs were elected MPs in the 2008 general elections: Karpal Singh (Bukit Gelugor) and his son, Gobind Singh Deo (Puchong). Two Sikhs were elected assemblymen: Jagdeep Singh Deo (Datuk Keramat) and Keshvinder Singh (Malim Nawar).

Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks in the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, while making up 1.87 percent of the Indian population. The Sikh Regiment is one of the most-decorated regiments in the army, with 73 Battle Honours, 14 Victoria Crosses, 21 first-class Indian Orders of Merit (equivalent to the Victoria Cross), 15 Theatre Honours, five COAS Unit Citations, two Param Vir Chakras, 14 Maha Vir Chakras, five Kirti Chakras, 67 Vir Chakras and 1,596 other awards. The highest-ranking general in the history of the Indian Air Force is a Punjabi Sikh, Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh. Plans by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence for a Sikh infantry regiment were scrapped in June 2007.

Historically, most Indians have been farmers and 66 percent of the Indian population are engaged in agriculture. Indian Sikhs are employed in agriculture to a lesser extent; India's 2001 census found 39 percent of the working population of the Punjab employed in this sector. The success of the 1960s Green Revolution, in which India went from "famine to plenty, from humiliation to dignity", was based in the Punjab (which became known as "the breadbasket of India"). The Punjab is the wealthiest Indian state per capita, with the average Punjabi income three times the national average. The Green Revolution centred on Indian farmers adopting more intensive and mechanised agricultural methods, aided by the electrification of the Punjab, cooperative credit, consolidation of small holdings and the existing, British Raj-developed canal system. According to Swedish political scientist Ishtiaq Ahmad, a factor in the success of the Indian green revolution was the "Sikh cultivator, often the Jat, whose courage, perseverance, spirit of enterprise and muscle prowess proved crucial". However, not all aspects of the green revolution were beneficial. Indian physicist 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.

Punjabi Sikhs are engaged in a number of professions which include science, engineering and medicine. Notable examples are nuclear scientist Piara Singh Gill (who worked on the Manhattan Project), fibre-optics pioneer Narinder Singh Kapany and physicist, science writer and broadcaster Simon Singh.

In business, the UK-based clothing retailers New Look and the Thai-based Jaspal were founded by Sikhs. India's largest pharmaceutical company, Ranbaxy Laboratories, is headed by Sikhs. UK Sikhs have the highest percentage of home ownership (82 percent) of any religious community. UK Sikhs are the second-wealthiest (after the Jewish community) religious group in the UK, with a median total household wealth of £229,000. In Singapore Kartar Singh Thakral expanded his family's trading business, Thakral Holdings, into total assets of almost $1.4 billion and is Singapore's 25th-richest person. Sikh Bob Singh Dhillon is the first Indo-Canadian billionaire. The Sikh diaspora has been most successful in North America, especially in California’s fertile Central Valley. American Sikh farmers such as Harbhajan Singh Samra and Didar Singh Bains dominate California agriculture, with Samra specialising in okra and Bains in peaches.

Sikh intellectuals, sportsmen and artists include writer Khushwant Singh, England cricketer Monty Panesar, former 400m runner Milkha Singh, Indian wrestler and actor Dara Singh, former Indian hockey team captains Ajitpal Singh and Balbir Singh Sr., former Indian cricket captain Bishen Singh Bedi, Harbhajan Singh (India's most successful off spin cricket bowler), Bollywood actress Neetu Singh, Sunny Leone, actors Parminder Nagra, Neha Dhupia, Gul Panag, Mona Singh, Namrata Singh Gujral, Archie Panjabi and director Gurinder Chadha.

Sikhs have migrated worldwide, with a variety of occupations. The Sikh Gurus preached ethnic and social harmony, and Sikhs comprise a number of ethnic groups. Those with over 1,000 members include the Ahluwalia, Arain, Arora, Bhatra, Bairagi, Bania, Basith, Bawaria, Bazigar, Bhabra, Chamar, Chhimba, Darzi, Dhobi, Gujar, Jatt, Jhinwar, Kahar, Kalal, Kamboj, Khatri, Kumhar, Labana, Lohar, Mahtam, Mazhabi, Megh, Mirasi, Mochi, Nai, Rajput, Ramgarhia, Saini, Sarera, Sikligar, Sunar, Sudh, Tarkhan and Zargar.

An order of Punjabi Sikhs, the Nihang or the Akalis, was formed during Ranjit Singh's time. Under their leader, Akali Phula Singh, they won many battles for the Sikh Confederacy during the early 19th century.

IN THE INDIAN & BRITISH ARMIES

Sikhs supported the British during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. By the beginning of World War I, Sikhs in the British Indian Army totaled over 100,000 (20 percent of the force). Until 1945 fourteen Victoria Crosses were awarded to Sikhs, a per-capita regimental record. In 2002 the names of all Sikh VC and George Cross recipients were inscribed on the monument of the Memorial Gates on Constitution Hill, next to Buckingham Palace. Chanan Singh Dhillon was instrumental in campaigning for the memorial.

During World War I, Sikh battalions fought in Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Gallipoli and France. Six battalions of the Sikh Regiment were raised during World War II, serving in the Second Battle of El Alamein, the Burma and Italian campaigns and in Iraq and receiving 27 battle honours. Around the world, Sikhs are commemorated in Commonwealth cemeteries.

In the last two world wars 83,005 turban wearing Sikh soldiers were killed and 109,045 were wounded. They all died or were wounded for the freedom of Britain and the world, and during shell fire, with no other protection but the turban, the symbol of their faith.

—General Sir Frank Messervy

British people are highly indebted and obliged to Sikhs for a long time. I know that within this century we needed their help twice [in two world wars] and they did help us very well. As a result of their timely help, we are today able to live with honour, dignity, and independence. In the war, they fought and died for us, wearing the turbans.

—Sir Winston Churchill

IN THE WEST

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Sikhs began to emigrate to East Africa, the Far East, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. In 1907 the Khalsa Diwan Society was established in Vancouver, and four years later the first gurdwara was established in London. In 1912 the first gurdwara in the United States was founded in Stockton, California.

Since Sikhs (like Middle Eastern men) wear turbans, some in Western countries have been mistaken for Muslim or Arabic men since the September 11 attacks and the Iraq War. Several days after the 9/11 attacks Sikh Balbir Singh Sodhi was murdered by Frank Roque, who thought Sodhi was connected with al-Qaeda. CNN suggested an increase in hate crimes against Sikh men in the United States and the UK after the 9/11 attacks.

Since Sikhism has never actively sought converts, the Sikhs have remained a relatively homogeneous ethnic group. The Kundalini Yoga-based activities of Harbhajan Singh Yogi in his 3HO (Happy, Healthy, Holy) organisation claim to have inspired a moderate growth in non-Indian adherents of Sikhism. In 1998 an estimated 7,800 3HO Sikhs, known colloquially as ‘gora’ (ਗੋਰਾ) or ‘white’ Sikhs, were mainly centred around Española, New Mexico and Los Angeles, California. Sikhs and the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund overturned a 1925 Oregon law banning the wearing of turbans by teachers and government officials.

In an attempt to foster Sikh leaders in the Western world, youth initiatives by a number of organisations have begun. The Sikh Youth Alliance of North America sponsors an annual Sikh Youth Symposium, a public-speaking and debate competition held in gurdwaras throughout the U.S. and Canada.

ART & CULTURE

Sikh art and culture are nearly synonymous with that of the Punjab, and Sikhs are easily recognised by their distinctive turban (Dastar). The Punjab has been called India’s melting pot, due to the confluence of invading cultures (Greek, Mughal and Persian) from the rivers from which the region gets its name. Sikh culture is therefore a synthesis of cultures. Sikhism has forged a unique architecture, which S. S. Bhatti described as "inspired by Guru Nanak’s creative mysticism" and "is a mute harbinger of holistic humanism based on pragmatic spirituality".

During the Mughal and Afghan 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. With the rise of Ranjit Singh and the Sikh Raj in Lahore and Delhi, there was a change in the landscape of art and culture in the Punjab; Hindus and Sikhs could build decorated shrines without the fear of destruction or looting.

The 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. Sikh architecture is characterised by gilded fluted domes, cupolas, kiosks, stone lanterns, ornate balusters and square roofs. A pinnacle of Sikh style is Harmandir Sahib (also known as the Golden Temple) in Amritsar.

Sikh culture is influenced by militaristic motifs (with the Khanda the most obvious), and most Sikh artifacts - except for the relics of the Gurus - have a military theme. This theme is evident in the Sikh festivals of Hola Mohalla and Vaisakhi, which feature marching and displays of valor.

Although 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 which can be described as "political Sikh" has arisen. The art of diaspora Sikhs like Amarjeet Kaur Nandhra and Amrit and Rabindra Kaur Singh (the "Singh Twins") is influenced by their Sikhism and current affairs in the Punjab.

Bhangra and Giddha are two forms of Punjabi folk dancing which have been adapted and pioneered by Sikhs. Punjabi 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").

PAINTING

Sikh painting is a direct offshoot of the Kangra school of painting. In 1810, Ranjeet Singh (1780–1839) occupied Kangra Fort and appointed Sardar Desa Singh Majithia his governor of the Punjab hills. In 1813 the Sikh army occupied Guler State, and Raja Bhup Singh became a vassal of the Sikhs. With 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.

The Sikh school adapted Kangra painting to Sikh needs and ideals. Its main subjects are the ten Sikh gurus and stories from Guru Nanak's Janamsakhis. The tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, left a deep impression on the followers of the new faith because of his courage and sacrifices. Hunting scenes and portraits are also common in Sikh painting.

WIKIPEDIA

A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism, a monotheistic religion which originated during the 15th century in the Punjab region. The term "Sikh" has its origin in the Sanskrit words शिष्य (śiṣya; disciple, student) or शिक्ष (śikṣa; instruction). A Sikh is a disciple of a guru. According to Article I of the Sikh Rehat Maryada (the Sikh code of conduct), a Sikh is "any human being who faithfully believes in One Immortal Being; ten Gurus, from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh; Guru Granth Sahib; the teachings of the ten Gurus and the baptism bequeathed by the tenth Guru". "Sikh" properly refers to adherents of Sikhism as a religion, not an ethnic group. However, because Sikhs often share strong ethno-religious ties, many countries, such as the U.K., recognize Sikh as a designated ethnicity on their censuses. The American non-profit organization United Sikhs has fought to have Sikh included on the U.S. census as well, arguing that Sikhs "self-identify as an 'ethnic minority'" and believe "that they are more than just a religion".

Male Sikhs usually have "Singh" (Lion), and female Sikhs have "Kaur" (Princess) as their middle or last name. Sikhs who have undergone the khanḍe-kī-pahul (the Sikh initiation ceremony) may also be recognized by the five Ks: uncut hair (kesh); an iron or steel bracelet (kara); a kirpan (a sword tucked into a gatra strap); kachehra, a cotton undergarment, and kanga, a small wooden comb. Baptized male Sikhs must cover their hair with a turban, which is optional for baptized female Sikhs. The greater Punjab region is the historic homeland of the Sikhs, although significant communities exist around the world.

HISTORY

Sikh political history may be said to begin with the death of the fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjan Dev, in 1606. Guru Nanak was a religious leader and social reformer in the 15th-century Punjab. Religious practices were formalized by Guru Gobind Singh on 30 March 1699. Singh baptized five people from a variety of social backgrounds, known as the Panj Piare (the five beloved ones) to form the Khalsa, or collective body of initiated Sikhs. Sikhism has generally had amicable relations with other religions, except for the period of Mughal rule in India (1556–1707). Several Sikh gurus were killed by the Mughals for opposing their persecution of minority religious communities including Sikhs. Sikhs subsequently militarized to oppose Mughal rule. The emergence of the Sikh Confederacy under Ranjit Singh was characterized by religious tolerance and pluralism, with Christians, Muslims and Hindus in positions of power. The confederacy is considered the zenith of political Sikhism, encompassing Kashmir, Ladakh and Peshawar. Hari Singh Nalwa, the commander-in-chief of the Sikh army in the North West Frontier, expanded the confederacy to the Khyber Pass. Its secular administration implemented military, economic and governmental reforms. The months leading up to the partition of India in 1947 were marked by conflict in the Punjab between Sikhs and Muslims. This caused the religious migration of Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus from West Punjab, mirroring a similar religious migration of Punjabi Muslims from East Punjab.

The 1960s saw growing animosity between Sikhs and Hindus in India, with the Sikhs demanding the creation of a Punjab state on a linguistic basis similar to other states in India. This was promised to Sikh leader Master Tara Singh by Jawaharlal Nehru, in return for Sikh political support during negotiations for Indian independence. Although the Sikhs obtained the Punjab, they lost Hindi-speaking areas to Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan. Chandigarh was made a union territory and the capital of Haryana and Punjab on 1 November 1966.

Tensions arose again during the late 1970s, fueled by Sikh claims of discrimination and marginalisation by the Hindu-dominated Indian National Congress party and tactics adopted by the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

According to Katherine Frank, Indira Gandhi's assumption of emergency powers in 1975 resulted in the weakening of the "legitimate and impartial machinery of government", and her increasing "paranoia" about opposing political groups led her to institute a "despotic policy of playing castes, religions and political groups against each other for political advantage". Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale articulated Sikh demands for justice, and this triggered violence in the Punjab. The prime minister's 1984 defeat of Bhindranwale led to an attack on the Golden Temple in Operation Blue Star and to her assassination by her Sikh bodyguards. Gandhi's assassination resulted in an explosion of violence against Sikh communities and the killing of thousands of Sikhs throughout India. Khushwant Singh described the riots as a Sikh pogrom; he "felt like a refugee in my country. In fact, I felt like a Jew in Nazi Germany". Since 1984, relations between Sikhs and Hindus have moved toward a rapprochement aided by economic prosperity. However, a 2002 claim by the Hindu right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) that "Sikhs are Hindus" disturbed Sikh sensibilities. The Khalistan movement campaigns for justice for the victims of the violence, and for the political and economic needs of the Punjab.

In 1996, United Nations Commission on Human Rights Freedom of Religion or Belief Special Rapporteur Abdelfattah Amor (Tunisia, 1993–2004) visited India to report on religious discrimination. The following year Amor concluded, "In India it appears that the situation of the Sikhs in the religious field is satisfactory, but that difficulties are arising in the political (foreign interference, terrorism, etc.), economic (in particular with regard to sharing of water supplies) and even occupational fields. Information received from nongovernment (sic) sources indicates that discrimination does exist in certain sectors of the public administration; examples include the decline in the number of Sikhs in the police force and the military, and the absence of Sikhs in personal bodyguard units since the murder of Indira Gandhi".

Although Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks of the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, they make up 1.87 percent of the Indian population.

During the 1999 Vaisakhi, Sikhs worldwide celebrated the 300th anniversary of the creation of the Khalsa. Canada Post honoured Sikh Canadians with a commemorative stamp in conjunction with the 300th anniversary of Vaisakhi. On April 9, 1999, Indian president K.R. Narayanan issued a stamp commemorating the 300th anniversary of the Khalsa.

DEFINITION

According to Guru Granth Sahib:

One who calls himself 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, the Sikh is to bathe, and cleanse himself in the pool of nectar. Following the Instructions of the Guru, the Sikh is to chant the Name of the Lord, Har. All sins, misdeeds and negativity shall be erased. Then, at the rising of the sun, the Sikh is to sing Gurbani; whether sitting down or standing up, the Sikh is to meditate on the Lord's Name. One who meditates on my Lord, Har, with every breath and every morsel of food – 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.

Simran of the Lord's name is a recurring theme of Guru Granth Sahib, and Sukhmani Sahib were composed to allow a devotee to recite Nam throughout the day. Rising at Amrit Velā (before sunrise) is a common Sikh practice. Sikhism considers the spiritual and secular lives to be intertwined: "In the Sikh Weltanschauung ... the temporal world is part of the Infinite and partakes of its characteristics." According to Guru Nanak, living an "active, creative, and practical life" of "truthfulness, fidelity, self-control and purity" is superior to a purely contemplative life.

FIVE Ks

The five Ks (panj kakaar) are five articles of faith which all baptized Sikhs (Amritdhari Sikhs) are obliged to wear. The symbols represent the ideals of Sikhism: honesty, equality, fidelity, meditating on God and never bowing to tyranny. The five symbols are:

- Kesh: Uncut hair, usually tied and wrapped in a Dastar

- Kanga: A wooden comb, usually worn under a Dastar

- Katchera: Cotton undergarments, historically appropriate in battle due to increased mobility when compared to a dhoti. Worn by both sexes, the katchera is a symbol of chastity.

- Kara: An iron bracelet, a weapon and a symbol of eternity

- Kirpan: An iron dagger in different sizes. In the UK Sikhs can wear a small dagger, but in the Punjab they might wear a traditional curved sword from one to three feet in length.

MUSIC & INSTRUMENTS

The Sikhs have a number of musical instruments: the rebab, dilruba, taus, jori and sarinda. Playing the sarangi was encouraged in Guru Har Gobind. The rubab was first played by Bhai Mardana as he accompanied Guru Nanak on his journeys. The jori and sarinda were designed by Guru Arjan. The taus was made by Guru Hargobind, who supposedly heard a peacock singing and wanted to create an instrument mimicking its sounds (taus is the Persian word for peacock). The dilruba was made by Guru Gobind Singh at the request of his followers, who wanted a smaller instrument than the taus. After Japji Sahib, all of the shabda in the Guru Granth Sahib were composed as ragas. This type of singing is known as Gurmat Sangeet.

When they marched into battle, the Sikhs would play a Ranjit Nagara (victory drum) to boost morale. Nagaras (usually two to three feet in diameter, although some were up to five feet in diameter) are played with two sticks. The beat of the large drums, and the raising of the Nishan Sahib, meant that the singhs were on their way.

DISTRIBUTION

Numbering about 27 million worldwide, Sikhs make up 0.39 percent of the world population; approximately 83 percent live in India. About 76 percent of all Sikhs live in the north Indian State of Punjab, where they form a majority (about two-thirds) of the population. Substantial communities of Sikhs (more than 200,000) live in the Indian states or union territories of Haryana (more than 1.1 million), Rajasthan, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh Assam and Jammu and Kashmir.

Sikh migration from British India began in earnest during the second half of the 19th century, when the British completed their annexation of the Punjab. The British Raj recruited Sikhs for the Indian Civil Service (particularly the British Indian Army), which led to Sikh migration throughout India and the British Empire. During the Raj, semiskilled Sikh artisans were transported from the Punjab to British East Africa to help build railroads. Sikhs emigrated from India and Pakistan after World War II, most going to the United Kingdom but many to North America. Some Sikhs who had settled in eastern Africa were expelled by Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in 1972. Economics is a major factor in Sikh migration, and significant communities exist in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Malaysia, East Africa, Australia and Thailand.

Although 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. Moliner (2006) wrote that as a consequence of Sikh migration to the UK "becom[ing] virtually impossible since the late 1970s", migration patterns evolved to continental Europe. Italy is a rapidly growing destination for Sikh migration, with Reggio Emilia and Vicenza having significant Sikh population clusters. Italian Sikhs are generally involved in agriculture, agricultural processing, the manufacture of machine tools and horticulture.

Primarily for socio-economic reasons, Indian Sikhs have the lowest adjusted growth rate of any major religious group in India, at 16.9 percent per decade (estimated from 1991 to 2001). Johnson and Barrett (2004) estimate that the global Sikh population increases annually by 392,633 (1.7 percent per year, based on 2004 figures); this percentage includes births, deaths and conversions.

REPRESENTATION

Sikhs have been represented in Indian politics by former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh and the deputy chairman of the Indian Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is also a Sikh. Past Sikh politicians in India include former president Giani Zail Singh, Sardar Swaran Singh (India's first foreign minister), Speaker of Parliament Gurdial Singh Dhillon and former Chief Minister of Punjab Pratap Singh Kairon.

Politicians from the Sikh diaspora include the first Asian American member of the United States Congress, Dalip Singh Saund, British MPs Piara Khabra, Parmjit Dhanda and Paul Uppal, the first couple to sit together in a Commonwealth parliament (Gurmant Grewal and Nina Grewal, who requested a Canadian government apology for the Komagata Maru incident), former Canadian Shadow Social Development Minister Ruby Dhalla, Canadian Minister of State for Sport Baljit Singh Gosal and Legislative Assembly of Ontario members Vic Dhillon and Jagmeet Singh. Ujjal Dosanjh was the New Democratic Party Premier of British Columbia from July 2004 to February 2005, and was later a Liberal frontbench MP in Ottawa. In Malaysia, two Sikhs were elected MPs in the 2008 general elections: Karpal Singh (Bukit Gelugor) and his son, Gobind Singh Deo (Puchong). Two Sikhs were elected assemblymen: Jagdeep Singh Deo (Datuk Keramat) and Keshvinder Singh (Malim Nawar).

Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks in the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, while making up 1.87 percent of the Indian population. The Sikh Regiment is one of the most-decorated regiments in the army, with 73 Battle Honours, 14 Victoria Crosses, 21 first-class Indian Orders of Merit (equivalent to the Victoria Cross), 15 Theatre Honours, five COAS Unit Citations, two Param Vir Chakras, 14 Maha Vir Chakras, five Kirti Chakras, 67 Vir Chakras and 1,596 other awards. The highest-ranking general in the history of the Indian Air Force is a Punjabi Sikh, Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh. Plans by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence for a Sikh infantry regiment were scrapped in June 2007.

Historically, most Indians have been farmers and 66 percent of the Indian population are engaged in agriculture. Indian Sikhs are employed in agriculture to a lesser extent; India's 2001 census found 39 percent of the working population of the Punjab employed in this sector. The success of the 1960s Green Revolution, in which India went from "famine to plenty, from humiliation to dignity", was based in the Punjab (which became known as "the breadbasket of India"). The Punjab is the wealthiest Indian state per capita, with the average Punjabi income three times the national average. The Green Revolution centred on Indian farmers adopting more intensive and mechanised agricultural methods, aided by the electrification of the Punjab, cooperative credit, consolidation of small holdings and the existing, British Raj-developed canal system. According to Swedish political scientist Ishtiaq Ahmad, a factor in the success of the Indian green revolution was the "Sikh cultivator, often the Jat, whose courage, perseverance, spirit of enterprise and muscle prowess proved crucial". However, not all aspects of the green revolution were beneficial. Indian physicist 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.

Punjabi Sikhs are engaged in a number of professions which include science, engineering and medicine. Notable examples are nuclear scientist Piara Singh Gill (who worked on the Manhattan Project), fibre-optics pioneer Narinder Singh Kapany and physicist, science writer and broadcaster Simon Singh.

In business, the UK-based clothing retailers New Look and the Thai-based Jaspal were founded by Sikhs. India's largest pharmaceutical company, Ranbaxy Laboratories, is headed by Sikhs. UK Sikhs have the highest percentage of home ownership (82 percent) of any religious community. UK Sikhs are the second-wealthiest (after the Jewish community) religious group in the UK, with a median total household wealth of £229,000. In Singapore Kartar Singh Thakral expanded his family's trading business, Thakral Holdings, into total assets of almost $1.4 billion and is Singapore's 25th-richest person. Sikh Bob Singh Dhillon is the first Indo-Canadian billionaire. The Sikh diaspora has been most successful in North America, especially in California’s fertile Central Valley. American Sikh farmers such as Harbhajan Singh Samra and Didar Singh Bains dominate California agriculture, with Samra specialising in okra and Bains in peaches.

Sikh intellectuals, sportsmen and artists include writer Khushwant Singh, England cricketer Monty Panesar, former 400m runner Milkha Singh, Indian wrestler and actor Dara Singh, former Indian hockey team captains Ajitpal Singh and Balbir Singh Sr., former Indian cricket captain Bishen Singh Bedi, Harbhajan Singh (India's most successful off spin cricket bowler), Bollywood actress Neetu Singh, Sunny Leone, actors Parminder Nagra, Neha Dhupia, Gul Panag, Mona Singh, Namrata Singh Gujral, Archie Panjabi and director Gurinder Chadha.

Sikhs have migrated worldwide, with a variety of occupations. The Sikh Gurus preached ethnic and social harmony, and Sikhs comprise a number of ethnic groups. Those with over 1,000 members include the Ahluwalia, Arain, Arora, Bhatra, Bairagi, Bania, Basith, Bawaria, Bazigar, Bhabra, Chamar, Chhimba, Darzi, Dhobi, Gujar, Jatt, Jhinwar, Kahar, Kalal, Kamboj, Khatri, Kumhar, Labana, Lohar, Mahtam, Mazhabi, Megh, Mirasi, Mochi, Nai, Rajput, Ramgarhia, Saini, Sarera, Sikligar, Sunar, Sudh, Tarkhan and Zargar.

An order of Punjabi Sikhs, the Nihang or the Akalis, was formed during Ranjit Singh's time. Under their leader, Akali Phula Singh, they won many battles for the Sikh Confederacy during the early 19th century.

IN THE INDIAN & BRITISH ARMIES

Sikhs supported the British during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. By the beginning of World War I, Sikhs in the British Indian Army totaled over 100,000 (20 percent of the force). Until 1945 fourteen Victoria Crosses were awarded to Sikhs, a per-capita regimental record. In 2002 the names of all Sikh VC and George Cross recipients were inscribed on the monument of the Memorial Gates on Constitution Hill, next to Buckingham Palace. Chanan Singh Dhillon was instrumental in campaigning for the memorial.

During World War I, Sikh battalions fought in Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Gallipoli and France. Six battalions of the Sikh Regiment were raised during World War II, serving in the Second Battle of El Alamein, the Burma and Italian campaigns and in Iraq and receiving 27 battle honours. Around the world, Sikhs are commemorated in Commonwealth cemeteries.

In the last two world wars 83,005 turban wearing Sikh soldiers were killed and 109,045 were wounded. They all died or were wounded for the freedom of Britain and the world, and during shell fire, with no other protection but the turban, the symbol of their faith.

—General Sir Frank Messervy

British people are highly indebted and obliged to Sikhs for a long time. I know that within this century we needed their help twice [in two world wars] and they did help us very well. As a result of their timely help, we are today able to live with honour, dignity, and independence. In the war, they fought and died for us, wearing the turbans.

—Sir Winston Churchill

IN THE WEST

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Sikhs began to emigrate to East Africa, the Far East, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. In 1907 the Khalsa Diwan Society was established in Vancouver, and four years later the first gurdwara was established in London. In 1912 the first gurdwara in the United States was founded in Stockton, California.

Since Sikhs (like Middle Eastern men) wear turbans, some in Western countries have been mistaken for Muslim or Arabic men since the September 11 attacks and the Iraq War. Several days after the 9/11 attacks Sikh Balbir Singh Sodhi was murdered by Frank Roque, who thought Sodhi was connected with al-Qaeda. CNN suggested an increase in hate crimes against Sikh men in the United States and the UK after the 9/11 attacks.

Since Sikhism has never actively sought converts, the Sikhs have remained a relatively homogeneous ethnic group. The Kundalini Yoga-based activities of Harbhajan Singh Yogi in his 3HO (Happy, Healthy, Holy) organisation claim to have inspired a moderate growth in non-Indian adherents of Sikhism. In 1998 an estimated 7,800 3HO Sikhs, known colloquially as ‘gora’ (ਗੋਰਾ) or ‘white’ Sikhs, were mainly centred around Española, New Mexico and Los Angeles, California. Sikhs and the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund overturned a 1925 Oregon law banning the wearing of turbans by teachers and government officials.

In an attempt to foster Sikh leaders in the Western world, youth initiatives by a number of organisations have begun. The Sikh Youth Alliance of North America sponsors an annual Sikh Youth Symposium, a public-speaking and debate competition held in gurdwaras throughout the U.S. and Canada.

ART & CULTURE

Sikh art and culture are nearly synonymous with that of the Punjab, and Sikhs are easily recognised by their distinctive turban (Dastar). The Punjab has been called India’s melting pot, due to the confluence of invading cultures (Greek, Mughal and Persian) from the rivers from which the region gets its name. Sikh culture is therefore a synthesis of cultures. Sikhism has forged a unique architecture, which S. S. Bhatti described as "inspired by Guru Nanak’s creative mysticism" and "is a mute harbinger of holistic humanism based on pragmatic spirituality".

During the Mughal and Afghan 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. With the rise of Ranjit Singh and the Sikh Raj in Lahore and Delhi, there was a change in the landscape of art and culture in the Punjab; Hindus and Sikhs could build decorated shrines without the fear of destruction or looting.

The 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. Sikh architecture is characterised by gilded fluted domes, cupolas, kiosks, stone lanterns, ornate balusters and square roofs. A pinnacle of Sikh style is Harmandir Sahib (also known as the Golden Temple) in Amritsar.

Sikh culture is influenced by militaristic motifs (with the Khanda the most obvious), and most Sikh artifacts - except for the relics of the Gurus - have a military theme. This theme is evident in the Sikh festivals of Hola Mohalla and Vaisakhi, which feature marching and displays of valor.

Although 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 which can be described as "political Sikh" has arisen. The art of diaspora Sikhs like Amarjeet Kaur Nandhra and Amrit and Rabindra Kaur Singh (the "Singh Twins") is influenced by their Sikhism and current affairs in the Punjab.

Bhangra and Giddha are two forms of Punjabi folk dancing which have been adapted and pioneered by Sikhs. Punjabi 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").

PAINTING

Sikh painting is a direct offshoot of the Kangra school of painting. In 1810, Ranjeet Singh (1780–1839) occupied Kangra Fort and appointed Sardar Desa Singh Majithia his governor of the Punjab hills. In 1813 the Sikh army occupied Guler State, and Raja Bhup Singh became a vassal of the Sikhs. With 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.

The Sikh school adapted Kangra painting to Sikh needs and ideals. Its main subjects are the ten Sikh gurus and stories from Guru Nanak's Janamsakhis. The tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, left a deep impression on the followers of the new faith because of his courage and sacrifices. Hunting scenes and portraits are also common in Sikh painting.

WIKIPEDIA

A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism, a monotheistic religion which originated during the 15th century in the Punjab region. The term "Sikh" has its origin in the Sanskrit words शिष्य (śiṣya; disciple, student) or शिक्ष (śikṣa; instruction). A Sikh is a disciple of a guru. According to Article I of the Sikh Rehat Maryada (the Sikh code of conduct), a Sikh is "any human being who faithfully believes in One Immortal Being; ten Gurus, from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh; Guru Granth Sahib; the teachings of the ten Gurus and the baptism bequeathed by the tenth Guru". "Sikh" properly refers to adherents of Sikhism as a religion, not an ethnic group. However, because Sikhs often share strong ethno-religious ties, many countries, such as the U.K., recognize Sikh as a designated ethnicity on their censuses. The American non-profit organization United Sikhs has fought to have Sikh included on the U.S. census as well, arguing that Sikhs "self-identify as an 'ethnic minority'" and believe "that they are more than just a religion".

Male Sikhs usually have "Singh" (Lion), and female Sikhs have "Kaur" (Princess) as their middle or last name. Sikhs who have undergone the khanḍe-kī-pahul (the Sikh initiation ceremony) may also be recognized by the five Ks: uncut hair (kesh); an iron or steel bracelet (kara); a kirpan (a sword tucked into a gatra strap); kachehra, a cotton undergarment, and kanga, a small wooden comb. Baptized male Sikhs must cover their hair with a turban, which is optional for baptized female Sikhs. The greater Punjab region is the historic homeland of the Sikhs, although significant communities exist around the world.

HISTORY

Sikh political history may be said to begin with the death of the fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjan Dev, in 1606. Guru Nanak was a religious leader and social reformer in the 15th-century Punjab. Religious practices were formalized by Guru Gobind Singh on 30 March 1699. Singh baptized five people from a variety of social backgrounds, known as the Panj Piare (the five beloved ones) to form the Khalsa, or collective body of initiated Sikhs. Sikhism has generally had amicable relations with other religions, except for the period of Mughal rule in India (1556–1707). Several Sikh gurus were killed by the Mughals for opposing their persecution of minority religious communities including Sikhs. Sikhs subsequently militarized to oppose Mughal rule. The emergence of the Sikh Confederacy under Ranjit Singh was characterized by religious tolerance and pluralism, with Christians, Muslims and Hindus in positions of power. The confederacy is considered the zenith of political Sikhism, encompassing Kashmir, Ladakh and Peshawar. Hari Singh Nalwa, the commander-in-chief of the Sikh army in the North West Frontier, expanded the confederacy to the Khyber Pass. Its secular administration implemented military, economic and governmental reforms. The months leading up to the partition of India in 1947 were marked by conflict in the Punjab between Sikhs and Muslims. This caused the religious migration of Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus from West Punjab, mirroring a similar religious migration of Punjabi Muslims from East Punjab.

The 1960s saw growing animosity between Sikhs and Hindus in India, with the Sikhs demanding the creation of a Punjab state on a linguistic basis similar to other states in India. This was promised to Sikh leader Master Tara Singh by Jawaharlal Nehru, in return for Sikh political support during negotiations for Indian independence. Although the Sikhs obtained the Punjab, they lost Hindi-speaking areas to Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan. Chandigarh was made a union territory and the capital of Haryana and Punjab on 1 November 1966.

Tensions arose again during the late 1970s, fueled by Sikh claims of discrimination and marginalisation by the Hindu-dominated Indian National Congress party and tactics adopted by the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

According to Katherine Frank, Indira Gandhi's assumption of emergency powers in 1975 resulted in the weakening of the "legitimate and impartial machinery of government", and her increasing "paranoia" about opposing political groups led her to institute a "despotic policy of playing castes, religions and political groups against each other for political advantage". Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale articulated Sikh demands for justice, and this triggered violence in the Punjab. The prime minister's 1984 defeat of Bhindranwale led to an attack on the Golden Temple in Operation Blue Star and to her assassination by her Sikh bodyguards. Gandhi's assassination resulted in an explosion of violence against Sikh communities and the killing of thousands of Sikhs throughout India. Khushwant Singh described the riots as a Sikh pogrom; he "felt like a refugee in my country. In fact, I felt like a Jew in Nazi Germany". Since 1984, relations between Sikhs and Hindus have moved toward a rapprochement aided by economic prosperity. However, a 2002 claim by the Hindu right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) that "Sikhs are Hindus" disturbed Sikh sensibilities. The Khalistan movement campaigns for justice for the victims of the violence, and for the political and economic needs of the Punjab.

In 1996, United Nations Commission on Human Rights Freedom of Religion or Belief Special Rapporteur Abdelfattah Amor (Tunisia, 1993–2004) visited India to report on religious discrimination. The following year Amor concluded, "In India it appears that the situation of the Sikhs in the religious field is satisfactory, but that difficulties are arising in the political (foreign interference, terrorism, etc.), economic (in particular with regard to sharing of water supplies) and even occupational fields. Information received from nongovernment (sic) sources indicates that discrimination does exist in certain sectors of the public administration; examples include the decline in the number of Sikhs in the police force and the military, and the absence of Sikhs in personal bodyguard units since the murder of Indira Gandhi".

Although Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks of the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, they make up 1.87 percent of the Indian population.

During the 1999 Vaisakhi, Sikhs worldwide celebrated the 300th anniversary of the creation of the Khalsa. Canada Post honoured Sikh Canadians with a commemorative stamp in conjunction with the 300th anniversary of Vaisakhi. On April 9, 1999, Indian president K.R. Narayanan issued a stamp commemorating the 300th anniversary of the Khalsa.

DEFINITION

According to Guru Granth Sahib:

One who calls himself 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, the Sikh is to bathe, and cleanse himself in the pool of nectar. Following the Instructions of the Guru, the Sikh is to chant the Name of the Lord, Har. All sins, misdeeds and negativity shall be erased. Then, at the rising of the sun, the Sikh is to sing Gurbani; whether sitting down or standing up, the Sikh is to meditate on the Lord's Name. One who meditates on my Lord, Har, with every breath and every morsel of food – 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.

Simran of the Lord's name is a recurring theme of Guru Granth Sahib, and Sukhmani Sahib were composed to allow a devotee to recite Nam throughout the day. Rising at Amrit Velā (before sunrise) is a common Sikh practice. Sikhism considers the spiritual and secular lives to be intertwined: "In the Sikh Weltanschauung ... the temporal world is part of the Infinite and partakes of its characteristics." According to Guru Nanak, living an "active, creative, and practical life" of "truthfulness, fidelity, self-control and purity" is superior to a purely contemplative life.

FIVE Ks

The five Ks (panj kakaar) are five articles of faith which all baptized Sikhs (Amritdhari Sikhs) are obliged to wear. The symbols represent the ideals of Sikhism: honesty, equality, fidelity, meditating on God and never bowing to tyranny. The five symbols are:

- Kesh: Uncut hair, usually tied and wrapped in a Dastar

- Kanga: A wooden comb, usually worn under a Dastar

- Katchera: Cotton undergarments, historically appropriate in battle due to increased mobility when compared to a dhoti. Worn by both sexes, the katchera is a symbol of chastity.

- Kara: An iron bracelet, a weapon and a symbol of eternity

- Kirpan: An iron dagger in different sizes. In the UK Sikhs can wear a small dagger, but in the Punjab they might wear a traditional curved sword from one to three feet in length.

MUSIC & INSTRUMENTS

The Sikhs have a number of musical instruments: the rebab, dilruba, taus, jori and sarinda. Playing the sarangi was encouraged in Guru Har Gobind. The rubab was first played by Bhai Mardana as he accompanied Guru Nanak on his journeys. The jori and sarinda were designed by Guru Arjan. The taus was made by Guru Hargobind, who supposedly heard a peacock singing and wanted to create an instrument mimicking its sounds (taus is the Persian word for peacock). The dilruba was made by Guru Gobind Singh at the request of his followers, who wanted a smaller instrument than the taus. After Japji Sahib, all of the shabda in the Guru Granth Sahib were composed as ragas. This type of singing is known as Gurmat Sangeet.

When they marched into battle, the Sikhs would play a Ranjit Nagara (victory drum) to boost morale. Nagaras (usually two to three feet in diameter, although some were up to five feet in diameter) are played with two sticks. The beat of the large drums, and the raising of the Nishan Sahib, meant that the singhs were on their way.

DISTRIBUTION

Numbering about 27 million worldwide, Sikhs make up 0.39 percent of the world population; approximately 83 percent live in India. About 76 percent of all Sikhs live in the north Indian State of Punjab, where they form a majority (about two-thirds) of the population. Substantial communities of Sikhs (more than 200,000) live in the Indian states or union territories of Haryana (more than 1.1 million), Rajasthan, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh Assam and Jammu and Kashmir.

Sikh migration from British India began in earnest during the second half of the 19th century, when the British completed their annexation of the Punjab. The British Raj recruited Sikhs for the Indian Civil Service (particularly the British Indian Army), which led to Sikh migration throughout India and the British Empire. During the Raj, semiskilled Sikh artisans were transported from the Punjab to British East Africa to help build railroads. Sikhs emigrated from India and Pakistan after World War II, most going to the United Kingdom but many to North America. Some Sikhs who had settled in eastern Africa were expelled by Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in 1972. Economics is a major factor in Sikh migration, and significant communities exist in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Malaysia, East Africa, Australia and Thailand.

Although 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. Moliner (2006) wrote that as a consequence of Sikh migration to the UK "becom[ing] virtually impossible since the late 1970s", migration patterns evolved to continental Europe. Italy is a rapidly growing destination for Sikh migration, with Reggio Emilia and Vicenza having significant Sikh population clusters. Italian Sikhs are generally involved in agriculture, agricultural processing, the manufacture of machine tools and horticulture.

Primarily for socio-economic reasons, Indian Sikhs have the lowest adjusted growth rate of any major religious group in India, at 16.9 percent per decade (estimated from 1991 to 2001). Johnson and Barrett (2004) estimate that the global Sikh population increases annually by 392,633 (1.7 percent per year, based on 2004 figures); this percentage includes births, deaths and conversions.

REPRESENTATION

Sikhs have been represented in Indian politics by former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh and the deputy chairman of the Indian Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is also a Sikh. Past Sikh politicians in India include former president Giani Zail Singh, Sardar Swaran Singh (India's first foreign minister), Speaker of Parliament Gurdial Singh Dhillon and former Chief Minister of Punjab Pratap Singh Kairon.

Politicians from the Sikh diaspora include the first Asian American member of the United States Congress, Dalip Singh Saund, British MPs Piara Khabra, Parmjit Dhanda and Paul Uppal, the first couple to sit together in a Commonwealth parliament (Gurmant Grewal and Nina Grewal, who requested a Canadian government apology for the Komagata Maru incident), former Canadian Shadow Social Development Minister Ruby Dhalla, Canadian Minister of State for Sport Baljit Singh Gosal and Legislative Assembly of Ontario members Vic Dhillon and Jagmeet Singh. Ujjal Dosanjh was the New Democratic Party Premier of British Columbia from July 2004 to February 2005, and was later a Liberal frontbench MP in Ottawa. In Malaysia, two Sikhs were elected MPs in the 2008 general elections: Karpal Singh (Bukit Gelugor) and his son, Gobind Singh Deo (Puchong). Two Sikhs were elected assemblymen: Jagdeep Singh Deo (Datuk Keramat) and Keshvinder Singh (Malim Nawar).

Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks in the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, while making up 1.87 percent of the Indian population. The Sikh Regiment is one of the most-decorated regiments in the army, with 73 Battle Honours, 14 Victoria Crosses, 21 first-class Indian Orders of Merit (equivalent to the Victoria Cross), 15 Theatre Honours, five COAS Unit Citations, two Param Vir Chakras, 14 Maha Vir Chakras, five Kirti Chakras, 67 Vir Chakras and 1,596 other awards. The highest-ranking general in the history of the Indian Air Force is a Punjabi Sikh, Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh. Plans by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence for a Sikh infantry regiment were scrapped in June 2007.

Historically, most Indians have been farmers and 66 percent of the Indian population are engaged in agriculture. Indian Sikhs are employed in agriculture to a lesser extent; India's 2001 census found 39 percent of the working population of the Punjab employed in this sector. The success of the 1960s Green Revolution, in which India went from "famine to plenty, from humiliation to dignity", was based in the Punjab (which became known as "the breadbasket of India"). The Punjab is the wealthiest Indian state per capita, with the average Punjabi income three times the national average. The Green Revolution centred on Indian farmers adopting more intensive and mechanised agricultural methods, aided by the electrification of the Punjab, cooperative credit, consolidation of small holdings and the existing, British Raj-developed canal system. According to Swedish political scientist Ishtiaq Ahmad, a factor in the success of the Indian green revolution was the "Sikh cultivator, often the Jat, whose courage, perseverance, spirit of enterprise and muscle prowess proved crucial". However, not all aspects of the green revolution were beneficial. Indian physicist 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.

Punjabi Sikhs are engaged in a number of professions which include science, engineering and medicine. Notable examples are nuclear scientist Piara Singh Gill (who worked on the Manhattan Project), fibre-optics pioneer Narinder Singh Kapany and physicist, science writer and broadcaster Simon Singh.

In business, the UK-based clothing retailers New Look and the Thai-based Jaspal were founded by Sikhs. India's largest pharmaceutical company, Ranbaxy Laboratories, is headed by Sikhs. UK Sikhs have the highest percentage of home ownership (82 percent) of any religious community. UK Sikhs are the second-wealthiest (after the Jewish community) religious group in the UK, with a median total household wealth of £229,000. In Singapore Kartar Singh Thakral expanded his family's trading business, Thakral Holdings, into total assets of almost $1.4 billion and is Singapore's 25th-richest person. Sikh Bob Singh Dhillon is the first Indo-Canadian billionaire. The Sikh diaspora has been most successful in North America, especially in California’s fertile Central Valley. American Sikh farmers such as Harbhajan Singh Samra and Didar Singh Bains dominate California agriculture, with Samra specialising in okra and Bains in peaches.

Sikh intellectuals, sportsmen and artists include writer Khushwant Singh, England cricketer Monty Panesar, former 400m runner Milkha Singh, Indian wrestler and actor Dara Singh, former Indian hockey team captains Ajitpal Singh and Balbir Singh Sr., former Indian cricket captain Bishen Singh Bedi, Harbhajan Singh (India's most successful off spin cricket bowler), Bollywood actress Neetu Singh, Sunny Leone, actors Parminder Nagra, Neha Dhupia, Gul Panag, Mona Singh, Namrata Singh Gujral, Archie Panjabi and director Gurinder Chadha.

Sikhs have migrated worldwide, with a variety of occupations. The Sikh Gurus preached ethnic and social harmony, and Sikhs comprise a number of ethnic groups. Those with over 1,000 members include the Ahluwalia, Arain, Arora, Bhatra, Bairagi, Bania, Basith, Bawaria, Bazigar, Bhabra, Chamar, Chhimba, Darzi, Dhobi, Gujar, Jatt, Jhinwar, Kahar, Kalal, Kamboj, Khatri, Kumhar, Labana, Lohar, Mahtam, Mazhabi, Megh, Mirasi, Mochi, Nai, Rajput, Ramgarhia, Saini, Sarera, Sikligar, Sunar, Sudh, Tarkhan and Zargar.

An order of Punjabi Sikhs, the Nihang or the Akalis, was formed during Ranjit Singh's time. Under their leader, Akali Phula Singh, they won many battles for the Sikh Confederacy during the early 19th century.

IN THE INDIAN & BRITISH ARMIES

Sikhs supported the British during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. By the beginning of World War I, Sikhs in the British Indian Army totaled over 100,000 (20 percent of the force). Until 1945 fourteen Victoria Crosses were awarded to Sikhs, a per-capita regimental record. In 2002 the names of all Sikh VC and George Cross recipients were inscribed on the monument of the Memorial Gates on Constitution Hill, next to Buckingham Palace. Chanan Singh Dhillon was instrumental in campaigning for the memorial.

During World War I, Sikh battalions fought in Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Gallipoli and France. Six battalions of the Sikh Regiment were raised during World War II, serving in the Second Battle of El Alamein, the Burma and Italian campaigns and in Iraq and receiving 27 battle honours. Around the world, Sikhs are commemorated in Commonwealth cemeteries.

In the last two world wars 83,005 turban wearing Sikh soldiers were killed and 109,045 were wounded. They all died or were wounded for the freedom of Britain and the world, and during shell fire, with no other protection but the turban, the symbol of their faith.

—General Sir Frank Messervy

British people are highly indebted and obliged to Sikhs for a long time. I know that within this century we needed their help twice [in two world wars] and they did help us very well. As a result of their timely help, we are today able to live with honour, dignity, and independence. In the war, they fought and died for us, wearing the turbans.

—Sir Winston Churchill

IN THE WEST

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Sikhs began to emigrate to East Africa, the Far East, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. In 1907 the Khalsa Diwan Society was established in Vancouver, and four years later the first gurdwara was established in London. In 1912 the first gurdwara in the United States was founded in Stockton, California.

Since Sikhs (like Middle Eastern men) wear turbans, some in Western countries have been mistaken for Muslim or Arabic men since the September 11 attacks and the Iraq War. Several days after the 9/11 attacks Sikh Balbir Singh Sodhi was murdered by Frank Roque, who thought Sodhi was connected with al-Qaeda. CNN suggested an increase in hate crimes against Sikh men in the United States and the UK after the 9/11 attacks.

Since Sikhism has never actively sought converts, the Sikhs have remained a relatively homogeneous ethnic group. The Kundalini Yoga-based activities of Harbhajan Singh Yogi in his 3HO (Happy, Healthy, Holy) organisation claim to have inspired a moderate growth in non-Indian adherents of Sikhism. In 1998 an estimated 7,800 3HO Sikhs, known colloquially as ‘gora’ (ਗੋਰਾ) or ‘white’ Sikhs, were mainly centred around Española, New Mexico and Los Angeles, California. Sikhs and the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund overturned a 1925 Oregon law banning the wearing of turbans by teachers and government officials.

In an attempt to foster Sikh leaders in the Western world, youth initiatives by a number of organisations have begun. The Sikh Youth Alliance of North America sponsors an annual Sikh Youth Symposium, a public-speaking and debate competition held in gurdwaras throughout the U.S. and Canada.

ART & CULTURE

Sikh art and culture are nearly synonymous with that of the Punjab, and Sikhs are easily recognised by their distinctive turban (Dastar). The Punjab has been called India’s melting pot, due to the confluence of invading cultures (Greek, Mughal and Persian) from the rivers from which the region gets its name. Sikh culture is therefore a synthesis of cultures. Sikhism has forged a unique architecture, which S. S. Bhatti described as "inspired by Guru Nanak’s creative mysticism" and "is a mute harbinger of holistic humanism based on pragmatic spirituality".

During the Mughal and Afghan 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. With the rise of Ranjit Singh and the Sikh Raj in Lahore and Delhi, there was a change in the landscape of art and culture in the Punjab; Hindus and Sikhs could build decorated shrines without the fear of destruction or looting.

The 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. Sikh architecture is characterised by gilded fluted domes, cupolas, kiosks, stone lanterns, ornate balusters and square roofs. A pinnacle of Sikh style is Harmandir Sahib (also known as the Golden Temple) in Amritsar.

Sikh culture is influenced by militaristic motifs (with the Khanda the most obvious), and most Sikh artifacts - except for the relics of the Gurus - have a military theme. This theme is evident in the Sikh festivals of Hola Mohalla and Vaisakhi, which feature marching and displays of valor.

Although 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 which can be described as "political Sikh" has arisen. The art of diaspora Sikhs like Amarjeet Kaur Nandhra and Amrit and Rabindra Kaur Singh (the "Singh Twins") is influenced by their Sikhism and current affairs in the Punjab.

Bhangra and Giddha are two forms of Punjabi folk dancing which have been adapted and pioneered by Sikhs. Punjabi 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").

PAINTING

Sikh painting is a direct offshoot of the Kangra school of painting. In 1810, Ranjeet Singh (1780–1839) occupied Kangra Fort and appointed Sardar Desa Singh Majithia his governor of the Punjab hills. In 1813 the Sikh army occupied Guler State, and Raja Bhup Singh became a vassal of the Sikhs. With 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.

The Sikh school adapted Kangra painting to Sikh needs and ideals. Its main subjects are the ten Sikh gurus and stories from Guru Nanak's Janamsakhis. The tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, left a deep impression on the followers of the new faith because of his courage and sacrifices. Hunting scenes and portraits are also common in Sikh painting.

WIKIPEDIA

A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism, a monotheistic religion which originated during the 15th century in the Punjab region. The term "Sikh" has its origin in the Sanskrit words शिष्य (śiṣya; disciple, student) or शिक्ष (śikṣa; instruction). A Sikh is a disciple of a guru. According to Article I of the Sikh Rehat Maryada (the Sikh code of conduct), a Sikh is "any human being who faithfully believes in One Immortal Being; ten Gurus, from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh; Guru Granth Sahib; the teachings of the ten Gurus and the baptism bequeathed by the tenth Guru". "Sikh" properly refers to adherents of Sikhism as a religion, not an ethnic group. However, because Sikhs often share strong ethno-religious ties, many countries, such as the U.K., recognize Sikh as a designated ethnicity on their censuses. The American non-profit organization United Sikhs has fought to have Sikh included on the U.S. census as well, arguing that Sikhs "self-identify as an 'ethnic minority'" and believe "that they are more than just a religion".

Male Sikhs usually have "Singh" (Lion), and female Sikhs have "Kaur" (Princess) as their middle or last name. Sikhs who have undergone the khanḍe-kī-pahul (the Sikh initiation ceremony) may also be recognized by the five Ks: uncut hair (kesh); an iron or steel bracelet (kara); a kirpan (a sword tucked into a gatra strap); kachehra, a cotton undergarment, and kanga, a small wooden comb. Baptized male Sikhs must cover their hair with a turban, which is optional for baptized female Sikhs. The greater Punjab region is the historic homeland of the Sikhs, although significant communities exist around the world.

HISTORY

Sikh political history may be said to begin with the death of the fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjan Dev, in 1606. Guru Nanak was a religious leader and social reformer in the 15th-century Punjab. Religious practices were formalized by Guru Gobind Singh on 30 March 1699. Singh baptized five people from a variety of social backgrounds, known as the Panj Piare (the five beloved ones) to form the Khalsa, or collective body of initiated Sikhs. Sikhism has generally had amicable relations with other religions, except for the period of Mughal rule in India (1556–1707). Several Sikh gurus were killed by the Mughals for opposing their persecution of minority religious communities including Sikhs. Sikhs subsequently militarized to oppose Mughal rule. The emergence of the Sikh Confederacy under Ranjit Singh was characterized by religious tolerance and pluralism, with Christians, Muslims and Hindus in positions of power. The confederacy is considered the zenith of political Sikhism, encompassing Kashmir, Ladakh and Peshawar. Hari Singh Nalwa, the commander-in-chief of the Sikh army in the North West Frontier, expanded the confederacy to the Khyber Pass. Its secular administration implemented military, economic and governmental reforms. The months leading up to the partition of India in 1947 were marked by conflict in the Punjab between Sikhs and Muslims. This caused the religious migration of Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus from West Punjab, mirroring a similar religious migration of Punjabi Muslims from East Punjab.

The 1960s saw growing animosity between Sikhs and Hindus in India, with the Sikhs demanding the creation of a Punjab state on a linguistic basis similar to other states in India. This was promised to Sikh leader Master Tara Singh by Jawaharlal Nehru, in return for Sikh political support during negotiations for Indian independence. Although the Sikhs obtained the Punjab, they lost Hindi-speaking areas to Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan. Chandigarh was made a union territory and the capital of Haryana and Punjab on 1 November 1966.

Tensions arose again during the late 1970s, fueled by Sikh claims of discrimination and marginalisation by the Hindu-dominated Indian National Congress party and tactics adopted by the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

According to Katherine Frank, Indira Gandhi's assumption of emergency powers in 1975 resulted in the weakening of the "legitimate and impartial machinery of government", and her increasing "paranoia" about opposing political groups led her to institute a "despotic policy of playing castes, religions and political groups against each other for political advantage". Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale articulated Sikh demands for justice, and this triggered violence in the Punjab. The prime minister's 1984 defeat of Bhindranwale led to an attack on the Golden Temple in Operation Blue Star and to her assassination by her Sikh bodyguards. Gandhi's assassination resulted in an explosion of violence against Sikh communities and the killing of thousands of Sikhs throughout India. Khushwant Singh described the riots as a Sikh pogrom; he "felt like a refugee in my country. In fact, I felt like a Jew in Nazi Germany". Since 1984, relations between Sikhs and Hindus have moved toward a rapprochement aided by economic prosperity. However, a 2002 claim by the Hindu right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) that "Sikhs are Hindus" disturbed Sikh sensibilities. The Khalistan movement campaigns for justice for the victims of the violence, and for the political and economic needs of the Punjab.

In 1996, United Nations Commission on Human Rights Freedom of Religion or Belief Special Rapporteur Abdelfattah Amor (Tunisia, 1993–2004) visited India to report on religious discrimination. The following year Amor concluded, "In India it appears that the situation of the Sikhs in the religious field is satisfactory, but that difficulties are arising in the political (foreign interference, terrorism, etc.), economic (in particular with regard to sharing of water supplies) and even occupational fields. Information received from nongovernment (sic) sources indicates that discrimination does exist in certain sectors of the public administration; examples include the decline in the number of Sikhs in the police force and the military, and the absence of Sikhs in personal bodyguard units since the murder of Indira Gandhi".

Although Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks of the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, they make up 1.87 percent of the Indian population.

During the 1999 Vaisakhi, Sikhs worldwide celebrated the 300th anniversary of the creation of the Khalsa. Canada Post honoured Sikh Canadians with a commemorative stamp in conjunction with the 300th anniversary of Vaisakhi. On April 9, 1999, Indian president K.R. Narayanan issued a stamp commemorating the 300th anniversary of the Khalsa.

DEFINITION

According to Guru Granth Sahib:

One who calls himself 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, the Sikh is to bathe, and cleanse himself in the pool of nectar. Following the Instructions of the Guru, the Sikh is to chant the Name of the Lord, Har. All sins, misdeeds and negativity shall be erased. Then, at the rising of the sun, the Sikh is to sing Gurbani; whether sitting down or standing up, the Sikh is to meditate on the Lord's Name. One who meditates on my Lord, Har, with every breath and every morsel of food – 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.

Simran of the Lord's name is a recurring theme of Guru Granth Sahib, and Sukhmani Sahib were composed to allow a devotee to recite Nam throughout the day. Rising at Amrit Velā (before sunrise) is a common Sikh practice. Sikhism considers the spiritual and secular lives to be intertwined: "In the Sikh Weltanschauung ... the temporal world is part of the Infinite and partakes of its characteristics." According to Guru Nanak, living an "active, creative, and practical life" of "truthfulness, fidelity, self-control and purity" is superior to a purely contemplative life.

FIVE Ks

The five Ks (panj kakaar) are five articles of faith which all baptized Sikhs (Amritdhari Sikhs) are obliged to wear. The symbols represent the ideals of Sikhism: honesty, equality, fidelity, meditating on God and never bowing to tyranny. The five symbols are:

- Kesh: Uncut hair, usually tied and wrapped in a Dastar

- Kanga: A wooden comb, usually worn under a Dastar

- Katchera: Cotton undergarments, historically appropriate in battle due to increased mobility when compared to a dhoti. Worn by both sexes, the katchera is a symbol of chastity.

- Kara: An iron bracelet, a weapon and a symbol of eternity

- Kirpan: An iron dagger in different sizes. In the UK Sikhs can wear a small dagger, but in the Punjab they might wear a traditional curved sword from one to three feet in length.

MUSIC & INSTRUMENTS

The Sikhs have a number of musical instruments: the rebab, dilruba, taus, jori and sarinda. Playing the sarangi was encouraged in Guru Har Gobind. The rubab was first played by Bhai Mardana as he accompanied Guru Nanak on his journeys. The jori and sarinda were designed by Guru Arjan. The taus was made by Guru Hargobind, who supposedly heard a peacock singing and wanted to create an instrument mimicking its sounds (taus is the Persian word for peacock). The dilruba was made by Guru Gobind Singh at the request of his followers, who wanted a smaller instrument than the taus. After Japji Sahib, all of the shabda in the Guru Granth Sahib were composed as ragas. This type of singing is known as Gurmat Sangeet.

When they marched into battle, the Sikhs would play a Ranjit Nagara (victory drum) to boost morale. Nagaras (usually two to three feet in diameter, although some were up to five feet in diameter) are played with two sticks. The beat of the large drums, and the raising of the Nishan Sahib, meant that the singhs were on their way.

DISTRIBUTION

Numbering about 27 million worldwide, Sikhs make up 0.39 percent of the world population; approximately 83 percent live in India. About 76 percent of all Sikhs live in the north Indian State of Punjab, where they form a majority (about two-thirds) of the population. Substantial communities of Sikhs (more than 200,000) live in the Indian states or union territories of Haryana (more than 1.1 million), Rajasthan, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh Assam and Jammu and Kashmir.

Sikh migration from British India began in earnest during the second half of the 19th century, when the British completed their annexation of the Punjab. The British Raj recruited Sikhs for the Indian Civil Service (particularly the British Indian Army), which led to Sikh migration throughout India and the British Empire. During the Raj, semiskilled Sikh artisans were transported from the Punjab to British East Africa to help build railroads. Sikhs emigrated from India and Pakistan after World War II, most going to the United Kingdom but many to North America. Some Sikhs who had settled in eastern Africa were expelled by Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in 1972. Economics is a major factor in Sikh migration, and significant communities exist in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Malaysia, East Africa, Australia and Thailand.

Although 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. Moliner (2006) wrote that as a consequence of Sikh migration to the UK "becom[ing] virtually impossible since the late 1970s", migration patterns evolved to continental Europe. Italy is a rapidly growing destination for Sikh migration, with Reggio Emilia and Vicenza having significant Sikh population clusters. Italian Sikhs are generally involved in agriculture, agricultural processing, the manufacture of machine tools and horticulture.

Primarily for socio-economic reasons, Indian Sikhs have the lowest adjusted growth rate of any major religious group in India, at 16.9 percent per decade (estimated from 1991 to 2001). Johnson and Barrett (2004) estimate that the global Sikh population increases annually by 392,633 (1.7 percent per year, based on 2004 figures); this percentage includes births, deaths and conversions.

REPRESENTATION

Sikhs have been represented in Indian politics by former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh and the deputy chairman of the Indian Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is also a Sikh. Past Sikh politicians in India include former president Giani Zail Singh, Sardar Swaran Singh (India's first foreign minister), Speaker of Parliament Gurdial Singh Dhillon and former Chief Minister of Punjab Pratap Singh Kairon.

Politicians from the Sikh diaspora include the first Asian American member of the United States Congress, Dalip Singh Saund, British MPs Piara Khabra, Parmjit Dhanda and Paul Uppal, the first couple to sit together in a Commonwealth parliament (Gurmant Grewal and Nina Grewal, who requested a Canadian government apology for the Komagata Maru incident), former Canadian Shadow Social Development Minister Ruby Dhalla, Canadian Minister of State for Sport Baljit Singh Gosal and Legislative Assembly of Ontario members Vic Dhillon and Jagmeet Singh. Ujjal Dosanjh was the New Democratic Party Premier of British Columbia from July 2004 to February 2005, and was later a Liberal frontbench MP in Ottawa. In Malaysia, two Sikhs were elected MPs in the 2008 general elections: Karpal Singh (Bukit Gelugor) and his son, Gobind Singh Deo (Puchong). Two Sikhs were elected assemblymen: Jagdeep Singh Deo (Datuk Keramat) and Keshvinder Singh (Malim Nawar).

Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks in the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, while making up 1.87 percent of the Indian population. The Sikh Regiment is one of the most-decorated regiments in the army, with 73 Battle Honours, 14 Victoria Crosses, 21 first-class Indian Orders of Merit (equivalent to the Victoria Cross), 15 Theatre Honours, five COAS Unit Citations, two Param Vir Chakras, 14 Maha Vir Chakras, five Kirti Chakras, 67 Vir Chakras and 1,596 other awards. The highest-ranking general in the history of the Indian Air Force is a Punjabi Sikh, Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh. Plans by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence for a Sikh infantry regiment were scrapped in June 2007.

Historically, most Indians have been farmers and 66 percent of the Indian population are engaged in agriculture. Indian Sikhs are employed in agriculture to a lesser extent; India's 2001 census found 39 percent of the working population of the Punjab employed in this sector. The success of the 1960s Green Revolution, in which India went from "famine to plenty, from humiliation to dignity", was based in the Punjab (which became known as "the breadbasket of India"). The Punjab is the wealthiest Indian state per capita, with the average Punjabi income three times the national average. The Green Revolution centred on Indian farmers adopting more intensive and mechanised agricultural methods, aided by the electrification of the Punjab, cooperative credit, consolidation of small holdings and the existing, British Raj-developed canal system. According to Swedish political scientist Ishtiaq Ahmad, a factor in the success of the Indian green revolution was the "Sikh cultivator, often the Jat, whose courage, perseverance, spirit of enterprise and muscle prowess proved crucial". However, not all aspects of the green revolution were beneficial. Indian physicist 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.

Punjabi Sikhs are engaged in a number of professions which include science, engineering and medicine. Notable examples are nuclear scientist Piara Singh Gill (who worked on the Manhattan Project), fibre-optics pioneer Narinder Singh Kapany and physicist, science writer and broadcaster Simon Singh.

In business, the UK-based clothing retailers New Look and the Thai-based Jaspal were founded by Sikhs. India's largest pharmaceutical company, Ranbaxy Laboratories, is headed by Sikhs. UK Sikhs have the highest percentage of home ownership (82 percent) of any religious community. UK Sikhs are the second-wealthiest (after the Jewish community) religious group in the UK, with a median total household wealth of £229,000. In Singapore Kartar Singh Thakral expanded his family's trading business, Thakral Holdings, into total assets of almost $1.4 billion and is Singapore's 25th-richest person. Sikh Bob Singh Dhillon is the first Indo-Canadian billionaire. The Sikh diaspora has been most successful in North America, especially in California’s fertile Central Valley. American Sikh farmers such as Harbhajan Singh Samra and Didar Singh Bains dominate California agriculture, with Samra specialising in okra and Bains in peaches.

Sikh intellectuals, sportsmen and artists include writer Khushwant Singh, England cricketer Monty Panesar, former 400m runner Milkha Singh, Indian wrestler and actor Dara Singh, former Indian hockey team captains Ajitpal Singh and Balbir Singh Sr., former Indian cricket captain Bishen Singh Bedi, Harbhajan Singh (India's most successful off spin cricket bowler), Bollywood actress Neetu Singh, Sunny Leone, actors Parminder Nagra, Neha Dhupia, Gul Panag, Mona Singh, Namrata Singh Gujral, Archie Panjabi and director Gurinder Chadha.

Sikhs have migrated worldwide, with a variety of occupations. The Sikh Gurus preached ethnic and social harmony, and Sikhs comprise a number of ethnic groups. Those with over 1,000 members include the Ahluwalia, Arain, Arora, Bhatra, Bairagi, Bania, Basith, Bawaria, Bazigar, Bhabra, Chamar, Chhimba, Darzi, Dhobi, Gujar, Jatt, Jhinwar, Kahar, Kalal, Kamboj, Khatri, Kumhar, Labana, Lohar, Mahtam, Mazhabi, Megh, Mirasi, Mochi, Nai, Rajput, Ramgarhia, Saini, Sarera, Sikligar, Sunar, Sudh, Tarkhan and Zargar.

An order of Punjabi Sikhs, the Nihang or the Akalis, was formed during Ranjit Singh's time. Under their leader, Akali Phula Singh, they won many battles for the Sikh Confederacy during the early 19th century.

IN THE INDIAN & BRITISH ARMIES

Sikhs supported the British during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. By the beginning of World War I, Sikhs in the British Indian Army totaled over 100,000 (20 percent of the force). Until 1945 fourteen Victoria Crosses were awarded to Sikhs, a per-capita regimental record. In 2002 the names of all Sikh VC and George Cross recipients were inscribed on the monument of the Memorial Gates on Constitution Hill, next to Buckingham Palace. Chanan Singh Dhillon was instrumental in campaigning for the memorial.

During World War I, Sikh battalions fought in Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Gallipoli and France. Six battalions of the Sikh Regiment were raised during World War II, serving in the Second Battle of El Alamein, the Burma and Italian campaigns and in Iraq and receiving 27 battle honours. Around the world, Sikhs are commemorated in Commonwealth cemeteries.

In the last two world wars 83,005 turban wearing Sikh soldiers were killed and 109,045 were wounded. They all died or were wounded for the freedom of Britain and the world, and during shell fire, with no other protection but the turban, the symbol of their faith.

—General Sir Frank Messervy

British people are highly indebted and obliged to Sikhs for a long time. I know that within this century we needed their help twice [in two world wars] and they did help us very well. As a result of their timely help, we are today able to live with honour, dignity, and independence. In the war, they fought and died for us, wearing the turbans.

—Sir Winston Churchill

IN THE WEST

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Sikhs began to emigrate to East Africa, the Far East, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. In 1907 the Khalsa Diwan Society was established in Vancouver, and four years later the first gurdwara was established in London. In 1912 the first gurdwara in the United States was founded in Stockton, California.

Since Sikhs (like Middle Eastern men) wear turbans, some in Western countries have been mistaken for Muslim or Arabic men since the September 11 attacks and the Iraq War. Several days after the 9/11 attacks Sikh Balbir Singh Sodhi was murdered by Frank Roque, who thought Sodhi was connected with al-Qaeda. CNN suggested an increase in hate crimes against Sikh men in the United States and the UK after the 9/11 attacks.

Since Sikhism has never actively sought converts, the Sikhs have remained a relatively homogeneous ethnic group. The Kundalini Yoga-based activities of Harbhajan Singh Yogi in his 3HO (Happy, Healthy, Holy) organisation claim to have inspired a moderate growth in non-Indian adherents of Sikhism. In 1998 an estimated 7,800 3HO Sikhs, known colloquially as ‘gora’ (ਗੋਰਾ) or ‘white’ Sikhs, were mainly centred around Española, New Mexico and Los Angeles, California. Sikhs and the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund overturned a 1925 Oregon law banning the wearing of turbans by teachers and government officials.

In an attempt to foster Sikh leaders in the Western world, youth initiatives by a number of organisations have begun. The Sikh Youth Alliance of North America sponsors an annual Sikh Youth Symposium, a public-speaking and debate competition held in gurdwaras throughout the U.S. and Canada.

ART & CULTURE

Sikh art and culture are nearly synonymous with that of the Punjab, and Sikhs are easily recognised by their distinctive turban (Dastar). The Punjab has been called India’s melting pot, due to the confluence of invading cultures (Greek, Mughal and Persian) from the rivers from which the region gets its name. Sikh culture is therefore a synthesis of cultures. Sikhism has forged a unique architecture, which S. S. Bhatti described as "inspired by Guru Nanak’s creative mysticism" and "is a mute harbinger of holistic humanism based on pragmatic spirituality".

During the Mughal and Afghan 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. With the rise of Ranjit Singh and the Sikh Raj in Lahore and Delhi, there was a change in the landscape of art and culture in the Punjab; Hindus and Sikhs could build decorated shrines without the fear of destruction or looting.

The 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. Sikh architecture is characterised by gilded fluted domes, cupolas, kiosks, stone lanterns, ornate balusters and square roofs. A pinnacle of Sikh style is Harmandir Sahib (also known as the Golden Temple) in Amritsar.

Sikh culture is influenced by militaristic motifs (with the Khanda the most obvious), and most Sikh artifacts - except for the relics of the Gurus - have a military theme. This theme is evident in the Sikh festivals of Hola Mohalla and Vaisakhi, which feature marching and displays of valor.

Although 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 which can be described as "political Sikh" has arisen. The art of diaspora Sikhs like Amarjeet Kaur Nandhra and Amrit and Rabindra Kaur Singh (the "Singh Twins") is influenced by their Sikhism and current affairs in the Punjab.

Bhangra and Giddha are two forms of Punjabi folk dancing which have been adapted and pioneered by Sikhs. Punjabi 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").

PAINTING

Sikh painting is a direct offshoot of the Kangra school of painting. In 1810, Ranjeet Singh (1780–1839) occupied Kangra Fort and appointed Sardar Desa Singh Majithia his governor of the Punjab hills. In 1813 the Sikh army occupied Guler State, and Raja Bhup Singh became a vassal of the Sikhs. With 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.

The Sikh school adapted Kangra painting to Sikh needs and ideals. Its main subjects are the ten Sikh gurus and stories from Guru Nanak's Janamsakhis. The tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, left a deep impression on the followers of the new faith because of his courage and sacrifices. Hunting scenes and portraits are also common in Sikh painting.

WIKIPEDIA

The Hyderabad Metro is a rapid transit system, serving the city of Hyderabad, Telangana, India. It is in Secant Operational model. It is being implemented entirely on public-private partnership (PPP) basis, with the state government holding a minority equity stake. A 30 km stretch from Miyapur to Nagole, having 24 stations was inaugurated on 28 November 2017 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. No other rapid transit metro service in India opened for public operations on such a long stretch of 30 km. As of October 2018, it is the second longest operational metro network in India after the Delhi Metro, after a 16 km stretch between Ameerpet-LB Nagar Metro route was opened on 24 September 2018. It is estimated to cost ₹18,800 crore (US$2.6 billion). As of October 2018, about 200,000 people use the Metro per day. Trains are now crowded during the morning and evening hours, when employees travel to and from work. A ladies only coach was introduced on all the trains from 7 May 2018.

HISTORY

To respond the rising public transport needs and mitigate escalating vehicular traffic in the twin-cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad, the State Government and the South Central Railway jointly launched the Multi Modal Transport System (MMTS) in [August] 2003. The increase in population of Hyderabad made MMTS alone insufficient for public transport, which led to Union Ministry of Urban Development giving the nod for the Hyderabad Metro Rail Project and directed the DMRC to conduct a survey on the project.[ this project was seen necessary in view that the population of Hyderabad was forecasted to reach 13.6 million by the year 2021. According to the initial plan, the metro was to be connected with the already existing MMTS to provide commuters with alternate modes of transport. Simultaneously, the proposals for taking up the construction of MMTS Phase-II were also taken forward.

On March 26, 2018, Telangana Govt announced that it would set up a SPV "Hyderabad Airport Metro Limited (HAML)", jointly promoted by HMRL and HMDA, to extend the Blue line from Raidurg to Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Shamshabad.

INITIAL BIDDING

The bidding process was completed by July 2008 and awarded to Maytas which failed to achieve financial closure for the project as per schedule By March 2009. In July 2009, the State Government cancelled the contract and called for fresh bids for the project.

RE-BIDDING

In the July-2010 rebidding process, Larsen & Toubro (L&T) emerged as the lowest bidder for the ₹121.32 billion (US$1.7 billion) project. L&T came forward to take up the work for about ₹14.58 billion (US$200 million) as viability gap funding as against the sanctioned ₹48.53 billion (US$680 million).

MASCOT

The mascot of Hyderabad Metro Rail is Niz. It was derived from the word Nizam, who ruled the princely state of Hyderabad.

AWARDS AND NOMINATIONS

HMR project was showcased as one of the top 100 strategic global infrastructure projects at the Global Infrastructure Leadership Forum held in New York during February–March 2013.

L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad Limited (LTMRHL) has been conferred the SAP ACE Award 2015 in the 'Strategic HR and Talent Management category.

In 2018, Rasoolpura, Paradise and Prakash Nagar metro stations were awarded Indian Green Building Council’s (IGBC) Green MRTS Platinum Award.

CONSTRUCTION HISTORY

Groundbreaking (Bhoomi Puja) for the project was conducted on 26 April 2012 the concessionaire started the pillar erection on the same day for Stage-I and on 6 June 2012 for Stage-II. The work for Corridor 2 has been delayed due to traders in Koti and Sultan Bazar demanding realignment of the route to safeguard traders and old age heritage markets. If the recent bill proposed in Parliament which allows construction within a 100 metre radius of heritage structures and sites of historical or archaeological importance is passed, Metro might receive a chance as it helps to connect the Old city with IT corridor.

The construction of the entire 71.16 km has been split into 6 stages with the first stage originally scheduled to be completed by March 2015.

In November 2013, L&T Hyderabad Metro started laying of rails on the metro viaduct between Nagole and Mettuguda, a stretch of 8 km.

The first highly sophisticated train of the Hyderabad Metro Rail (HMR) came from Korea during the third week of May 2014. Stringent trial runs commenced from June 2014 till February 2015. The trial runs started on the Miyapur to Sanjeeva Reddy Nagar stretch in October 2015.

CMRS inspection for Stage-II (Miyapur and S.R.Nagar Section) was done on 9, 10 August 2016. Three interchanges are planned at Mahatma Gandhi Bus Terminus, Parade Grounds and Ameerpet.

The steel bridge of the HMR was successfully placed over the Oliphant bridge in August 2017.

In November 2017, Commissioner of Railway Safety (CMRS) granted safety approval for 12 km stretch from Miyapur to SR Nagar, 10 km stretch from SR Nagar to Mettuguda and 8 km stretch from Nagole to Mettuguda.

Ameerpet-LB Nagar Metro stretch is open for commercial operations from 24 September 2018.

CONSTRUCTION PHASES

The construction work was undertaken in two phases. There are six stages of completion in Phase I

PHASE I

The Phase I of the project includes 3 lines covering a distance of around 72 km. The metro rail stretches between Nagole and Secunderabad 11 km originally scheduled to be operational by December 2015, is now partially operational since 29 November 2017. The entire 72 km 57-station first phase is due to be completed by December 2019 with Hitec City - Raidurg line and MGBS - Falaknuma line is scheduled to be completed by December 2019.

Line 1 - Red Line - Miyapur – L B Nagar - 29.2 km

Line 2 - Green Line - JBS - Falaknuma 15 km

Line 3 - Blue Line - Nagole – Raidurg - 28 km

PHASE II

The Government is planning second phase of metro rail extending further. The construction of Phase II will be taken up solely by the state government, instead of public private partnership (PPP) mode in Phase I. Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) was entrusted to give a detailed project report (DPR) for Phase II. Metro Rail Phase II expansion plan is for about 60 km, which includes providing link to Shamshabad RGI Airport.

LINES

Since the first version of the plans, the three corridors mostly remained the same, but minor changes were introduced. These include the lack of stop at Lalaguda, or a stop at Lakdikapul instead of Secretariat. Also, the lines have been marked with several different combination of color. Ameerpet- LB Nagar metro stretch opened on 24 September 2018. HiTec City to Raidurg, 1.5-kilometre stretch on Corridor Three - Nagole to Raidurg, is scheduled to be completed in November 2019, as it involves construction of 49 pillars and the Raidurg terminal station. Efforts are being made to complete the 8.5-km stretch from Ameerpet to HiTec City by December 2018.

RECEPTION

The Metro has opened to overwhelming response, with over 200,000 people using it on Day 1. On the first Sunday of operations, the Metro was used by 240,000 people.. As of September 2018, the daily ridership was about 2,00,000.

Trains are initially being operated at a frequency of 3.5 minutes in very peak hours and every 6.5 minutes in peak hours (between Miyapur-Ameerpet) and 6.5 minutes in peak hours (between Ameerpet-Nagole),, though maximum achievable frequency is every 90 seconds. Similarly, three-car trains are being used currently, though it is planned to use six-car trains in the future.

In December 2017, Hyderabad Metro Rail launched its mobile app, TSavaari. Hyderabad Metro timings are available on T-Savari app. Ola Cabs and Uber tied up its services with app.

COST

The initial official estimated cost of the 72 km long Metro project stood at ₹14,132 crore (US$2.0 billion). The Central Government decided to bear 10% of it, while L&T was to bear the remaining 90% of the cost. The construction work which was supposed to commence on 3 March 2011 commenced in 2012. In March 2012, the cost of the project was revised upwards to ₹15,957 crore (US$2.2 billion). This has been further revised upwards to ₹18,800 crore (US$2.6 billion) (as of November 2017).

INFRASTRUCTURE

The 71.3 km standard-gauge network will feature ballastless track throughout and will be electrified at 25kV ac 50 Hz. An operations control centre and depot are constructed at Uppal. At some places, a flyover, underpass and metro has been constructed at the same place, as part of Strategic road development plan (SRDP).

CBTC TECHNOLOGY

At the end of 2012, L&T Metro Rail awarded Thales a Rs 7.4bn ($US 134m) contract to provide CBTC and integrated telecommunications and supervision systems on all three lines. Thales will supply its SelTrac CBTC technology, and trains will initially run in automatic train operation mode with minimum headways of 90 seconds, although the system will support eventual migration to unattended train operation (UTO).

ROLLING STOCK

On 12 September 2012, Larsen and Toubro Metro Rail Hyderabad Ltd (LTMRHL) announced that it has awarded tender for supply of rolling stock to Hyundai Rotem. The ₹18 billion (US$250 million) tender is for 57 trains consisting of 171 cars which will be delivered in phases at least 9 months before the commencement of each stage. On 2 October 2013, LTMRHL unveiled its train car for Hyderabad Metro. A model coach which is half the size of the actual coach, was on public display at Necklace Road on the banks of Hussain Sagar in the heart of Hyderabad. The trains will be 3.2m wide and 4m high. There will be 4 doors on each side of each coach.

On 10 April 2014, the first metro train for HMR rolled out of Hyundai Rotem factory at Changwon in South Korea and reached Hyderabad in May 2014. On 31 December 2014, Hyderabad Metro Rail successfully conducted a training run in Automatic Train Operation (ATO) mode for the first time between Nagole and Mettuguda.

TICKETING

The L&T Hyderabad project will have an automated ticketing system with features such as contactless smart card based ticketing, slim automatic gates, payment by cash and credit/debit card, passenger operated ticket vending machine and provision of common ticketing system. It will also have a provision of NFC-based technology to enable usage of mobile phones as fare media and high performance machine to avoid long queues. Samsung Data Systems India, a subsidiary of South Korean firm Samsung, has been awarded the automatic fare collection system package for the L&T metro rail project. The package involves design, manufacture, supply, installation, testing and commissioning of the system.

Official ticket prices were announced on 25 November 2017. The base fare is ₹10 for up to 2 km and going to slap 10 with ₹60 for more than 26 km.

STATIONS

Hyderabad metro will have 64 stations in phase I. They will be provided with amenities such as escalators and elevators to reach the stations, announcement boards, electronic display systems among others for passengers. Commercial will also be provided on stations. Hyderabad metro stations will also have service roads underneath them to provide last mile connectivity by allowing other public transportation systems use it for dropping/picking passengers right in front of the stations and ensure uninterrupted traffic. Currently the service lane works are currently on at Nagole and Uppal stations. The signboards of Hyderabad Metro are displayed in Telugu, English, Hindi and Urdu at metro stations.

Otis Elevator Company of United States won the contract to supply and maintain 670 elevators.

In May 2018, L&T Metro Rail announced that it had signed a contract with Powergrid Corporation of India to install electric vehicle charging facilities at all metro stations beginning with Miyapur and Dr. B R Ambedkar Balanagar stations. L&THMRL has setup free wifi access units for commuters at Miyapur, Ameerpet and Nagole metro stations, in association with ACT Fibernet, as part of a pilot project.

WIKIPEDIA

A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism, a monotheistic religion which originated during the 15th century in the Punjab region. The term "Sikh" has its origin in the Sanskrit words शिष्य (śiṣya; disciple, student) or शिक्ष (śikṣa; instruction). A Sikh is a disciple of a guru. According to Article I of the Sikh Rehat Maryada (the Sikh code of conduct), a Sikh is "any human being who faithfully believes in One Immortal Being; ten Gurus, from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh; Guru Granth Sahib; the teachings of the ten Gurus and the baptism bequeathed by the tenth Guru". "Sikh" properly refers to adherents of Sikhism as a religion, not an ethnic group. However, because Sikhs often share strong ethno-religious ties, many countries, such as the U.K., recognize Sikh as a designated ethnicity on their censuses. The American non-profit organization United Sikhs has fought to have Sikh included on the U.S. census as well, arguing that Sikhs "self-identify as an 'ethnic minority'" and believe "that they are more than just a religion".

Male Sikhs usually have "Singh" (Lion), and female Sikhs have "Kaur" (Princess) as their middle or last name. Sikhs who have undergone the khanḍe-kī-pahul (the Sikh initiation ceremony) may also be recognized by the five Ks: uncut hair (kesh); an iron or steel bracelet (kara); a kirpan (a sword tucked into a gatra strap); kachehra, a cotton undergarment, and kanga, a small wooden comb. Baptized male Sikhs must cover their hair with a turban, which is optional for baptized female Sikhs. The greater Punjab region is the historic homeland of the Sikhs, although significant communities exist around the world.

HISTORY

Sikh political history may be said to begin with the death of the fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjan Dev, in 1606. Guru Nanak was a religious leader and social reformer in the 15th-century Punjab. Religious practices were formalized by Guru Gobind Singh on 30 March 1699. Singh baptized five people from a variety of social backgrounds, known as the Panj Piare (the five beloved ones) to form the Khalsa, or collective body of initiated Sikhs. Sikhism has generally had amicable relations with other religions, except for the period of Mughal rule in India (1556–1707). Several Sikh gurus were killed by the Mughals for opposing their persecution of minority religious communities including Sikhs. Sikhs subsequently militarized to oppose Mughal rule. The emergence of the Sikh Confederacy under Ranjit Singh was characterized by religious tolerance and pluralism, with Christians, Muslims and Hindus in positions of power. The confederacy is considered the zenith of political Sikhism, encompassing Kashmir, Ladakh and Peshawar. Hari Singh Nalwa, the commander-in-chief of the Sikh army in the North West Frontier, expanded the confederacy to the Khyber Pass. Its secular administration implemented military, economic and governmental reforms. The months leading up to the partition of India in 1947 were marked by conflict in the Punjab between Sikhs and Muslims. This caused the religious migration of Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus from West Punjab, mirroring a similar religious migration of Punjabi Muslims from East Punjab.

The 1960s saw growing animosity between Sikhs and Hindus in India, with the Sikhs demanding the creation of a Punjab state on a linguistic basis similar to other states in India. This was promised to Sikh leader Master Tara Singh by Jawaharlal Nehru, in return for Sikh political support during negotiations for Indian independence. Although the Sikhs obtained the Punjab, they lost Hindi-speaking areas to Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan. Chandigarh was made a union territory and the capital of Haryana and Punjab on 1 November 1966.

Tensions arose again during the late 1970s, fueled by Sikh claims of discrimination and marginalisation by the Hindu-dominated Indian National Congress party and tactics adopted by the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

According to Katherine Frank, Indira Gandhi's assumption of emergency powers in 1975 resulted in the weakening of the "legitimate and impartial machinery of government", and her increasing "paranoia" about opposing political groups led her to institute a "despotic policy of playing castes, religions and political groups against each other for political advantage". Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale articulated Sikh demands for justice, and this triggered violence in the Punjab. The prime minister's 1984 defeat of Bhindranwale led to an attack on the Golden Temple in Operation Blue Star and to her assassination by her Sikh bodyguards. Gandhi's assassination resulted in an explosion of violence against Sikh communities and the killing of thousands of Sikhs throughout India. Khushwant Singh described the riots as a Sikh pogrom; he "felt like a refugee in my country. In fact, I felt like a Jew in Nazi Germany". Since 1984, relations between Sikhs and Hindus have moved toward a rapprochement aided by economic prosperity. However, a 2002 claim by the Hindu right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) that "Sikhs are Hindus" disturbed Sikh sensibilities. The Khalistan movement campaigns for justice for the victims of the violence, and for the political and economic needs of the Punjab.

In 1996, United Nations Commission on Human Rights Freedom of Religion or Belief Special Rapporteur Abdelfattah Amor (Tunisia, 1993–2004) visited India to report on religious discrimination. The following year Amor concluded, "In India it appears that the situation of the Sikhs in the religious field is satisfactory, but that difficulties are arising in the political (foreign interference, terrorism, etc.), economic (in particular with regard to sharing of water supplies) and even occupational fields. Information received from nongovernment (sic) sources indicates that discrimination does exist in certain sectors of the public administration; examples include the decline in the number of Sikhs in the police force and the military, and the absence of Sikhs in personal bodyguard units since the murder of Indira Gandhi".

Although Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks of the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, they make up 1.87 percent of the Indian population.

During the 1999 Vaisakhi, Sikhs worldwide celebrated the 300th anniversary of the creation of the Khalsa. Canada Post honoured Sikh Canadians with a commemorative stamp in conjunction with the 300th anniversary of Vaisakhi. On April 9, 1999, Indian president K.R. Narayanan issued a stamp commemorating the 300th anniversary of the Khalsa.

DEFINITION

According to Guru Granth Sahib:

One who calls himself 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, the Sikh is to bathe, and cleanse himself in the pool of nectar. Following the Instructions of the Guru, the Sikh is to chant the Name of the Lord, Har. All sins, misdeeds and negativity shall be erased. Then, at the rising of the sun, the Sikh is to sing Gurbani; whether sitting down or standing up, the Sikh is to meditate on the Lord's Name. One who meditates on my Lord, Har, with every breath and every morsel of food – 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.

Simran of the Lord's name is a recurring theme of Guru Granth Sahib, and Sukhmani Sahib were composed to allow a devotee to recite Nam throughout the day. Rising at Amrit Velā (before sunrise) is a common Sikh practice. Sikhism considers the spiritual and secular lives to be intertwined: "In the Sikh Weltanschauung ... the temporal world is part of the Infinite and partakes of its characteristics." According to Guru Nanak, living an "active, creative, and practical life" of "truthfulness, fidelity, self-control and purity" is superior to a purely contemplative life.

FIVE Ks

The five Ks (panj kakaar) are five articles of faith which all baptized Sikhs (Amritdhari Sikhs) are obliged to wear. The symbols represent the ideals of Sikhism: honesty, equality, fidelity, meditating on God and never bowing to tyranny. The five symbols are:

- Kesh: Uncut hair, usually tied and wrapped in a Dastar

- Kanga: A wooden comb, usually worn under a Dastar

- Katchera: Cotton undergarments, historically appropriate in battle due to increased mobility when compared to a dhoti. Worn by both sexes, the katchera is a symbol of chastity.

- Kara: An iron bracelet, a weapon and a symbol of eternity

- Kirpan: An iron dagger in different sizes. In the UK Sikhs can wear a small dagger, but in the Punjab they might wear a traditional curved sword from one to three feet in length.

MUSIC & INSTRUMENTS

The Sikhs have a number of musical instruments: the rebab, dilruba, taus, jori and sarinda. Playing the sarangi was encouraged in Guru Har Gobind. The rubab was first played by Bhai Mardana as he accompanied Guru Nanak on his journeys. The jori and sarinda were designed by Guru Arjan. The taus was made by Guru Hargobind, who supposedly heard a peacock singing and wanted to create an instrument mimicking its sounds (taus is the Persian word for peacock). The dilruba was made by Guru Gobind Singh at the request of his followers, who wanted a smaller instrument than the taus. After Japji Sahib, all of the shabda in the Guru Granth Sahib were composed as ragas. This type of singing is known as Gurmat Sangeet.

When they marched into battle, the Sikhs would play a Ranjit Nagara (victory drum) to boost morale. Nagaras (usually two to three feet in diameter, although some were up to five feet in diameter) are played with two sticks. The beat of the large drums, and the raising of the Nishan Sahib, meant that the singhs were on their way.

DISTRIBUTION

Numbering about 27 million worldwide, Sikhs make up 0.39 percent of the world population; approximately 83 percent live in India. About 76 percent of all Sikhs live in the north Indian State of Punjab, where they form a majority (about two-thirds) of the population. Substantial communities of Sikhs (more than 200,000) live in the Indian states or union territories of Haryana (more than 1.1 million), Rajasthan, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh Assam and Jammu and Kashmir.

Sikh migration from British India began in earnest during the second half of the 19th century, when the British completed their annexation of the Punjab. The British Raj recruited Sikhs for the Indian Civil Service (particularly the British Indian Army), which led to Sikh migration throughout India and the British Empire. During the Raj, semiskilled Sikh artisans were transported from the Punjab to British East Africa to help build railroads. Sikhs emigrated from India and Pakistan after World War II, most going to the United Kingdom but many to North America. Some Sikhs who had settled in eastern Africa were expelled by Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in 1972. Economics is a major factor in Sikh migration, and significant communities exist in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Malaysia, East Africa, Australia and Thailand.

Although 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. Moliner (2006) wrote that as a consequence of Sikh migration to the UK "becom[ing] virtually impossible since the late 1970s", migration patterns evolved to continental Europe. Italy is a rapidly growing destination for Sikh migration, with Reggio Emilia and Vicenza having significant Sikh population clusters. Italian Sikhs are generally involved in agriculture, agricultural processing, the manufacture of machine tools and horticulture.

Primarily for socio-economic reasons, Indian Sikhs have the lowest adjusted growth rate of any major religious group in India, at 16.9 percent per decade (estimated from 1991 to 2001). Johnson and Barrett (2004) estimate that the global Sikh population increases annually by 392,633 (1.7 percent per year, based on 2004 figures); this percentage includes births, deaths and conversions.

REPRESENTATION

Sikhs have been represented in Indian politics by former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh and the deputy chairman of the Indian Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is also a Sikh. Past Sikh politicians in India include former president Giani Zail Singh, Sardar Swaran Singh (India's first foreign minister), Speaker of Parliament Gurdial Singh Dhillon and former Chief Minister of Punjab Pratap Singh Kairon.

Politicians from the Sikh diaspora include the first Asian American member of the United States Congress, Dalip Singh Saund, British MPs Piara Khabra, Parmjit Dhanda and Paul Uppal, the first couple to sit together in a Commonwealth parliament (Gurmant Grewal and Nina Grewal, who requested a Canadian government apology for the Komagata Maru incident), former Canadian Shadow Social Development Minister Ruby Dhalla, Canadian Minister of State for Sport Baljit Singh Gosal and Legislative Assembly of Ontario members Vic Dhillon and Jagmeet Singh. Ujjal Dosanjh was the New Democratic Party Premier of British Columbia from July 2004 to February 2005, and was later a Liberal frontbench MP in Ottawa. In Malaysia, two Sikhs were elected MPs in the 2008 general elections: Karpal Singh (Bukit Gelugor) and his son, Gobind Singh Deo (Puchong). Two Sikhs were elected assemblymen: Jagdeep Singh Deo (Datuk Keramat) and Keshvinder Singh (Malim Nawar).

Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks in the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, while making up 1.87 percent of the Indian population. The Sikh Regiment is one of the most-decorated regiments in the army, with 73 Battle Honours, 14 Victoria Crosses, 21 first-class Indian Orders of Merit (equivalent to the Victoria Cross), 15 Theatre Honours, five COAS Unit Citations, two Param Vir Chakras, 14 Maha Vir Chakras, five Kirti Chakras, 67 Vir Chakras and 1,596 other awards. The highest-ranking general in the history of the Indian Air Force is a Punjabi Sikh, Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh. Plans by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence for a Sikh infantry regiment were scrapped in June 2007.

Historically, most Indians have been farmers and 66 percent of the Indian population are engaged in agriculture. Indian Sikhs are employed in agriculture to a lesser extent; India's 2001 census found 39 percent of the working population of the Punjab employed in this sector. The success of the 1960s Green Revolution, in which India went from "famine to plenty, from humiliation to dignity", was based in the Punjab (which became known as "the breadbasket of India"). The Punjab is the wealthiest Indian state per capita, with the average Punjabi income three times the national average. The Green Revolution centred on Indian farmers adopting more intensive and mechanised agricultural methods, aided by the electrification of the Punjab, cooperative credit, consolidation of small holdings and the existing, British Raj-developed canal system. According to Swedish political scientist Ishtiaq Ahmad, a factor in the success of the Indian green revolution was the "Sikh cultivator, often the Jat, whose courage, perseverance, spirit of enterprise and muscle prowess proved crucial". However, not all aspects of the green revolution were beneficial. Indian physicist 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.

Punjabi Sikhs are engaged in a number of professions which include science, engineering and medicine. Notable examples are nuclear scientist Piara Singh Gill (who worked on the Manhattan Project), fibre-optics pioneer Narinder Singh Kapany and physicist, science writer and broadcaster Simon Singh.

In business, the UK-based clothing retailers New Look and the Thai-based Jaspal were founded by Sikhs. India's largest pharmaceutical company, Ranbaxy Laboratories, is headed by Sikhs. UK Sikhs have the highest percentage of home ownership (82 percent) of any religious community. UK Sikhs are the second-wealthiest (after the Jewish community) religious group in the UK, with a median total household wealth of £229,000. In Singapore Kartar Singh Thakral expanded his family's trading business, Thakral Holdings, into total assets of almost $1.4 billion and is Singapore's 25th-richest person. Sikh Bob Singh Dhillon is the first Indo-Canadian billionaire. The Sikh diaspora has been most successful in North America, especially in California’s fertile Central Valley. American Sikh farmers such as Harbhajan Singh Samra and Didar Singh Bains dominate California agriculture, with Samra specialising in okra and Bains in peaches.

Sikh intellectuals, sportsmen and artists include writer Khushwant Singh, England cricketer Monty Panesar, former 400m runner Milkha Singh, Indian wrestler and actor Dara Singh, former Indian hockey team captains Ajitpal Singh and Balbir Singh Sr., former Indian cricket captain Bishen Singh Bedi, Harbhajan Singh (India's most successful off spin cricket bowler), Bollywood actress Neetu Singh, Sunny Leone, actors Parminder Nagra, Neha Dhupia, Gul Panag, Mona Singh, Namrata Singh Gujral, Archie Panjabi and director Gurinder Chadha.

Sikhs have migrated worldwide, with a variety of occupations. The Sikh Gurus preached ethnic and social harmony, and Sikhs comprise a number of ethnic groups. Those with over 1,000 members include the Ahluwalia, Arain, Arora, Bhatra, Bairagi, Bania, Basith, Bawaria, Bazigar, Bhabra, Chamar, Chhimba, Darzi, Dhobi, Gujar, Jatt, Jhinwar, Kahar, Kalal, Kamboj, Khatri, Kumhar, Labana, Lohar, Mahtam, Mazhabi, Megh, Mirasi, Mochi, Nai, Rajput, Ramgarhia, Saini, Sarera, Sikligar, Sunar, Sudh, Tarkhan and Zargar.

An order of Punjabi Sikhs, the Nihang or the Akalis, was formed during Ranjit Singh's time. Under their leader, Akali Phula Singh, they won many battles for the Sikh Confederacy during the early 19th century.

IN THE INDIAN & BRITISH ARMIES

Sikhs supported the British during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. By the beginning of World War I, Sikhs in the British Indian Army totaled over 100,000 (20 percent of the force). Until 1945 fourteen Victoria Crosses were awarded to Sikhs, a per-capita regimental record. In 2002 the names of all Sikh VC and George Cross recipients were inscribed on the monument of the Memorial Gates on Constitution Hill, next to Buckingham Palace. Chanan Singh Dhillon was instrumental in campaigning for the memorial.

During World War I, Sikh battalions fought in Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Gallipoli and France. Six battalions of the Sikh Regiment were raised during World War II, serving in the Second Battle of El Alamein, the Burma and Italian campaigns and in Iraq and receiving 27 battle honours. Around the world, Sikhs are commemorated in Commonwealth cemeteries.

In the last two world wars 83,005 turban wearing Sikh soldiers were killed and 109,045 were wounded. They all died or were wounded for the freedom of Britain and the world, and during shell fire, with no other protection but the turban, the symbol of their faith.

—General Sir Frank Messervy

British people are highly indebted and obliged to Sikhs for a long time. I know that within this century we needed their help twice [in two world wars] and they did help us very well. As a result of their timely help, we are today able to live with honour, dignity, and independence. In the war, they fought and died for us, wearing the turbans.

—Sir Winston Churchill

IN THE WEST

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Sikhs began to emigrate to East Africa, the Far East, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. In 1907 the Khalsa Diwan Society was established in Vancouver, and four years later the first gurdwara was established in London. In 1912 the first gurdwara in the United States was founded in Stockton, California.

Since Sikhs (like Middle Eastern men) wear turbans, some in Western countries have been mistaken for Muslim or Arabic men since the September 11 attacks and the Iraq War. Several days after the 9/11 attacks Sikh Balbir Singh Sodhi was murdered by Frank Roque, who thought Sodhi was connected with al-Qaeda. CNN suggested an increase in hate crimes against Sikh men in the United States and the UK after the 9/11 attacks.

Since Sikhism has never actively sought converts, the Sikhs have remained a relatively homogeneous ethnic group. The Kundalini Yoga-based activities of Harbhajan Singh Yogi in his 3HO (Happy, Healthy, Holy) organisation claim to have inspired a moderate growth in non-Indian adherents of Sikhism. In 1998 an estimated 7,800 3HO Sikhs, known colloquially as ‘gora’ (ਗੋਰਾ) or ‘white’ Sikhs, were mainly centred around Española, New Mexico and Los Angeles, California. Sikhs and the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund overturned a 1925 Oregon law banning the wearing of turbans by teachers and government officials.

In an attempt to foster Sikh leaders in the Western world, youth initiatives by a number of organisations have begun. The Sikh Youth Alliance of North America sponsors an annual Sikh Youth Symposium, a public-speaking and debate competition held in gurdwaras throughout the U.S. and Canada.

ART & CULTURE

Sikh art and culture are nearly synonymous with that of the Punjab, and Sikhs are easily recognised by their distinctive turban (Dastar). The Punjab has been called India’s melting pot, due to the confluence of invading cultures (Greek, Mughal and Persian) from the rivers from which the region gets its name. Sikh culture is therefore a synthesis of cultures. Sikhism has forged a unique architecture, which S. S. Bhatti described as "inspired by Guru Nanak’s creative mysticism" and "is a mute harbinger of holistic humanism based on pragmatic spirituality".

During the Mughal and Afghan 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. With the rise of Ranjit Singh and the Sikh Raj in Lahore and Delhi, there was a change in the landscape of art and culture in the Punjab; Hindus and Sikhs could build decorated shrines without the fear of destruction or looting.

The 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. Sikh architecture is characterised by gilded fluted domes, cupolas, kiosks, stone lanterns, ornate balusters and square roofs. A pinnacle of Sikh style is Harmandir Sahib (also known as the Golden Temple) in Amritsar.

Sikh culture is influenced by militaristic motifs (with the Khanda the most obvious), and most Sikh artifacts - except for the relics of the Gurus - have a military theme. This theme is evident in the Sikh festivals of Hola Mohalla and Vaisakhi, which feature marching and displays of valor.

Although 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 which can be described as "political Sikh" has arisen. The art of diaspora Sikhs like Amarjeet Kaur Nandhra and Amrit and Rabindra Kaur Singh (the "Singh Twins") is influenced by their Sikhism and current affairs in the Punjab.

Bhangra and Giddha are two forms of Punjabi folk dancing which have been adapted and pioneered by Sikhs. Punjabi 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").

PAINTING

Sikh painting is a direct offshoot of the Kangra school of painting. In 1810, Ranjeet Singh (1780–1839) occupied Kangra Fort and appointed Sardar Desa Singh Majithia his governor of the Punjab hills. In 1813 the Sikh army occupied Guler State, and Raja Bhup Singh became a vassal of the Sikhs. With 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.

The Sikh school adapted Kangra painting to Sikh needs and ideals. Its main subjects are the ten Sikh gurus and stories from Guru Nanak's Janamsakhis. The tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, left a deep impression on the followers of the new faith because of his courage and sacrifices. Hunting scenes and portraits are also common in Sikh painting.

WIKIPEDIA

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A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism, a monotheistic religion which originated during the 15th century in the Punjab region. The term "Sikh" has its origin in the Sanskrit words शिष्य (śiṣya; disciple, student) or शिक्ष (śikṣa; instruction). A Sikh is a disciple of a guru. According to Article I of the Sikh Rehat Maryada (the Sikh code of conduct), a Sikh is "any human being who faithfully believes in One Immortal Being; ten Gurus, from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh; Guru Granth Sahib; the teachings of the ten Gurus and the baptism bequeathed by the tenth Guru". "Sikh" properly refers to adherents of Sikhism as a religion, not an ethnic group. However, because Sikhs often share strong ethno-religious ties, many countries, such as the U.K., recognize Sikh as a designated ethnicity on their censuses. The American non-profit organization United Sikhs has fought to have Sikh included on the U.S. census as well, arguing that Sikhs "self-identify as an 'ethnic minority'" and believe "that they are more than just a religion".

Male Sikhs usually have "Singh" (Lion), and female Sikhs have "Kaur" (Princess) as their middle or last name. Sikhs who have undergone the khanḍe-kī-pahul (the Sikh initiation ceremony) may also be recognized by the five Ks: uncut hair (kesh); an iron or steel bracelet (kara); a kirpan (a sword tucked into a gatra strap); kachehra, a cotton undergarment, and kanga, a small wooden comb. Baptized male Sikhs must cover their hair with a turban, which is optional for baptized female Sikhs. The greater Punjab region is the historic homeland of the Sikhs, although significant communities exist around the world.

HISTORY

Sikh political history may be said to begin with the death of the fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjan Dev, in 1606. Guru Nanak was a religious leader and social reformer in the 15th-century Punjab. Religious practices were formalized by Guru Gobind Singh on 30 March 1699. Singh baptized five people from a variety of social backgrounds, known as the Panj Piare (the five beloved ones) to form the Khalsa, or collective body of initiated Sikhs. Sikhism has generally had amicable relations with other religions, except for the period of Mughal rule in India (1556–1707). Several Sikh gurus were killed by the Mughals for opposing their persecution of minority religious communities including Sikhs. Sikhs subsequently militarized to oppose Mughal rule. The emergence of the Sikh Confederacy under Ranjit Singh was characterized by religious tolerance and pluralism, with Christians, Muslims and Hindus in positions of power. The confederacy is considered the zenith of political Sikhism, encompassing Kashmir, Ladakh and Peshawar. Hari Singh Nalwa, the commander-in-chief of the Sikh army in the North West Frontier, expanded the confederacy to the Khyber Pass. Its secular administration implemented military, economic and governmental reforms. The months leading up to the partition of India in 1947 were marked by conflict in the Punjab between Sikhs and Muslims. This caused the religious migration of Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus from West Punjab, mirroring a similar religious migration of Punjabi Muslims from East Punjab.

The 1960s saw growing animosity between Sikhs and Hindus in India, with the Sikhs demanding the creation of a Punjab state on a linguistic basis similar to other states in India. This was promised to Sikh leader Master Tara Singh by Jawaharlal Nehru, in return for Sikh political support during negotiations for Indian independence. Although the Sikhs obtained the Punjab, they lost Hindi-speaking areas to Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan. Chandigarh was made a union territory and the capital of Haryana and Punjab on 1 November 1966.

Tensions arose again during the late 1970s, fueled by Sikh claims of discrimination and marginalisation by the Hindu-dominated Indian National Congress party and tactics adopted by the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

According to Katherine Frank, Indira Gandhi's assumption of emergency powers in 1975 resulted in the weakening of the "legitimate and impartial machinery of government", and her increasing "paranoia" about opposing political groups led her to institute a "despotic policy of playing castes, religions and political groups against each other for political advantage". Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale articulated Sikh demands for justice, and this triggered violence in the Punjab. The prime minister's 1984 defeat of Bhindranwale led to an attack on the Golden Temple in Operation Blue Star and to her assassination by her Sikh bodyguards. Gandhi's assassination resulted in an explosion of violence against Sikh communities and the killing of thousands of Sikhs throughout India. Khushwant Singh described the riots as a Sikh pogrom; he "felt like a refugee in my country. In fact, I felt like a Jew in Nazi Germany". Since 1984, relations between Sikhs and Hindus have moved toward a rapprochement aided by economic prosperity. However, a 2002 claim by the Hindu right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) that "Sikhs are Hindus" disturbed Sikh sensibilities. The Khalistan movement campaigns for justice for the victims of the violence, and for the political and economic needs of the Punjab.

In 1996, United Nations Commission on Human Rights Freedom of Religion or Belief Special Rapporteur Abdelfattah Amor (Tunisia, 1993–2004) visited India to report on religious discrimination. The following year Amor concluded, "In India it appears that the situation of the Sikhs in the religious field is satisfactory, but that difficulties are arising in the political (foreign interference, terrorism, etc.), economic (in particular with regard to sharing of water supplies) and even occupational fields. Information received from nongovernment (sic) sources indicates that discrimination does exist in certain sectors of the public administration; examples include the decline in the number of Sikhs in the police force and the military, and the absence of Sikhs in personal bodyguard units since the murder of Indira Gandhi".

Although Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks of the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, they make up 1.87 percent of the Indian population.

During the 1999 Vaisakhi, Sikhs worldwide celebrated the 300th anniversary of the creation of the Khalsa. Canada Post honoured Sikh Canadians with a commemorative stamp in conjunction with the 300th anniversary of Vaisakhi. On April 9, 1999, Indian president K.R. Narayanan issued a stamp commemorating the 300th anniversary of the Khalsa.

DEFINITION

According to Guru Granth Sahib:

One who calls himself 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, the Sikh is to bathe, and cleanse himself in the pool of nectar. Following the Instructions of the Guru, the Sikh is to chant the Name of the Lord, Har. All sins, misdeeds and negativity shall be erased. Then, at the rising of the sun, the Sikh is to sing Gurbani; whether sitting down or standing up, the Sikh is to meditate on the Lord's Name. One who meditates on my Lord, Har, with every breath and every morsel of food – 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.

Simran of the Lord's name is a recurring theme of Guru Granth Sahib, and Sukhmani Sahib were composed to allow a devotee to recite Nam throughout the day. Rising at Amrit Velā (before sunrise) is a common Sikh practice. Sikhism considers the spiritual and secular lives to be intertwined: "In the Sikh Weltanschauung ... the temporal world is part of the Infinite and partakes of its characteristics." According to Guru Nanak, living an "active, creative, and practical life" of "truthfulness, fidelity, self-control and purity" is superior to a purely contemplative life.

FIVE Ks

The five Ks (panj kakaar) are five articles of faith which all baptized Sikhs (Amritdhari Sikhs) are obliged to wear. The symbols represent the ideals of Sikhism: honesty, equality, fidelity, meditating on God and never bowing to tyranny. The five symbols are:

- Kesh: Uncut hair, usually tied and wrapped in a Dastar

- Kanga: A wooden comb, usually worn under a Dastar

- Katchera: Cotton undergarments, historically appropriate in battle due to increased mobility when compared to a dhoti. Worn by both sexes, the katchera is a symbol of chastity.

- Kara: An iron bracelet, a weapon and a symbol of eternity

- Kirpan: An iron dagger in different sizes. In the UK Sikhs can wear a small dagger, but in the Punjab they might wear a traditional curved sword from one to three feet in length.

MUSIC & INSTRUMENTS

The Sikhs have a number of musical instruments: the rebab, dilruba, taus, jori and sarinda. Playing the sarangi was encouraged in Guru Har Gobind. The rubab was first played by Bhai Mardana as he accompanied Guru Nanak on his journeys. The jori and sarinda were designed by Guru Arjan. The taus was made by Guru Hargobind, who supposedly heard a peacock singing and wanted to create an instrument mimicking its sounds (taus is the Persian word for peacock). The dilruba was made by Guru Gobind Singh at the request of his followers, who wanted a smaller instrument than the taus. After Japji Sahib, all of the shabda in the Guru Granth Sahib were composed as ragas. This type of singing is known as Gurmat Sangeet.

When they marched into battle, the Sikhs would play a Ranjit Nagara (victory drum) to boost morale. Nagaras (usually two to three feet in diameter, although some were up to five feet in diameter) are played with two sticks. The beat of the large drums, and the raising of the Nishan Sahib, meant that the singhs were on their way.

DISTRIBUTION

Numbering about 27 million worldwide, Sikhs make up 0.39 percent of the world population; approximately 83 percent live in India. About 76 percent of all Sikhs live in the north Indian State of Punjab, where they form a majority (about two-thirds) of the population. Substantial communities of Sikhs (more than 200,000) live in the Indian states or union territories of Haryana (more than 1.1 million), Rajasthan, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh Assam and Jammu and Kashmir.

Sikh migration from British India began in earnest during the second half of the 19th century, when the British completed their annexation of the Punjab. The British Raj recruited Sikhs for the Indian Civil Service (particularly the British Indian Army), which led to Sikh migration throughout India and the British Empire. During the Raj, semiskilled Sikh artisans were transported from the Punjab to British East Africa to help build railroads. Sikhs emigrated from India and Pakistan after World War II, most going to the United Kingdom but many to North America. Some Sikhs who had settled in eastern Africa were expelled by Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in 1972. Economics is a major factor in Sikh migration, and significant communities exist in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Malaysia, East Africa, Australia and Thailand.

Although 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. Moliner (2006) wrote that as a consequence of Sikh migration to the UK "becom[ing] virtually impossible since the late 1970s", migration patterns evolved to continental Europe. Italy is a rapidly growing destination for Sikh migration, with Reggio Emilia and Vicenza having significant Sikh population clusters. Italian Sikhs are generally involved in agriculture, agricultural processing, the manufacture of machine tools and horticulture.

Primarily for socio-economic reasons, Indian Sikhs have the lowest adjusted growth rate of any major religious group in India, at 16.9 percent per decade (estimated from 1991 to 2001). Johnson and Barrett (2004) estimate that the global Sikh population increases annually by 392,633 (1.7 percent per year, based on 2004 figures); this percentage includes births, deaths and conversions.

REPRESENTATION

Sikhs have been represented in Indian politics by former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh and the deputy chairman of the Indian Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is also a Sikh. Past Sikh politicians in India include former president Giani Zail Singh, Sardar Swaran Singh (India's first foreign minister), Speaker of Parliament Gurdial Singh Dhillon and former Chief Minister of Punjab Pratap Singh Kairon.

Politicians from the Sikh diaspora include the first Asian American member of the United States Congress, Dalip Singh Saund, British MPs Piara Khabra, Parmjit Dhanda and Paul Uppal, the first couple to sit together in a Commonwealth parliament (Gurmant Grewal and Nina Grewal, who requested a Canadian government apology for the Komagata Maru incident), former Canadian Shadow Social Development Minister Ruby Dhalla, Canadian Minister of State for Sport Baljit Singh Gosal and Legislative Assembly of Ontario members Vic Dhillon and Jagmeet Singh. Ujjal Dosanjh was the New Democratic Party Premier of British Columbia from July 2004 to February 2005, and was later a Liberal frontbench MP in Ottawa. In Malaysia, two Sikhs were elected MPs in the 2008 general elections: Karpal Singh (Bukit Gelugor) and his son, Gobind Singh Deo (Puchong). Two Sikhs were elected assemblymen: Jagdeep Singh Deo (Datuk Keramat) and Keshvinder Singh (Malim Nawar).

Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks in the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, while making up 1.87 percent of the Indian population. The Sikh Regiment is one of the most-decorated regiments in the army, with 73 Battle Honours, 14 Victoria Crosses, 21 first-class Indian Orders of Merit (equivalent to the Victoria Cross), 15 Theatre Honours, five COAS Unit Citations, two Param Vir Chakras, 14 Maha Vir Chakras, five Kirti Chakras, 67 Vir Chakras and 1,596 other awards. The highest-ranking general in the history of the Indian Air Force is a Punjabi Sikh, Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh. Plans by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence for a Sikh infantry regiment were scrapped in June 2007.

Historically, most Indians have been farmers and 66 percent of the Indian population are engaged in agriculture. Indian Sikhs are employed in agriculture to a lesser extent; India's 2001 census found 39 percent of the working population of the Punjab employed in this sector. The success of the 1960s Green Revolution, in which India went from "famine to plenty, from humiliation to dignity", was based in the Punjab (which became known as "the breadbasket of India"). The Punjab is the wealthiest Indian state per capita, with the average Punjabi income three times the national average. The Green Revolution centred on Indian farmers adopting more intensive and mechanised agricultural methods, aided by the electrification of the Punjab, cooperative credit, consolidation of small holdings and the existing, British Raj-developed canal system. According to Swedish political scientist Ishtiaq Ahmad, a factor in the success of the Indian green revolution was the "Sikh cultivator, often the Jat, whose courage, perseverance, spirit of enterprise and muscle prowess proved crucial". However, not all aspects of the green revolution were beneficial. Indian physicist 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.

Punjabi Sikhs are engaged in a number of professions which include science, engineering and medicine. Notable examples are nuclear scientist Piara Singh Gill (who worked on the Manhattan Project), fibre-optics pioneer Narinder Singh Kapany and physicist, science writer and broadcaster Simon Singh.

In business, the UK-based clothing retailers New Look and the Thai-based Jaspal were founded by Sikhs. India's largest pharmaceutical company, Ranbaxy Laboratories, is headed by Sikhs. UK Sikhs have the highest percentage of home ownership (82 percent) of any religious community. UK Sikhs are the second-wealthiest (after the Jewish community) religious group in the UK, with a median total household wealth of £229,000. In Singapore Kartar Singh Thakral expanded his family's trading business, Thakral Holdings, into total assets of almost $1.4 billion and is Singapore's 25th-richest person. Sikh Bob Singh Dhillon is the first Indo-Canadian billionaire. The Sikh diaspora has been most successful in North America, especially in California’s fertile Central Valley. American Sikh farmers such as Harbhajan Singh Samra and Didar Singh Bains dominate California agriculture, with Samra specialising in okra and Bains in peaches.

Sikh intellectuals, sportsmen and artists include writer Khushwant Singh, England cricketer Monty Panesar, former 400m runner Milkha Singh, Indian wrestler and actor Dara Singh, former Indian hockey team captains Ajitpal Singh and Balbir Singh Sr., former Indian cricket captain Bishen Singh Bedi, Harbhajan Singh (India's most successful off spin cricket bowler), Bollywood actress Neetu Singh, Sunny Leone, actors Parminder Nagra, Neha Dhupia, Gul Panag, Mona Singh, Namrata Singh Gujral, Archie Panjabi and director Gurinder Chadha.

Sikhs have migrated worldwide, with a variety of occupations. The Sikh Gurus preached ethnic and social harmony, and Sikhs comprise a number of ethnic groups. Those with over 1,000 members include the Ahluwalia, Arain, Arora, Bhatra, Bairagi, Bania, Basith, Bawaria, Bazigar, Bhabra, Chamar, Chhimba, Darzi, Dhobi, Gujar, Jatt, Jhinwar, Kahar, Kalal, Kamboj, Khatri, Kumhar, Labana, Lohar, Mahtam, Mazhabi, Megh, Mirasi, Mochi, Nai, Rajput, Ramgarhia, Saini, Sarera, Sikligar, Sunar, Sudh, Tarkhan and Zargar.

An order of Punjabi Sikhs, the Nihang or the Akalis, was formed during Ranjit Singh's time. Under their leader, Akali Phula Singh, they won many battles for the Sikh Confederacy during the early 19th century.

IN THE INDIAN & BRITISH ARMIES

Sikhs supported the British during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. By the beginning of World War I, Sikhs in the British Indian Army totaled over 100,000 (20 percent of the force). Until 1945 fourteen Victoria Crosses were awarded to Sikhs, a per-capita regimental record. In 2002 the names of all Sikh VC and George Cross recipients were inscribed on the monument of the Memorial Gates on Constitution Hill, next to Buckingham Palace. Chanan Singh Dhillon was instrumental in campaigning for the memorial.

During World War I, Sikh battalions fought in Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Gallipoli and France. Six battalions of the Sikh Regiment were raised during World War II, serving in the Second Battle of El Alamein, the Burma and Italian campaigns and in Iraq and receiving 27 battle honours. Around the world, Sikhs are commemorated in Commonwealth cemeteries.

In the last two world wars 83,005 turban wearing Sikh soldiers were killed and 109,045 were wounded. They all died or were wounded for the freedom of Britain and the world, and during shell fire, with no other protection but the turban, the symbol of their faith.

—General Sir Frank Messervy

British people are highly indebted and obliged to Sikhs for a long time. I know that within this century we needed their help twice [in two world wars] and they did help us very well. As a result of their timely help, we are today able to live with honour, dignity, and independence. In the war, they fought and died for us, wearing the turbans.

—Sir Winston Churchill

IN THE WEST

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Sikhs began to emigrate to East Africa, the Far East, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. In 1907 the Khalsa Diwan Society was established in Vancouver, and four years later the first gurdwara was established in London. In 1912 the first gurdwara in the United States was founded in Stockton, California.

Since Sikhs (like Middle Eastern men) wear turbans, some in Western countries have been mistaken for Muslim or Arabic men since the September 11 attacks and the Iraq War. Several days after the 9/11 attacks Sikh Balbir Singh Sodhi was murdered by Frank Roque, who thought Sodhi was connected with al-Qaeda. CNN suggested an increase in hate crimes against Sikh men in the United States and the UK after the 9/11 attacks.

Since Sikhism has never actively sought converts, the Sikhs have remained a relatively homogeneous ethnic group. The Kundalini Yoga-based activities of Harbhajan Singh Yogi in his 3HO (Happy, Healthy, Holy) organisation claim to have inspired a moderate growth in non-Indian adherents of Sikhism. In 1998 an estimated 7,800 3HO Sikhs, known colloquially as ‘gora’ (ਗੋਰਾ) or ‘white’ Sikhs, were mainly centred around Española, New Mexico and Los Angeles, California. Sikhs and the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund overturned a 1925 Oregon law banning the wearing of turbans by teachers and government officials.

In an attempt to foster Sikh leaders in the Western world, youth initiatives by a number of organisations have begun. The Sikh Youth Alliance of North America sponsors an annual Sikh Youth Symposium, a public-speaking and debate competition held in gurdwaras throughout the U.S. and Canada.

ART & CULTURE

Sikh art and culture are nearly synonymous with that of the Punjab, and Sikhs are easily recognised by their distinctive turban (Dastar). The Punjab has been called India’s melting pot, due to the confluence of invading cultures (Greek, Mughal and Persian) from the rivers from which the region gets its name. Sikh culture is therefore a synthesis of cultures. Sikhism has forged a unique architecture, which S. S. Bhatti described as "inspired by Guru Nanak’s creative mysticism" and "is a mute harbinger of holistic humanism based on pragmatic spirituality".

During the Mughal and Afghan 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. With the rise of Ranjit Singh and the Sikh Raj in Lahore and Delhi, there was a change in the landscape of art and culture in the Punjab; Hindus and Sikhs could build decorated shrines without the fear of destruction or looting.

The 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. Sikh architecture is characterised by gilded fluted domes, cupolas, kiosks, stone lanterns, ornate balusters and square roofs. A pinnacle of Sikh style is Harmandir Sahib (also known as the Golden Temple) in Amritsar.

Sikh culture is influenced by militaristic motifs (with the Khanda the most obvious), and most Sikh artifacts - except for the relics of the Gurus - have a military theme. This theme is evident in the Sikh festivals of Hola Mohalla and Vaisakhi, which feature marching and displays of valor.

Although 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 which can be described as "political Sikh" has arisen. The art of diaspora Sikhs like Amarjeet Kaur Nandhra and Amrit and Rabindra Kaur Singh (the "Singh Twins") is influenced by their Sikhism and current affairs in the Punjab.

Bhangra and Giddha are two forms of Punjabi folk dancing which have been adapted and pioneered by Sikhs. Punjabi 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").

PAINTING

Sikh painting is a direct offshoot of the Kangra school of painting. In 1810, Ranjeet Singh (1780–1839) occupied Kangra Fort and appointed Sardar Desa Singh Majithia his governor of the Punjab hills. In 1813 the Sikh army occupied Guler State, and Raja Bhup Singh became a vassal of the Sikhs. With 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.

The Sikh school adapted Kangra painting to Sikh needs and ideals. Its main subjects are the ten Sikh gurus and stories from Guru Nanak's Janamsakhis. The tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, left a deep impression on the followers of the new faith because of his courage and sacrifices. Hunting scenes and portraits are also common in Sikh painting.

WIKIPEDIA

Many people in the society are looking for helping hands. Let’s be a hope to them. Amma Nanna Charitable Trust is one among them.

We are joining more orphan children who have no parent’s age group between 3 to 12 years and also joining Widows, Deceived and Separated Women at free of charges only. Our children have been staying with us up to their life settlement that means they will stand with their own bases.

you feel you are also responsible to the society, please, if you come across such people in and around your surroundings, give a hope to them by providing our address and we take care of them with pleasure.

“Please don’t Drink Alcohol and other intoxicates Live a happily and make Peaceful Society”

Everyone should read and write his/her regional language. We don’t try to take any Loans it leads to bitter life. We can live a happily in Kutcha house without loans, and then granite floored building with Loans. Loans make damage peaceful life and leads us misbehavior and corrupt minding nature.

Address of our Free of cost orphanage home Aditya Nagar, Desapathrunipalem, Parawada, Near Steel Plant Quarters Sector-X, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India, and Asia. Cell no. 08886563252

For Orphan children we are providing good education, nutritious food, sports and games, cultural activities, meditation and yoga. We are very particular in teaching them good behavior, how to be responsible to the situations, moral and spiritual values and civic senses which in deed helps in providing a healthy citizen to the society in our Orphanage children home.

For deceived women or widows, we are providing nutritious food, shelter, healthy and spiritual environment, yoga and meditation. We even accept them as the Volunteers with a service motto as we all know “SERVICE TO LIFE IS SERVICE TO GOD”

Do you know depending upon parents and teachers’ behaviors children learn good or bad activities? For example we choose one regional language in particular state, different areas living people speak different stylish the same regional language because it’s their environment effect. So when parents/teachers create good environments to their children doing good things like social, civic, moral, spiritual, cultural, social response, kind, humanity etc… Then children growing such way if not they will grimy.

Now a day’s one in all are thinking about earn billions of billions of rupees whatever job they are doing and give it to their children on heredity properties. Suppose they will give children billions of billions rupees and there will be no moral values, civic senesce, social responsibilities, humanity, social behavior, kindness, social moving with others and also no pure air, water, earth and sky. Can they enjoy in that society? and live happily such wrinkle and blight society, we will give them not only money on heredity but also we learn or grow them good behaviors like cultural, spiritual, social, moral, civics, kind, help, social responsibility etc.. . Money is requiring for live but life is not money. Money may not make life happy but service must be making live happily that should be known one in all.

Our properties just like water level in the well if we use water purposefully the decreased water level in the well filled later. If we don’t use water the level of water remains the same suppose we add more water into the well it looks raise in the water level in movement but after sometime it comes to the original level. If we use water unnecessarily and dry it then we have no water when we want to drink even though our well water will be raised later. So we take a little amount of water and use it towards real needy people. We eat for living and not live for eating man/woman should working until last his/her breathe.

Friends we may not giving as light as the sun but we are giving as light as lamp and try to drive way darkness in the society as able as we can then darkness drive way from the society then we will live peacefully and happily in such society . I hope we make such world! We assure you of our ethical zeal of service to the tender generation born to serve our nation as differently able citizens because “Ability knows no Handicap”.

NEED YOUR SUPPORT

• could you please shake your hands in the humanitarian task and noble cause of raising funds in Aid of the real orphans needy?

• Your support empowers the society with the resources to share responsibility in one of the some common activity with this society as mentioned below:

• Orphan Children Home (50 Boys / Girls)

• Residential Primary School (child Labor /street children)

• Orphan Care Home for HIV infected children

• Mobile Medical Units (3 centers)

• Income Generating Programme (Widows)

Name of the Organization: Amma Nanna Charitable Trust (ACT)

Name of Bank: State Bank of India

SB Account No: 30030634007

IFS code: SBIN0002716

Micro Code: 530002009

Branch: Visakhapatnam

Note: Please visit before give your donations to Orphanages/Voluntary Organizations/Charitable Trust

Please don’t donate anything to Orphanages/Volunteer organizations without your personal visit

Joining in our Orphanage at Free of Cost

We are joining more orphan children who have no parent’s age group between 3 to 12 years and also joining Widows and Separated/Deceived Women who have good character and willing to serve to orphan children as volunteer with their children at free of charges only. Our children have been staying with us up to their life settlement that means they will stand with their own bases.

Please don’t donate anything to orphanages/NGO/Charitable Trusts/Children homes/old age home/volunteer organizations without your personal visit. Most of organizations are making business in the name of charity. So be careful for donate to any

We are not accepting any thing to our orphanage without personal visit before he/she wants donate.

Amma Nanna Charitable Trust (ACT) was started in providing services for noble cause that includes orphanage for children who have no parent’s and also Widows/Separated /Deceived Women at free of cost only. It is a NGO providing non-profit voluntary social services organization orphanage at free charges homes, that includes promoting education to children and counseling for alcohol and other intoxicates. view to serve society, a non-profit and charitable trust, Volunteer NGO’s Services with the name “AMMA NANNA CHARITABLE TRUST (ACT)"established in year 2005 and acquired its registration (as per the Trust Act of A.P., India.) and Reg. 119/2005. And also License by Department for Women, Children, Disabled and Senior Citizen & CID-Police Department and License No. 0330/1/2011, under the leadership as Founder & Secretary Sri Gurubelli. Koteswara Rao M.sc, M.Phil, PGDCPA. And as Chairperson and Managing Trustee Smt Gurubelli Venkata Lakshmi alias Suguna M.A(Socialogy) We are so happy to expedite the meaning of “AMMA NANNA” as "MOTHER FATHER" and the exigency of naming this trust had been arisen in reminiscence of the beloved late parents ( Smt & sri Gurubelli. Ammayamma Ramamurthy) of Sri Gurubelli. Koteswara Rao, founder & secretary of this ministries following on their sympathetic favor, commitment and support launched for the neglected people who were drastically lack of food, clothes and other family problems. We are running this NGO Social Service Volunteer Organization with our own funds without any disparity in caste and creed in INDIA Asia and Boards.

Inmates are all district and states of India, like , 1 Town, 75 Feet Road, 4th Town Police Station 104 Area, Aanadha Ashramam, Abidnagar, Anatha Asram, Achampet , Achanta, Adarshnagar, Addanki, Addateegala, Addatheegala, Addakula, Addurodu, Adilabad, Adivivaram, Adoni , Air port, Aganampudi, Akividu,Akkayyapalem, Akkireddypalem, , Alair, Alamanda, Alampur, Alamuru, Allagadda, Allipuram, Allure, Alur, Amadalavalasa, Amalapuram, Amaravathi, Ambajeepeta,Amarchinta, Amaravathi, Amarevati, Anandapuram, Ananthagiri, Anaparthi, Annavaram, Anaparthy, Andhra Bhumi, Andhra University, Anantapur, Andole ,ANR Appikonda, Asifabad, Asifnagar, Asilmetta, Asheelmetta junction, Araku valley, Arasavalli, Arilova, , Armoor, Atchutapuram, Atmakur,, Attili, A U Campus, IN, Out Gate, Auto Nagar, Avanigadda, Badvel, Bala cheruvu, Balacheruvu Road, Balaji Nagar, Ballajura, Balkonda , Bangalore, Banswada, Bapujinagar, Bapatla,Baruva, Bayyavaram, Berhampur, Bhadrachalam, Bheemili, Bheemunipatnam, Bhimadolu, Bhimavaram, Bhogapuram, Bhongir, BHPV, Bhubaneswar, Bhupesh Nagar, Big Bazaar, Bazar, Birla, , Bimavaram, Boath, Bobbili, Bodhan, Bombay, Bowdara, Borra Caves, BRTS, B.S Layout Cheepurupalli, BSI Standard, Buddhavarapu Gardens, Budithi, Buggaram, Burgampahad, Butchirajupalem, Butchi Sundara Rao Street, Burujupeta, , Burugupudi, , Calcutta, CBM Compound, CBI, Chalakurthy, Challavanipeta, Chanakya Towers, Chandragiri, Chandrayangutta, Chapaluppada, Charminar , Chavulamadam, Chavulamadumu, Cheepurupalli, Chennai, Chennur, Cherial, Chevella , Chilakaluripet, Chilakapalem, China musidivada, chinnamusidivada, Chinnor, Chintalapudi, Chintapalli, krishna Chirala, Chittoor, Chodavaram, Chollangi village,Choppadandi, CMR center, Collectorate, Collectors Office Convent junction, corromendal, Coromandel gate, CDR Hospital, Cuddapah, Cumbum, Dabagarden, Dabagardens, Dagguvanipalem, Dasapalla Hills , Darsi, Dayalapuram, Dayal nagar, Delhi, Denduluru, Devarakonda, devipatnam, Dabhagaden, Dharmavaram, Dhavaleswaram, dhayal nagar, Dolphin, Dhondaparthi, Dhone , Dhorathota, , Diamond Park, Dibbalapalem, Dichpalli, Doctors Colony, Dommat,Dondaparthy, Dorakanagar, Dorathota, Dornakal , Duggirala, Duvvada, Dwaraka Nagar, Dwaraka Tirupati, Dwarapudi, , East Godavari, East Point Colony, Ecchapuram, Elamanchili, Eluru, ENDADA, Enadu, Eenadu, Etcherla, Etikoppaka, Femur, Fishing Harbour, Harbor Approach Road, Gadwal, Gajapathinagaram, Gajwel , Ganavaram Port, Gannavaram, Gangulavari, Gannavaram, Gara, Garividi, Ghanpur, Giddalur, Gumma Lakshmipuram, GL Puram, Gunnies Book, Record, Gnanapuram, Gandhigram, Gokavaram, Golkonda, Gollapalem,Gollavanipalem, Golukonda, Golugonda Gopalapatnam, Gooty, Gopalapuram, Gorantla, Gorllivanipalem, Green Park, Greater Visakhapatnam, , G.S.N. Gullipadu, Gudivada, Gudur, Guntur, Gurazala, Gurudwara, Hanamkonda, Hanuman Junction, Temple, Hanumanthavaka, Hall Mark, Hanumantuvaka, Harichandrapuram, Harischandrapuram, Harishchandrapur, HB colony, Head Post Office, Heccherla, Himayat Nagar, Hindupur, Hiramandalam, HPCL,hukumpeta, Huzurabad, Hyderabad, Ibrahimpatnam, Ichapuram, India, INDIA, Indurthi, Industrial estate, IT, IN, INL Kalinga, Isukathota, iskathota, Jadcherla,Jagadam, Jagadamba centre, Jagamba Theatre, Jail Road, Jaggampeta, Jagarajupeta, Jaggayyapalem, Jaggayyapet, Jaghadham Jagtial, Jalandhar, Jalumuru, Jammalamadugu, Jangaon, Jangareddygudem, Jodugullapalem, ,Jukkal, Kadapa, Kadiri, Kadiyam, Kaikalur, Kaikaluru, Kailashmetta, Kaka Nagar, Kakani Nagar, Kailasagiri, Kailasapuram, Kakinada, Kalaniketan, Kalanikhetan, Kalingapatnam, Kalinganagar, , Kalwakurthy, Kalyandurg, Kamalapur, Kamalapuram, Kamareddy, Kancharapalem, Kandukur, Kanigiri, Kankipadu, Kapuluppada, , Kapu uppada, Kapuluppada, Kantipudi, Kanithi Road, , Karimnagar, Karnal, Karnataka, Karnool, Karunol, Karwan, Kasibugga, Kasimkota, Kattipudi, Kavali, KGH, Khairatabad , Khammam, Khanapur, Kirlampudi, layout, K. Kotapadu, Kobbari Thota, Kodad, Kodangal , Kodumur, Koduru, Koduruand, Koilkuntla , Kolhapur, Kolkata, Kondepi, Koppaka, Korasavada, Kotabommali, Kotananduru, Kotavalasa, Kotaveedhi, , Kothagudem, Kothapet, Kotha Road, Kothavalasa, Kothuru, Kotipalli, Koturu, Kovur, Kovvur,Krishna College, Krantinagar, KRM Colony, Kuchinapudi, Kuppam, Kurupam Market, Kurmanpalem, Kurmam, Kummaripalem, Kurmannapalem , Kurnool, Kusalapuram, Lakkireddipalli, Lalitha Nagar, Lankhilapallem, Lakshminagar, Lankelapalem, Lankilapallem, LB Colony, Leela Mahal, Luxettipet, Macherla, Machilipatnam, Madakasira, Madanpalle, Madapamu, Maddilapalem, Madduru, Madivala, Madhira, Madhavadhara, Madhurawada, Madhya Pradesh, Madugula Reddi, Maharanipeta, Mahbubabad , Mahabubnagar, Mahbubnagar, Maharajgunj , Makthal, Malkapuram, Malakpet, Malleswaram, Mandapeta, Mandavaripeta, , Mangalagiri, Manthani, Marikavalasa Maredumilli, Markapur, Marripalem, Martur , Maruteru, Medak, Medchal, Medivada, Metpalli, Meghadripeta, Meghadri gadda, Meghadrigadda, Midilapuri, Mindi, Mindhi, Miryalguda, MMTC Colony, Mud Hole, Mudhole, Mudinepalli, Mulug, Mumbai, Mulagada, Mummidivaram, Muppidi Colony, Mungode, Murali Nagar, Musheerabad, Nagari , Nagarkurnool , MVP colony, Myadaram, Mydukur, Mylavaram, NAD junction, Nagaram, Naguru, Naiduthota Nakkapalem, Nakkapalli, Nakkavanipalem, Nakrekal, Nalgonda, Nallamada, Nandigama, Nandyal, Narasannapeta, Narasaraopet, Narasimha, Narayankhed , Narasapur, narsapur, Narsampet, Narsipatnam, Narisipatnam, Natavalasa, Nathavaram, Nathayyapalem, Naval Dock, Yard Neelamma Vepaqchettu, Naval Dock Yard Neelamma Vepachettu, Nellimarla, Nellore, Nerella, new Gajuwaka, Nidadavole,nidadhavole, Nidadhavolu, Nidumolu ,Nimmada, Nirmal, Nivagam, Nizamabad, N.R. I NSTL, NTPC, NTPC-Parawada, Nuzvid, Odessa, Old post office, Ongole, Orissa, Paderu, Palacole, Palair, Palakonda, Palakollu, Palamaner, Palasa, Pallavaram, Panchadarla, Panyam, Parawada, Parchur, Parkal, Pargi, Parlakimidi, Parvathipuram, Patapatnam, Pata Polavaram, Pathapatnam, Pattikonda , Payakaraopeta, Pedakurapadu, Peda Peddapalli, Peddipalem, Peddapuram, Pendurthi, pendurthy, Penugonda, Penukonda Pillala Ashramam, Piler, Pithapuram, PM Palem, PNT Colony, Pandurangapuram, Polaki, Polavaram, Ponduru, Ponnur, Poondi, Poorna Market, Porur, Prakasam, Prathipadu, Priya, Proddat, Proddatur, Pudimadaka, Pulivendula, Pundi, Pune, Punganur, purna, Purushothapuram, Purusotapuram, puspatera, Puttur , Pydibheemavaram, Rail Way New Colony, Rajahmundry, Rajam, Rajampet, Raj, Raja Nagar, rajavommangi, Rajolu, Ramachandrapuram, Ramagundam, Rama Nagar, Ramnagar, Ramannapet, Rama Talkies Center, ramatheertham, Ramtherdham, Neusan Bhag,Ramatheertham, ramavaram, Ramayampet, Rambilli, Ramnagar, Rampachodavaram, Rangapuram, Ranastalam, Rangareddy, Ravulapalem, Rayachoty, Rayadurg, Raya Durg, Rayavaram, , Razole, Reddipalli, RegupaduRepalle, Rapur, Regupalem, Revidi, Revit, RK Beach, Rotherham, Rushikonda,rusu konda, Rushukonda, Sabbavaram, Sagar Nagar, Sakhsi, Salur, Sampara , Sanath Nagar, Sangareddy, Santhanuthalapadu , Sarasota, Saraswati Park, Saravakota, Sarvepalli, Sathivada, Sathupalli, Sattenapalli Sastry Road, Satyam centre, Satyavedu, Secunderabad, seetampeta, Seethammadhara, Seethampeta, Shadnagar, Shayampet, Sholur, Shopping Mall, Siddhantam, Siddipet, Simhachalam, Sindhiya, Singanamala, Sircilla , Sirpur, Siripuram, S. Kota, Soluru, Sompeta, Sriharipuram, Srikakulam, Sri Kalahasti, Sri Kalahsti, Srikurmam, Srimukalingam, Srimukhalingam, Srungavarapukota, Steel Plant Quarters Sector, Sujathanagar, Sulurpet, Suryabagh, Surya Bhag, Suryapet, Tadepalligudem, Tadepellegudem, tadepalli gudum, Tadikonda, Tadipatri, Tagarapuvalasa, , Tallapalem, Talarevu, Tallarevu, Tamil nadu, Tandur, Tanuku , Tekkali, Tenali, Thamballapalle, Thatichetlapalem, Therlam, Thotapalli, Tilaru, Tikkavanipalem, Timaru, Tirumala, Tirupati, Tiruvuru, Tuni, Tungaturthi, UDA Park, Udda Udayagiri, Ukkumpeta, Ukkunagaram, Undi, Unguturu, Universal records, Uravakonda, Ushodaya Colony, Uttarahalli, Uttarapalli, Vada cheepurupalli, Vadacheepurapalli, Vaddadi, Vanukuru, Vartha, varthaa, Vayalpad, Vellanki, Vemur, Venkatagiri , Venkojipalem, Velampeta, Vepada, Vepagunta, Vepanjeri , Vijayawada, Vikarabad, Vinukonda, Visakhapatnam, Visakha Valley, Vitanthula ashramam, Vizag, Vizianagaram, Vrudhula ashramam Vuyyuru, Waltair, Wanaparthy, Warangal, Wardhannapet, West Godavari World Record, Yalamanchili, Yakutpura, Yeleswaram, Yellandu, Yellareddy, Yellavaram, Yemmiganur, Yendada, Y junction, Zahirabad, Zoo Park center, and other state of India.

Guntur District Macherla , Veldurthi , Narasaraopeta, Rentacrintala , Bollapalle , Rompicherla , Gurazala , Nakarikallu , Ipur Dachepalle, Muppalla , Savalyapuram , Machavaram , Phirangipuram , Vinukonda , Bellamkonda , Medikonduru , Nuzendla , Achampeta , Guntur , Chilakaluripet , Krosuru , Pedakakani , Pedanandipadu , Amaravathi , Duggirala , Kakumanu, Thullur , Kollipara , Ponnur , Thadepalle , Kollur , Amruthalur , Mangalagiri , Vemuru , Cherukupalle , Tadikonda , Tenali , Bhattiprolu , Pedakurapadu , Tsundur , Repalle , ,Sattenapalle , Chebrole , Nagaram , Rajupalem , Vatticherukuru , Nizampatnam , Piduguralla , Prathipadu , Pittalavanipalem , Karempudi , Edlapadu , Karlapalem , Durgi , Nadendla , Bapatla. Narasaraopet, Rentachintala, Bollapalli, Nekarikallu, Jaipur, Thadepalli, Cherukupalli Chebrolu, Georgia

Krishna District Vijayawada A.Konduru, Agiripalli, Avanigadda, Bantumilli, Bapulapadu, Challapalli, Chandralapadu, Chatrai, Gampalogudem, Gannavaram, G. Konduru, Ghantasala, Guduru, Gudivada, Gudlavalleru, Ibrahimpatnam, Jaggayyapeta, Kaikalur, Kalidindi , Kanchikacherla , Kankipadu, Koduru , Kruthivennu, Mailavaram , Machilipatam, Mandavalli , Movva , Mopidevi , Mudinepalle , Musunuru , Nagayalanka , Nandigama , Nandivada, Nuzvid , Pamidimukkala , Pedana, Pamarru, Pedaparupudi , Penuganchiprolu , Penamaluru , Reddigudem , Tiruvuru , Thotlavalluru , Unguturu, Vatsavai, Vissannapeta, Vuyyuru, Veerullapadu , Chandarlapadu, Gampalagudem, benz circle, ring road, Machilipatnam, gunadala matha , kondapalli , gollapalli , Telaprolu.

Srikakulam District Veeraghattam , Bhamini , Vangara , Kothuru , Regidiamadala Valasa , Hiramandalam , Rajam , Sarubujjili , Ganguvari Singadam , Amadalavalasa , Laveru , Srikakulam , Ranastalam , Gara , Hetcherla , Polaki , Ponduru , Narasannapeta , Santhakaviti , Jalumuru , Burja , Saravakota, Palakonda , Pathapatnam , Seethampeta , Meliaputti, Kotabommali , Santha Bommali , Nandigam , Vajrapu Kothuru , Palasa , Mandasa , Sompeta , Kanchili , Kaviti , Tekkali, Ichchapuram , Regidi amadalaValasa ,Santhabommali.

Vizianagaram District Komarada , Ramabhadrapuram , Gummalakshmipuram , Badangi , Kurupam , Therlam , Jiyyammavalasa , Merakamudidam , Garugubilli , Dattirajeru , Parvathipuram , Mentada , Makkuva , Gajapathinagaram , Seethanagaram , Bondapalle , Balajipeta , Gurla , Bobbili , Garividi , Salur , Cheepurupalle , Pachipenta , Nellimarla , Bhoghapuram , Denkada , Vizianagaram , Gantyada , Srungavarapukota , Vepada , Lakkavarapukota , Jami , Kothavalasa, Pusapatirega, Colorado, Thermal Bondapalli.

Visakhapatnam District Munchingiputtu, Nathavaram , Pedagantyada , Pedabayalu , Narsipatnam , Paravada , Hukumpetau , Rolugunta , Anakapalli , Dumbriguda , Ravikamatham , Munagapaka , Arakuvalley , Butchayyapeta , Kasimkota , Ananthagiri , Chodavaram , Makavarapalem, Devarapalle , K Kotapadu, Kotauratla , Cheedikada , Sabbavaram , Payakaraopeta , Madugula , Pendurthi , Nakkapalli , Paderu , Anandapuram , S. Rayavaram , Gangaraju Madugula , Padmanabham , Yelamanchili , Chintapalle , Bheemunipatnam , Rambilli , Gudemkothaveedhi , Visakhapatnam , Atchutapuram, Koyyuru , Visakhapatnam urban, rural, Golugonda , Gajuwaka . Munching Puttu, Devarapalli , Gudem Kotha Veedhi.

East Godavari District Maredumilli , Pithapuram , Kapileswarapuram , Y Ramavaram , Kothapalle , Alamuru , Addateegala , Kakinada, Atreyapuram , Rajavommangi , Ravula Palem , Kotananduru , Samalkota , Pamarru , Tuni , Rangampeta , Kothapeta , Thondangi , Gandepalle , P Gannavaram , Gollaprolu , Rajanagaram , Ambajipeta , Sankhavaram , Rajahmundry, Ainavilli , Prathipadu , Mummidivaram , Yeleswaram , Kadiam , I.Polavaram , Gangavaram , Mandapeta , Katrenikona, Rampachodavaram , Anaparthy , Uppalaguptam , Devipatnam , Biccavolu , Amalapuram , Seethanagaram , Pedapudi , Allavaram , Korukonda , Karapa , Mamidikuduru , Gokavaram , Thallarevu , Razole , Jaggampeta , Kajuluru , Malikipuram , Kirlampudi , Ramachandrapuram , Sakhinetipalle, Peddapuram , Rayavaram , sankavaram, Samalkot, Kothapet , Gandepalli , Sakhinetipalli, samrlakota.

West Godavari District Jeelugumilli , Nidadavole , Undi , Buttayagudem , Tadepalligudem , Akiveedu , Polavaram , Unguturu , Kalla , Thallapudi , Bhimadole , Bheemavaram , Gopalapuram , Pedavegi , Palakoderu , Koyyalagudem , Pedapadu , Veeravasaram , Jangareddigudem , Eluru , Penumantra , T.Narasapuram , Denduluru , Penugonda , Chintalapudi , Nidamarru , Achanta , Lingapalem , Ganapavaram , Poduru , Kamavarapukota , Pentapadu , Palacole , Dwarakatirumala , Tanuku , Yelamanchili , Nallajerla , Undrajavaram , Narasapuram , Devarapalle , Peravali , Mogalthur Chagallu , Iragavaram , Kovvur , Attili . Tallapudi, Bhimavaram, Palakol, chebrolu Dwaraka Tirumala, Devarapalli.

Khammam District Cherla , Yellandu , Enkuru , Pinapaka , Singareni , Konijerla , Gundala , Bayyaram , Khammam Urban , Manuguru ,Garla , Khammam Rural , Aswapuram , Kamepalle , Thirumalayapalem , Dummugudem , Julurpad , Kusumanchi , Bhadrachalam , Chandrugonda , Nelakondapalle , Kunavaram , Mulakalapalle ,Mudigonda , Chintur , Aswaraopeta , Chinthakani , Vararamachandrapuram , Dammapeta , Wyra , Velairpad , Sathupalle , Bonakal , Kukunoor , Vemsoor , Madhira , Burgampadu , Penuballi , Yerrupalem, Palawancha, Wazeed , Kothagudem , Kalluru , Venkatapuram , Tekulapalle , Thallada . Cherla , Nakuru , Uganda , Kamepalli , Nelakondapalli ,Mulakalapalli Va Ramachandrapuram , Palvancha , Tekulapally.

Prakasam District Yerragondapalem , Martur , Veligandla , Pullalacheruvu , Parchur , Pedacherlopalle , Tripuranthakam , Karamchedu , Ponnaluru , Kurichedu , Chirala , Kondapi , Donakonda , Vetapalem , Santhanuthlapadu , Pedaaraveedu , Inkollu , Ongole , Dornala , Janakavaram, Panguluru , Naguluppalapadu , Ardhaveedu , Korisapadu , Chinaganjam , Markapur , Maddipadu , Kothapatnam , Tarlapadu , Chimakurthi , Tangutur , Konakanamitla , Marripudi , Zarugumilli , Podili , Kanigiri , Kandukur , Darsi , Hanumanthunipadu , Voletivaripalem , Mundlamuru , Bestavaripeta , Pamur , Thallur , Cumbum , Lingasamudram , Addanki , Racherla , Gudluru , Ballikuruva , Giddaluru , Ulavapadu , Santhamaguluru , Komarolu , Singarayakonda , Yeddanapudi , Chadrasekara, Puram . Peda Cherlopalli, Peddaraveedu, Tarlupadu, Chimakurthy, Jarugumilli, Ballikurava, Chandrasekara.

Sri Potti Sri Ramulu Nellore District Seetharamapuram, Kodavalur , Sydapuram , Varikuntapadu , Butchireddipalem , Dakkili , Kondapuram , Sangam , Venkatagiri , Jaladanki , Chejerla , Balayapalle , Kavali , Ananthasagaram , Ojili , Bogole , Kaluvoya , Chillakur , Kaligiri , Rapur , Kota , Vinjamur , Podlakur , Vakadu , Duttalur , Nellore , Chittamur , Udayagiri , Kovur , Naidupeta , Marripadu , Indukurpet , Pellakur , Atmakur , Thotapalligudur , Doravarisatram , Anumasamudrampeta , Muthukur , Sullurpeta , Dagadarthi , Venkatachalam , Tada , Allur , Manubolu , Vidavalur , Gudur Buchireddypalem, Balayapalli , Podalakur , Thotapalli Gudur ,Anamasamudrampeta , Allure .

Dr. Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy Cuddapah District Muddanur, Vempalle , Kondapuram , Simhadripuram , Chaknayapet , Mylavaram , Lingala , Lakkireddipalle , Peddamudium , Pulivendla , Ramapuram , Raju Palem , Vemula , Veeraballe , Duvvur , Thandur , Rajampet , S Mydukur , Veerapunayunipalle , Nandalur , Brahmamgarimattam , Yerraguntla , Penagaluru , B Kodur , Kamalapuram , Chitvel , Kalasapadu , Vallur , Kodur , Porumamilla , Chennur , Obulavaripalle , Badvel , Atlur , Pullampeta , Gopavaram , Vontimitta , T.Sundupalle , Khajipet , Sidhout , Sambepalle , Chapad , Chinnamandem , Proddutur , Chintha Kommadinne , Rayachoti , Jammalamadugu , Pendlimarri , Galiveedu Vempalli , Chakrayapet , Pulivendula , Tandur , Veerapunayuni Palli , Penagalur , Obulavaripalli , Atlanta , Pullampet , T.Sundupalli , Kazipet, Sambepalli, Proddatur.

Chittoor District Peddamandyam , K V P Puram , Nagari , Thamballapalle , Narayanavanam , Karvetinagar , Mulakalacheruvu , Vadamalapeta , Srirangaraja Puram , Peddathippa Samudram , Tirupati Rural , Palasamudram , B.Kothakota , Kammapalle , Gangadhara Nellore , Kurabalakota , Chandragiri , Penumuru , Gurramkonda , Chinnagottigallu , Puthalapattu , Kalakada , Rompicherla , Irala , Kambhamvaripalle , Pileru , Thavanampalle , Yerravaripalem , Kalikiri ,Chittoor , Tirupati Urban , Vayalpad , Gudipala , Renigunta , Nimmanapalle , Yadamari , Yerpedu , Mandopalle , Bangarupalem , Srikalahasti , Ramasamudram , Palamaner , Thottambedu , Punganur , Gangavaram , Buchinaidu Khandriga , Chowdepalle , Pedda Panjani , Varadaiahpalem , Somala , Baireddi Palle , Satyavedu , Sodam , Venkatagiri Kota , Nagalapuram , Pulicherla , Ramakuppam , Pichatur , Pakala , Santhi Puram , Vijaya Puram , Veduru Kuppam , Gudi Palle , Nindra , Puttur , Kuppam K V B Puram , Sri Rangaraja Puram , Pedda Thippa , Kammapalli , Kambham Vari Palli , Piler , Madanapalle , Madanapalle, Bangarupalem , Srikalahasti , Kandireega , Peddapanjani , Somalia , Baireddipalle ,Sathyavedu , Sodom, Santhipuram , Vijayapuram , Vedurukuppam , Gudipalle , Nidra.

Ananthapur District D.Hirchal , Kunurpi , Gandlapenta , Bommanahal , Kalyandurg , Kadiri , Vidapanakal , Atmakur , Amadagur , Vajrakarur , Anantapur , Obuladevaracheruvu , Guntakal , Bukkarayasamudram , Nallamada , Gooty , Narpala , Gorantla , Peddavadugur , Putlur , Puttaparthi , Yadiki , Yellanur , Bukkapatnam , Tadpatri , Tadimarri , Kothacheruvu , Peddapappur , Bathalapalle , Penu Konda , Singanamala , Raptadu , Roddam , Pamidi , Kanaganapalle , Somandepalle , Garladinne , Kambadur , Chilamathur , Kudair , Ramagiri , Lepakshi , Uravakonda , Chenne Kothapalle , Hindupur , Beluguppa , Dharmavaram , Parigi , Kanekal , Mudigubba , Madakasira , Rayadurg , Talupula , Gudibanda , Gummagatta , Nambulipulikunta , Amarapuram , Brahmasamudram , Tanakal , Agali , Settur , Nallacheruvu , Rolla D.Hirehal, Kundurpi , Bommanahalli , Bathalapalli , Penukonda , Kanaganapalli , Sattur.

Kurnool District Kowthalam , Kodumur , Rudravaram , Kosigi , Gonegandla , Allagadda , Mantralayam , Yemmiganur , Chagalamarri , Nandavaram , Pedda Kadalur , Uyyalawada , C.Belagal , Adoni , Dornipadu , Gudur , Holagunda , Gospadu , Kurnool , Alur , Koilkuntla , Nandi Kotkur , Aspari , Banaganapalle , Pagidyala , Devanakonda , Sanjamala , Kothapalle , Krishnagiri , Kolimigundla , Atmakur , Veldurthi , Owk , Srisailam , Bethamcherla , Peapally , Velgode , Panyam , Dhone , Pamulapadu , Gadivemula , Tuggali , Jupadu Bungalow , Bandi Atmakur , Pattikanda , Midthur , Nandyal , Maddikera East , Orvakal , Mahanandi , Chippagiri , Kallur , Sirvel , Halaharvi . Nandikotkur, Banaganapalli, Dhoni, Jupadu Bunglow, Silver.

Mahabubnagar District Kodangal , Jadcherla , Amrabad , Bomraspeta , Bhoothpur , Balmoor , Kosgi , Mahbubnagar , Lingal , Doulatabad , Addakal , Peddakothapalle , Damaragidda , Devarkadara , Kodair , Maddur , Dhanwada , Gopalpeta , Koilkonda , Narayanpet , Wanaparthy , Hanwada , Utkoor , Pangal , Nawabpet , Maganoor , Pebbair , Balanagar , Makthal , Gadwal , Kondurg , Narva , Dharur , Farooqnagar , Chinna Chinta Kunta , Maldakal , Kothur , Atmakur , Ghattu , Keshampeta , Kothakota , Aiza , Talakondapalle , Peddamandadi , Waddepalle , Amangal , Ghanpur , Itikyal , Madgul , Bijinapalle , Manopadu , Vangoor , Nagar Kurnool , Alampur , Veldanda , Tadoor , Veepangandla , Kalwakurthy , Telkapalle , Kollapur , Midjil , Uppununthala , Thimmajipeta , Achampeta . Daulatabad, Tandoor, Telkapally, Kolhapur, Thimmajipet.

Rangareddy District Marpalle ,Hayathnagar , Gandeed , Mominpet , Saroornagar , Kulkacharla , Nawabpet , Rajendranagar , Pargi , Shankarpalle , Moinabad , Pudur , Malkajgiri , Chevella , Shabad , Serilingampalle , Vikarabad , Shamshabad , Quthbullapur , Dharur , Maheswaram , Medchal , Bantaram , Ibrahimpatam , Shamirpet ,Peddemul , Manchal , Balanagar , Tandur , Yacharam , Keesara , Basheerabad , Kandukur , Ghatkesar , Yelal , Uppal , Doma . Shankarpalli, puduraya, Serilingampally, Maheshwaram, Yell.

Nalgonda District Bommalaramaram , Chityala , Thripuraram , M Turkapalle , Narketpalle , Miryalaguda , Rajapet , Kattangoor , Garide Palle , Yadagirigutta , Nakrekal , Chilkur , Alair , Kethepalle , Kodad , Gundala , Suryapet , Mellachervu , Thirumalagiri , Chivvemla , Huzurnagar , Thunga Thurthi , Mothey , Mattampalle , Nuthankal , Nadigudem , Nered Cherla , Atmakur (S) , Munagala , Dameracherla , Jaji Reddi Gudem , Penpahad , Anumula , Saligouraram , Vemulapalle , Peddavura , Mothkur , Thipparthi , Pedda Adiserlapalle , Atmakur (M) , Nalgonda , Gurrampode , Valigonda , Munugode , Nampalle , Bhuvanagiri , Narayanapur , Chintha Palle , Bibinagar , Marri Guda , Devarakonda , Pochampalle , Chandur , Gundla Palle , Choutuppal , Kangal , Chandam Pet , Ramannapeta , Nidamanur . Tripuraram , M Turkapally , Narketpally , Kethepally , Uganda , Mellacheruvu , Tirumalagiri , Chivemla ,Thoonga , Mattampally, Need Cherla , Damaracherla , Shaligouraram , Vemulapalli ,Peddavura , Narayanpur , Chintapalli , Marriguda , Pochampally , Gundlapalli ,Chandampet , Ramannapet.

Medak District Manoor , Siddipet , Kohir , Kangti , Chinna Kodur , Munpalle , Kalher , Nanganur , Pulkal , Narayankhed , Kondapak , Sadasivpet , Regode , Jagdevpur , Kondapur ,Shankarampet (A) , Gajwel , Sangareddy , Alladurg , Doultabad , Patancheru , Tekmal , Chegunta , Ramachandrapuram , Papannapet , Yeldurthy , Jinnaram , Kulcharam , Kowdipalle , Hathnoora , Medak , Andole , Narsapur , Shankarampet (R) , Raikode , Shivampet , Ramayampet , Nyalkal , Tupran , Dubbak , Jharasangam , Wargal , Mirdoddi , Zahirabad , Mulug . Manoor, Munipalle, Nanganallur, Daulatabad, Veldurthy, Kowdipally, Toopran, to Oprah

Warangal District Cheriyal , Thorrur , Duggondi , Maddur , Nellikudur , Geesugonda , Narmetta , Narsimhulapet , Atmakur , Bachannapeta , Maripeda , Shayampet , Jangaon , Dornakal , Parkal , Lingala Ghanpur , Kuravi , Regonda , Raghunatha Palle , Mahabubabad , Mogullapalle , Ghanpur(Stn) , Kesamudram , Chityal , Dharmasagar , Nekkonda , Bhupalpalle , Hasanparthy , Gudur , Ghanapur , Hanamkonda , Kothagudem , Mulug , Wardhannapet , Khanapur , Venkatapur , Zaffergadh , Govindaraopet , Palakurthi , Chennaraopet , Tadvai , Devaruppula , Parvathagiri , Eturnagaram , Kodakandla , Sangam , Mangapet , Raiparthy , Nallabelly , Warangal Cherial, Cheryl, Bachannapet, Kuruvi, Mogullapally, Bhupalpally, Ghanpur.

Karimnagar District Ibrahimpatnam , Jagtial , Vemulawada , Mallapur , Medipalle , Konaraopeta , Raikal , Koratla , Yella Reddi Peta , Sarangapur , Metpalle , Gambhiraopet , Dharmapuri , Kathlapur , Mustabad , Velgatoor , Chandurthi , Sirsilla , Ramagundam , Kodimial , Ellanthakunta , Kamanpur , Gangadhara , Bejjanki , Manthani , Mallial , Thimmapur , Kataram , Pegadapalle , Kesavapatnam , Mahadevpur , Choppadandi , Huzurabad , Mutharam , Mahadevpur , Sultanabad , Kamalapur , Malharrao , Odela , Elkathurthi , Mutharam Manthani , Jammikunta , Saidapur , Srirampur , Veenavanka , Chigurumamidi , Peddapalle , Manakondur , Koheda , Julapalle , Karimnagar , Husnabad , Dharmaram , Ramadugu , Bheemadevarpalle , Gollapalle , Boinpalle Medipally , Konaraopet , Korutla , Yellareddy Peta , Sarangpur , ,Metpally , Kathalapur , Pegadapally , Elkathurthy , Shrirampur , Peddapalli , Julapalli , , Bheemadevarapally, Bowenpally.

Nizamabad District Ranjal , Yeda Palle , Sadasivanagar , Navipet , Bodhan , Gandhari , Nandipet , Kotgiri , Banswada , Armur , Madnur , Pitlam , Balkonda , Jukkal , Nizamsagar , Mortad , Bichkunda , Yellareddy , Kammar , Palle , Birkoor , Naga Reddipet , Bheemgal , Varni , Lingampet , Velpur , Dichpalle , Tadwai , Jakranpalle , Dhar Palle , Kamareddy , Makloor , Sirkonda , Bhiknur , Nizamabad , Machareddy , Domakonda . Sadashivanagar, Kotagiri, Armour, Pelle, Naga Reddit, Dichpally, Jakranpally, Sirikonda

Adilabad District Talamadugu , Lohesra , Tiryani , Tamsi , Dilawarpur , Asifabad , Adilabad , Nirmal , Wankdi , Jainad , Laxmanchanda , Kagaz Nagar , Bela , Mamda , Rebbana , Narnoor , Khanpur , Tandur , Inderavelly , Kaddampeddur , Bellampalle , Gudihatnur , Utnur , Nennal , Ichoda , Jainoor , Bheemini , Bazarhathnoor , Kerameri , Sirpur (T) , Boath , Sirpur (U) , Kouthala , Neradigonda , Jannaram , Bejjur , Sarangapur , Dandepalle , Dahegaon , Kuntala , Luxettipet , Vemanpalle , Kubeer , Mancherial , Kotapalle , Bhainsa , Mandamarri , Chennur , Tanur , Kasipet , Jaipur , Mudhole Lohara, Tampa , Kagaznagar , Bella , Kaddam Peddur , Gudihathnoor , Bheemili, boathouse , Sarangpur , Vempalli , Kazipet.

Hyderabad, Secendrabad kukatpally , tank bund , hussain sagar , birla mandir ,himayat nagar , begumpet, shamshabad, charminar, golconda , banjara hills ,stadhampton , khairabadi , yousufguda, patancheru,Musheerabad , Ameerpet ,Khairatabad , Bandlaguda, Amberpet , Secunderabad, Charminar , Asifnagar , Himayathnagar ,Tirumalagiri , Golconda , Saidabad , Maredalle,shaikpet ,nampally ,bahadurpura , Maryland .cyderabad, jubili hills, kazipally, bollaram, bachupally, swarnapuri, miyapur, kompally,thumkunta, hakimpet, ramachandra puram, vishwambhar enclave, bala nagar, serilingampally, sri ram nagar, gachibowli, madhapur, secretarial, tolichowki, gandipet, raghuram nagar, bharat nagar, budvel, rajendra nagar, bakaram, kothwalguda, ahmadpur, kavadiguda, asthma, jeedimetla, balaji nagar, alwal, yapral, dammaiguda, sainikpuri, kapra, sakthi nagar, asrao nagar, moulali, bowenpally, ramanthapur, pizza, saroor nagar, falaknuma, vansathi puram, hanuman nagar, brindavan colony, nadergul, indira reddy, rallaguda, gollapally, new hafeezpet, trimulgherry, safilguda, yellareddyguda, musheerabad, taj residency, hill font, apollo hospital, afzalgunj, tadbund, bahadurgarh, sri raghavendra, aradhana, marredpally, zaheerabad, film nagar, mehdipatnam, imperial, esi, kanchanbagh, yeddumailaram, manikonda, chandrayangutta, janwada, chilkur, bakaram, sacoor nagar, deshmukhi, doolapally, amberpet, dilsukhnagar, karwan, gosha mahal, bahadurpura,

Bombay Dilli, Dehli, Kolkata, Kalikata, Kalkutta, Bengaloru, engaluru, Bangalur, Madras, Chennapattanam, Ahmadâbâd, Ahmadabad, Amdabad, Ahmedabad , Haidarabad, Haidarabad, Haiderabad, Hyderabad, Haider-Abad Poona, Pune, Kanpur, Kanpur, Cawnpore, Khanpur, sorat, Surat, Jeypore, Lakhnau Lucknow, Nagpur, Thana, Calcutta, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Pune, Surat, Jaipur, Vadodara, Indore, Patna, Madurai, Bhopal, Ludhiana, Coimbatore, Varanasi, Visakhapatnam, Agra, Mumbai.

Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradeshm Itangar, Itanagar, Assam, Dispur, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Raipur, Goa, Panaji, Gujaratm Gandhinagar, Haryana, Chandigarhm Himachal Pradesh, Shimla, Jammu and Kashmir, Srinagar, Jharkhand, Ranchi, Karnataka, Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, Trivandrum, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Imphal, Meghalaya, Shillong, Mizoram, Aizawi, Nagaland, Kohima, Orissa, Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneshwar, Punjab, Rajasthan, Jaipur, Sikkim, Gangtok, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Agartala, Uttaranchal, West Bengal, Kolkata, Dehradun, Uttar Pradesh, Dada and Nagar Haveli, Silvassa, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Port Blair, Daman and Diu, Lakshadeep, Kavaratti, Yanam, Pondicherry. Asia, USA, America, Washington, Belgium, New York, United States of America, United Kingdom, Columbia, Bangkok, Australia, Switzerland, Mexico, France, Sweden, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Poland, Denmark, France, London, New Zealand, Spain. Indonesia, Brazil, Nigeria, Russia, Philippines, Ethiopia, Vietnam, Egypt, Turkey, Iran, Thailand, Burma, South Africa, Algeria,

A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism, a monotheistic religion which originated during the 15th century in the Punjab region. The term "Sikh" has its origin in the Sanskrit words शिष्य (śiṣya; disciple, student) or शिक्ष (śikṣa; instruction). A Sikh is a disciple of a guru. According to Article I of the Sikh Rehat Maryada (the Sikh code of conduct), a Sikh is "any human being who faithfully believes in One Immortal Being; ten Gurus, from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh; Guru Granth Sahib; the teachings of the ten Gurus and the baptism bequeathed by the tenth Guru". "Sikh" properly refers to adherents of Sikhism as a religion, not an ethnic group. However, because Sikhs often share strong ethno-religious ties, many countries, such as the U.K., recognize Sikh as a designated ethnicity on their censuses. The American non-profit organization United Sikhs has fought to have Sikh included on the U.S. census as well, arguing that Sikhs "self-identify as an 'ethnic minority'" and believe "that they are more than just a religion".

Male Sikhs usually have "Singh" (Lion), and female Sikhs have "Kaur" (Princess) as their middle or last name. Sikhs who have undergone the khanḍe-kī-pahul (the Sikh initiation ceremony) may also be recognized by the five Ks: uncut hair (kesh); an iron or steel bracelet (kara); a kirpan (a sword tucked into a gatra strap); kachehra, a cotton undergarment, and kanga, a small wooden comb. Baptized male Sikhs must cover their hair with a turban, which is optional for baptized female Sikhs. The greater Punjab region is the historic homeland of the Sikhs, although significant communities exist around the world.

HISTORY

Sikh political history may be said to begin with the death of the fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjan Dev, in 1606. Guru Nanak was a religious leader and social reformer in the 15th-century Punjab. Religious practices were formalized by Guru Gobind Singh on 30 March 1699. Singh baptized five people from a variety of social backgrounds, known as the Panj Piare (the five beloved ones) to form the Khalsa, or collective body of initiated Sikhs. Sikhism has generally had amicable relations with other religions, except for the period of Mughal rule in India (1556–1707). Several Sikh gurus were killed by the Mughals for opposing their persecution of minority religious communities including Sikhs. Sikhs subsequently militarized to oppose Mughal rule. The emergence of the Sikh Confederacy under Ranjit Singh was characterized by religious tolerance and pluralism, with Christians, Muslims and Hindus in positions of power. The confederacy is considered the zenith of political Sikhism, encompassing Kashmir, Ladakh and Peshawar. Hari Singh Nalwa, the commander-in-chief of the Sikh army in the North West Frontier, expanded the confederacy to the Khyber Pass. Its secular administration implemented military, economic and governmental reforms. The months leading up to the partition of India in 1947 were marked by conflict in the Punjab between Sikhs and Muslims. This caused the religious migration of Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus from West Punjab, mirroring a similar religious migration of Punjabi Muslims from East Punjab.

The 1960s saw growing animosity between Sikhs and Hindus in India, with the Sikhs demanding the creation of a Punjab state on a linguistic basis similar to other states in India. This was promised to Sikh leader Master Tara Singh by Jawaharlal Nehru, in return for Sikh political support during negotiations for Indian independence. Although the Sikhs obtained the Punjab, they lost Hindi-speaking areas to Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan. Chandigarh was made a union territory and the capital of Haryana and Punjab on 1 November 1966.

Tensions arose again during the late 1970s, fueled by Sikh claims of discrimination and marginalisation by the Hindu-dominated Indian National Congress party and tactics adopted by the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

According to Katherine Frank, Indira Gandhi's assumption of emergency powers in 1975 resulted in the weakening of the "legitimate and impartial machinery of government", and her increasing "paranoia" about opposing political groups led her to institute a "despotic policy of playing castes, religions and political groups against each other for political advantage". Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale articulated Sikh demands for justice, and this triggered violence in the Punjab. The prime minister's 1984 defeat of Bhindranwale led to an attack on the Golden Temple in Operation Blue Star and to her assassination by her Sikh bodyguards. Gandhi's assassination resulted in an explosion of violence against Sikh communities and the killing of thousands of Sikhs throughout India. Khushwant Singh described the riots as a Sikh pogrom; he "felt like a refugee in my country. In fact, I felt like a Jew in Nazi Germany". Since 1984, relations between Sikhs and Hindus have moved toward a rapprochement aided by economic prosperity. However, a 2002 claim by the Hindu right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) that "Sikhs are Hindus" disturbed Sikh sensibilities. The Khalistan movement campaigns for justice for the victims of the violence, and for the political and economic needs of the Punjab.

In 1996, United Nations Commission on Human Rights Freedom of Religion or Belief Special Rapporteur Abdelfattah Amor (Tunisia, 1993–2004) visited India to report on religious discrimination. The following year Amor concluded, "In India it appears that the situation of the Sikhs in the religious field is satisfactory, but that difficulties are arising in the political (foreign interference, terrorism, etc.), economic (in particular with regard to sharing of water supplies) and even occupational fields. Information received from nongovernment (sic) sources indicates that discrimination does exist in certain sectors of the public administration; examples include the decline in the number of Sikhs in the police force and the military, and the absence of Sikhs in personal bodyguard units since the murder of Indira Gandhi".

Although Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks of the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, they make up 1.87 percent of the Indian population.

During the 1999 Vaisakhi, Sikhs worldwide celebrated the 300th anniversary of the creation of the Khalsa. Canada Post honoured Sikh Canadians with a commemorative stamp in conjunction with the 300th anniversary of Vaisakhi. On April 9, 1999, Indian president K.R. Narayanan issued a stamp commemorating the 300th anniversary of the Khalsa.

DEFINITION

According to Guru Granth Sahib:

One who calls himself 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, the Sikh is to bathe, and cleanse himself in the pool of nectar. Following the Instructions of the Guru, the Sikh is to chant the Name of the Lord, Har. All sins, misdeeds and negativity shall be erased. Then, at the rising of the sun, the Sikh is to sing Gurbani; whether sitting down or standing up, the Sikh is to meditate on the Lord's Name. One who meditates on my Lord, Har, with every breath and every morsel of food – 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.

Simran of the Lord's name is a recurring theme of Guru Granth Sahib, and Sukhmani Sahib were composed to allow a devotee to recite Nam throughout the day. Rising at Amrit Velā (before sunrise) is a common Sikh practice. Sikhism considers the spiritual and secular lives to be intertwined: "In the Sikh Weltanschauung ... the temporal world is part of the Infinite and partakes of its characteristics." According to Guru Nanak, living an "active, creative, and practical life" of "truthfulness, fidelity, self-control and purity" is superior to a purely contemplative life.

FIVE Ks

The five Ks (panj kakaar) are five articles of faith which all baptized Sikhs (Amritdhari Sikhs) are obliged to wear. The symbols represent the ideals of Sikhism: honesty, equality, fidelity, meditating on God and never bowing to tyranny. The five symbols are:

- Kesh: Uncut hair, usually tied and wrapped in a Dastar

- Kanga: A wooden comb, usually worn under a Dastar

- Katchera: Cotton undergarments, historically appropriate in battle due to increased mobility when compared to a dhoti. Worn by both sexes, the katchera is a symbol of chastity.

- Kara: An iron bracelet, a weapon and a symbol of eternity

- Kirpan: An iron dagger in different sizes. In the UK Sikhs can wear a small dagger, but in the Punjab they might wear a traditional curved sword from one to three feet in length.

MUSIC & INSTRUMENTS

The Sikhs have a number of musical instruments: the rebab, dilruba, taus, jori and sarinda. Playing the sarangi was encouraged in Guru Har Gobind. The rubab was first played by Bhai Mardana as he accompanied Guru Nanak on his journeys. The jori and sarinda were designed by Guru Arjan. The taus was made by Guru Hargobind, who supposedly heard a peacock singing and wanted to create an instrument mimicking its sounds (taus is the Persian word for peacock). The dilruba was made by Guru Gobind Singh at the request of his followers, who wanted a smaller instrument than the taus. After Japji Sahib, all of the shabda in the Guru Granth Sahib were composed as ragas. This type of singing is known as Gurmat Sangeet.

When they marched into battle, the Sikhs would play a Ranjit Nagara (victory drum) to boost morale. Nagaras (usually two to three feet in diameter, although some were up to five feet in diameter) are played with two sticks. The beat of the large drums, and the raising of the Nishan Sahib, meant that the singhs were on their way.

DISTRIBUTION

Numbering about 27 million worldwide, Sikhs make up 0.39 percent of the world population; approximately 83 percent live in India. About 76 percent of all Sikhs live in the north Indian State of Punjab, where they form a majority (about two-thirds) of the population. Substantial communities of Sikhs (more than 200,000) live in the Indian states or union territories of Haryana (more than 1.1 million), Rajasthan, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh Assam and Jammu and Kashmir.

Sikh migration from British India began in earnest during the second half of the 19th century, when the British completed their annexation of the Punjab. The British Raj recruited Sikhs for the Indian Civil Service (particularly the British Indian Army), which led to Sikh migration throughout India and the British Empire. During the Raj, semiskilled Sikh artisans were transported from the Punjab to British East Africa to help build railroads. Sikhs emigrated from India and Pakistan after World War II, most going to the United Kingdom but many to North America. Some Sikhs who had settled in eastern Africa were expelled by Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in 1972. Economics is a major factor in Sikh migration, and significant communities exist in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Malaysia, East Africa, Australia and Thailand.

Although 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. Moliner (2006) wrote that as a consequence of Sikh migration to the UK "becom[ing] virtually impossible since the late 1970s", migration patterns evolved to continental Europe. Italy is a rapidly growing destination for Sikh migration, with Reggio Emilia and Vicenza having significant Sikh population clusters. Italian Sikhs are generally involved in agriculture, agricultural processing, the manufacture of machine tools and horticulture.

Primarily for socio-economic reasons, Indian Sikhs have the lowest adjusted growth rate of any major religious group in India, at 16.9 percent per decade (estimated from 1991 to 2001). Johnson and Barrett (2004) estimate that the global Sikh population increases annually by 392,633 (1.7 percent per year, based on 2004 figures); this percentage includes births, deaths and conversions.

REPRESENTATION

Sikhs have been represented in Indian politics by former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh and the deputy chairman of the Indian Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is also a Sikh. Past Sikh politicians in India include former president Giani Zail Singh, Sardar Swaran Singh (India's first foreign minister), Speaker of Parliament Gurdial Singh Dhillon and former Chief Minister of Punjab Pratap Singh Kairon.

Politicians from the Sikh diaspora include the first Asian American member of the United States Congress, Dalip Singh Saund, British MPs Piara Khabra, Parmjit Dhanda and Paul Uppal, the first couple to sit together in a Commonwealth parliament (Gurmant Grewal and Nina Grewal, who requested a Canadian government apology for the Komagata Maru incident), former Canadian Shadow Social Development Minister Ruby Dhalla, Canadian Minister of State for Sport Baljit Singh Gosal and Legislative Assembly of Ontario members Vic Dhillon and Jagmeet Singh. Ujjal Dosanjh was the New Democratic Party Premier of British Columbia from July 2004 to February 2005, and was later a Liberal frontbench MP in Ottawa. In Malaysia, two Sikhs were elected MPs in the 2008 general elections: Karpal Singh (Bukit Gelugor) and his son, Gobind Singh Deo (Puchong). Two Sikhs were elected assemblymen: Jagdeep Singh Deo (Datuk Keramat) and Keshvinder Singh (Malim Nawar).

Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks in the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, while making up 1.87 percent of the Indian population. The Sikh Regiment is one of the most-decorated regiments in the army, with 73 Battle Honours, 14 Victoria Crosses, 21 first-class Indian Orders of Merit (equivalent to the Victoria Cross), 15 Theatre Honours, five COAS Unit Citations, two Param Vir Chakras, 14 Maha Vir Chakras, five Kirti Chakras, 67 Vir Chakras and 1,596 other awards. The highest-ranking general in the history of the Indian Air Force is a Punjabi Sikh, Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh. Plans by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence for a Sikh infantry regiment were scrapped in June 2007.

Historically, most Indians have been farmers and 66 percent of the Indian population are engaged in agriculture. Indian Sikhs are employed in agriculture to a lesser extent; India's 2001 census found 39 percent of the working population of the Punjab employed in this sector. The success of the 1960s Green Revolution, in which India went from "famine to plenty, from humiliation to dignity", was based in the Punjab (which became known as "the breadbasket of India"). The Punjab is the wealthiest Indian state per capita, with the average Punjabi income three times the national average. The Green Revolution centred on Indian farmers adopting more intensive and mechanised agricultural methods, aided by the electrification of the Punjab, cooperative credit, consolidation of small holdings and the existing, British Raj-developed canal system. According to Swedish political scientist Ishtiaq Ahmad, a factor in the success of the Indian green revolution was the "Sikh cultivator, often the Jat, whose courage, perseverance, spirit of enterprise and muscle prowess proved crucial". However, not all aspects of the green revolution were beneficial. Indian physicist 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.

Punjabi Sikhs are engaged in a number of professions which include science, engineering and medicine. Notable examples are nuclear scientist Piara Singh Gill (who worked on the Manhattan Project), fibre-optics pioneer Narinder Singh Kapany and physicist, science writer and broadcaster Simon Singh.

In business, the UK-based clothing retailers New Look and the Thai-based Jaspal were founded by Sikhs. India's largest pharmaceutical company, Ranbaxy Laboratories, is headed by Sikhs. UK Sikhs have the highest percentage of home ownership (82 percent) of any religious community. UK Sikhs are the second-wealthiest (after the Jewish community) religious group in the UK, with a median total household wealth of £229,000. In Singapore Kartar Singh Thakral expanded his family's trading business, Thakral Holdings, into total assets of almost $1.4 billion and is Singapore's 25th-richest person. Sikh Bob Singh Dhillon is the first Indo-Canadian billionaire. The Sikh diaspora has been most successful in North America, especially in California’s fertile Central Valley. American Sikh farmers such as Harbhajan Singh Samra and Didar Singh Bains dominate California agriculture, with Samra specialising in okra and Bains in peaches.

Sikh intellectuals, sportsmen and artists include writer Khushwant Singh, England cricketer Monty Panesar, former 400m runner Milkha Singh, Indian wrestler and actor Dara Singh, former Indian hockey team captains Ajitpal Singh and Balbir Singh Sr., former Indian cricket captain Bishen Singh Bedi, Harbhajan Singh (India's most successful off spin cricket bowler), Bollywood actress Neetu Singh, Sunny Leone, actors Parminder Nagra, Neha Dhupia, Gul Panag, Mona Singh, Namrata Singh Gujral, Archie Panjabi and director Gurinder Chadha.

Sikhs have migrated worldwide, with a variety of occupations. The Sikh Gurus preached ethnic and social harmony, and Sikhs comprise a number of ethnic groups. Those with over 1,000 members include the Ahluwalia, Arain, Arora, Bhatra, Bairagi, Bania, Basith, Bawaria, Bazigar, Bhabra, Chamar, Chhimba, Darzi, Dhobi, Gujar, Jatt, Jhinwar, Kahar, Kalal, Kamboj, Khatri, Kumhar, Labana, Lohar, Mahtam, Mazhabi, Megh, Mirasi, Mochi, Nai, Rajput, Ramgarhia, Saini, Sarera, Sikligar, Sunar, Sudh, Tarkhan and Zargar.

An order of Punjabi Sikhs, the Nihang or the Akalis, was formed during Ranjit Singh's time. Under their leader, Akali Phula Singh, they won many battles for the Sikh Confederacy during the early 19th century.

IN THE INDIAN & BRITISH ARMIES

Sikhs supported the British during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. By the beginning of World War I, Sikhs in the British Indian Army totaled over 100,000 (20 percent of the force). Until 1945 fourteen Victoria Crosses were awarded to Sikhs, a per-capita regimental record. In 2002 the names of all Sikh VC and George Cross recipients were inscribed on the monument of the Memorial Gates on Constitution Hill, next to Buckingham Palace. Chanan Singh Dhillon was instrumental in campaigning for the memorial.

During World War I, Sikh battalions fought in Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Gallipoli and France. Six battalions of the Sikh Regiment were raised during World War II, serving in the Second Battle of El Alamein, the Burma and Italian campaigns and in Iraq and receiving 27 battle honours. Around the world, Sikhs are commemorated in Commonwealth cemeteries.

In the last two world wars 83,005 turban wearing Sikh soldiers were killed and 109,045 were wounded. They all died or were wounded for the freedom of Britain and the world, and during shell fire, with no other protection but the turban, the symbol of their faith.

—General Sir Frank Messervy

British people are highly indebted and obliged to Sikhs for a long time. I know that within this century we needed their help twice [in two world wars] and they did help us very well. As a result of their timely help, we are today able to live with honour, dignity, and independence. In the war, they fought and died for us, wearing the turbans.

—Sir Winston Churchill

IN THE WEST

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Sikhs began to emigrate to East Africa, the Far East, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. In 1907 the Khalsa Diwan Society was established in Vancouver, and four years later the first gurdwara was established in London. In 1912 the first gurdwara in the United States was founded in Stockton, California.

Since Sikhs (like Middle Eastern men) wear turbans, some in Western countries have been mistaken for Muslim or Arabic men since the September 11 attacks and the Iraq War. Several days after the 9/11 attacks Sikh Balbir Singh Sodhi was murdered by Frank Roque, who thought Sodhi was connected with al-Qaeda. CNN suggested an increase in hate crimes against Sikh men in the United States and the UK after the 9/11 attacks.

Since Sikhism has never actively sought converts, the Sikhs have remained a relatively homogeneous ethnic group. The Kundalini Yoga-based activities of Harbhajan Singh Yogi in his 3HO (Happy, Healthy, Holy) organisation claim to have inspired a moderate growth in non-Indian adherents of Sikhism. In 1998 an estimated 7,800 3HO Sikhs, known colloquially as ‘gora’ (ਗੋਰਾ) or ‘white’ Sikhs, were mainly centred around Española, New Mexico and Los Angeles, California. Sikhs and the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund overturned a 1925 Oregon law banning the wearing of turbans by teachers and government officials.

In an attempt to foster Sikh leaders in the Western world, youth initiatives by a number of organisations have begun. The Sikh Youth Alliance of North America sponsors an annual Sikh Youth Symposium, a public-speaking and debate competition held in gurdwaras throughout the U.S. and Canada.

ART & CULTURE

Sikh art and culture are nearly synonymous with that of the Punjab, and Sikhs are easily recognised by their distinctive turban (Dastar). The Punjab has been called India’s melting pot, due to the confluence of invading cultures (Greek, Mughal and Persian) from the rivers from which the region gets its name. Sikh culture is therefore a synthesis of cultures. Sikhism has forged a unique architecture, which S. S. Bhatti described as "inspired by Guru Nanak’s creative mysticism" and "is a mute harbinger of holistic humanism based on pragmatic spirituality".

During the Mughal and Afghan 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. With the rise of Ranjit Singh and the Sikh Raj in Lahore and Delhi, there was a change in the landscape of art and culture in the Punjab; Hindus and Sikhs could build decorated shrines without the fear of destruction or looting.

The 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. Sikh architecture is characterised by gilded fluted domes, cupolas, kiosks, stone lanterns, ornate balusters and square roofs. A pinnacle of Sikh style is Harmandir Sahib (also known as the Golden Temple) in Amritsar.

Sikh culture is influenced by militaristic motifs (with the Khanda the most obvious), and most Sikh artifacts - except for the relics of the Gurus - have a military theme. This theme is evident in the Sikh festivals of Hola Mohalla and Vaisakhi, which feature marching and displays of valor.

Although 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 which can be described as "political Sikh" has arisen. The art of diaspora Sikhs like Amarjeet Kaur Nandhra and Amrit and Rabindra Kaur Singh (the "Singh Twins") is influenced by their Sikhism and current affairs in the Punjab.

Bhangra and Giddha are two forms of Punjabi folk dancing which have been adapted and pioneered by Sikhs. Punjabi 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").

PAINTING

Sikh painting is a direct offshoot of the Kangra school of painting. In 1810, Ranjeet Singh (1780–1839) occupied Kangra Fort and appointed Sardar Desa Singh Majithia his governor of the Punjab hills. In 1813 the Sikh army occupied Guler State, and Raja Bhup Singh became a vassal of the Sikhs. With 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.

The Sikh school adapted Kangra painting to Sikh needs and ideals. Its main subjects are the ten Sikh gurus and stories from Guru Nanak's Janamsakhis. The tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, left a deep impression on the followers of the new faith because of his courage and sacrifices. Hunting scenes and portraits are also common in Sikh painting.

WIKIPEDIA

AMMA NANNA CHARITABLE TRUST (ACT)

“INDUVADHANAMMA CHILD WELFARE ORPHAN HOME” (ICWOH)

Registration No 119/2005 under Trust Act of Govt. of A.P. India

License No. 330/1/2011

Many people in the society are looking for helping hands. Let’s be a hope to them. Amma Nanna Charitable Trust is one among them.

“LIFE IS A JOURNEY IN SEARCH OF GOD“

“SERVICE TO LIFE IS SERVICE TO GOD“

We are joining more orphan children who have no parent’s age group between 3 to 12 years and also joining Widows, Deceived and Separated Women at free of charges only. Our children have been staying with us up to their life settlement that means they will stand with their own bases.

You feel you are also responsible to the society, please, if you come across such people in and around your surroundings, give a hope to them by providing our address and we take care of them with pleasure.

Please don’t Drink Alcohol and other intoxicates Live a happily and make Peaceful Society

Everyone should read and write his/her regional language. We don’t try to take any Loans it leads to bitter life. We can live a happily in Kutcha house without loans, and then granite floored building with Loans. Loans make damage peaceful life and leads us misbehavior and corrupt minding nature.

Address of our Free of cost orphanage Children Home Aditya Nagar, Desapathrunipalem, and Parawada, Near Steel Plant Quarters Sector-X, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India, and Asia. Cell no. 08886563252

For Orphan children we are providing good education, nutritious food, sports and games, cultural activities, meditation and yoga. We are very particular in teaching them good behavior, how to be responsible to the situations, moral, spiritual values and civic senses which in deed helps in providing a healthy citizen to the society in our Orphanage children home.

For deceived women or widows, we are providing nutritious food, shelter, healthy and spiritual environment, yoga and meditation. We even accept them as the Volunteers with a service motto as we all know SERVICE TO LIFE IS SERVICE TO GOD

Do you know depending upon parents and teacher’s behaviors children learn good or bad activities? For example we choose one regional language in particular state, different areas living people speak different stylish the same regional language because it’s their environment effect. So when parents/teachers create good environments to their children doing good things like social, civic, moral, spiritual, cultural, social response, kind, and humanity etc¦ Then children growing such way if not they will grimy.

Now a day’s one in all are thinking about earn billions of billions of rupees whatever job they are doing and give it to their children on heredity properties. Suppose they will give their children billions of billions rupees and, there will be no moral values, civic senescence, social responsibilities, humanity, social behavior, kindness, social moving with others and also no pure air, water, earth and sky. Can they enjoy in that society? and live happily such wrinkle and blight society, we will give them not only money on heredity but also we learn or grow them good behaviors like cultural, spiritual, social, moral, civics, kind, help, social responsibility etc.. . Money is requiring for live but life is not money. Money may not make life happy but service must be making live happily that should be known one in all. Friends we may not giving as light as the sun but we are giving as light as lamp and try to drive way darkness in the society as able as we can then darkness drive way from the society then we will live peacefully and happily in such society

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Our properties just like water level in the well if we use water purposefully the decreased water level in the well filled later. If we don’t use water the level of water remains the same suppose we add more water into the well it looks raise in the water level in movement but after sometime it comes to the original level. If we use water unnecessarily and dry it then we have no water when we want to drink even though our well water will be raised later. So we take a little amount of water and use it towards real needy people. We eat for living and not live for eating man / woman should working until last his / her breathe. I hope we make such world! We assure you of our ethical zeal of service to the tender generation born to serve our nation as differently able citizens because ability knows no Handicap.

Amma Nanna Charitable Trust (ACT) was started in providing services for noble cause that includes orphanage for children who have no parent’s and also Widows/Separated /Deceived Women at free of cost only. It is a NGO providing non-profit voluntary social services organization orphanage at free charges homes, that includes promoting education to children and counseling for alcohol and other intoxicates. view to serve society, a non-profit and charitable trust, Volunteer NGO’s Services with the name AMMA NANNA CHARITABLE TRUST (ACT)"established in year 2005 and acquired its registration (as per the Trust Act of A.P., India.) and Reg. 119/2005. And also License by Department for Women, Children, Disabled and Senior Citizen & CID-Police Department and License No. 0330/1/2011, under the leadership as Founder & Secretary Sri Gurubelli. Koteswara Rao M.sc., M.Phil, PGDCPA., And as Chairperson and Managing Trustee Smt Gurubelli Venkatalakssmy M.A (Sociology) We are so happy to expedite the meaning of AMMA NANNA "MOTHER FATHER" and the exigency of naming this trust had been arisen in reminiscence of the beloved late parents ( Smt & sri Gurubelli. Ammayamma Ramamurthy) of Sri Gurubelli. Koteswara Rao, founder & secretary of this ministries following on their sympathetic favor, commitment and support launched for the neglected people who were drastically lack of food, clothes and other family problems. We are running this NGO Social Service Volunteer Organization with our own funds without any disparity in caste and creed in INDIA, Asia and Boards.

Koteswarara Rao bore to devout, illiterate parents namely Smt. & Sri Gurubelli. Ammayamma & Ramamurthy from a mediocre family in the village Gangadharapeta, Challavanipeta (post), Jalumuru (mandal), Srikakulam district, Hyderabad capital, State of Andhra Pradesh, Southern India, India. His parents were always interested for orphan, very poor, struggle, problem faced public servicing. They did not tolerate any attack or cheat to poor and weak persons in their village and fight for their justice. They never thought for earning themselves, but they spent their amounts for the development of the poor needy villagers so as to bring them from the social Evil viz., poverty. Also they had in mind particularly for providing the minimum welfare amenities like Drinking Water, School Building, Electricity, Temple, Roads, properly usage of pond water for irrigation purpose etc. which were benefited to the general public. Always they tried to make them unity and liability. They used to offer advices to their children if we have sound wealth use it for the needy and poor communities without any disparity in caste, creed and religion for getting happiness and able to lead their lives properly with self respect, self reliance with dignity in the society. In addition to the above the following such as food, clothes, and medicines were provided to the fish sellers, fruit sellers, vegetable sellers, pot sellers etc., nearby our village and have their lunch at their home even though his parents have eight children to eking out their family burdens with great difficulties. His father resolved as a burden, commitment to reconcile the couple disputes, dowry pending cases harassment, suspecting cases, attacks, thefts by way of probing into the facts leniently by giving a good judgment. His parents were illiterates even though they did very good charitable activities which made them great respect and popularity adjoining to their nearby mandal villages. All the above made him inspired to do something for the general public. At this juncture he thought a lot for how to do it and finally decided to establish a volunteer organization in remembrance of his beloved parents.

Eventually he selected the name as Amma Nanna Charitable Trust" and the meaning of AMMA NANNA is Mother Father He completed graduation in B.Sc., and started educational coaching Institution from 6th class to Junior College (Intermediate) and closed due to his father was seriously ill and expired and also his mother expired within ten months after his father demised. He felt unconscious and took six months for restoration of normal and four years for better condition. After one year (his mother expired) he secured a good job luckily in Central Government by his parents utmost grace which gave him financial support to lead family with severe obstacles and completed his Post Graduate in M. Sc (Math’s) and GPDCPA. Neither his elder brothers supported him nor could his relatives not help him to lead the family at the critical situation. Only his sister have had come forward to support him in all the ways that she could sacrifice a lot for the family. He has three elder and three younger brothers and one elder sister. He made two younger brothers marriages and helped them in establishment of their individual business by leaving his hereditary properties to them. He married with Venkatalakssmy M.A (Sociology) a spiritual, cooperate and eager to work for the society in the year 2002 and complete his Mater Philosophy M.Phil (math’s). He blessed with two children namely Raghavendra (10yrs) and Ahalya(7 yrs) who are studying primary education at their residential area Desapathrunipalem He has no bad habits even tea or coffee but only bad habit is believe' all. So far he faced number of up and downs on all his downs his sister prepared him mentally strong and push him ups in these hard days to keep up their Oath given for their late parents.

We are meeting this running cost from the profit of Indhu Plaza (Electrical, Hardware, Sanitary and Plywood) at Desapathrunipalem, Near Steel Plant Quarters Sector-X, Visakhapatnam which is maintained by our Chairperson and Managing Trustee Smt Venkatalakssmy

Profile of the organization

Name of the trust

Amma Nanna Charitable Trust (ACT)

Head of the Trustee

The Chairperson and Managing Trustee

Name of the Head Trustee

Venkatalakssmy Gurubelli (alias Suguna)

Address of the Organization

Amma nanna charitable trust (ACT)

Aditya Nagar, Desapathrunipalem,

Parawada, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh â 531 021

Registration No

119/2205

License No.

0330/01/2011

Contact mobile no.

8886563252 & 9397983812

Name of the Project

Orphan Children Home

Name of the Bank

State Bank of India

Type of account

Saving Bank

Account No.

30030634007

CONTACT US

Founder: Gurubelli Koteswara Rao M. Sc., M. Phil (Mathematics) PGDCPA.

Address: Amma Nanna Charitable Trust (ACT)

Aditya Nagar, Desapathrunipalem, Parawada

City: Greater Visakhapatnam – 531021

State: Andhra Pradesh

Capital: Hyderabad

Country: India, Asia

Pin Code: 531021

Phone: +91 9397983812, +91 8297388166, +91 8886563252, +91 9390436302

Email: ammanannacharitabletrust@gmail.com, orphanage.vizag@yahoo.com,

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Visakhapatnam District Munchingiputtu, Nathavaram , Pedagantyada , Pedabayalu , Narsipatnam , Paravada , Hukumpetau , Rolugunta , Anakapalli , Dumbriguda , Ravikamatham , Munagapaka , Arakuvalley , Butchayyapeta , Kasimkota , Ananthagiri , Chodavaram , Makavarapalem, Devarapalle , K Kotapadu, Kotauratla , Cheedikada , Sabbavaram , Payakaraopeta , Madugula , Pendurthi , Nakkapalli , Paderu , Anandapuram , S. Rayavaram , Gangaraju Madugula , Padmanabham , Yelamanchili , Chintapalle , Bheemunipatnam , Rambilli , Gudemkothaveedhi , Visakhapatnam , Atchutapuram, Koyyuru , Visakhapatnam urban, rural, Golugonda , Gajuwaka . Munching Puttu, Devarapalli, Gudem Kotha Veedhi. Apalli, gollapalli, telaprolu.

Srikakulam District Veeraghattam , Bhamini , Vangara , Kothuru , Regidiamadala Valasa , Hiramandalam , Rajam , Sarubujjili , Ganguvari Singadam , Amadalavalasa , Laveru , Srikakulam , Ranastalam , Gara , Hetcherla , Polaki , Ponduru , Narasannapeta , Santhakaviti , Jalumuru , Burja , Saravakota, Palakonda , Pathapatnam , Seethampeta , Meliaputti, Kotabommali , Santha Bommali , Nandigam , Vajrapu Kothuru , Palasa , Mandasa , Sompeta , Kanchili , Kaviti , Tekkali, Ichchapuram , Regidi amadalaValasa ,Santhabommali.

Vizianagaram District Komarada , Ramabhadrapuram , Gummalakshmipuram , Badangi , Kurupam , Therlam , Jiyyammavalasa , Merakamudidam , Garugubilli , Dattirajeru , Parvathipuram , Mentada , Makkuva , Gajapathinagaram , Seethanagaram , Bondapalle , Balajipeta , Gurla , Bobbili , Garividi , Salur , Cheepurupalle , Pachipenta , Nellimarla , Bhoghapuram , Denkada , Vizianagaram , Gantyada , Srungavarapukota , Vepada , Lakkavarapukota , Jami , Kothavalasa, Pusapatirega, Colorado, Thermal Bondapalli.

East Godavari District Maredumilli , Pithapuram , Kapileswarapuram , Y Ramavaram , Kothapalle , Alamuru , Addateegala , Kakinada, Atreyapuram , Rajavommangi , Ravula Palem , Kotananduru , Samalkota , Pamarru , Tuni , Rangampeta , Kothapeta , Thondangi , Gandepalle , P Gannavaram , Gollaprolu , Rajanagaram , Ambajipeta , Sankhavaram , Rajahmundry, Ainavilli , Prathipadu , Mummidivaram , Yeleswaram , Kadiam , I.Polavaram , Gangavaram , Mandapeta , Katrenikona, Rampachodavaram , Anaparthy , Uppalaguptam , Devipatnam , Biccavolu , Amalapuram , Seethanagaram , Pedapudi , Allavaram , Korukonda , Karapa , Mamidikuduru , Gokavaram , Thallarevu , Razole , Jaggampeta , Kajuluru , Malikipuram , Kirlampudi , Ramachandrapuram , Sakhinetipalle, Peddapuram , Rayavaram , sankavaram, Samalkot, Kothapet , Gandepalli , Sakhinetipalli, samrlakota.

West Godavari District Jeelugumilli , Nidadavole , Undi , Buttayagudem , Tadepalligudem , Akiveedu , Polavaram , Unguturu , Kalla , Thallapudi , Bhimadole , Bheemavaram , Gopalapuram , Pedavegi , Palakoderu , Koyyalagudem , Pedapadu , Veeravasaram , Jangareddigudem , Eluru , Penumantra , T.Narasapuram , Denduluru , Penugonda , Chintalapudi , Nidamarru , Achanta , Lingapalem , Ganapavaram , Poduru , Kamavarapukota , Pentapadu , Palacole , Dwarakatirumala , Tanuku , Yelamanchili , Nallajerla , Undrajavaram , Narasapuram , Devarapalle , Peravali , Mogalthur Chagallu , Iragavaram , Kovvur , Attili . Tallapudi, Bhimavaram, Palakol, chebrolu Dwaraka Tirumala, Devarapalli.

Guntur District Macherla , Veldurthi , Narasaraopeta, Rentacrintala , Bollapalle , Rompicherla, Gurazala , Nakarikallu , Ipur Dachepalle, Muppalla , Savalyapuram , Machavaram , Phirangipuram , Vinukonda , Bellamkonda , Medikonduru , Nuzendla , Achampeta , Guntur , Chilakaluripet , Krosuru , Pedakakani , Pedanandipadu , Amaravathi , Duggirala , Kakumanu, Thullur , Kollipara , Ponnur , Thadepalle , Kollur , Amruthalur , Mangalagiri , Vemuru , Cherukupalle , Tadikonda , Tenali , Bhattiprolu , Pedakurapadu , Tsundur , Repalle , ,Sattenapalle , Chebrole , Nagaram , Rajupalem , Vatticherukuru , Nizampatnam , Piduguralla , Prathipadu , Pittalavanipalem , Karempudi , Edlapadu , Karlapalem , Durgi , Nadendla , Bapatla. Narasaraopet, Rentachintala, Bollapalli, Nekarikallu, Jaipur, Thadepalli, Cherukupalli Chebrolu, Georgia

Krishna District Vijayawada A.Konduru, Agiripalli, Avanigadda, Bantumilli, Bapulapadu, Challapalli, Chandralapadu, Chatrai, Gampalogudem, Gannavaram, G. Konduru, Ghantasala, Guduru, Gudivada, Gudlavalleru, Ibrahimpatnam, Jaggayyapeta, Kaikalur, Kalidindi , Kanchikacherla , Kankipadu, Koduru , Kruthivennu, Mailavaram , Machilipatam, Mandavalli , Movva , Mopidevi , Mudinepalle , Musunuru , Nagayalanka , Nandigama , Nandivada, Nuzvid , Pamidimukkala , Pedana, Pamarru, Pedaparupudi , Penuganchiprolu , Penamaluru , Reddigudem , Tiruvuru , Thotlavalluru , Unguturu, Vatsavai, Vissannapeta, Vuyyuru, Veerullapadu , Chandarlapadu, Gampalagudem, benz circle, ring road, Machilipatnam, gunadala matha , kond

Khammam District Cherla , Yellandu , Enkuru , Pinapaka , Singareni , Konijerla , Gundala , Bayyaram , Khammam Urban , Manuguru ,Garla , Khammam Rural , Aswapuram , Kamepalle , Thirumalayapalem , Dummugudem , Julurpad , Kusumanchi , Bhadrachalam , Chandrugonda , Nelakondapalle , Kunavaram , Mulakalapalle ,Mudigonda , Chintur , Aswaraopeta , Chinthakani , Vararamachandrapuram , Dammapeta , Wyra , Velairpad , Sathupalle , Bonakal , Kukunoor , Vemsoor , Madhira , Burgampadu , Penuballi , Yerrupalem, Palawancha, Wazeed , Kothagudem , Kalluru , Venkatapuram , Tekulapalle , Thallada . Cherla, Nakuru, Uganda, Kamepalli, Nelakondapalli , Mulakalapalli Va Ramachandrapuram , Palvancha , Tekulapally.

Prakasam District Yerragondapalem , Martur , Veligandla , Pullalacheruvu , Parchur , Pedacherlopalle , Tripuranthakam , Karamchedu , Ponnaluru , Kurichedu , Chirala , Kondapi , Donakonda , Vetapalem , Santhanuthlapadu , Pedaaraveedu , Inkollu , Ongole , Dornala , Janakavaram, Panguluru , Naguluppalapadu , Ardhaveedu , Korisapadu , Chinaganjam , Markapur , Maddipadu , Kothapatnam , Tarlapadu , Chimakurthi , Tangutur , Konakanamitla , Marripudi , Zarugumilli , Podili , Kanigiri , Kandukur , Darsi , Hanumanthunipadu , Voletivaripalem , Mundlamuru , Bestavaripeta , Pamur , Thallur , Cumbum , Lingasamudram , Addanki , Racherla , Gudluru , Ballikuruva , Giddaluru , Ulavapadu , Santhamaguluru , Komarolu , Singarayakonda , Yeddanapudi , Chadrasekara, Puram . Peda Cherlopalli, Peddaraveedu, Tarlupadu, Chimakurthy, Jarugumilli, Ballikurava, Chandrasekara.

Sri Potti Sri Ramulu Nellore District Seetharamapuram, Kodavalur , Sydapuram , Varikuntapadu , Butchireddipalem , Dakkili , Kondapuram , Sangam , Venkatagiri , Jaladanki , Chejerla , Balayapalle , Kavali , Ananthasagaram , Ojili , Bogole , Kaluvoya , Chillakur , Kaligiri , Rapur , Kota , Vinjamur , Podlakur , Vakadu , Duttalur , Nellore , Chittamur , Udayagiri , Kovur , Naidupeta , Marripadu , Indukurpet , Pellakur , Atmakur , Thotapalligudur , Doravarisatram , Anumasamudrampeta , Muthukur , Sullurpeta , Dagadarthi , Venkatachalam , Tada , Allur , Manubolu , Vidavalur , Gudur Buchireddypalem, Balayapalli , Podalakur , Thotapalli Gudur ,Anamasamudrampeta , Allure

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Dr. Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy Cuddapah District Muddanur, Vempalle , Kondapuram , Simhadripuram , Chaknayapet , Mylavaram , Lingala , Lakkireddipalle , Peddamudium , Pulivendla , Ramapuram , Raju Palem , Vemula , Veeraballe , Duvvur , Thandur , Rajampet , S Mydukur , Veerapunayunipalle , Nandalur , Brahmamgarimattam , Yerraguntla , Penagaluru , B Kodur , Kamalapuram , Chitvel , Kalasapadu , Vallur , Kodur , Porumamilla , Chennur , Obulavaripalle , Badvel , Atlur , Pullampeta , Gopavaram , Vontimitta , T.Sundupalle , Khajipet , Sidhout , Sambepalle , Chapad , Chinnamandem , Proddutur , Chintha Kommadinne , Rayachoti , Jammalamadugu , Pendlimarri , Galiveedu Vempalli , Chakrayapet , Pulivendula , Tandur , Veerapunayuni Palli , Penagalur , Obulavaripalli , Atlanta , Pullampet , T.Sundupalli , Kazipet, Sambepalli, Proddatur.

Chittoor District Peddamandyam , K V P Puram , Nagari , Thamballapalle , Narayanavanam , Karvetinagar , Mulakalacheruvu , Vadamalapeta , Srirangaraja Puram , Peddathippa Samudram , Tirupati Rural , Palasamudram , B.Kothakota , Kammapalle , Gangadhara Nellore , Kurabalakota , Chandragiri , Penumuru , Gurramkonda , Chinnagottigallu , Puthalapattu , Kalakada , Rompicherla , Irala , Kambhamvaripalle , Pileru , Thavanampalle , Yerravaripalem , Kalikiri ,Chittoor , Tirupati Urban , Vayalpad , Gudipala , Renigunta , Nimmanapalle , Yadamari , Yerpedu , Mandopalle , Bangarupalem , Srikalahasti , Ramasamudram , Palamaner , Thottambedu , Punganur , Gangavaram , Buchinaidu Khandriga , Chowdepalle , Pedda Panjani , Varadaiahpalem , Somala , Baireddi Palle , Satyavedu , Sodam , Venkatagiri Kota , Nagalapuram , Pulicherla , Ramakuppam , Pichatur , Pakala , Santhi Puram , Vijaya Puram , Veduru Kuppam , Gudi Palle , Nindra , Puttur , Kuppam K V B Puram , Sri Rangaraja Puram , Pedda Thippa , Kammapalli , Kambham Vari Palli , Piler , Madanapalle , Madanapalle, Bangarupalem , Srikalahasti , Kandireega , Peddapanjani , Somalia , Baireddipalle ,Sathyavedu , Sodom, Santhipuram , Vijayapuram , Vedurukuppam , Gudipalle , Nidra.

Ananthapur District D.Hirchal , Kunurpi , Gandlapenta , Bommanahal , Kalyandurg , Kadiri , Vidapanakal , Atmakur , Amadagur , Vajrakarur , Anantapur , Obuladevaracheruvu , Guntakal , Bukkarayasamudram , Nallamada , Gooty , Narpala , Gorantla , Peddavadugur , Putlur , Puttaparthi , Yadiki , Yellanur , Bukkapatnam , Tadpatri , Tadimarri , Kothacheruvu , Peddapappur , Bathalapalle , Penu Konda , Singanamala , Raptadu , Roddam , Pamidi , Kanaganapalle , Somandepalle , Garladinne , Kambadur , Chilamathur , Kudair , Ramagiri , Lepakshi , Uravakonda , Chenne Kothapalle , Hindupur , Beluguppa , Dharmavaram , Parigi , Kanekal , Mudigubba , Madakasira , Rayadurg , Talupula , Gudibanda , Gummagatta , Nambulipulikunta , Amarapuram , Brahmasamudram , Tanakal , Agali , Settur , Nallacheruvu , Rolla D.Hirehal, Kundurpi , Bommanahalli , Bathalapalli , Penukonda , Kanaganapalli , Sattur.

Kurnool District Kowthalam , Kodumur , Rudravaram , Kosigi , Gonegandla , Allagadda , Mantralayam , Yemmiganur , Chagalamarri , Nandavaram , Pedda Kadalur , Uyyalawada , C.Belagal , Adoni , Dornipadu , Gudur , Holagunda , Gospadu , Kurnool , Alur , Koilkuntla , Nandi Kotkur , Aspari , Banaganapalle , Pagidyala , Devanakonda , Sanjamala , Kothapalle , Krishnagiri , Kolimigundla , Atmakur , Veldurthi , Owk , Srisailam , Bethamcherla , Peapally , Velgode , Panyam , Dhone , Pamulapadu , Gadivemula , Tuggali , Jupadu Bungalow , Bandi Atmakur , Pattikanda , Midthur , Nandyal , Maddikera East , Orvakal , Mahanandi , Chippagiri , Kallur , Sirvel , Halaharvi . Nandikotkur, Banaganapalli, Dhoni, Jupadu Bunglow, Silver.

Mahabubnagar District Kodangal , Jadcherla , Amrabad , Bomraspeta , Bhoothpur , Balmoor , Kosgi , Mahbubnagar , Lingal , Doulatabad , Addakal , Peddakothapalle , Damaragidda , Devarkadara , Kodair , Maddur , Dhanwada , Gopalpeta , Koilkonda , Narayanpet , Wanaparthy , Hanwada , Utkoor , Pangal , Nawabpet , Maganoor , Pebbair , Balanagar , Makthal , Gadwal , Kondurg , Narva , Dharur , Farooqnagar , Chinna Chinta Kunta , Maldakal , Kothur , Atmakur , Ghattu , Keshampeta , Kothakota , Aiza , Talakondapalle , Peddamandadi , Waddepalle , Amangal , Ghanpur , Itikyal , Madgul , Bijinapalle , Manopadu , Vangoor , Nagar Kurnool , Alampur , Veldanda , Tadoor , Veepangandla , Kalwakurthy , Telkapalle , Kollapur , Midjil , Uppununthala , Thimmajipeta , Achampeta . Daulatabad, Tandoor, Telkapally, Kolhapur, Thimmajipet.

Rangareddy District Marpalle ,Hayathnagar , Gandeed , Mominpet , Saroornagar , Kulkacharla , Nawabpet , Rajendranagar , Pargi , Shankarpalle , Moinabad , Pudur , Malkajgiri , Chevella , Shabad , Serilingampalle , Vikarabad , Shamshabad , Quthbullapur , Dharur , Maheswaram , Medchal , Bantaram , Ibrahimpatam , Shamirpet ,Peddemul , Manchal , Balanagar , Tandur , Yacharam , Keesara , Basheerabad , Kandukur , Ghatkesar , Yelal , Uppal , Doma . Shankarpalli, puduraya, Serilingampally, Maheshwaram, Yell.

Nalgonda District Bommalaramaram , Chityala , Thripuraram , M Turkapalle , Narketpalle , Miryalaguda , Rajapet , Kattangoor , Garide Palle , Yadagirigutta , Nakrekal , Chilkur , Alair , Kethepalle , Kodad , Gundala , Suryapet , Mellachervu , Thirumalagiri , Chivvemla , Huzurnagar , Thunga Thurthi , Mothey , Mattampalle , Nuthankal , Nadigudem , Nered Cherla , Atmakur (S) , Munagala , Dameracherla , Jaji Reddi Gudem , Penpahad , Anumula , Saligouraram , Vemulapalle , Peddavura , Mothkur , Thipparthi , Pedda Adiserlapalle , Atmakur (M) , Nalgonda , Gurrampode , Valigonda , Munugode , Nampalle , Bhuvanagiri , Narayanapur , Chintha Palle , Bibinagar , Marri Guda , Devarakonda , Pochampalle , Chandur , Gundla Palle , Choutuppal , Kangal , Chandam Pet , Ramannapeta , Nidamanur . Tripuraram , M Turkapally , Narketpally , Kethepally , Uganda , Mellacheruvu , Tirumalagiri , Chivemla ,Thoonga , Mattampally, Need Cherla , Damaracherla , Shaligouraram , Vemulapalli ,Peddavura , Narayanpur , Chintapalli , Marriguda , Pochampally , Gundlapalli ,Chandampet , Ramannapet.

Medak District Manoor , Siddipet , Kohir , Kangti , Chinna Kodur , Munpalle , Kalher , Nanganur , Pulkal , Narayankhed , Kondapak , Sadasivpet , Regode , Jagdevpur , Kondapur ,Shankarampet (A) , Gajwel , Sangareddy , Alladurg , Doultabad , Patancheru , Tekmal , Chegunta , Ramachandrapuram , Papannapet , Yeldurthy , Jinnaram , Kulcharam , Kowdipalle , Hathnoora , Medak , Andole , Narsapur , Shankarampet (R) , Raikode , Shivampet , Ramayampet , Nyalkal , Tupran , Dubbak , Jharasangam , Wargal , Mirdoddi , Zahirabad , Mulug . Manoor, Munipalle, Nanganallur, Daulatabad, Veldurthy, Kowdipally, Toopran, to Oprah

Warangal District Cheriyal , Thorrur , Duggondi , Maddur , Nellikudur , Geesugonda , Narmetta , Narsimhulapet , Atmakur , Bachannapeta , Maripeda , Shayampet , Jangaon , Dornakal , Parkal , Lingala Ghanpur , Kuravi , Regonda , Raghunatha Palle , Mahabubabad , Mogullapalle , Ghanpur(Stn) , Kesamudram , Chityal , Dharmasagar , Nekkonda , Bhupalpalle , Hasanparthy , Gudur , Ghanapur , Hanamkonda , Kothagudem , Mulug , Wardhannapet , Khanapur , Venkatapur , Zaffergadh , Govindaraopet , Palakurthi , Chennaraopet , Tadvai , Devaruppula , Parvathagiri , Eturnagaram , Kodakandla , Sangam , Mangapet , Raiparthy , Nallabelly , Warangal Cherial, Cheryl, Bachannapet, Kuruvi, Mogullapally, Bhupalpally, Ghanpur.

Karimnagar District Ibrahimpatnam , Jagtial , Vemulawada , Mallapur , Medipalle , Konaraopeta , Raikal , Koratla , Yella Reddi Peta , Sarangapur , Metpalle , Gambhiraopet , Dharmapuri , Kathlapur , Mustabad , Velgatoor , Chandurthi , Sirsilla , Ramagundam , Kodimial , Ellanthakunta , Kamanpur , Gangadhara , Bejjanki , Manthani , Mallial , Thimmapur , Kataram , Pegadapalle , Kesavapatnam , Mahadevpur , Choppadandi , Huzurabad , Mutharam , Mahadevpur , Sultanabad , Kamalapur , Malharrao , Odela , Elkathurthi , Mutharam Manthani , Jammikunta , Saidapur , Srirampur , Veenavanka , Chigurumamidi , Peddapalle , Manakondur , Koheda , Julapalle , Karimnagar , Husnabad , Dharmaram , Ramadugu , Bheemadevarpalle , Gollapalle , Boinpalle Medipally , Konaraopet , Korutla , Yellareddy Peta , Sarangpur , ,Metpally , Kathalapur Pegadapally, Elkathurthy , Shrirampur , Peddapalli , Julapalli, Bheemadevarapally, Bowenpally.

Nizamabad District Ranjal , Yeda Palle , Sadasivanagar , Navipet , Bodhan , Gandhari , Nandipet , Kotgiri , Banswada , Armur , Madnur , Pitlam , Balkonda , Jukkal , Nizamsagar , Mortad , Bichkunda , Yellareddy , Kammar , Palle , Birkoor , Naga Reddipet , Bheemgal , Varni , Lingampet , Velpur , Dichpalle , Tadwai , Jakranpalle , Dhar Palle , Kamareddy , Makloor , Sirkonda , Bhiknur , Nizamabad , Machareddy , Domakonda . Sadashivanagar, Kotagiri, Armour, Pelle, Naga Reddit, Dichpally, Jakranpally, Sirikonda

Adilabad District Talamadugu , Lohesra , Tiryani , Tamsi , Dilawarpur , Asifabad , Adilabad , Nirmal , Wankdi , Jainad , Laxmanchanda , Kagaz Nagar , Bela , Mamda , Rebbana , Narnoor , Khanpur , Tandur , Inderavelly , Kaddampeddur , Bellampalle , Gudihatnur , Utnur , Nennal , Ichoda , Jainoor , Bheemini , Bazarhathnoor , Kerameri , Sirpur (T) , Boath , Sirpur (U) , Kouthala , Neradigonda , Jannaram , Bejjur , Sarangapur , Dandepalle , Dahegaon , Kuntala , Luxettipet , Vemanpalle , Kubeer , Mancherial , Kotapalle , Bhainsa , Mandamarri , Chennur , Tanur , Kasipet , Jaipur , Mudhole Lohara, Tampa , Kagaznagar , Bella , Kaddam Peddur , Gudihathnoor , Bheemili, boathouse , Sarangpur , Vempalli , Kazipet.

Hyderabad, Secendrabad kukatpally , tank bund , hussain sagar , birla mandir ,himayat nagar , begumpet, shamshabad, charminar, golconda , banjara hills ,stadhampton , khairabadi , yousufguda, patancheru, Musheerabad , Ameerpet , Khairatabad , Bandlaguda, Amberpet , Secunderabad, Charminar , Asifnagar , Himayathnagar ,Tirumalagiri , Golconda , Saidabad , Maredalle,shaikpet ,nampally ,bahadurpura , Maryland .cyderabad, jubili hills, kazipally, bollaram, bachupally, swarnapuri, miyapur, kompally,thumkunta, hakimpet, ramachandra puram, vishwambhar enclave, bala nagar, serilingampally, sri ram nagar, gachibowli, madhapur, secretarial, tolichowki, gandipet, raghuram nagar, bharat nagar, budvel, rajendra nagar, bakaram, kothwalguda, ahmadpur, kavadiguda, asthma, jeedimetla, balaji nagar, alwal, yapral, dammaiguda, sainikpuri, kapra, sakthi nagar, asrao nagar, moulali, bowenpally, ramanthapur, pizza, saroor nagar, falaknuma, vansathi puram, hanuman nagar, brindavan colony, nadergul, indira reddy, rallaguda, gollapally, new hafeezpet, trimulgherry, safilguda, yellareddyguda, musheerabad, taj residency, hill font, apollo hospital, afzalgunj, tadbund, bahadurgarh, sri raghavendra, aradhana, marredpally, zaheerabad, film nagar, mehdipatnam, imperial, esi, kanchanbagh, yeddumailaram, manikonda, chandrayangutta, janwada, chilkur, bakaram, sacoor nagar, deshmukhi, doolapally, amberpet, dilsukhnagar, karwan, gosha mahal, bahadurpura,

Inmates are all district and states of India, like , 1 Town, 75 Feet Road, 4th Town Police Station 104 Area, Aanadha Ashramam, Abidnagar, Anatha Asram, Achampet , Achanta, Adarshnagar, Addanki, Addateegala, Addatheegala, Addakula, Addurodu, Adilabad, Adivivaram, Adoni , Air port, Aganampudi, Akividu,Akkayyapalem, Akkireddypalem, , Alair, Alamanda, Alampur, Alamuru, Allagadda, Allipuram, Allure, Alur, Amadalavalasa, Amalapuram, Amaravathi, Ambajeepeta, Amarchinta, Amaravathi, Amarevati, Anandapuram, Ananthagiri, Anaparthi, Annavaram, Anaparthy, Andhra Bhumi, Andhra University, Anantapur, Andole ,ANR Appikonda, Asifabad, Asifnagar, Asilmetta, Asheelmetta junction, Araku valley, Arasavalli, Arilova, , Armoor, Atchutapuram, Atmakur Attili, A U Campus, IN, Out Gate, Auto Nagar, Avanigadda,

Badvel, Bala cheruvu, Balacheruvu Road, Balaji Nagar, Ballajura Balkonda , Bangalore, Banswada, Bapujinagar, Bapatla, Baruva, Bayyavaram, Berhampur, Bhadrachalam, Bheemili, Bheemunipatnam, Bhimadolu Bhimavaram, Bhogapuram, Bhongir, BHPV, Bhubaneswar Bhupesh Nagar, Big Bazaar, Bazar, Birla, Bimavaram, Boath, Bobbili, Bodhan, Bombay, Bowdara, Borra Caves, BRTS, B.S Layout Cheepurupalli, BSI Standard, Buddhavarapu Gardens, Budithi, Buggaram, Burgampahad, Butchirajupalem, Butchi Sundara Rao Street, Burujupeta, , Burugupudi,

Calcutta, CBM Compound, CBI, Chalakurthy, Challavanipeta, Chanakya Towers, Chandragiri, Chandrayangutta, Chapaluppada, Charminar , Chavulamadam, Chavulamadumu, Cheepurupalli, Chennai, Chennur, Cherial, Chevella , Chilakaluripet, Chilakapalem, China musidivada, chinnamusidivada, Chinnor, Chintalapudi, Chintapalli, krishna Chirala, Chittoor, Chodavaram Chollangi village, Choppadandi, CMR center, Collectorate, Collectors Office Convent junction, corromendal, Coromandel gate, CDR Hospital, Cuddapah, Cumbum,

Dabagarden, Dabagardens, Dagguvanipalem, Dasapalla Hills , Darsi, Dayalapuram, Dayal nagar, Delhi, Denduluru, Devarakonda, devipatnam, Dabhagaden, Dharmavaram, Dhavaleswaram, dhayal nagar, Dolphin, Dhondaparthi, Dhone , Dhorathota, , Diamond Park, Dibbalapalem, Dichpalli, Doctors Colony, Dommat, Dondaparthy, Dorakanagar Dorathota, Dornakal , Duggirala, Duvvada, Dwaraka Nagar, Dwaraka Tirupati, Dwarapudi,

East Godavari, East Point Colony, Ecchapuram, Elamanchili, Eluru, ENDADA, Enadu, Eenadu, Etcherla, Etikoppaka, Femur, Fishing Harbour, Harbor Approach Road,

Gadwal, Gajapathinagaram, Gajwel , Ganavaram Port, Gannavaram, Gangulavari, Gannavaram, Gara, Garividi, Ghanpur, Giddalur, Gumma Lakshmipuram, GL Puram, Gunnies Book, Record, Gnanapuram, Gandhigram Gokavaram Golkonda, Gollapalem, Gollavanipalem, Golukonda, Golugonda Gopalapatnam, Gooty, Gopalapuram, Gorantla, Gorllivanipalem, Green Park, Greater Visakhapatnam, , G.S.N. Gullipadu, Gudivada, Gudur, Guntur, Gurazala, Gurudwara, Hanamkonda,

Hanuman Junction, Temple, Hanumanthavaka, Hall Mark, Hanumantuvaka, Harichandrapuram, Harischandrapuram, Harishchandrapur, HB colony, Head Post Office, Heccherla, Himayat Nagar, Hindupur Hiramandalam, HPCL, hukumpeta, Huzurabad, Hyderabad, Ibrahimpatnam, Ichapuram, India, INDIA, Indurthi, Industrial estate, IT, IN, INL Kalinga, Isukathota, iskathota,

Jadcherla,Jagadam, Jagadamba centre, Jagamba Theatre, Jail Road, Jaggampeta, Jagarajupeta, Jaggayyapalem, Jaggayyapet, Jaghadham Jagtial, Jalandhar, Jalumuru, Jammalamadugu, Jangaon, Jangareddygudem, Jodugullapalem, Jukkal,

Kadapa, Kadiri, Kadiyam, Kaikalur, Kaikaluru, Kailashmetta, Kaka Nagar, Kakani Nagar, Kailasagiri, Kailasapuram, Kakinada, Kalaniketan, Kalanikhetan, Kalingapatnam, Kalinganagar, Kalwakurthy Kalyandurg, Kamalapur, Kamalapuram, Kamareddy, Kancharapalem, Kandukur, Kanigiri, Kankipadu, Kapuluppada, , Kapu uppada, Kapuluppada, Kantipudi, Kanithi Road, Karimnagar, Karnal, Karnataka, Karnool, Karunol, Karwan, Kasibugga, Kasimkota, Kattipudi, Kavali, KGH, Khairatabad , Khammam, Khanapur, Kirlampudi, layout, K. Kotapadu, Kobbari Thota, Kodad, Kodangal , Kodumur, Koduru, Koduruand, Koilkuntla , Kolhapur, Kolkata, Kondepi, Koppaka, Korasavada, Kotabommali, Kotananduru, Kotavalasa, Kotaveedhi, Kothagudem, Kothapet, Kotha Road, Kothavalasa, Kothuru, Kotipalli, Koturu, Kovur, Kovvur,Krishna College, Krantinagar, KRM Colony, Kuchinapudi, Kuppam, Kurupam Market, Kurmanpalem, Kurmam, Kummaripalem, Kurmannapalem , Kurnool, Kusalapuram, Lakkireddipalli, Lalitha Nagar, Lankhilapallem, Lakshminagar, Lankelapalem, Lankilapallem, LB Colony, Leela Mahal, Luxettipet,

Macherla, Machilipatnam, Madakasira, Madanpalle, Madapamu, Maddilapalem, Madduru, Madivala, Madhira, Madhavadhara, Madhurawada, Madhya Pradesh, Madugula Reddi, Maharanipeta, Mahbubabad , Mahabubnagar, Mahbubnagar, Maharajgunj , Makthal, Malkapuram, Malakpet, Malleswaram, Mandapeta, Mandavaripeta, , Mangalagiri, Manthani, Marikavalasa Maredumilli, Markapur, Marripalem, Martur , Maruteru, Medak, Medchal, Medivada, Metpalli, Meghadripeta, Meghadri gadda, Meghadrigadda, Midilapuri, Mindi, Mindhi, Miryalguda, MMTC Colony, Mud Hole, Mudhole, Mudinepalli, Mulug, Mumbai, Mulagada, Mummidivaram, Muppidi Colony, Mungode, Murali Nagar, Musheerabad,

Nagari , Nagarkurnool , MVP colony, Myadaram, Mydukur, Mylavaram, NAD junction, Nagaram, Naguru, Naiduthota Nakkapalem, Nakkapalli, Nakkavanipalem, Nakrekal, Nalgonda, Nallamada, Nandigama, Nandyal, Narasannapeta, Narasaraopet Narasimha, Narayankhed , Narasapur, narsapur, Narsampet, Narsipatnam, Narisipatnam, Natavalasa, Nathavaram, Nathayyapalem, Naval Dock, Yard Neelamma Vepaqchettu, Naval Dock Yard Neelamma Vepachettu, Nellimarla, Nellore, Nerella, new Gajuwaka, Nidadavole, nidadhavole Nidadhavolu, Nidumolu ,Nimmada, Nirmal, Nivagam, Nizamabad, N.R. I NSTL, NTPC, NTPC-Parawada, Nuzvid, Odessa, Old post office, Ongole, Orissa,

Paderu, Palacole, Palair, Palakonda, Palakollu, Palamaner, Palasa, Pallavaram, Panchadarla, Panyam Parawada Parchur, Parkal, Pargi, Parlakimidi, Parvathipuram, Patapatnam, Pata Polavaram, Pathapatnam, Pattikonda , Payakaraopeta, Pedakurapadu, Peda Peddapalli, Peddipalem, Peddapuram, Pendurthi, pendurthy, Penugonda, Penukonda Pillala Ashramam, Piler, Pithapuram, PM Palem, PNT Colony, Pandurangapuram, Polaki, Polavaram, Ponduru, Ponnur, Poondi, Poorna Market, Porur, Prakasam, Prathipadu, Priya, Proddat, Proddatur, Pudimadaka, Pulivendula, Pundi, Pune, Punganur, purna, Purushothapuram, Purusotapuram, puspatera, Puttur , Pydibheemavaram,

Rail Way New Colony, Rajahmundry, Rajam, Rajampet, Raj, Raja Nagar, rajavommangi, Rajolu, Ramachandrapuram, Ramagundam, Rama Nagar, Ramnagar Ramannapet, Rama Talkies Center, ramatheertham, Ramtherdham, Neusan Bhag, Ramatheertham, ramavaram, Ramayampet, Rambilli, Ramnagar, Rampachodavaram, Rangapuram, Ranastalam, Rangareddy, Ravulapalem, Rayachoty, Rayadurg, Raya Durg, Rayavaram, , Razole, Reddipalli, RegupaduRepalle, Rapur, Regupalem, Revidi, Revit, RK Beach, Rotherham, Rushikonda,rusu konda, Rushukonda,

Sabbavaram, Sagar Nagar, Sakhsi, Salur, Sampara , Sanath Nagar, Sangareddy, Santhanuthalapadu , Sarasota, Saraswati Park, Saravakota, Sarvepalli, Sathivada, Sathupalli, Sattenapalli Sastry Road, Satyam centre, Satyavedu, Secunderabad, seetampeta, Seethammadhara, Seethampeta, Shadnagar, Shayampet, Sholur, Shopping Mall, Siddhantam, Siddipet, Simhachalam, Sindhiya, Singanamala, Sircilla , Sirpur, Siripuram, S. Kota, Soluru, Sompeta, Sriharipuram, Srikakulam, Sri Kalahasti, Sri Kalahsti, Srikurmam, Srimukalingam, Srimukhalingam, Srungavarapukota, Steel Plant Quarters Sector, Sujathanagar, Sulurpet, Suryabagh, Surya Bhag, Suryapet,

Tadepalligudem, Tadepellegudem, tadepalli gudum, Tadikonda, Tadipatri, Tagarapuvalasa, , Tallapalem, Talarevu, Tallarevu, Tamil nadu, Tandur, Tanuku , Tekkali, Tenali, Thamballapalle, Thatichetlapalem, Therlam, Thotapalli, Tilaru, Tikkavanipalem, Timaru, Tirumala, Tirupati, Tiruvuru, Tuni, Tungaturthi,

UDA Park, Udda Udayagiri, Ukkumpeta, Ukkunagaram, Undi, Unguturu, Universal records, Uravakonda, Ushodaya Colony, Uttarahalli, Uttarapalli,

Vada cheepurupalli, Vadacheepurapalli, Vaddadi, Vanukuru, Vartha, varthaa, Vayalpad, Vellanki, Vemur, Venkatagiri , Venkojipalem, Velampeta, Vepada, Vepagunta, Vepanjeri , Vijayawada, Vikarabad, Vinukonda, Visakhapatnam, Visakha Valley, Vitanthula ashramam, Vizag, Vizianagaram, Vrudhula ashramam Vuyyuru, Waltair, Wanaparthy, Warangal, Wardhannapet, West Godavari World Record, Yalamanchili, Yakutpura, Yeleswaram, Yellandu, Yellareddy, Yellavaram, Yemmiganur, Yendada, Y junction, Zahirabad, Zoo Park center, and other state of India.

Ariyalur, Chennai, Coimbatore, Cuddalore, Dharmapuri, Dindigu, Erode, Kanchipuram, Kanniyakumari, Karur, Krishnagiri, Madurai, Nagapattinam, Namakkal, Nilgiris, Perambular, Pudukkottai, Ramnathapuram, Salem, Sivaganga, Thanjavur, Theni, Thoothukodi, Tiruvarur, Tirunelveli, Tiruchirappalli, Tiruvallur, Tirupur,Tiruvannamalai, Vellore, Villupuram, Virudhnagar

Belgaum, Bagalkot, Bijapur, Bidar, Raichur, Koppal, Gadag, Dharwad, Uttara Kannada, Haveri, Bellary, Chitradurga, Davanagere, Shimoga, Udupi, Chikmagalur, Tumkur, Bangalore Mandya, Hassan, Dakshina Kannada, Kodagu, Mysore, Chamarajanagar, Gulbarga, Yadgir, Kolar, Chikkaballapura, Ramanagara

Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Idukki, Kannur, Kasaragod, Kollam, Kottayam, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Palakkad, Pathanamthitta, Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur, Wayanad

Alirajpur, Chhindwara, Indore, Neemuch , Singrauli , Anuppur , Damoh , Jabalpur, Panna, Shahdol , Ashoknagar, Datia, Jhabua, Raisen, Shajapur, Balaghat, Dewas , Katni , Rajgarh Sheopur, Barwani, Dhar , Khandwa , Ratlam, Shivpuri, Betul, Dindori, Khargone, Rewa, Sidhi, Bhind, Guna, Mandla, Sagar, Tikamgarh , Bhopal, Gwalior, Mandsaur , Satna, Ujjain, Burhanpur , Harda, Morena, Sehore, Umaria , Chhatarpur, Hoshangabad, Narsinghpur, Seoni, Vidisha

Amritsar, Barnala, Bathinda, Faridkot, Fatehgarh Sahib, Fazilika, Firozpur, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Mansa, Moga, Mohali, Muktasar, Pathankot, Patiala, Rupnagar, Sangrur, Shahid Bhagat Singh NagarNawanshahr, Tarn, Taran

Ajmer Alwar Banswara Baran Barmer Bharatpur Bhilwara Bikaner Bundi Chittaurgarh Churu Dausa Dhaulpur Dungarpur Ganganagar Hanumangarh Jaipur Jaisalmer Jalor Jhalawar Jhunjhunun Jodhpur Karauli Kota Nagaur Pali Pratapgarh Rajsamand Sawai Madhopur Sikar Sirohi Tonk Udaipur

Ahmednagar, Akola, Amravati, Aurangabad, Beed, Bhandara, Buldana, Chandrapur, Dhule, Gadchiroli, Gondia, Hingoli, Jalgaon, Jalna, Kolhapur, Latur, Mumbai, Nagpur, Nanded, Nandurbar, Nashik, Osmanabad, Parbhani, Pune, Raigarh Alibaug, Ratnagiri, Sangli, Satara, 0Sindhudurg , Oras, Solapur , Thane, Wardha, Washim, Yavatmal.

Howrah, Darjeeling, Medinipur Murshidabad Coochbehar Malda Birbhum Parganas Bankura Bardhaman Jalpaiguri Hooghly Nadia Dakshin Dinajpur Purulia Uttar Dinajpur Siliguri Allahabad Aligarh Bareilly Gonda Hardoi Kanpur Dehat Ghaziabad Unnav Varanasi Faizabad Gorakpur Jhansi Lucknow Agra Meerut Moradabad Barabanki Mainpuri Etawah Gazipur Etah Muzaffar Nagar Saharanpur Bulandshehar Mathura Firozabad Budaun Shahjahanpur Pilibhit Bijnor Rampur Kanpur(Nagar) Farrukhabad Fatehpur Pratapgarh Jalaun Hamirpur Lalitpur Mirzapur Basti Deoria Raebareili Sitapur Banda Lakhimpur-Khedi Bahraich Sultanpur Mau Azamgarh Jaunpur Balia Bhadoi Padrauna Maharajganj Siddharth Nagar Sunbhadra Mahoba Ambedkarnagar Gautam Bodda Nagar Maha Maya Nagar jyotiba Phoole Nagar Kaushambi Shooji Maharaj Chandauli Balrampur Shravati Bagpat Kanooj Oraiyya Sant Kabir Nagar

Bombay Dilli, Dehli, Kolkata, Kalikata, Kalkutta, Bengaloru, engaluru, Bangalur, Madras, Chennapattanam, Ahmadâbâd, Ahmadabad, Amdabad, Ahmedabad , Haidarabad, Haidarabad, Haiderabad, Hyderabad, Haider-Abad Poona, Pune, Kanpur, Kanpur, Cawnpore, Khanpur, sorat, Surat, Jeypore, Lakhnau Lucknow, Nagpur, Thana, Calcutta, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Pune, Surat, Jaipur, Vadodara, Indore, Patna, Madurai, Bhopal, Ludhiana, Coimbatore, Varanasi, Visakhapatnam, Agra, Mumbai

.

Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradeshm Itangar, Itanagar, Assam, Dispur, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Raipur, Goa, Panaji, Gujaratm Gandhinagar, Haryana, Chandigarhm Himachal Pradesh, Shimla, Jammu and Kashmir, Srinagar, Jharkhand, Ranchi, Karnataka, Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, Trivandrum, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Imphal, Meghalaya, Shillong, Mizoram, Aizawi, Nagaland, Kohima, Orissa, Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneshwar, Punjab, Rajasthan, Jaipur, Sikkim, Gangtok, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Agartala, Uttaranchal, West Bengal, Kolkata, Dehradun, Uttar Pradesh, Dada and Nagar Haveli, Silvassa, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Port Blair, Daman and Diu, Lakshadeep, Kavaratti, Yanam, Pondicherry. Asia, USA, America, Washington, Belgium, New York, United States of America, United Kingdom, Columbia, Bangkok, Australia, Switzerland, Mexico, France, Sweden, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Poland, Denmark, France, London, New Zealand, Spain. Indonesia, Brazil, Nigeria, Russia, Philippines, Ethiopia, Vietnam, Egypt, Turkey, Iran, Thailand, Burma, South Africa, Algeria.

Many people in the society are looking for helping hands. Let’s be a hope to them. Amma Nanna Charitable Trust is one among them.

We are joining more orphan children who have no parent’s age group between 3 to 12 years and also joining Widows, Deceived and Separated Women at free of charges only. Our children have been staying with us up to their life settlement that means they will stand with their own bases.

You feel you are also responsible to the society, please, if you come across such people in and around your surroundings, give a hope to them by providing our address and we take care of them with pleasure.

“LIFE IS A JOURNEY IN SEARCH OF GOD”

“SERVICE TO LIFE IS SERVICE TO GOD”

“Please don’t Drink Alcohol and other intoxicates Live a happily and make Peaceful Society”

Everyone should read and write his/her regional language. We don’t try to take any Loans it leads to bitter life. We can live a happily in Kutcha house without loans, and then granite floored building with Loans. Loans make damage peaceful life and leads us misbehavior and corrupt minding nature.

Address of our Free of cost orphanage home Aditya Nagar, Desapathrunipalem, Parawada, Near Steel Plant Quarters Sector-X, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India, and Asia. Cell no. 08886563252

For Orphan children we are providing good education, nutritious food, sports and games, cultural activities, meditation and yoga. We are very particular in teaching them good behavior, how to be responsible to the situations, moral, spiritual values and civic senses which in deed helps in providing a healthy citizen to the society in our Orphanage children home.

For deceived women or widows, we are providing nutritious food, shelter, healthy and spiritual environment, yoga and meditation. We even accept them as the Volunteers with a service motto as we all know “SERVICE TO LIFE IS SERVICE TO GOD”

Do you know depending upon parents and teachers’ behaviors children learn good or bad activities? For example we choose one regional language in particular state, different areas living people speak different stylish the same regional language because it’s their environment effect. So when parents/teachers create good environments to their children doing good things like social, civic, moral, spiritual, cultural, social response, kind, humanity etc… Then children growing such way if not they will grimy.

Now a day’s one in all are thinking about earn billions of billions of rupees whatever job they are doing and give it to their children on heredity properties. Suppose they will give their children billions of billions rupees and, there will be no moral values, civic senescence, social responsibilities, humanity, social behavior, kindness, social moving with others and also no pure air, water, earth and sky. Can they enjoy in that society? and live happily such wrinkle and blight society, we will give them not only money on heredity but also we learn or grow them good behaviors like cultural, spiritual, social, moral, civics, kind, help, social responsibility etc.. . Money is requiring for live but life is not money. Money may not make life happy but service must be making live happily that should be known one in all. Friends we may not giving as light as the sun but we are giving as light as lamp and try to drive way darkness in the society as able as we can then darkness drive way from the society then we will live peacefully and happily in such society .

Our properties just like water level in the well if we use water purposefully the decreased water level in the well filled later. If we don’t use water the level of water remains the same suppose we add more water into the well it looks raise in the water level in movement but after sometime it comes to the original level. If we use water unnecessarily and dry it then we have no water when we want to drink even though our well water will be raised later. So we take a little amount of water and use it towards real needy people. We eat for living and not live for eating man/woman should working until last his/her breathe.

I hope we make such world! We assure you of our ethical zeal of service to the tender generation born to serve our nation as differently able citizens because “Ability knows no Handicap”.

Amma Nanna Charitable Trust (ACT) was started in providing services for noble cause that includes orphanage for children who have no parent’s and also Widows/Separated /Deceived Women at free of cost only. It is a NGO providing non-profit voluntary social services organization orphanage at free charges homes, that includes promoting education to children and counseling for alcohol and other intoxicates. view to serve society, a non-profit and charitable trust, Volunteer NGO’s Services with the name “AMMA NANNA CHARITABLE TRUST (ACT)"established in year 2005 and acquired its registration (as per the Trust Act of A.P., India.) and Reg. 119/2005. And also License by Department for Women, Children, Disabled and Senior Citizen & CID-Police Department and License No. 0330/1/2011, under the leadership as Founder & Secretary Sri Gurubelli. Koteswara Rao M.sc., M.Phil., PGDCPA., And as Chairperson and Managing Trustee Smt Gurubelli Venkatalakssmy M.A (Sociology) We are so happy to expedite the meaning of “AMMA NANNA” as "MOTHER FATHER" and the exigency of naming this trust had been arisen in reminiscence of the beloved late parents ( Smt & sri Gurubelli. Ammayamma Ramamurthy) of Sri Gurubelli. Koteswara Rao, founder & secretary of this ministries following on their sympathetic favor, commitment and support launched for the neglected people who were drastically lack of food, clothes and other family problems. We are running this NGO Social Service Volunteer Organization with our own funds without any disparity in caste and creed in INDIA, Asia and Boards.

Koteswarara Rao born to a devout, Illiterate parents namely Smt. & Sri Gurubelli. Ammayamma & Ramamurthy from a mediocre family in the village gangadharapeta, challavanipeta (post), Jalumuru (mandal), Srikakulam district, Hyderabad capital, State of Andhra Pradesh, Southern India, India. His parents were always interested for orphan, very poor, struggle, problem faced public servicing. They did not tolerate any attack or cheat to poor and weak persons in their village and fight for their justice. They never thought for earning themselves, but they spent their amounts for the development of the poor needy villagers so as to bring them from the social Evil viz.,” poverty.” Also they had in mind particularly for providing the minimum welfare amenities like Drinking Water, School Building, Electricity, Temple, Roads, properly usage of pond water for irrigation purpose etc. which were benefited to the general public. Always they tried to make them unity and liability. They used to offer advices to their children if we have sound wealth use it for the needy and poor communities without any disparity in caste, creed and religion for getting happiness and able to lead their lives properly with self respect, self reliance with dignity in the society. In addition to the above the following such as food, clothes, and medicines were provided to the fish sellers, fruit sellers, vegetable sellers, pot sellers etc., nearby our village and have their lunch at their home even though his parents have eight children to eking out their family burdens with great difficulties. His father resolved as a burden, commitment to reconcile the couple disputes, dowry pending cases harassment, suspecting cases, attacks, thefts by way of probing into the facts leniently by giving a good judgment. His parents were illiterates even though they did very good charitable activities which made them great respect and popularity adjoining to their nearby mandal villages. All the above made him inspired to do something for the general public. At this juncture he thought a lot for how to do it and finally decided to establish a volunteer organization in remembrance of his beloved parents.

Eventually he selected the name as “Amma Nanna Charitable Trust" and the meaning of ‘AMMA NANNA’ is ‘Mother Father’ He completed graduation in B.Sc., and started educational coaching Institution from 6th class to Junior College (Intermediate) and closed due to his father was seriously ill and expired and also his mother expired within ten months after his father demised. He felt unconscious and took six months for restoration of normal and four years for better condition. After one year (his mother expired) he secured a good job luckily in Central Government by his parents’ utmost grace which gave him financial support to lead family with severe obstacles and completed his Post Graduate in M. Sc (Math’s) and GPDCPA. Neither his elder brothers supported him nor could his relatives not help him to lead the family at the critical situation. Only his sister have had come forward to support him in all the ways that she could sacrifice a lot for the family. He has three elder and three younger brothers and one elder sister. He made two younger brothers’ marriages and helped them in establishment of their individual business by leaving his hereditary properties to them. He married with Venkatalakssmy M.A (Sociology) a spiritual, cooperate and eager to work for the society in the year 2002 and complete his Mater Philosophy M.Phil (math’s). He blessed with two children namely Raghavendra (10yrs) and Ahalya(7 yrs) who are studying primary education at their residential area ‘Desapathrunipalem He has no bad habits even tea or coffee but only bad habit is ‘believe' all. So far he faced number of up and downs on all his downs his sister prepared him mentally strong and push him ups in these hard days to keep up their Oath given for their late parents.

We are meeting this running cost from the profit of Indhu Plaza (Electrical, Hardware, Sanitary and Plywood) at Desapathrunipalem, Near Steel Plant Quarters Sector-X, Visakhapatnam which is maintained by our Chairperson and Managing Trustee Smt Venkatalakssmy

Profile of the organization

Name of the trust

Amma Nanna Charitable Trust (ACT)

Head of the Trustee

The Chairperson and Managing Trustee

Name of the Head Trustee

Venkatalakssmy Gurubelli (alias Suguna)

Address of the Organization

Amma nanna charitable trust (ACT)

Aditya Nagar, Desapathrunipalem,

Parawada, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh – 531 021

Registration No

119/2205

License No.

0330/01/2011

Contact mobile no.

8886563252 & 9397983812

Name of the Project

Orphan Children Home

Name of the Bank

State Bank of India

Type of account

Saving Bank

Account No.

30030634007

Joining in our Orphanage at Free of Cost

We are joining more orphan children who have no parent’s age group between 3 to 12 years and also joining Widows and Separated/Deceived Women who have good character and willing to serve to orphan children as volunteer with their children at free of charges only. Our children have been staying with us up to their life settlement that means they will stand with their own bases.

Inmates are all district and states of India, like , 1 Town, 75 Feet Road, 4th Town Police Station 104 Area, Aanadha Ashramam, Abidnagar, Anatha Asram, Achampet , Achanta, Adarshnagar, Addanki, Addateegala, Addatheegala, Addakula, Addurodu, Adilabad, Adivivaram, Adoni , Air port, Aganampudi, Akividu,Akkayyapalem, Akkireddypalem, , Alair, Alamanda, Alampur, Alamuru, Allagadda, Allipuram, Allure, Alur, Amadalavalasa, Amalapuram, Amaravathi, Ambajeepeta, Amarchinta, Amaravathi, Amarevati, Anandapuram, Ananthagiri, Anaparthi, Annavaram, Anaparthy, Andhra Bhumi, Andhra University, Anantapur, Andole ,ANR Appikonda, Asifabad, Asifnagar, Asilmetta, Asheelmetta junction, Araku valley, Arasavalli, Arilova, , Armoor, Atchutapuram, Atmakur Attili, A U Campus, IN, Out Gate, Auto Nagar, Avanigadda,

Badvel, Bala cheruvu, Balacheruvu Road, Balaji Nagar, Ballajura Balkonda , Bangalore, Banswada, Bapujinagar, Bapatla, Baruva, Bayyavaram, Berhampur, Bhadrachalam, Bheemili, Bheemunipatnam, Bhimadolu Bhimavaram, Bhogapuram, Bhongir, BHPV, Bhubaneswar Bhupesh Nagar, Big Bazaar, Bazar, Birla, Bimavaram, Boath, Bobbili, Bodhan, Bombay, Bowdara, Borra Caves, BRTS, B.S Layout Cheepurupalli, BSI Standard, Buddhavarapu Gardens, Budithi, Buggaram, Burgampahad, Butchirajupalem, Butchi Sundara Rao Street, Burujupeta, , Burugupudi,

Calcutta, CBM Compound, CBI, Chalakurthy, Challavanipeta, Chanakya Towers, Chandragiri, Chandrayangutta, Chapaluppada, Charminar , Chavulamadam, Chavulamadumu, Cheepurupalli, Chennai, Chennur, Cherial, Chevella , Chilakaluripet, Chilakapalem, China musidivada, chinnamusidivada, Chinnor, Chintalapudi, Chintapalli, krishna Chirala, Chittoor, Chodavaram Chollangi village, Choppadandi, CMR center, Collectorate, Collectors Office Convent junction, corromendal, Coromandel gate, CDR Hospital, Cuddapah, Cumbum,

Dabagarden, Dabagardens, Dagguvanipalem, Dasapalla Hills , Darsi, Dayalapuram, Dayal nagar, Delhi, Denduluru, Devarakonda, devipatnam, Dabhagaden, Dharmavaram, Dhavaleswaram, dhayal nagar, Dolphin, Dhondaparthi, Dhone , Dhorathota, , Diamond Park, Dibbalapalem, Dichpalli, Doctors Colony, Dommat, Dondaparthy, Dorakanagar Dorathota, Dornakal , Duggirala, Duvvada, Dwaraka Nagar, Dwaraka Tirupati, Dwarapudi,

East Godavari, East Point Colony, Ecchapuram, Elamanchili, Eluru, ENDADA, Enadu, Eenadu, Etcherla, Etikoppaka, Femur, Fishing Harbour, Harbor Approach Road,

Gadwal, Gajapathinagaram, Gajwel , Ganavaram Port, Gannavaram, Gangulavari, Gannavaram, Gara, Garividi, Ghanpur, Giddalur, Gumma Lakshmipuram, GL Puram, Gunnies Book, Record, Gnanapuram, Gandhigram Gokavaram Golkonda, Gollapalem, Gollavanipalem, Golukonda, Golugonda Gopalapatnam, Gooty, Gopalapuram, Gorantla, Gorllivanipalem, Green Park, Greater Visakhapatnam, , G.S.N. Gullipadu, Gudivada, Gudur, Guntur, Gurazala, Gurudwara, Hanamkonda,

Hanuman Junction, Temple, Hanumanthavaka, Hall Mark, Hanumantuvaka, Harichandrapuram, Harischandrapuram, Harishchandrapur, HB colony, Head Post Office, Heccherla, Himayat Nagar, Hindupur Hiramandalam, HPCL, hukumpeta, Huzurabad, Hyderabad, Ibrahimpatnam, Ichapuram, India, INDIA, Indurthi, Industrial estate, IT, IN, INL Kalinga, Isukathota, iskathota,

Jadcherla,Jagadam, Jagadamba centre, Jagamba Theatre, Jail Road, Jaggampeta, Jagarajupeta, Jaggayyapalem, Jaggayyapet, Jaghadham Jagtial, Jalandhar, Jalumuru, Jammalamadugu, Jangaon, Jangareddygudem, Jodugullapalem, Jukkal,

Kadapa, Kadiri, Kadiyam, Kaikalur, Kaikaluru, Kailashmetta, Kaka Nagar, Kakani Nagar, Kailasagiri, Kailasapuram, Kakinada, Kalaniketan, Kalanikhetan, Kalingapatnam, Kalinganagar, Kalwakurthy Kalyandurg, Kamalapur, Kamalapuram, Kamareddy, Kancharapalem, Kandukur, Kanigiri, Kankipadu, Kapuluppada, , Kapu uppada, Kapuluppada, Kantipudi, Kanithi Road, Karimnagar, Karnal, Karnataka, Karnool, Karunol, Karwan, Kasibugga, Kasimkota, Kattipudi, Kavali, KGH, Khairatabad , Khammam, Khanapur, Kirlampudi, layout, K. Kotapadu, Kobbari Thota, Kodad, Kodangal , Kodumur, Koduru, Koduruand, Koilkuntla , Kolhapur, Kolkata, Kondepi, Koppaka, Korasavada, Kotabommali, Kotananduru, Kotavalasa, Kotaveedhi, Kothagudem, Kothapet, Kotha Road, Kothavalasa, Kothuru, Kotipalli, Koturu, Kovur, Kovvur,Krishna College, Krantinagar, KRM Colony, Kuchinapudi, Kuppam, Kurupam Market, Kurmanpalem, Kurmam, Kummaripalem, Kurmannapalem , Kurnool, Kusalapuram, Lakkireddipalli, Lalitha Nagar, Lankhilapallem, Lakshminagar, Lankelapalem, Lankilapallem, LB Colony, Leela Mahal, Luxettipet,

Macherla, Machilipatnam, Madakasira, Madanpalle, Madapamu, Maddilapalem, Madduru, Madivala, Madhira, Madhavadhara, Madhurawada, Madhya Pradesh, Madugula Reddi, Maharanipeta, Mahbubabad , Mahabubnagar, Mahbubnagar, Maharajgunj , Makthal, Malkapuram, Malakpet, Malleswaram, Mandapeta, Mandavaripeta, , Mangalagiri, Manthani, Marikavalasa Maredumilli, Markapur, Marripalem, Martur , Maruteru, Medak, Medchal, Medivada, Metpalli, Meghadripeta, Meghadri gadda, Meghadrigadda, Midilapuri, Mindi, Mindhi, Miryalguda, MMTC Colony, Mud Hole, Mudhole, Mudinepalli, Mulug, Mumbai, Mulagada, Mummidivaram, Muppidi Colony, Mungode, Murali Nagar, Musheerabad,

Nagari , Nagarkurnool , MVP colony, Myadaram, Mydukur, Mylavaram, NAD junction, Nagaram, Naguru, Naiduthota Nakkapalem, Nakkapalli, Nakkavanipalem, Nakrekal, Nalgonda, Nallamada, Nandigama, Nandyal, Narasannapeta, Narasaraopet Narasimha, Narayankhed , Narasapur, narsapur, Narsampet, Narsipatnam, Narisipatnam, Natavalasa, Nathavaram, Nathayyapalem, Naval Dock, Yard Neelamma Vepaqchettu, Naval Dock Yard Neelamma Vepachettu, Nellimarla, Nellore, Nerella, new Gajuwaka, Nidadavole, nidadhavole Nidadhavolu, Nidumolu ,Nimmada, Nirmal, Nivagam, Nizamabad, N.R. I NSTL, NTPC, NTPC-Parawada, Nuzvid, Odessa, Old post office, Ongole, Orissa,

Paderu, Palacole, Palair, Palakonda, Palakollu, Palamaner, Palasa, Pallavaram, Panchadarla, Panyam Parawada Parchur, Parkal, Pargi, Parlakimidi, Parvathipuram, Patapatnam, Pata Polavaram, Pathapatnam, Pattikonda , Payakaraopeta, Pedakurapadu, Peda Peddapalli, Peddipalem, Peddapuram, Pendurthi, pendurthy, Penugonda, Penukonda Pillala Ashramam, Piler, Pithapuram, PM Palem, PNT Colony, Pandurangapuram, Polaki, Polavaram, Ponduru, Ponnur, Poondi, Poorna Market, Porur, Prakasam, Prathipadu, Priya, Proddat, Proddatur, Pudimadaka, Pulivendula, Pundi, Pune, Punganur, purna, Purushothapuram, Purusotapuram, puspatera, Puttur , Pydibheemavaram,

Rail Way New Colony, Rajahmundry, Rajam, Rajampet, Raj, Raja Nagar, rajavommangi, Rajolu, Ramachandrapuram, Ramagundam, Rama Nagar, Ramnagar Ramannapet, Rama Talkies Center, ramatheertham, Ramtherdham, Neusan Bhag, Ramatheertham, ramavaram, Ramayampet, Rambilli, Ramnagar, Rampachodavaram, Rangapuram, Ranastalam, Rangareddy, Ravulapalem, Rayachoty, Rayadurg, Raya Durg, Rayavaram, , Razole, Reddipalli, RegupaduRepalle, Rapur, Regupalem, Revidi, Revit, RK Beach, Rotherham, Rushikonda,rusu konda, Rushukonda,

Sabbavaram, Sagar Nagar, Sakhsi, Salur, Sampara , Sanath Nagar, Sangareddy, Santhanuthalapadu , Sarasota, Saraswati Park, Saravakota, Sarvepalli, Sathivada, Sathupalli, Sattenapalli Sastry Road, Satyam centre, Satyavedu, Secunderabad, seetampeta, Seethammadhara, Seethampeta, Shadnagar, Shayampet, Sholur, Shopping Mall, Siddhantam, Siddipet, Simhachalam, Sindhiya, Singanamala, Sircilla , Sirpur, Siripuram, S. Kota, Soluru, Sompeta, Sriharipuram, Srikakulam, Sri Kalahasti, Sri Kalahsti, Srikurmam, Srimukalingam, Srimukhalingam, Srungavarapukota, Steel Plant Quarters Sector, Sujathanagar, Sulurpet, Suryabagh, Surya Bhag, Suryapet,

Tadepalligudem, Tadepellegudem, tadepalli gudum, Tadikonda, Tadipatri, Tagarapuvalasa, , Tallapalem, Talarevu, Tallarevu, Tamil nadu, Tandur, Tanuku , Tekkali, Tenali, Thamballapalle, Thatichetlapalem, Therlam, Thotapalli, Tilaru, Tikkavanipalem, Timaru, Tirumala, Tirupati, Tiruvuru, Tuni, Tungaturthi,

UDA Park, Udda Udayagiri, Ukkumpeta, Ukkunagaram, Undi, Unguturu, Universal records, Uravakonda, Ushodaya Colony, Uttarahalli, Uttarapalli,

Vada cheepurupalli, Vadacheepurapalli, Vaddadi, Vanukuru, Vartha, varthaa, Vayalpad, Vellanki, Vemur, Venkatagiri , Venkojipalem, Velampeta, Vepada, Vepagunta, Vepanjeri , Vijayawada, Vikarabad, Vinukonda, Visakhapatnam, Visakha Valley, Vitanthula ashramam, Vizag, Vizianagaram, Vrudhula ashramam Vuyyuru, Waltair, Wanaparthy, Warangal, Wardhannapet, West Godavari World Record, Yalamanchili, Yakutpura, Yeleswaram, Yellandu, Yellareddy, Yellavaram, Yemmiganur, Yendada, Y junction, Zahirabad, Zoo Park center, and other state of India.

Guntur District Macherla , Veldurthi , Narasaraopeta, Rentacrintala , Bollapalle , Rompicherla, Gurazala , Nakarikallu , Ipur Dachepalle, Muppalla , Savalyapuram , Machavaram , Phirangipuram , Vinukonda , Bellamkonda , Medikonduru , Nuzendla , Achampeta , Guntur , Chilakaluripet , Krosuru , Pedakakani , Pedanandipadu , Amaravathi , Duggirala , Kakumanu, Thullur , Kollipara , Ponnur , Thadepalle , Kollur , Amruthalur , Mangalagiri , Vemuru , Cherukupalle , Tadikonda , Tenali , Bhattiprolu , Pedakurapadu , Tsundur , Repalle , ,Sattenapalle , Chebrole , Nagaram , Rajupalem , Vatticherukuru , Nizampatnam , Piduguralla , Prathipadu , Pittalavanipalem , Karempudi , Edlapadu , Karlapalem , Durgi , Nadendla , Bapatla. Narasaraopet, Rentachintala, Bollapalli, Nekarikallu, Jaipur, Thadepalli, Cherukupalli Chebrolu, Georgia

Krishna District Vijayawada A.Konduru, Agiripalli, Avanigadda, Bantumilli, Bapulapadu, Challapalli, Chandralapadu, Chatrai, Gampalogudem, Gannavaram, G. Konduru, Ghantasala, Guduru, Gudivada, Gudlavalleru, Ibrahimpatnam, Jaggayyapeta, Kaikalur, Kalidindi , Kanchikacherla , Kankipadu, Koduru , Kruthivennu, Mailavaram , Machilipatam, Mandavalli , Movva , Mopidevi , Mudinepalle , Musunuru , Nagayalanka , Nandigama , Nandivada, Nuzvid , Pamidimukkala , Pedana, Pamarru, Pedaparupudi , Penuganchiprolu , Penamaluru , Reddigudem , Tiruvuru , Thotlavalluru , Unguturu, Vatsavai, Vissannapeta, Vuyyuru, Veerullapadu , Chandarlapadu, Gampalagudem, benz circle, ring road, Machilipatnam, gunadala matha , kondapalli , gollapalli , Telaprolu.

Srikakulam District Veeraghattam , Bhamini , Vangara , Kothuru , Regidiamadala Valasa , Hiramandalam , Rajam , Sarubujjili , Ganguvari Singadam , Amadalavalasa , Laveru , Srikakulam , Ranastalam , Gara , Hetcherla , Polaki , Ponduru , Narasannapeta , Santhakaviti , Jalumuru , Burja , Saravakota, Palakonda , Pathapatnam , Seethampeta , Meliaputti, Kotabommali , Santha Bommali , Nandigam , Vajrapu Kothuru , Palasa , Mandasa , Sompeta , Kanchili , Kaviti , Tekkali, Ichchapuram , Regidi amadalaValasa ,Santhabommali.

Vizianagaram District Komarada , Ramabhadrapuram , Gummalakshmipuram , Badangi , Kurupam , Therlam , Jiyyammavalasa , Merakamudidam , Garugubilli , Dattirajeru , Parvathipuram , Mentada , Makkuva , Gajapathinagaram , Seethanagaram , Bondapalle , Balajipeta , Gurla , Bobbili , Garividi , Salur , Cheepurupalle , Pachipenta , Nellimarla , Bhoghapuram , Denkada , Vizianagaram , Gantyada , Srungavarapukota , Vepada , Lakkavarapukota , Jami , Kothavalasa, Pusapatirega, Colorado, Thermal Bondapalli.

Visakhapatnam District Munchingiputtu, Nathavaram , Pedagantyada , Pedabayalu , Narsipatnam , Paravada , Hukumpetau , Rolugunta , Anakapalli , Dumbriguda , Ravikamatham , Munagapaka , Arakuvalley , Butchayyapeta , Kasimkota , Ananthagiri , Chodavaram , Makavarapalem, Devarapalle , K Kotapadu, Kotauratla , Cheedikada , Sabbavaram , Payakaraopeta , Madugula , Pendurthi , Nakkapalli , Paderu , Anandapuram , S. Rayavaram , Gangaraju Madugula , Padmanabham , Yelamanchili , Chintapalle , Bheemunipatnam , Rambilli , Gudemkothaveedhi , Visakhapatnam , Atchutapuram, Koyyuru , Visakhapatnam urban, rural, Golugonda , Gajuwaka . Munching Puttu, Devarapalli , Gudem Kotha Veedhi.

East Godavari District Maredumilli , Pithapuram , Kapileswarapuram , Y Ramavaram , Kothapalle , Alamuru , Addateegala , Kakinada, Atreyapuram , Rajavommangi , Ravula Palem , Kotananduru , Samalkota , Pamarru , Tuni , Rangampeta , Kothapeta , Thondangi , Gandepalle , P Gannavaram , Gollaprolu , Rajanagaram , Ambajipeta , Sankhavaram , Rajahmundry, Ainavilli , Prathipadu , Mummidivaram , Yeleswaram , Kadiam , I.Polavaram , Gangavaram , Mandapeta , Katrenikona, Rampachodavaram , Anaparthy , Uppalaguptam , Devipatnam , Biccavolu , Amalapuram , Seethanagaram , Pedapudi , Allavaram , Korukonda , Karapa , Mamidikuduru , Gokavaram , Thallarevu , Razole , Jaggampeta , Kajuluru , Malikipuram , Kirlampudi , Ramachandrapuram , Sakhinetipalle, Peddapuram , Rayavaram , sankavaram, Samalkot, Kothapet , Gandepalli , Sakhinetipalli, samrlakota.

West Godavari District Jeelugumilli , Nidadavole , Undi , Buttayagudem , Tadepalligudem , Akiveedu , Polavaram , Unguturu , Kalla , Thallapudi , Bhimadole , Bheemavaram , Gopalapuram , Pedavegi , Palakoderu , Koyyalagudem , Pedapadu , Veeravasaram , Jangareddigudem , Eluru , Penumantra , T.Narasapuram , Denduluru , Penugonda , Chintalapudi , Nidamarru , Achanta , Lingapalem , Ganapavaram , Poduru , Kamavarapukota , Pentapadu , Palacole , Dwarakatirumala , Tanuku , Yelamanchili , Nallajerla , Undrajavaram , Narasapuram , Devarapalle , Peravali , Mogalthur Chagallu , Iragavaram , Kovvur , Attili . Tallapudi, Bhimavaram, Palakol, chebrolu Dwaraka Tirumala, Devarapalli.

Khammam District Cherla , Yellandu , Enkuru , Pinapaka , Singareni , Konijerla , Gundala , Bayyaram , Khammam Urban , Manuguru ,Garla , Khammam Rural , Aswapuram , Kamepalle , Thirumalayapalem , Dummugudem , Julurpad , Kusumanchi , Bhadrachalam , Chandrugonda , Nelakondapalle , Kunavaram , Mulakalapalle ,Mudigonda , Chintur , Aswaraopeta , Chinthakani , Vararamachandrapuram , Dammapeta , Wyra , Velairpad , Sathupalle , Bonakal , Kukunoor , Vemsoor , Madhira , Burgampadu , Penuballi , Yerrupalem, Palawancha, Wazeed , Kothagudem , Kalluru , Venkatapuram , Tekulapalle , Thallada . Cherla, Nakuru, Uganda, Kamepalli, Nelakondapalli , Mulakalapalli Va Ramachandrapuram , Palvancha , Tekulapally.

Prakasam District Yerragondapalem , Martur , Veligandla , Pullalacheruvu , Parchur , Pedacherlopalle , Tripuranthakam , Karamchedu , Ponnaluru , Kurichedu , Chirala , Kondapi , Donakonda , Vetapalem , Santhanuthlapadu , Pedaaraveedu , Inkollu , Ongole , Dornala , Janakavaram, Panguluru , Naguluppalapadu , Ardhaveedu , Korisapadu , Chinaganjam , Markapur , Maddipadu , Kothapatnam , Tarlapadu , Chimakurthi , Tangutur , Konakanamitla , Marripudi , Zarugumilli , Podili , Kanigiri , Kandukur , Darsi , Hanumanthunipadu , Voletivaripalem , Mundlamuru , Bestavaripeta , Pamur , Thallur , Cumbum , Lingasamudram , Addanki , Racherla , Gudluru , Ballikuruva , Giddaluru , Ulavapadu , Santhamaguluru , Komarolu , Singarayakonda , Yeddanapudi , Chadrasekara, Puram . Peda Cherlopalli, Peddaraveedu, Tarlupadu, Chimakurthy, Jarugumilli, Ballikurava, Chandrasekara.

Sri Potti Sri Ramulu Nellore District Seetharamapuram, Kodavalur , Sydapuram , Varikuntapadu , Butchireddipalem , Dakkili , Kondapuram , Sangam , Venkatagiri , Jaladanki , Chejerla , Balayapalle , Kavali , Ananthasagaram , Ojili , Bogole , Kaluvoya , Chillakur , Kaligiri , Rapur , Kota , Vinjamur , Podlakur , Vakadu , Duttalur , Nellore , Chittamur , Udayagiri , Kovur , Naidupeta , Marripadu , Indukurpet , Pellakur , Atmakur , Thotapalligudur , Doravarisatram , Anumasamudrampeta , Muthukur , Sullurpeta , Dagadarthi , Venkatachalam , Tada , Allur , Manubolu , Vidavalur , Gudur Buchireddypalem, Balayapalli , Podalakur , Thotapalli Gudur ,Anamasamudrampeta , Allure .

Dr. Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy Cuddapah District Muddanur, Vempalle , Kondapuram , Simhadripuram , Chaknayapet , Mylavaram , Lingala , Lakkireddipalle , Peddamudium , Pulivendla , Ramapuram , Raju Palem , Vemula , Veeraballe , Duvvur , Thandur , Rajampet , S Mydukur , Veerapunayunipalle , Nandalur , Brahmamgarimattam , Yerraguntla , Penagaluru , B Kodur , Kamalapuram , Chitvel , Kalasapadu , Vallur , Kodur , Porumamilla , Chennur , Obulavaripalle , Badvel , Atlur , Pullampeta , Gopavaram , Vontimitta , T.Sundupalle , Khajipet , Sidhout , Sambepalle , Chapad , Chinnamandem , Proddutur , Chintha Kommadinne , Rayachoti , Jammalamadugu , Pendlimarri , Galiveedu Vempalli , Chakrayapet , Pulivendula , Tandur , Veerapunayuni Palli , Penagalur , Obulavaripalli , Atlanta , Pullampet , T.Sundupalli , Kazipet, Sambepalli, Proddatur.

Chittoor District Peddamandyam , K V P Puram , Nagari , Thamballapalle , Narayanavanam , Karvetinagar , Mulakalacheruvu , Vadamalapeta , Srirangaraja Puram , Peddathippa Samudram , Tirupati Rural , Palasamudram , B.Kothakota , Kammapalle , Gangadhara Nellore , Kurabalakota , Chandragiri , Penumuru , Gurramkonda , Chinnagottigallu , Puthalapattu , Kalakada , Rompicherla , Irala , Kambhamvaripalle , Pileru , Thavanampalle , Yerravaripalem , Kalikiri ,Chittoor , Tirupati Urban , Vayalpad , Gudipala , Renigunta , Nimmanapalle , Yadamari , Yerpedu , Mandopalle , Bangarupalem , Srikalahasti , Ramasamudram , Palamaner , Thottambedu , Punganur , Gangavaram , Buchinaidu Khandriga , Chowdepalle , Pedda Panjani , Varadaiahpalem , Somala , Baireddi Palle , Satyavedu , Sodam , Venkatagiri Kota , Nagalapuram , Pulicherla , Ramakuppam , Pichatur , Pakala , Santhi Puram , Vijaya Puram , Veduru Kuppam , Gudi Palle , Nindra , Puttur , Kuppam K V B Puram , Sri Rangaraja Puram , Pedda Thippa , Kammapalli , Kambham Vari Palli , Piler , Madanapalle , Madanapalle, Bangarupalem , Srikalahasti , Kandireega , Peddapanjani , Somalia , Baireddipalle ,Sathyavedu , Sodom, Santhipuram , Vijayapuram , Vedurukuppam , Gudipalle , Nidra.

Ananthapur District D.Hirchal , Kunurpi , Gandlapenta , Bommanahal , Kalyandurg , Kadiri , Vidapanakal , Atmakur , Amadagur , Vajrakarur , Anantapur , Obuladevaracheruvu , Guntakal , Bukkarayasamudram , Nallamada , Gooty , Narpala , Gorantla , Peddavadugur , Putlur , Puttaparthi , Yadiki , Yellanur , Bukkapatnam , Tadpatri , Tadimarri , Kothacheruvu , Peddapappur , Bathalapalle , Penu Konda , Singanamala , Raptadu , Roddam , Pamidi , Kanaganapalle , Somandepalle , Garladinne , Kambadur , Chilamathur , Kudair , Ramagiri , Lepakshi , Uravakonda , Chenne Kothapalle , Hindupur , Beluguppa , Dharmavaram , Parigi , Kanekal , Mudigubba , Madakasira , Rayadurg , Talupula , Gudibanda , Gummagatta , Nambulipulikunta , Amarapuram , Brahmasamudram , Tanakal , Agali , Settur , Nallacheruvu , Rolla D.Hirehal, Kundurpi , Bommanahalli , Bathalapalli , Penukonda , Kanaganapalli , Sattur.

Kurnool District Kowthalam , Kodumur , Rudravaram , Kosigi , Gonegandla , Allagadda , Mantralayam , Yemmiganur , Chagalamarri , Nandavaram , Pedda Kadalur , Uyyalawada , C.Belagal , Adoni , Dornipadu , Gudur , Holagunda , Gospadu , Kurnool , Alur , Koilkuntla , Nandi Kotkur , Aspari , Banaganapalle , Pagidyala , Devanakonda , Sanjamala , Kothapalle , Krishnagiri , Kolimigundla , Atmakur , Veldurthi , Owk , Srisailam , Bethamcherla , Peapally , Velgode , Panyam , Dhone , Pamulapadu , Gadivemula , Tuggali , Jupadu Bungalow , Bandi Atmakur , Pattikanda , Midthur , Nandyal , Maddikera East , Orvakal , Mahanandi , Chippagiri , Kallur , Sirvel , Halaharvi . Nandikotkur, Banaganapalli, Dhoni, Jupadu Bunglow, Silver.

Mahabubnagar District Kodangal , Jadcherla , Amrabad , Bomraspeta , Bhoothpur , Balmoor , Kosgi , Mahbubnagar , Lingal , Doulatabad , Addakal , Peddakothapalle , Damaragidda , Devarkadara , Kodair , Maddur , Dhanwada , Gopalpeta , Koilkonda , Narayanpet , Wanaparthy , Hanwada , Utkoor , Pangal , Nawabpet , Maganoor , Pebbair , Balanagar , Makthal , Gadwal , Kondurg , Narva , Dharur , Farooqnagar , Chinna Chinta Kunta , Maldakal , Kothur , Atmakur , Ghattu , Keshampeta , Kothakota , Aiza , Talakondapalle , Peddamandadi , Waddepalle , Amangal , Ghanpur , Itikyal , Madgul , Bijinapalle , Manopadu , Vangoor , Nagar Kurnool , Alampur , Veldanda , Tadoor , Veepangandla , Kalwakurthy , Telkapalle , Kollapur , Midjil , Uppununthala , Thimmajipeta , Achampeta . Daulatabad, Tandoor, Telkapally, Kolhapur, Thimmajipet.

Rangareddy District Marpalle ,Hayathnagar , Gandeed , Mominpet , Saroornagar , Kulkacharla , Nawabpet , Rajendranagar , Pargi , Shankarpalle , Moinabad , Pudur , Malkajgiri , Chevella , Shabad , Serilingampalle , Vikarabad , Shamshabad , Quthbullapur , Dharur , Maheswaram , Medchal , Bantaram , Ibrahimpatam , Shamirpet ,Peddemul , Manchal , Balanagar , Tandur , Yacharam , Keesara , Basheerabad , Kandukur , Ghatkesar , Yelal , Uppal , Doma . Shankarpalli, puduraya, Serilingampally, Maheshwaram, Yell.

Nalgonda District Bommalaramaram , Chityala , Thripuraram , M Turkapalle , Narketpalle , Miryalaguda , Rajapet , Kattangoor , Garide Palle , Yadagirigutta , Nakrekal , Chilkur , Alair , Kethepalle , Kodad , Gundala , Suryapet , Mellachervu , Thirumalagiri , Chivvemla , Huzurnagar , Thunga Thurthi , Mothey , Mattampalle , Nuthankal , Nadigudem , Nered Cherla , Atmakur (S) , Munagala , Dameracherla , Jaji Reddi Gudem , Penpahad , Anumula , Saligouraram , Vemulapalle , Peddavura , Mothkur , Thipparthi , Pedda Adiserlapalle , Atmakur (M) , Nalgonda , Gurrampode , Valigonda , Munugode , Nampalle , Bhuvanagiri , Narayanapur , Chintha Palle , Bibinagar , Marri Guda , Devarakonda , Pochampalle , Chandur , Gundla Palle , Choutuppal , Kangal , Chandam Pet , Ramannapeta , Nidamanur . Tripuraram , M Turkapally , Narketpally , Kethepally , Uganda , Mellacheruvu , Tirumalagiri , Chivemla ,Thoonga , Mattampally, Need Cherla , Damaracherla , Shaligouraram , Vemulapalli ,Peddavura , Narayanpur , Chintapalli , Marriguda , Pochampally , Gundlapalli ,Chandampet , Ramannapet.

Medak District Manoor , Siddipet , Kohir , Kangti , Chinna Kodur , Munpalle , Kalher , Nanganur , Pulkal , Narayankhed , Kondapak , Sadasivpet , Regode , Jagdevpur , Kondapur ,Shankarampet (A) , Gajwel , Sangareddy , Alladurg , Doultabad , Patancheru , Tekmal , Chegunta , Ramachandrapuram , Papannapet , Yeldurthy , Jinnaram , Kulcharam , Kowdipalle , Hathnoora , Medak , Andole , Narsapur , Shankarampet (R) , Raikode , Shivampet , Ramayampet , Nyalkal , Tupran , Dubbak , Jharasangam , Wargal , Mirdoddi , Zahirabad , Mulug . Manoor, Munipalle, Nanganallur, Daulatabad, Veldurthy, Kowdipally, Toopran, to Oprah

Warangal District Cheriyal , Thorrur , Duggondi , Maddur , Nellikudur , Geesugonda , Narmetta , Narsimhulapet , Atmakur , Bachannapeta , Maripeda , Shayampet , Jangaon , Dornakal , Parkal , Lingala Ghanpur , Kuravi , Regonda , Raghunatha Palle , Mahabubabad , Mogullapalle , Ghanpur(Stn) , Kesamudram , Chityal , Dharmasagar , Nekkonda , Bhupalpalle , Hasanparthy , Gudur , Ghanapur , Hanamkonda , Kothagudem , Mulug , Wardhannapet , Khanapur , Venkatapur , Zaffergadh , Govindaraopet , Palakurthi , Chennaraopet , Tadvai , Devaruppula , Parvathagiri , Eturnagaram , Kodakandla , Sangam , Mangapet , Raiparthy , Nallabelly , Warangal Cherial, Cheryl, Bachannapet, Kuruvi, Mogullapally, Bhupalpally, Ghanpur.

Karimnagar District Ibrahimpatnam , Jagtial , Vemulawada , Mallapur , Medipalle , Konaraopeta , Raikal , Koratla , Yella Reddi Peta , Sarangapur , Metpalle , Gambhiraopet , Dharmapuri , Kathlapur , Mustabad , Velgatoor , Chandurthi , Sirsilla , Ramagundam , Kodimial , Ellanthakunta , Kamanpur , Gangadhara , Bejjanki , Manthani , Mallial , Thimmapur , Kataram , Pegadapalle , Kesavapatnam , Mahadevpur , Choppadandi , Huzurabad , Mutharam , Mahadevpur , Sultanabad , Kamalapur , Malharrao , Odela , Elkathurthi , Mutharam Manthani , Jammikunta , Saidapur , Srirampur , Veenavanka , Chigurumamidi , Peddapalle , Manakondur , Koheda , Julapalle , Karimnagar , Husnabad , Dharmaram , Ramadugu , Bheemadevarpalle , Gollapalle , Boinpalle Medipally , Konaraopet , Korutla , Yellareddy Peta , Sarangpur , ,Metpally , Kathalapur Pegadapally, Elkathurthy , Shrirampur , Peddapalli , Julapalli, Bheemadevarapally, Bowenpally.

Nizamabad District Ranjal , Yeda Palle , Sadasivanagar , Navipet , Bodhan , Gandhari , Nandipet , Kotgiri , Banswada , Armur , Madnur , Pitlam , Balkonda , Jukkal , Nizamsagar , Mortad , Bichkunda , Yellareddy , Kammar , Palle , Birkoor , Naga Reddipet , Bheemgal , Varni , Lingampet , Velpur , Dichpalle , Tadwai , Jakranpalle , Dhar Palle , Kamareddy , Makloor , Sirkonda , Bhiknur , Nizamabad , Machareddy , Domakonda . Sadashivanagar, Kotagiri, Armour, Pelle, Naga Reddit, Dichpally, Jakranpally, Sirikonda

Adilabad District Talamadugu , Lohesra , Tiryani , Tamsi , Dilawarpur , Asifabad , Adilabad , Nirmal , Wankdi , Jainad , Laxmanchanda , Kagaz Nagar , Bela , Mamda , Rebbana , Narnoor , Khanpur , Tandur , Inderavelly , Kaddampeddur , Bellampalle , Gudihatnur , Utnur , Nennal , Ichoda , Jainoor , Bheemini , Bazarhathnoor , Kerameri , Sirpur (T) , Boath , Sirpur (U) , Kouthala , Neradigonda , Jannaram , Bejjur , Sarangapur , Dandepalle , Dahegaon , Kuntala , Luxettipet , Vemanpalle , Kubeer , Mancherial , Kotapalle , Bhainsa , Mandamarri , Chennur , Tanur , Kasipet , Jaipur , Mudhole Lohara, Tampa , Kagaznagar , Bella , Kaddam Peddur , Gudihathnoor , Bheemili, boathouse , Sarangpur , Vempalli , Kazipet.

Hyderabad, Secendrabad kukatpally , tank bund , hussain sagar , birla mandir ,himayat nagar , begumpet, shamshabad, charminar, golconda , banjara hills ,stadhampton , khairabadi , yousufguda, patancheru, Musheerabad , Ameerpet , Khairatabad , Bandlaguda, Amberpet , Secunderabad, Charminar , Asifnagar , Himayathnagar ,Tirumalagiri , Golconda , Saidabad , Maredalle,shaikpet ,nampally ,bahadurpura , Maryland .cyderabad, jubili hills, kazipally, bollaram, bachupally, swarnapuri, miyapur, kompally,thumkunta, hakimpet, ramachandra puram, vishwambhar enclave, bala nagar, serilingampally, sri ram nagar, gachibowli, madhapur, secretarial, tolichowki, gandipet, raghuram nagar, bharat nagar, budvel, rajendra nagar, bakaram, kothwalguda, ahmadpur, kavadiguda, asthma, jeedimetla, balaji nagar, alwal, yapral, dammaiguda, sainikpuri, kapra, sakthi nagar, asrao nagar, moulali, bowenpally, ramanthapur, pizza, saroor nagar, falaknuma, vansathi puram, hanuman nagar, brindavan colony, nadergul, indira reddy, rallaguda, gollapally, new hafeezpet, trimulgherry, safilguda, yellareddyguda, musheerabad, taj residency, hill font, apollo hospital, afzalgunj, tadbund, bahadurgarh, sri raghavendra, aradhana, marredpally, zaheerabad, film nagar, mehdipatnam, imperial, esi, kanchanbagh, yeddumailaram, manikonda, chandrayangutta, janwada, chilkur, bakaram, sacoor nagar, deshmukhi, doolapally, amberpet, dilsukhnagar, karwan, gosha mahal, bahadurpura,

Ariyalur, Chennai, Coimbatore, Cuddalore, Dharmapuri, Dindigu, Erode, Kanchipuram, Kanniyakumari, Karur, Krishnagiri, Madurai, Nagapattinam, Namakkal, Nilgiris, Perambular, Pudukkottai, Ramnathapuram, Salem, Sivaganga, Thanjavur, Theni, Thoothukodi, Tiruvarur, Tirunelveli, Tiruchirappalli, Tiruvallur, Tirupur,Tiruvannamalai, Vellore, Villupuram, Virudhnagar

Belgaum, Bagalkot, Bijapur, Bidar, Raichur, Koppal, Gadag, Dharwad, Uttara Kannada, Haveri, Bellary, Chitradurga, Davanagere, Shimoga, Udupi, Chikmagalur, Tumkur, Bangalore Mandya, Hassan, Dakshina Kannada, Kodagu, Mysore, Chamarajanagar, Gulbarga, Yadgir, Kolar, Chikkaballapura, Ramanagara

Alappuzha, Ernakulam, Idukki, Kannur, Kasaragod, Kollam, Kottayam, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Palakkad, Pathanamthitta, Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur, Wayanad

Alirajpur, Chhindwara, Indore, Neemuch , Singrauli , Anuppur , Damoh , Jabalpur, Panna, Shahdol , Ashoknagar, Datia, Jhabua, Raisen, Shajapur, Balaghat, Dewas , Katni , Rajgarh Sheopur, Barwani, Dhar , Khandwa , Ratlam, Shivpuri, Betul, Dindori, Khargone, Rewa, Sidhi, Bhind, Guna, Mandla, Sagar, Tikamgarh , Bhopal, Gwalior, Mandsaur , Satna, Ujjain, Burhanpur , Harda, Morena, Sehore, Umaria , Chhatarpur, Hoshangabad, Narsinghpur, Seoni, Vidisha

Amritsar, Barnala, Bathinda, Faridkot, Fatehgarh Sahib, Fazilika, Firozpur, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Ludhiana, Mansa, Moga, Mohali, Muktasar, Pathankot, Patiala, Rupnagar, Sangrur, Shahid Bhagat Singh NagarNawanshahr, Tarn, Taran

Ajmer Alwar Banswara Baran Barmer Bharatpur Bhilwara Bikaner Bundi Chittaurgarh Churu Dausa Dhaulpur Dungarpur Ganganagar Hanumangarh Jaipur Jaisalmer Jalor Jhalawar Jhunjhunun Jodhpur Karauli Kota Nagaur Pali Pratapgarh Rajsamand Sawai Madhopur Sikar Sirohi Tonk Udaipur

Ahmednagar, Akola, Amravati, Aurangabad, Beed, Bhandara, Buldana, Chandrapur, Dhule, Gadchiroli, Gondia, Hingoli, Jalgaon, Jalna, Kolhapur, Latur, Mumbai, Nagpur, Nanded, Nandurbar, Nashik, Osmanabad, Parbhani, Pune, Raigarh Alibaug, Ratnagiri, Sangli, Satara, 0Sindhudurg , Oras, Solapur , Thane, Wardha, Washim, Yavatmal.

Howrah, Darjeeling, Medinipur Murshidabad Coochbehar Malda Birbhum Parganas Bankura Bardhaman Jalpaiguri Hooghly Nadia Dakshin Dinajpur Purulia Uttar Dinajpur Siliguri Allahabad Aligarh Bareilly Gonda Hardoi Kanpur Dehat Ghaziabad Unnav Varanasi Faizabad Gorakpur Jhansi Lucknow Agra Meerut Moradabad Barabanki Mainpuri Etawah Gazipur Etah Muzaffar Nagar Saharanpur Bulandshehar Mathura Firozabad Budaun Shahjahanpur Pilibhit Bijnor Rampur Kanpur(Nagar) Farrukhabad Fatehpur Pratapgarh Jalaun Hamirpur Lalitpur Mirzapur Basti Deoria Raebareili Sitapur Banda Lakhimpur-Khedi Bahraich Sultanpur Mau Azamgarh Jaunpur Balia Bhadoi Padrauna Maharajganj Siddharth Nagar Sunbhadra Mahoba Ambedkarnagar Gautam Bodda Nagar Maha Maya Nagar jyotiba Phoole Nagar Kaushambi Shooji Maharaj Chandauli Balrampur Shravati Bagpat Kanooj Oraiyya Sant Kabir Nagar

Bombay Dilli, Dehli, Kolkata, Kalikata, Kalkutta, Bengaloru, engaluru, Bangalur, Madras, Chennapattanam, Ahmadâbâd, Ahmadabad, Amdabad, Ahmedabad , Haidarabad, Haidarabad, Haiderabad, Hyderabad, Haider-Abad Poona, Pune, Kanpur, Kanpur, Cawnpore, Khanpur, sorat, Surat, Jeypore, Lakhnau Lucknow, Nagpur, Thana, Calcutta, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Pune, Surat, Jaipur, Vadodara, Indore, Patna, Madurai, Bhopal, Ludhiana, Coimbatore, Varanasi, Visakhapatnam, Agra, Mumbai.

Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradeshm Itangar, Itanagar, Assam, Dispur, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Raipur, Goa, Panaji, Gujaratm Gandhinagar, Haryana, Chandigarhm Himachal Pradesh, Shimla, Jammu and Kashmir, Srinagar, Jharkhand, Ranchi, Karnataka, Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, Trivandrum, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Imphal, Meghalaya, Shillong, Mizoram, Aizawi, Nagaland, Kohima, Orissa, Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneshwar, Punjab, Rajasthan, Jaipur, Sikkim, Gangtok, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Agartala, Uttaranchal, West Bengal, Kolkata, Dehradun, Uttar Pradesh, Dada and Nagar Haveli, Silvassa, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Port Blair, Daman and Diu, Lakshadeep, Kavaratti, Yanam, Pondicherry. Asia, USA, America, Washington, Belgium, New York, United States of America, United Kingdom, Columbia, Bangkok, Australia, Switzerland, Mexico, France, Sweden, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Poland, Denmark, France, London, New Zealand, Spain. Indonesia, Brazil, Nigeria, Russia, Philippines, Ethiopia, Vietnam, Egypt, Turkey, Iran, Thailand, Burma, South Africa, Algeria.

Many people in the society are looking for helping hands. Let’s be a hope to them. Amma Nanna Charitable Trust is one among them.

We are joining more orphan children who have no parent’s age group between 3 to 12 years and also joining Widows, Deceived and Separated Women at free of charges only. Our children have been staying with us up to their life settlement that means they will stand with their own bases.

you feel you are also responsible to the society, please, if you come across such people in and around your surroundings, give a hope to them by providing our address and we take care of them with pleasure.

“Please don’t Drink Alcohol and other intoxicates Live a happily and make Peaceful Society”

Everyone should read and write his/her regional language. We don’t try to take any Loans it leads to bitter life. We can live a happily in Kutcha house without loans, and then granite floored building with Loans. Loans make damage peaceful life and leads us misbehavior and corrupt minding nature.

Address of our Free of cost orphanage home Aditya Nagar, Desapathrunipalem, Parawada, Near Steel Plant Quarters Sector-X, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India, and Asia. Cell no. 08886563252

For Orphan children we are providing good education, nutritious food, sports and games, cultural activities, meditation and yoga. We are very particular in teaching them good behavior, how to be responsible to the situations, moral and spiritual values and civic senses which in deed helps in providing a healthy citizen to the society in our Orphanage children home.

For deceived women or widows, we are providing nutritious food, shelter, healthy and spiritual environment, yoga and meditation. We even accept them as the Volunteers with a service motto as we all know “SERVICE TO LIFE IS SERVICE TO GOD”

Do you know depending upon parents and teachers’ behaviors children learn good or bad activities? For example we choose one regional language in particular state, different areas living people speak different stylish the same regional language because it’s their environment effect. So when parents/teachers create good environments to their children doing good things like social, civic, moral, spiritual, cultural, social response, kind, humanity etc… Then children growing such way if not they will grimy.

Now a day’s one in all are thinking about earn billions of billions of rupees whatever job they are doing and give it to their children on heredity properties. Suppose they will give children billions of billions rupees and there will be no moral values, civic senesce, social responsibilities, humanity, social behavior, kindness, social moving with others and also no pure air, water, earth and sky. Can they enjoy in that society? and live happily such wrinkle and blight society, we will give them not only money on heredity but also we learn or grow them good behaviors like cultural, spiritual, social, moral, civics, kind, help, social responsibility etc.. . Money is requiring for live but life is not money. Money may not make life happy but service must be making live happily that should be known one in all.

Our properties just like water level in the well if we use water purposefully the decreased water level in the well filled later. If we don’t use water the level of water remains the same suppose we add more water into the well it looks raise in the water level in movement but after sometime it comes to the original level. If we use water unnecessarily and dry it then we have no water when we want to drink even though our well water will be raised later. So we take a little amount of water and use it towards real needy people. We eat for living and not live for eating man/woman should working until last his/her breathe.

Friends we may not giving as light as the sun but we are giving as light as lamp and try to drive way darkness in the society as able as we can then darkness drive way from the society then we will live peacefully and happily in such society . I hope we make such world! We assure you of our ethical zeal of service to the tender generation born to serve our nation as differently able citizens because “Ability knows no Handicap”.

NEED YOUR SUPPORT

• could you please shake your hands in the humanitarian task and noble cause of raising funds in Aid of the real orphans needy?

• Your support empowers the society with the resources to share responsibility in one of the some common activity with this society as mentioned below:

• Orphan Children Home (50 Boys / Girls)

• Residential Primary School (child Labor /street children)

• Orphan Care Home for HIV infected children

• Mobile Medical Units (3 centers)

• Income Generating Programme (Widows)

Name of the Organization: Amma Nanna Charitable Trust (ACT)

Name of Bank: State Bank of India

SB Account No: 30030634007

IFS code: SBIN0002716

Micro Code: 530002009

Branch: Visakhapatnam

Note: Please visit before give your donations to Orphanages/Voluntary Organizations/Charitable Trust

Please don’t donate anything to Orphanages/Volunteer organizations without your personal visit

Joining in our Orphanage at Free of Cost

We are joining more orphan children who have no parent’s age group between 3 to 12 years and also joining Widows and Separated/Deceived Women who have good character and willing to serve to orphan children as volunteer with their children at free of charges only. Our children have been staying with us up to their life settlement that means they will stand with their own bases.

Please don’t donate anything to orphanages/NGO/Charitable Trusts/Children homes/old age home/volunteer organizations without your personal visit. Most of organizations are making business in the name of charity. So be careful for donate to any

We are not accepting any thing to our orphanage without personal visit before he/she wants donate.

Amma Nanna Charitable Trust (ACT) was started in providing services for noble cause that includes orphanage for children who have no parent’s and also Widows/Separated /Deceived Women at free of cost only. It is a NGO providing non-profit voluntary social services organization orphanage at free charges homes, that includes promoting education to children and counseling for alcohol and other intoxicates. view to serve society, a non-profit and charitable trust, Volunteer NGO’s Services with the name “AMMA NANNA CHARITABLE TRUST (ACT)"established in year 2005 and acquired its registration (as per the Trust Act of A.P., India.) and Reg. 119/2005. And also License by Department for Women, Children, Disabled and Senior Citizen & CID-Police Department and License No. 0330/1/2011, under the leadership as Founder & Secretary Sri Gurubelli. Koteswara Rao M.sc, M.Phil, PGDCPA. And as Chairperson and Managing Trustee Smt Gurubelli Venkata Lakshmi alias Suguna M.A(Socialogy) We are so happy to expedite the meaning of “AMMA NANNA” as "MOTHER FATHER" and the exigency of naming this trust had been arisen in reminiscence of the beloved late parents ( Smt & sri Gurubelli. Ammayamma Ramamurthy) of Sri Gurubelli. Koteswara Rao, founder & secretary of this ministries following on their sympathetic favor, commitment and support launched for the neglected people who were drastically lack of food, clothes and other family problems. We are running this NGO Social Service Volunteer Organization with our own funds without any disparity in caste and creed in INDIA Asia and Boards.

Inmates are all district and states of India, like , 1 Town, 75 Feet Road, 4th Town Police Station 104 Area, Aanadha Ashramam, Abidnagar, Anatha Asram, Achampet , Achanta, Adarshnagar, Addanki, Addateegala, Addatheegala, Addakula, Addurodu, Adilabad, Adivivaram, Adoni , Air port, Aganampudi, Akividu,Akkayyapalem, Akkireddypalem, , Alair, Alamanda, Alampur, Alamuru, Allagadda, Allipuram, Allure, Alur, Amadalavalasa, Amalapuram, Amaravathi, Ambajeepeta,Amarchinta, Amaravathi, Amarevati, Anandapuram, Ananthagiri, Anaparthi, Annavaram, Anaparthy, Andhra Bhumi, Andhra University, Anantapur, Andole ,ANR Appikonda, Asifabad, Asifnagar, Asilmetta, Asheelmetta junction, Araku valley, Arasavalli, Arilova, , Armoor, Atchutapuram, Atmakur,, Attili, A U Campus, IN, Out Gate, Auto Nagar, Avanigadda, Badvel, Bala cheruvu, Balacheruvu Road, Balaji Nagar, Ballajura, Balkonda , Bangalore, Banswada, Bapujinagar, Bapatla,Baruva, Bayyavaram, Berhampur, Bhadrachalam, Bheemili, Bheemunipatnam, Bhimadolu, Bhimavaram, Bhogapuram, Bhongir, BHPV, Bhubaneswar, Bhupesh Nagar, Big Bazaar, Bazar, Birla, , Bimavaram, Boath, Bobbili, Bodhan, Bombay, Bowdara, Borra Caves, BRTS, B.S Layout Cheepurupalli, BSI Standard, Buddhavarapu Gardens, Budithi, Buggaram, Burgampahad, Butchirajupalem, Butchi Sundara Rao Street, Burujupeta, , Burugupudi, , Calcutta, CBM Compound, CBI, Chalakurthy, Challavanipeta, Chanakya Towers, Chandragiri, Chandrayangutta, Chapaluppada, Charminar , Chavulamadam, Chavulamadumu, Cheepurupalli, Chennai, Chennur, Cherial, Chevella , Chilakaluripet, Chilakapalem, China musidivada, chinnamusidivada, Chinnor, Chintalapudi, Chintapalli, krishna Chirala, Chittoor, Chodavaram, Chollangi village,Choppadandi, CMR center, Collectorate, Collectors Office Convent junction, corromendal, Coromandel gate, CDR Hospital, Cuddapah, Cumbum, Dabagarden, Dabagardens, Dagguvanipalem, Dasapalla Hills , Darsi, Dayalapuram, Dayal nagar, Delhi, Denduluru, Devarakonda, devipatnam, Dabhagaden, Dharmavaram, Dhavaleswaram, dhayal nagar, Dolphin, Dhondaparthi, Dhone , Dhorathota, , Diamond Park, Dibbalapalem, Dichpalli, Doctors Colony, Dommat,Dondaparthy, Dorakanagar, Dorathota, Dornakal , Duggirala, Duvvada, Dwaraka Nagar, Dwaraka Tirupati, Dwarapudi, , East Godavari, East Point Colony, Ecchapuram, Elamanchili, Eluru, ENDADA, Enadu, Eenadu, Etcherla, Etikoppaka, Femur, Fishing Harbour, Harbor Approach Road, Gadwal, Gajapathinagaram, Gajwel , Ganavaram Port, Gannavaram, Gangulavari, Gannavaram, Gara, Garividi, Ghanpur, Giddalur, Gumma Lakshmipuram, GL Puram, Gunnies Book, Record, Gnanapuram, Gandhigram, Gokavaram, Golkonda, Gollapalem,Gollavanipalem, Golukonda, Golugonda Gopalapatnam, Gooty, Gopalapuram, Gorantla, Gorllivanipalem, Green Park, Greater Visakhapatnam, , G.S.N. Gullipadu, Gudivada, Gudur, Guntur, Gurazala, Gurudwara, Hanamkonda, Hanuman Junction, Temple, Hanumanthavaka, Hall Mark, Hanumantuvaka, Harichandrapuram, Harischandrapuram, Harishchandrapur, HB colony, Head Post Office, Heccherla, Himayat Nagar, Hindupur, Hiramandalam, HPCL,hukumpeta, Huzurabad, Hyderabad, Ibrahimpatnam, Ichapuram, India, INDIA, Indurthi, Industrial estate, IT, IN, INL Kalinga, Isukathota, iskathota, Jadcherla,Jagadam, Jagadamba centre, Jagamba Theatre, Jail Road, Jaggampeta, Jagarajupeta, Jaggayyapalem, Jaggayyapet, Jaghadham Jagtial, Jalandhar, Jalumuru, Jammalamadugu, Jangaon, Jangareddygudem, Jodugullapalem, ,Jukkal, Kadapa, Kadiri, Kadiyam, Kaikalur, Kaikaluru, Kailashmetta, Kaka Nagar, Kakani Nagar, Kailasagiri, Kailasapuram, Kakinada, Kalaniketan, Kalanikhetan, Kalingapatnam, Kalinganagar, , Kalwakurthy, Kalyandurg, Kamalapur, Kamalapuram, Kamareddy, Kancharapalem, Kandukur, Kanigiri, Kankipadu, Kapuluppada, , Kapu uppada, Kapuluppada, Kantipudi, Kanithi Road, , Karimnagar, Karnal, Karnataka, Karnool, Karunol, Karwan, Kasibugga, Kasimkota, Kattipudi, Kavali, KGH, Khairatabad , Khammam, Khanapur, Kirlampudi, layout, K. Kotapadu, Kobbari Thota, Kodad, Kodangal , Kodumur, Koduru, Koduruand, Koilkuntla , Kolhapur, Kolkata, Kondepi, Koppaka, Korasavada, Kotabommali, Kotananduru, Kotavalasa, Kotaveedhi, , Kothagudem, Kothapet, Kotha Road, Kothavalasa, Kothuru, Kotipalli, Koturu, Kovur, Kovvur,Krishna College, Krantinagar, KRM Colony, Kuchinapudi, Kuppam, Kurupam Market, Kurmanpalem, Kurmam, Kummaripalem, Kurmannapalem , Kurnool, Kusalapuram, Lakkireddipalli, Lalitha Nagar, Lankhilapallem, Lakshminagar, Lankelapalem, Lankilapallem, LB Colony, Leela Mahal, Luxettipet, Macherla, Machilipatnam, Madakasira, Madanpalle, Madapamu, Maddilapalem, Madduru, Madivala, Madhira, Madhavadhara, Madhurawada, Madhya Pradesh, Madugula Reddi, Maharanipeta, Mahbubabad , Mahabubnagar, Mahbubnagar, Maharajgunj , Makthal, Malkapuram, Malakpet, Malleswaram, Mandapeta, Mandavaripeta, , Mangalagiri, Manthani, Marikavalasa Maredumilli, Markapur, Marripalem, Martur , Maruteru, Medak, Medchal, Medivada, Metpalli, Meghadripeta, Meghadri gadda, Meghadrigadda, Midilapuri, Mindi, Mindhi, Miryalguda, MMTC Colony, Mud Hole, Mudhole, Mudinepalli, Mulug, Mumbai, Mulagada, Mummidivaram, Muppidi Colony, Mungode, Murali Nagar, Musheerabad, Nagari , Nagarkurnool , MVP colony, Myadaram, Mydukur, Mylavaram, NAD junction, Nagaram, Naguru, Naiduthota Nakkapalem, Nakkapalli, Nakkavanipalem, Nakrekal, Nalgonda, Nallamada, Nandigama, Nandyal, Narasannapeta, Narasaraopet, Narasimha, Narayankhed , Narasapur, narsapur, Narsampet, Narsipatnam, Narisipatnam, Natavalasa, Nathavaram, Nathayyapalem, Naval Dock, Yard Neelamma Vepaqchettu, Naval Dock Yard Neelamma Vepachettu, Nellimarla, Nellore, Nerella, new Gajuwaka, Nidadavole,nidadhavole, Nidadhavolu, Nidumolu ,Nimmada, Nirmal, Nivagam, Nizamabad, N.R. I NSTL, NTPC, NTPC-Parawada, Nuzvid, Odessa, Old post office, Ongole, Orissa, Paderu, Palacole, Palair, Palakonda, Palakollu, Palamaner, Palasa, Pallavaram, Panchadarla, Panyam, Parawada, Parchur, Parkal, Pargi, Parlakimidi, Parvathipuram, Patapatnam, Pata Polavaram, Pathapatnam, Pattikonda , Payakaraopeta, Pedakurapadu, Peda Peddapalli, Peddipalem, Peddapuram, Pendurthi, pendurthy, Penugonda, Penukonda Pillala Ashramam, Piler, Pithapuram, PM Palem, PNT Colony, Pandurangapuram, Polaki, Polavaram, Ponduru, Ponnur, Poondi, Poorna Market, Porur, Prakasam, Prathipadu, Priya, Proddat, Proddatur, Pudimadaka, Pulivendula, Pundi, Pune, Punganur, purna, Purushothapuram, Purusotapuram, puspatera, Puttur , Pydibheemavaram, Rail Way New Colony, Rajahmundry, Rajam, Rajampet, Raj, Raja Nagar, rajavommangi, Rajolu, Ramachandrapuram, Ramagundam, Rama Nagar, Ramnagar, Ramannapet, Rama Talkies Center, ramatheertham, Ramtherdham, Neusan Bhag,Ramatheertham, ramavaram, Ramayampet, Rambilli, Ramnagar, Rampachodavaram, Rangapuram, Ranastalam, Rangareddy, Ravulapalem, Rayachoty, Rayadurg, Raya Durg, Rayavaram, , Razole, Reddipalli, RegupaduRepalle, Rapur, Regupalem, Revidi, Revit, RK Beach, Rotherham, Rushikonda,rusu konda, Rushukonda, Sabbavaram, Sagar Nagar, Sakhsi, Salur, Sampara , Sanath Nagar, Sangareddy, Santhanuthalapadu , Sarasota, Saraswati Park, Saravakota, Sarvepalli, Sathivada, Sathupalli, Sattenapalli Sastry Road, Satyam centre, Satyavedu, Secunderabad, seetampeta, Seethammadhara, Seethampeta, Shadnagar, Shayampet, Sholur, Shopping Mall, Siddhantam, Siddipet, Simhachalam, Sindhiya, Singanamala, Sircilla , Sirpur, Siripuram, S. Kota, Soluru, Sompeta, Sriharipuram, Srikakulam, Sri Kalahasti, Sri Kalahsti, Srikurmam, Srimukalingam, Srimukhalingam, Srungavarapukota, Steel Plant Quarters Sector, Sujathanagar, Sulurpet, Suryabagh, Surya Bhag, Suryapet, Tadepalligudem, Tadepellegudem, tadepalli gudum, Tadikonda, Tadipatri, Tagarapuvalasa, , Tallapalem, Talarevu, Tallarevu, Tamil nadu, Tandur, Tanuku , Tekkali, Tenali, Thamballapalle, Thatichetlapalem, Therlam, Thotapalli, Tilaru, Tikkavanipalem, Timaru, Tirumala, Tirupati, Tiruvuru, Tuni, Tungaturthi, UDA Park, Udda Udayagiri, Ukkumpeta, Ukkunagaram, Undi, Unguturu, Universal records, Uravakonda, Ushodaya Colony, Uttarahalli, Uttarapalli, Vada cheepurupalli, Vadacheepurapalli, Vaddadi, Vanukuru, Vartha, varthaa, Vayalpad, Vellanki, Vemur, Venkatagiri , Venkojipalem, Velampeta, Vepada, Vepagunta, Vepanjeri , Vijayawada, Vikarabad, Vinukonda, Visakhapatnam, Visakha Valley, Vitanthula ashramam, Vizag, Vizianagaram, Vrudhula ashramam Vuyyuru, Waltair, Wanaparthy, Warangal, Wardhannapet, West Godavari World Record, Yalamanchili, Yakutpura, Yeleswaram, Yellandu, Yellareddy, Yellavaram, Yemmiganur, Yendada, Y junction, Zahirabad, Zoo Park center, and other state of India.

Guntur District Macherla , Veldurthi , Narasaraopeta, Rentacrintala , Bollapalle , Rompicherla , Gurazala , Nakarikallu , Ipur Dachepalle, Muppalla , Savalyapuram , Machavaram , Phirangipuram , Vinukonda , Bellamkonda , Medikonduru , Nuzendla , Achampeta , Guntur , Chilakaluripet , Krosuru , Pedakakani , Pedanandipadu , Amaravathi , Duggirala , Kakumanu, Thullur , Kollipara , Ponnur , Thadepalle , Kollur , Amruthalur , Mangalagiri , Vemuru , Cherukupalle , Tadikonda , Tenali , Bhattiprolu , Pedakurapadu , Tsundur , Repalle , ,Sattenapalle , Chebrole , Nagaram , Rajupalem , Vatticherukuru , Nizampatnam , Piduguralla , Prathipadu , Pittalavanipalem , Karempudi , Edlapadu , Karlapalem , Durgi , Nadendla , Bapatla. Narasaraopet, Rentachintala, Bollapalli, Nekarikallu, Jaipur, Thadepalli, Cherukupalli Chebrolu, Georgia

Krishna District Vijayawada A.Konduru, Agiripalli, Avanigadda, Bantumilli, Bapulapadu, Challapalli, Chandralapadu, Chatrai, Gampalogudem, Gannavaram, G. Konduru, Ghantasala, Guduru, Gudivada, Gudlavalleru, Ibrahimpatnam, Jaggayyapeta, Kaikalur, Kalidindi , Kanchikacherla , Kankipadu, Koduru , Kruthivennu, Mailavaram , Machilipatam, Mandavalli , Movva , Mopidevi , Mudinepalle , Musunuru , Nagayalanka , Nandigama , Nandivada, Nuzvid , Pamidimukkala , Pedana, Pamarru, Pedaparupudi , Penuganchiprolu , Penamaluru , Reddigudem , Tiruvuru , Thotlavalluru , Unguturu, Vatsavai, Vissannapeta, Vuyyuru, Veerullapadu , Chandarlapadu, Gampalagudem, benz circle, ring road, Machilipatnam, gunadala matha , kondapalli , gollapalli , Telaprolu.

Srikakulam District Veeraghattam , Bhamini , Vangara , Kothuru , Regidiamadala Valasa , Hiramandalam , Rajam , Sarubujjili , Ganguvari Singadam , Amadalavalasa , Laveru , Srikakulam , Ranastalam , Gara , Hetcherla , Polaki , Ponduru , Narasannapeta , Santhakaviti , Jalumuru , Burja , Saravakota, Palakonda , Pathapatnam , Seethampeta , Meliaputti, Kotabommali , Santha Bommali , Nandigam , Vajrapu Kothuru , Palasa , Mandasa , Sompeta , Kanchili , Kaviti , Tekkali, Ichchapuram , Regidi amadalaValasa ,Santhabommali.

Vizianagaram District Komarada , Ramabhadrapuram , Gummalakshmipuram , Badangi , Kurupam , Therlam , Jiyyammavalasa , Merakamudidam , Garugubilli , Dattirajeru , Parvathipuram , Mentada , Makkuva , Gajapathinagaram , Seethanagaram , Bondapalle , Balajipeta , Gurla , Bobbili , Garividi , Salur , Cheepurupalle , Pachipenta , Nellimarla , Bhoghapuram , Denkada , Vizianagaram , Gantyada , Srungavarapukota , Vepada , Lakkavarapukota , Jami , Kothavalasa, Pusapatirega, Colorado, Thermal Bondapalli.

Visakhapatnam District Munchingiputtu, Nathavaram , Pedagantyada , Pedabayalu , Narsipatnam , Paravada , Hukumpetau , Rolugunta , Anakapalli , Dumbriguda , Ravikamatham , Munagapaka , Arakuvalley , Butchayyapeta , Kasimkota , Ananthagiri , Chodavaram , Makavarapalem, Devarapalle , K Kotapadu, Kotauratla , Cheedikada , Sabbavaram , Payakaraopeta , Madugula , Pendurthi , Nakkapalli , Paderu , Anandapuram , S. Rayavaram , Gangaraju Madugula , Padmanabham , Yelamanchili , Chintapalle , Bheemunipatnam , Rambilli , Gudemkothaveedhi , Visakhapatnam , Atchutapuram, Koyyuru , Visakhapatnam urban, rural, Golugonda , Gajuwaka . Munching Puttu, Devarapalli , Gudem Kotha Veedhi.

East Godavari District Maredumilli , Pithapuram , Kapileswarapuram , Y Ramavaram , Kothapalle , Alamuru , Addateegala , Kakinada, Atreyapuram , Rajavommangi , Ravula Palem , Kotananduru , Samalkota , Pamarru , Tuni , Rangampeta , Kothapeta , Thondangi , Gandepalle , P Gannavaram , Gollaprolu , Rajanagaram , Ambajipeta , Sankhavaram , Rajahmundry, Ainavilli , Prathipadu , Mummidivaram , Yeleswaram , Kadiam , I.Polavaram , Gangavaram , Mandapeta , Katrenikona, Rampachodavaram , Anaparthy , Uppalaguptam , Devipatnam , Biccavolu , Amalapuram , Seethanagaram , Pedapudi , Allavaram , Korukonda , Karapa , Mamidikuduru , Gokavaram , Thallarevu , Razole , Jaggampeta , Kajuluru , Malikipuram , Kirlampudi , Ramachandrapuram , Sakhinetipalle, Peddapuram , Rayavaram , sankavaram, Samalkot, Kothapet , Gandepalli , Sakhinetipalli, samrlakota.

West Godavari District Jeelugumilli , Nidadavole , Undi , Buttayagudem , Tadepalligudem , Akiveedu , Polavaram , Unguturu , Kalla , Thallapudi , Bhimadole , Bheemavaram , Gopalapuram , Pedavegi , Palakoderu , Koyyalagudem , Pedapadu , Veeravasaram , Jangareddigudem , Eluru , Penumantra , T.Narasapuram , Denduluru , Penugonda , Chintalapudi , Nidamarru , Achanta , Lingapalem , Ganapavaram , Poduru , Kamavarapukota , Pentapadu , Palacole , Dwarakatirumala , Tanuku , Yelamanchili , Nallajerla , Undrajavaram , Narasapuram , Devarapalle , Peravali , Mogalthur Chagallu , Iragavaram , Kovvur , Attili . Tallapudi, Bhimavaram, Palakol, chebrolu Dwaraka Tirumala, Devarapalli.

Khammam District Cherla , Yellandu , Enkuru , Pinapaka , Singareni , Konijerla , Gundala , Bayyaram , Khammam Urban , Manuguru ,Garla , Khammam Rural , Aswapuram , Kamepalle , Thirumalayapalem , Dummugudem , Julurpad , Kusumanchi , Bhadrachalam , Chandrugonda , Nelakondapalle , Kunavaram , Mulakalapalle ,Mudigonda , Chintur , Aswaraopeta , Chinthakani , Vararamachandrapuram , Dammapeta , Wyra , Velairpad , Sathupalle , Bonakal , Kukunoor , Vemsoor , Madhira , Burgampadu , Penuballi , Yerrupalem, Palawancha, Wazeed , Kothagudem , Kalluru , Venkatapuram , Tekulapalle , Thallada . Cherla , Nakuru , Uganda , Kamepalli , Nelakondapalli ,Mulakalapalli Va Ramachandrapuram , Palvancha , Tekulapally.

Prakasam District Yerragondapalem , Martur , Veligandla , Pullalacheruvu , Parchur , Pedacherlopalle , Tripuranthakam , Karamchedu , Ponnaluru , Kurichedu , Chirala , Kondapi , Donakonda , Vetapalem , Santhanuthlapadu , Pedaaraveedu , Inkollu , Ongole , Dornala , Janakavaram, Panguluru , Naguluppalapadu , Ardhaveedu , Korisapadu , Chinaganjam , Markapur , Maddipadu , Kothapatnam , Tarlapadu , Chimakurthi , Tangutur , Konakanamitla , Marripudi , Zarugumilli , Podili , Kanigiri , Kandukur , Darsi , Hanumanthunipadu , Voletivaripalem , Mundlamuru , Bestavaripeta , Pamur , Thallur , Cumbum , Lingasamudram , Addanki , Racherla , Gudluru , Ballikuruva , Giddaluru , Ulavapadu , Santhamaguluru , Komarolu , Singarayakonda , Yeddanapudi , Chadrasekara, Puram . Peda Cherlopalli, Peddaraveedu, Tarlupadu, Chimakurthy, Jarugumilli, Ballikurava, Chandrasekara.

Sri Potti Sri Ramulu Nellore District Seetharamapuram, Kodavalur , Sydapuram , Varikuntapadu , Butchireddipalem , Dakkili , Kondapuram , Sangam , Venkatagiri , Jaladanki , Chejerla , Balayapalle , Kavali , Ananthasagaram , Ojili , Bogole , Kaluvoya , Chillakur , Kaligiri , Rapur , Kota , Vinjamur , Podlakur , Vakadu , Duttalur , Nellore , Chittamur , Udayagiri , Kovur , Naidupeta , Marripadu , Indukurpet , Pellakur , Atmakur , Thotapalligudur , Doravarisatram , Anumasamudrampeta , Muthukur , Sullurpeta , Dagadarthi , Venkatachalam , Tada , Allur , Manubolu , Vidavalur , Gudur Buchireddypalem, Balayapalli , Podalakur , Thotapalli Gudur ,Anamasamudrampeta , Allure .

Dr. Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy Cuddapah District Muddanur, Vempalle , Kondapuram , Simhadripuram , Chaknayapet , Mylavaram , Lingala , Lakkireddipalle , Peddamudium , Pulivendla , Ramapuram , Raju Palem , Vemula , Veeraballe , Duvvur , Thandur , Rajampet , S Mydukur , Veerapunayunipalle , Nandalur , Brahmamgarimattam , Yerraguntla , Penagaluru , B Kodur , Kamalapuram , Chitvel , Kalasapadu , Vallur , Kodur , Porumamilla , Chennur , Obulavaripalle , Badvel , Atlur , Pullampeta , Gopavaram , Vontimitta , T.Sundupalle , Khajipet , Sidhout , Sambepalle , Chapad , Chinnamandem , Proddutur , Chintha Kommadinne , Rayachoti , Jammalamadugu , Pendlimarri , Galiveedu Vempalli , Chakrayapet , Pulivendula , Tandur , Veerapunayuni Palli , Penagalur , Obulavaripalli , Atlanta , Pullampet , T.Sundupalli , Kazipet, Sambepalli, Proddatur.

Chittoor District Peddamandyam , K V P Puram , Nagari , Thamballapalle , Narayanavanam , Karvetinagar , Mulakalacheruvu , Vadamalapeta , Srirangaraja Puram , Peddathippa Samudram , Tirupati Rural , Palasamudram , B.Kothakota , Kammapalle , Gangadhara Nellore , Kurabalakota , Chandragiri , Penumuru , Gurramkonda , Chinnagottigallu , Puthalapattu , Kalakada , Rompicherla , Irala , Kambhamvaripalle , Pileru , Thavanampalle , Yerravaripalem , Kalikiri ,Chittoor , Tirupati Urban , Vayalpad , Gudipala , Renigunta , Nimmanapalle , Yadamari , Yerpedu , Mandopalle , Bangarupalem , Srikalahasti , Ramasamudram , Palamaner , Thottambedu , Punganur , Gangavaram , Buchinaidu Khandriga , Chowdepalle , Pedda Panjani , Varadaiahpalem , Somala , Baireddi Palle , Satyavedu , Sodam , Venkatagiri Kota , Nagalapuram , Pulicherla , Ramakuppam , Pichatur , Pakala , Santhi Puram , Vijaya Puram , Veduru Kuppam , Gudi Palle , Nindra , Puttur , Kuppam K V B Puram , Sri Rangaraja Puram , Pedda Thippa , Kammapalli , Kambham Vari Palli , Piler , Madanapalle , Madanapalle, Bangarupalem , Srikalahasti , Kandireega , Peddapanjani , Somalia , Baireddipalle ,Sathyavedu , Sodom, Santhipuram , Vijayapuram , Vedurukuppam , Gudipalle , Nidra.

Ananthapur District D.Hirchal , Kunurpi , Gandlapenta , Bommanahal , Kalyandurg , Kadiri , Vidapanakal , Atmakur , Amadagur , Vajrakarur , Anantapur , Obuladevaracheruvu , Guntakal , Bukkarayasamudram , Nallamada , Gooty , Narpala , Gorantla , Peddavadugur , Putlur , Puttaparthi , Yadiki , Yellanur , Bukkapatnam , Tadpatri , Tadimarri , Kothacheruvu , Peddapappur , Bathalapalle , Penu Konda , Singanamala , Raptadu , Roddam , Pamidi , Kanaganapalle , Somandepalle , Garladinne , Kambadur , Chilamathur , Kudair , Ramagiri , Lepakshi , Uravakonda , Chenne Kothapalle , Hindupur , Beluguppa , Dharmavaram , Parigi , Kanekal , Mudigubba , Madakasira , Rayadurg , Talupula , Gudibanda , Gummagatta , Nambulipulikunta , Amarapuram , Brahmasamudram , Tanakal , Agali , Settur , Nallacheruvu , Rolla D.Hirehal, Kundurpi , Bommanahalli , Bathalapalli , Penukonda , Kanaganapalli , Sattur.

Kurnool District Kowthalam , Kodumur , Rudravaram , Kosigi , Gonegandla , Allagadda , Mantralayam , Yemmiganur , Chagalamarri , Nandavaram , Pedda Kadalur , Uyyalawada , C.Belagal , Adoni , Dornipadu , Gudur , Holagunda , Gospadu , Kurnool , Alur , Koilkuntla , Nandi Kotkur , Aspari , Banaganapalle , Pagidyala , Devanakonda , Sanjamala , Kothapalle , Krishnagiri , Kolimigundla , Atmakur , Veldurthi , Owk , Srisailam , Bethamcherla , Peapally , Velgode , Panyam , Dhone , Pamulapadu , Gadivemula , Tuggali , Jupadu Bungalow , Bandi Atmakur , Pattikanda , Midthur , Nandyal , Maddikera East , Orvakal , Mahanandi , Chippagiri , Kallur , Sirvel , Halaharvi . Nandikotkur, Banaganapalli, Dhoni, Jupadu Bunglow, Silver.

Mahabubnagar District Kodangal , Jadcherla , Amrabad , Bomraspeta , Bhoothpur , Balmoor , Kosgi , Mahbubnagar , Lingal , Doulatabad , Addakal , Peddakothapalle , Damaragidda , Devarkadara , Kodair , Maddur , Dhanwada , Gopalpeta , Koilkonda , Narayanpet , Wanaparthy , Hanwada , Utkoor , Pangal , Nawabpet , Maganoor , Pebbair , Balanagar , Makthal , Gadwal , Kondurg , Narva , Dharur , Farooqnagar , Chinna Chinta Kunta , Maldakal , Kothur , Atmakur , Ghattu , Keshampeta , Kothakota , Aiza , Talakondapalle , Peddamandadi , Waddepalle , Amangal , Ghanpur , Itikyal , Madgul , Bijinapalle , Manopadu , Vangoor , Nagar Kurnool , Alampur , Veldanda , Tadoor , Veepangandla , Kalwakurthy , Telkapalle , Kollapur , Midjil , Uppununthala , Thimmajipeta , Achampeta . Daulatabad, Tandoor, Telkapally, Kolhapur, Thimmajipet.

Rangareddy District Marpalle ,Hayathnagar , Gandeed , Mominpet , Saroornagar , Kulkacharla , Nawabpet , Rajendranagar , Pargi , Shankarpalle , Moinabad , Pudur , Malkajgiri , Chevella , Shabad , Serilingampalle , Vikarabad , Shamshabad , Quthbullapur , Dharur , Maheswaram , Medchal , Bantaram , Ibrahimpatam , Shamirpet ,Peddemul , Manchal , Balanagar , Tandur , Yacharam , Keesara , Basheerabad , Kandukur , Ghatkesar , Yelal , Uppal , Doma . Shankarpalli, puduraya, Serilingampally, Maheshwaram, Yell.

Nalgonda District Bommalaramaram , Chityala , Thripuraram , M Turkapalle , Narketpalle , Miryalaguda , Rajapet , Kattangoor , Garide Palle , Yadagirigutta , Nakrekal , Chilkur , Alair , Kethepalle , Kodad , Gundala , Suryapet , Mellachervu , Thirumalagiri , Chivvemla , Huzurnagar , Thunga Thurthi , Mothey , Mattampalle , Nuthankal , Nadigudem , Nered Cherla , Atmakur (S) , Munagala , Dameracherla , Jaji Reddi Gudem , Penpahad , Anumula , Saligouraram , Vemulapalle , Peddavura , Mothkur , Thipparthi , Pedda Adiserlapalle , Atmakur (M) , Nalgonda , Gurrampode , Valigonda , Munugode , Nampalle , Bhuvanagiri , Narayanapur , Chintha Palle , Bibinagar , Marri Guda , Devarakonda , Pochampalle , Chandur , Gundla Palle , Choutuppal , Kangal , Chandam Pet , Ramannapeta , Nidamanur . Tripuraram , M Turkapally , Narketpally , Kethepally , Uganda , Mellacheruvu , Tirumalagiri , Chivemla ,Thoonga , Mattampally, Need Cherla , Damaracherla , Shaligouraram , Vemulapalli ,Peddavura , Narayanpur , Chintapalli , Marriguda , Pochampally , Gundlapalli ,Chandampet , Ramannapet.

Medak District Manoor , Siddipet , Kohir , Kangti , Chinna Kodur , Munpalle , Kalher , Nanganur , Pulkal , Narayankhed , Kondapak , Sadasivpet , Regode , Jagdevpur , Kondapur ,Shankarampet (A) , Gajwel , Sangareddy , Alladurg , Doultabad , Patancheru , Tekmal , Chegunta , Ramachandrapuram , Papannapet , Yeldurthy , Jinnaram , Kulcharam , Kowdipalle , Hathnoora , Medak , Andole , Narsapur , Shankarampet (R) , Raikode , Shivampet , Ramayampet , Nyalkal , Tupran , Dubbak , Jharasangam , Wargal , Mirdoddi , Zahirabad , Mulug . Manoor, Munipalle, Nanganallur, Daulatabad, Veldurthy, Kowdipally, Toopran, to Oprah

Warangal District Cheriyal , Thorrur , Duggondi , Maddur , Nellikudur , Geesugonda , Narmetta , Narsimhulapet , Atmakur , Bachannapeta , Maripeda , Shayampet , Jangaon , Dornakal , Parkal , Lingala Ghanpur , Kuravi , Regonda , Raghunatha Palle , Mahabubabad , Mogullapalle , Ghanpur(Stn) , Kesamudram , Chityal , Dharmasagar , Nekkonda , Bhupalpalle , Hasanparthy , Gudur , Ghanapur , Hanamkonda , Kothagudem , Mulug , Wardhannapet , Khanapur , Venkatapur , Zaffergadh , Govindaraopet , Palakurthi , Chennaraopet , Tadvai , Devaruppula , Parvathagiri , Eturnagaram , Kodakandla , Sangam , Mangapet , Raiparthy , Nallabelly , Warangal Cherial, Cheryl, Bachannapet, Kuruvi, Mogullapally, Bhupalpally, Ghanpur.

Karimnagar District Ibrahimpatnam , Jagtial , Vemulawada , Mallapur , Medipalle , Konaraopeta , Raikal , Koratla , Yella Reddi Peta , Sarangapur , Metpalle , Gambhiraopet , Dharmapuri , Kathlapur , Mustabad , Velgatoor , Chandurthi , Sirsilla , Ramagundam , Kodimial , Ellanthakunta , Kamanpur , Gangadhara , Bejjanki , Manthani , Mallial , Thimmapur , Kataram , Pegadapalle , Kesavapatnam , Mahadevpur , Choppadandi , Huzurabad , Mutharam , Mahadevpur , Sultanabad , Kamalapur , Malharrao , Odela , Elkathurthi , Mutharam Manthani , Jammikunta , Saidapur , Srirampur , Veenavanka , Chigurumamidi , Peddapalle , Manakondur , Koheda , Julapalle , Karimnagar , Husnabad , Dharmaram , Ramadugu , Bheemadevarpalle , Gollapalle , Boinpalle Medipally , Konaraopet , Korutla , Yellareddy Peta , Sarangpur , ,Metpally , Kathalapur , Pegadapally , Elkathurthy , Shrirampur , Peddapalli , Julapalli , , Bheemadevarapally, Bowenpally.

Nizamabad District Ranjal , Yeda Palle , Sadasivanagar , Navipet , Bodhan , Gandhari , Nandipet , Kotgiri , Banswada , Armur , Madnur , Pitlam , Balkonda , Jukkal , Nizamsagar , Mortad , Bichkunda , Yellareddy , Kammar , Palle , Birkoor , Naga Reddipet , Bheemgal , Varni , Lingampet , Velpur , Dichpalle , Tadwai , Jakranpalle , Dhar Palle , Kamareddy , Makloor , Sirkonda , Bhiknur , Nizamabad , Machareddy , Domakonda . Sadashivanagar, Kotagiri, Armour, Pelle, Naga Reddit, Dichpally, Jakranpally, Sirikonda

Adilabad District Talamadugu , Lohesra , Tiryani , Tamsi , Dilawarpur , Asifabad , Adilabad , Nirmal , Wankdi , Jainad , Laxmanchanda , Kagaz Nagar , Bela , Mamda , Rebbana , Narnoor , Khanpur , Tandur , Inderavelly , Kaddampeddur , Bellampalle , Gudihatnur , Utnur , Nennal , Ichoda , Jainoor , Bheemini , Bazarhathnoor , Kerameri , Sirpur (T) , Boath , Sirpur (U) , Kouthala , Neradigonda , Jannaram , Bejjur , Sarangapur , Dandepalle , Dahegaon , Kuntala , Luxettipet , Vemanpalle , Kubeer , Mancherial , Kotapalle , Bhainsa , Mandamarri , Chennur , Tanur , Kasipet , Jaipur , Mudhole Lohara, Tampa , Kagaznagar , Bella , Kaddam Peddur , Gudihathnoor , Bheemili, boathouse , Sarangpur , Vempalli , Kazipet.

Hyderabad, Secendrabad kukatpally , tank bund , hussain sagar , birla mandir ,himayat nagar , begumpet, shamshabad, charminar, golconda , banjara hills ,stadhampton , khairabadi , yousufguda, patancheru,Musheerabad , Ameerpet ,Khairatabad , Bandlaguda, Amberpet , Secunderabad, Charminar , Asifnagar , Himayathnagar ,Tirumalagiri , Golconda , Saidabad , Maredalle,shaikpet ,nampally ,bahadurpura , Maryland .cyderabad, jubili hills, kazipally, bollaram, bachupally, swarnapuri, miyapur, kompally,thumkunta, hakimpet, ramachandra puram, vishwambhar enclave, bala nagar, serilingampally, sri ram nagar, gachibowli, madhapur, secretarial, tolichowki, gandipet, raghuram nagar, bharat nagar, budvel, rajendra nagar, bakaram, kothwalguda, ahmadpur, kavadiguda, asthma, jeedimetla, balaji nagar, alwal, yapral, dammaiguda, sainikpuri, kapra, sakthi nagar, asrao nagar, moulali, bowenpally, ramanthapur, pizza, saroor nagar, falaknuma, vansathi puram, hanuman nagar, brindavan colony, nadergul, indira reddy, rallaguda, gollapally, new hafeezpet, trimulgherry, safilguda, yellareddyguda, musheerabad, taj residency, hill font, apollo hospital, afzalgunj, tadbund, bahadurgarh, sri raghavendra, aradhana, marredpally, zaheerabad, film nagar, mehdipatnam, imperial, esi, kanchanbagh, yeddumailaram, manikonda, chandrayangutta, janwada, chilkur, bakaram, sacoor nagar, deshmukhi, doolapally, amberpet, dilsukhnagar, karwan, gosha mahal, bahadurpura,

Bombay Dilli, Dehli, Kolkata, Kalikata, Kalkutta, Bengaloru, engaluru, Bangalur, Madras, Chennapattanam, Ahmadâbâd, Ahmadabad, Amdabad, Ahmedabad , Haidarabad, Haidarabad, Haiderabad, Hyderabad, Haider-Abad Poona, Pune, Kanpur, Kanpur, Cawnpore, Khanpur, sorat, Surat, Jeypore, Lakhnau Lucknow, Nagpur, Thana, Calcutta, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Pune, Surat, Jaipur, Vadodara, Indore, Patna, Madurai, Bhopal, Ludhiana, Coimbatore, Varanasi, Visakhapatnam, Agra, Mumbai.

Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradeshm Itangar, Itanagar, Assam, Dispur, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Raipur, Goa, Panaji, Gujaratm Gandhinagar, Haryana, Chandigarhm Himachal Pradesh, Shimla, Jammu and Kashmir, Srinagar, Jharkhand, Ranchi, Karnataka, Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, Trivandrum, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Imphal, Meghalaya, Shillong, Mizoram, Aizawi, Nagaland, Kohima, Orissa, Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneshwar, Punjab, Rajasthan, Jaipur, Sikkim, Gangtok, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Agartala, Uttaranchal, West Bengal, Kolkata, Dehradun, Uttar Pradesh, Dada and Nagar Haveli, Silvassa, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Port Blair, Daman and Diu, Lakshadeep, Kavaratti, Yanam, Pondicherry. Asia, USA, America, Washington, Belgium, New York, United States of America, United Kingdom, Columbia, Bangkok, Australia, Switzerland, Mexico, France, Sweden, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Poland, Denmark, France, London, New Zealand, Spain. Indonesia, Brazil, Nigeria, Russia, Philippines, Ethiopia, Vietnam, Egypt, Turkey, Iran, Thailand, Burma, South Africa, Algeria,

Many people in the society are looking for helping hands. Let’s be a hope to them. Amma Nanna Charitable Trust is one among them.

We are joining more orphan children who have no parent’s age group between 3 to 12 years and also joining Widows, Deceived and Separated Women at free of charges only. Our children have been staying with us up to their life settlement that means they will stand with their own bases.

you feel you are also responsible to the society, please, if you come across such people in and around your surroundings, give a hope to them by providing our address and we take care of them with pleasure.

“Please don’t Drink Alcohol and other intoxicates Live a happily and make Peaceful Society”

Everyone should read and write his/her regional language. We don’t try to take any Loans it leads to bitter life. We can live a happily in Kutcha house without loans, and then granite floored building with Loans. Loans make damage peaceful life and leads us misbehavior and corrupt minding nature.

Address of our Free of cost orphanage home Aditya Nagar, Desapathrunipalem, Parawada, Near Steel Plant Quarters Sector-X, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India, and Asia. Cell no. 08886563252

For Orphan children we are providing good education, nutritious food, sports and games, cultural activities, meditation and yoga. We are very particular in teaching them good behavior, how to be responsible to the situations, moral and spiritual values and civic senses which in deed helps in providing a healthy citizen to the society in our Orphanage children home.

For deceived women or widows, we are providing nutritious food, shelter, healthy and spiritual environment, yoga and meditation. We even accept them as the Volunteers with a service motto as we all know “SERVICE TO LIFE IS SERVICE TO GOD”

Do you know depending upon parents and teachers’ behaviors children learn good or bad activities? For example we choose one regional language in particular state, different areas living people speak different stylish the same regional language because it’s their environment effect. So when parents/teachers create good environments to their children doing good things like social, civic, moral, spiritual, cultural, social response, kind, humanity etc… Then children growing such way if not they will grimy.

Now a day’s one in all are thinking about earn billions of billions of rupees whatever job they are doing and give it to their children on heredity properties. Suppose they will give children billions of billions rupees and there will be no moral values, civic senesce, social responsibilities, humanity, social behavior, kindness, social moving with others and also no pure air, water, earth and sky. Can they enjoy in that society? and live happily such wrinkle and blight society, we will give them not only money on heredity but also we learn or grow them good behaviors like cultural, spiritual, social, moral, civics, kind, help, social responsibility etc.. . Money is requiring for live but life is not money. Money may not make life happy but service must be making live happily that should be known one in all.

Our properties just like water level in the well if we use water purposefully the decreased water level in the well filled later. If we don’t use water the level of water remains the same suppose we add more water into the well it looks raise in the water level in movement but after sometime it comes to the original level. If we use water unnecessarily and dry it then we have no water when we want to drink even though our well water will be raised later. So we take a little amount of water and use it towards real needy people. We eat for living and not live for eating man/woman should working until last his/her breathe.

Friends we may not giving as light as the sun but we are giving as light as lamp and try to drive way darkness in the society as able as we can then darkness drive way from the society then we will live peacefully and happily in such society . I hope we make such world! We assure you of our ethical zeal of service to the tender generation born to serve our nation as differently able citizens because “Ability knows no Handicap”.

NEED YOUR SUPPORT

• could you please shake your hands in the humanitarian task and noble cause of raising funds in Aid of the real orphans needy?

• Your support empowers the society with the resources to share responsibility in one of the some common activity with this society as mentioned below:

• Orphan Children Home (50 Boys / Girls)

• Residential Primary School (child Labor /street children)

• Orphan Care Home for HIV infected children

• Mobile Medical Units (3 centers)

• Income Generating Programme (Widows)

Name of the Organization: Amma Nanna Charitable Trust (ACT)

Name of Bank: State Bank of India

SB Account No: 30030634007

IFS code: SBIN0002716

Micro Code: 530002009

Branch: Visakhapatnam

Note: Please visit before give your donations to Orphanages/Voluntary Organizations/Charitable Trust

Please don’t donate anything to Orphanages/Volunteer organizations without your personal visit

Joining in our Orphanage at Free of Cost

We are joining more orphan children who have no parent’s age group between 3 to 12 years and also joining Widows and Separated/Deceived Women who have good character and willing to serve to orphan children as volunteer with their children at free of charges only. Our children have been staying with us up to their life settlement that means they will stand with their own bases.

Please don’t donate anything to orphanages/NGO/Charitable Trusts/Children homes/old age home/volunteer organizations without your personal visit. Most of organizations are making business in the name of charity. So be careful for donate to any

We are not accepting any thing to our orphanage without personal visit before he/she wants donate.

Amma Nanna Charitable Trust (ACT) was started in providing services for noble cause that includes orphanage for children who have no parent’s and also Widows/Separated /Deceived Women at free of cost only. It is a NGO providing non-profit voluntary social services organization orphanage at free charges homes, that includes promoting education to children and counseling for alcohol and other intoxicates. view to serve society, a non-profit and charitable trust, Volunteer NGO’s Services with the name “AMMA NANNA CHARITABLE TRUST (ACT)"established in year 2005 and acquired its registration (as per the Trust Act of A.P., India.) and Reg. 119/2005. And also License by Department for Women, Children, Disabled and Senior Citizen & CID-Police Department and License No. 0330/1/2011, under the leadership as Founder & Secretary Sri Gurubelli. Koteswara Rao M.sc, M.Phil, PGDCPA. And as Chairperson and Managing Trustee Smt Gurubelli Venkata Lakshmi alias Suguna M.A(Socialogy) We are so happy to expedite the meaning of “AMMA NANNA” as "MOTHER FATHER" and the exigency of naming this trust had been arisen in reminiscence of the beloved late parents ( Smt & sri Gurubelli. Ammayamma Ramamurthy) of Sri Gurubelli. Koteswara Rao, founder & secretary of this ministries following on their sympathetic favor, commitment and support launched for the neglected people who were drastically lack of food, clothes and other family problems. We are running this NGO Social Service Volunteer Organization with our own funds without any disparity in caste and creed in INDIA Asia and Boards.

Inmates are all district and states of India, like , 1 Town, 75 Feet Road, 4th Town Police Station 104 Area, Aanadha Ashramam, Abidnagar, Anatha Asram, Achampet , Achanta, Adarshnagar, Addanki, Addateegala, Addatheegala, Addakula, Addurodu, Adilabad, Adivivaram, Adoni , Air port, Aganampudi, Akividu,Akkayyapalem, Akkireddypalem, , Alair, Alamanda, Alampur, Alamuru, Allagadda, Allipuram, Allure, Alur, Amadalavalasa, Amalapuram, Amaravathi, Ambajeepeta,Amarchinta, Amaravathi, Amarevati, Anandapuram, Ananthagiri, Anaparthi, Annavaram, Anaparthy, Andhra Bhumi, Andhra University, Anantapur, Andole ,ANR Appikonda, Asifabad, Asifnagar, Asilmetta, Asheelmetta junction, Araku valley, Arasavalli, Arilova, , Armoor, Atchutapuram, Atmakur,, Attili, A U Campus, IN, Out Gate, Auto Nagar, Avanigadda, Badvel, Bala cheruvu, Balacheruvu Road, Balaji Nagar, Ballajura, Balkonda , Bangalore, Banswada, Bapujinagar, Bapatla,Baruva, Bayyavaram, Berhampur, Bhadrachalam, Bheemili, Bheemunipatnam, Bhimadolu, Bhimavaram, Bhogapuram, Bhongir, BHPV, Bhubaneswar, Bhupesh Nagar, Big Bazaar, Bazar, Birla, , Bimavaram, Boath, Bobbili, Bodhan, Bombay, Bowdara, Borra Caves, BRTS, B.S Layout Cheepurupalli, BSI Standard, Buddhavarapu Gardens, Budithi, Buggaram, Burgampahad, Butchirajupalem, Butchi Sundara Rao Street, Burujupeta, , Burugupudi, , Calcutta, CBM Compound, CBI, Chalakurthy, Challavanipeta, Chanakya Towers, Chandragiri, Chandrayangutta, Chapaluppada, Charminar , Chavulamadam, Chavulamadumu, Cheepurupalli, Chennai, Chennur, Cherial, Chevella , Chilakaluripet, Chilakapalem, China musidivada, chinnamusidivada, Chinnor, Chintalapudi, Chintapalli, krishna Chirala, Chittoor, Chodavaram, Chollangi village,Choppadandi, CMR center, Collectorate, Collectors Office Convent junction, corromendal, Coromandel gate, CDR Hospital, Cuddapah, Cumbum, Dabagarden, Dabagardens, Dagguvanipalem, Dasapalla Hills , Darsi, Dayalapuram, Dayal nagar, Delhi, Denduluru, Devarakonda, devipatnam, Dabhagaden, Dharmavaram, Dhavaleswaram, dhayal nagar, Dolphin, Dhondaparthi, Dhone , Dhorathota, , Diamond Park, Dibbalapalem, Dichpalli, Doctors Colony, Dommat,Dondaparthy, Dorakanagar, Dorathota, Dornakal , Duggirala, Duvvada, Dwaraka Nagar, Dwaraka Tirupati, Dwarapudi, , East Godavari, East Point Colony, Ecchapuram, Elamanchili, Eluru, ENDADA, Enadu, Eenadu, Etcherla, Etikoppaka, Femur, Fishing Harbour, Harbor Approach Road, Gadwal, Gajapathinagaram, Gajwel , Ganavaram Port, Gannavaram, Gangulavari, Gannavaram, Gara, Garividi, Ghanpur, Giddalur, Gumma Lakshmipuram, GL Puram, Gunnies Book, Record, Gnanapuram, Gandhigram, Gokavaram, Golkonda, Gollapalem,Gollavanipalem, Golukonda, Golugonda Gopalapatnam, Gooty, Gopalapuram, Gorantla, Gorllivanipalem, Green Park, Greater Visakhapatnam, , G.S.N. Gullipadu, Gudivada, Gudur, Guntur, Gurazala, Gurudwara, Hanamkonda, Hanuman Junction, Temple, Hanumanthavaka, Hall Mark, Hanumantuvaka, Harichandrapuram, Harischandrapuram, Harishchandrapur, HB colony, Head Post Office, Heccherla, Himayat Nagar, Hindupur, Hiramandalam, HPCL,hukumpeta, Huzurabad, Hyderabad, Ibrahimpatnam, Ichapuram, India, INDIA, Indurthi, Industrial estate, IT, IN, INL Kalinga, Isukathota, iskathota, Jadcherla,Jagadam, Jagadamba centre, Jagamba Theatre, Jail Road, Jaggampeta, Jagarajupeta, Jaggayyapalem, Jaggayyapet, Jaghadham Jagtial, Jalandhar, Jalumuru, Jammalamadugu, Jangaon, Jangareddygudem, Jodugullapalem, ,Jukkal, Kadapa, Kadiri, Kadiyam, Kaikalur, Kaikaluru, Kailashmetta, Kaka Nagar, Kakani Nagar, Kailasagiri, Kailasapuram, Kakinada, Kalaniketan, Kalanikhetan, Kalingapatnam, Kalinganagar, , Kalwakurthy, Kalyandurg, Kamalapur, Kamalapuram, Kamareddy, Kancharapalem, Kandukur, Kanigiri, Kankipadu, Kapuluppada, , Kapu uppada, Kapuluppada, Kantipudi, Kanithi Road, , Karimnagar, Karnal, Karnataka, Karnool, Karunol, Karwan, Kasibugga, Kasimkota, Kattipudi, Kavali, KGH, Khairatabad , Khammam, Khanapur, Kirlampudi, layout, K. Kotapadu, Kobbari Thota, Kodad, Kodangal , Kodumur, Koduru, Koduruand, Koilkuntla , Kolhapur, Kolkata, Kondepi, Koppaka, Korasavada, Kotabommali, Kotananduru, Kotavalasa, Kotaveedhi, , Kothagudem, Kothapet, Kotha Road, Kothavalasa, Kothuru, Kotipalli, Koturu, Kovur, Kovvur,Krishna College, Krantinagar, KRM Colony, Kuchinapudi, Kuppam, Kurupam Market, Kurmanpalem, Kurmam, Kummaripalem, Kurmannapalem , Kurnool, Kusalapuram, Lakkireddipalli, Lalitha Nagar, Lankhilapallem, Lakshminagar, Lankelapalem, Lankilapallem, LB Colony, Leela Mahal, Luxettipet, Macherla, Machilipatnam, Madakasira, Madanpalle, Madapamu, Maddilapalem, Madduru, Madivala, Madhira, Madhavadhara, Madhurawada, Madhya Pradesh, Madugula Reddi, Maharanipeta, Mahbubabad , Mahabubnagar, Mahbubnagar, Maharajgunj , Makthal, Malkapuram, Malakpet, Malleswaram, Mandapeta, Mandavaripeta, , Mangalagiri, Manthani, Marikavalasa Maredumilli, Markapur, Marripalem, Martur , Maruteru, Medak, Medchal, Medivada, Metpalli, Meghadripeta, Meghadri gadda, Meghadrigadda, Midilapuri, Mindi, Mindhi, Miryalguda, MMTC Colony, Mud Hole, Mudhole, Mudinepalli, Mulug, Mumbai, Mulagada, Mummidivaram, Muppidi Colony, Mungode, Murali Nagar, Musheerabad, Nagari , Nagarkurnool , MVP colony, Myadaram, Mydukur, Mylavaram, NAD junction, Nagaram, Naguru, Naiduthota Nakkapalem, Nakkapalli, Nakkavanipalem, Nakrekal, Nalgonda, Nallamada, Nandigama, Nandyal, Narasannapeta, Narasaraopet, Narasimha, Narayankhed , Narasapur, narsapur, Narsampet, Narsipatnam, Narisipatnam, Natavalasa, Nathavaram, Nathayyapalem, Naval Dock, Yard Neelamma Vepaqchettu, Naval Dock Yard Neelamma Vepachettu, Nellimarla, Nellore, Nerella, new Gajuwaka, Nidadavole,nidadhavole, Nidadhavolu, Nidumolu ,Nimmada, Nirmal, Nivagam, Nizamabad, N.R. I NSTL, NTPC, NTPC-Parawada, Nuzvid, Odessa, Old post office, Ongole, Orissa, Paderu, Palacole, Palair, Palakonda, Palakollu, Palamaner, Palasa, Pallavaram, Panchadarla, Panyam, Parawada, Parchur, Parkal, Pargi, Parlakimidi, Parvathipuram, Patapatnam, Pata Polavaram, Pathapatnam, Pattikonda , Payakaraopeta, Pedakurapadu, Peda Peddapalli, Peddipalem, Peddapuram, Pendurthi, pendurthy, Penugonda, Penukonda Pillala Ashramam, Piler, Pithapuram, PM Palem, PNT Colony, Pandurangapuram, Polaki, Polavaram, Ponduru, Ponnur, Poondi, Poorna Market, Porur, Prakasam, Prathipadu, Priya, Proddat, Proddatur, Pudimadaka, Pulivendula, Pundi, Pune, Punganur, purna, Purushothapuram, Purusotapuram, puspatera, Puttur , Pydibheemavaram, Rail Way New Colony, Rajahmundry, Rajam, Rajampet, Raj, Raja Nagar, rajavommangi, Rajolu, Ramachandrapuram, Ramagundam, Rama Nagar, Ramnagar, Ramannapet, Rama Talkies Center, ramatheertham, Ramtherdham, Neusan Bhag,Ramatheertham, ramavaram, Ramayampet, Rambilli, Ramnagar, Rampachodavaram, Rangapuram, Ranastalam, Rangareddy, Ravulapalem, Rayachoty, Rayadurg, Raya Durg, Rayavaram, , Razole, Reddipalli, RegupaduRepalle, Rapur, Regupalem, Revidi, Revit, RK Beach, Rotherham, Rushikonda,rusu konda, Rushukonda, Sabbavaram, Sagar Nagar, Sakhsi, Salur, Sampara , Sanath Nagar, Sangareddy, Santhanuthalapadu , Sarasota, Saraswati Park, Saravakota, Sarvepalli, Sathivada, Sathupalli, Sattenapalli Sastry Road, Satyam centre, Satyavedu, Secunderabad, seetampeta, Seethammadhara, Seethampeta, Shadnagar, Shayampet, Sholur, Shopping Mall, Siddhantam, Siddipet, Simhachalam, Sindhiya, Singanamala, Sircilla , Sirpur, Siripuram, S. Kota, Soluru, Sompeta, Sriharipuram, Srikakulam, Sri Kalahasti, Sri Kalahsti, Srikurmam, Srimukalingam, Srimukhalingam, Srungavarapukota, Steel Plant Quarters Sector, Sujathanagar, Sulurpet, Suryabagh, Surya Bhag, Suryapet, Tadepalligudem, Tadepellegudem, tadepalli gudum, Tadikonda, Tadipatri, Tagarapuvalasa, , Tallapalem, Talarevu, Tallarevu, Tamil nadu, Tandur, Tanuku , Tekkali, Tenali, Thamballapalle, Thatichetlapalem, Therlam, Thotapalli, Tilaru, Tikkavanipalem, Timaru, Tirumala, Tirupati, Tiruvuru, Tuni, Tungaturthi, UDA Park, Udda Udayagiri, Ukkumpeta, Ukkunagaram, Undi, Unguturu, Universal records, Uravakonda, Ushodaya Colony, Uttarahalli, Uttarapalli, Vada cheepurupalli, Vadacheepurapalli, Vaddadi, Vanukuru, Vartha, varthaa, Vayalpad, Vellanki, Vemur, Venkatagiri , Venkojipalem, Velampeta, Vepada, Vepagunta, Vepanjeri , Vijayawada, Vikarabad, Vinukonda, Visakhapatnam, Visakha Valley, Vitanthula ashramam, Vizag, Vizianagaram, Vrudhula ashramam Vuyyuru, Waltair, Wanaparthy, Warangal, Wardhannapet, West Godavari World Record, Yalamanchili, Yakutpura, Yeleswaram, Yellandu, Yellareddy, Yellavaram, Yemmiganur, Yendada, Y junction, Zahirabad, Zoo Park center, and other state of India.

Guntur District Macherla , Veldurthi , Narasaraopeta, Rentacrintala , Bollapalle , Rompicherla , Gurazala , Nakarikallu , Ipur Dachepalle, Muppalla , Savalyapuram , Machavaram , Phirangipuram , Vinukonda , Bellamkonda , Medikonduru , Nuzendla , Achampeta , Guntur , Chilakaluripet , Krosuru , Pedakakani , Pedanandipadu , Amaravathi , Duggirala , Kakumanu, Thullur , Kollipara , Ponnur , Thadepalle , Kollur , Amruthalur , Mangalagiri , Vemuru , Cherukupalle , Tadikonda , Tenali , Bhattiprolu , Pedakurapadu , Tsundur , Repalle , ,Sattenapalle , Chebrole , Nagaram , Rajupalem , Vatticherukuru , Nizampatnam , Piduguralla , Prathipadu , Pittalavanipalem , Karempudi , Edlapadu , Karlapalem , Durgi , Nadendla , Bapatla. Narasaraopet, Rentachintala, Bollapalli, Nekarikallu, Jaipur, Thadepalli, Cherukupalli Chebrolu, Georgia

Krishna District Vijayawada A.Konduru, Agiripalli, Avanigadda, Bantumilli, Bapulapadu, Challapalli, Chandralapadu, Chatrai, Gampalogudem, Gannavaram, G. Konduru, Ghantasala, Guduru, Gudivada, Gudlavalleru, Ibrahimpatnam, Jaggayyapeta, Kaikalur, Kalidindi , Kanchikacherla , Kankipadu, Koduru , Kruthivennu, Mailavaram , Machilipatam, Mandavalli , Movva , Mopidevi , Mudinepalle , Musunuru , Nagayalanka , Nandigama , Nandivada, Nuzvid , Pamidimukkala , Pedana, Pamarru, Pedaparupudi , Penuganchiprolu , Penamaluru , Reddigudem , Tiruvuru , Thotlavalluru , Unguturu, Vatsavai, Vissannapeta, Vuyyuru, Veerullapadu , Chandarlapadu, Gampalagudem, benz circle, ring road, Machilipatnam, gunadala matha , kondapalli , gollapalli , Telaprolu.

Srikakulam District Veeraghattam , Bhamini , Vangara , Kothuru , Regidiamadala Valasa , Hiramandalam , Rajam , Sarubujjili , Ganguvari Singadam , Amadalavalasa , Laveru , Srikakulam , Ranastalam , Gara , Hetcherla , Polaki , Ponduru , Narasannapeta , Santhakaviti , Jalumuru , Burja , Saravakota, Palakonda , Pathapatnam , Seethampeta , Meliaputti, Kotabommali , Santha Bommali , Nandigam , Vajrapu Kothuru , Palasa , Mandasa , Sompeta , Kanchili , Kaviti , Tekkali, Ichchapuram , Regidi amadalaValasa ,Santhabommali.

Vizianagaram District Komarada , Ramabhadrapuram , Gummalakshmipuram , Badangi , Kurupam , Therlam , Jiyyammavalasa , Merakamudidam , Garugubilli , Dattirajeru , Parvathipuram , Mentada , Makkuva , Gajapathinagaram , Seethanagaram , Bondapalle , Balajipeta , Gurla , Bobbili , Garividi , Salur , Cheepurupalle , Pachipenta , Nellimarla , Bhoghapuram , Denkada , Vizianagaram , Gantyada , Srungavarapukota , Vepada , Lakkavarapukota , Jami , Kothavalasa, Pusapatirega, Colorado, Thermal Bondapalli.

Visakhapatnam District Munchingiputtu, Nathavaram , Pedagantyada , Pedabayalu , Narsipatnam , Paravada , Hukumpetau , Rolugunta , Anakapalli , Dumbriguda , Ravikamatham , Munagapaka , Arakuvalley , Butchayyapeta , Kasimkota , Ananthagiri , Chodavaram , Makavarapalem, Devarapalle , K Kotapadu, Kotauratla , Cheedikada , Sabbavaram , Payakaraopeta , Madugula , Pendurthi , Nakkapalli , Paderu , Anandapuram , S. Rayavaram , Gangaraju Madugula , Padmanabham , Yelamanchili , Chintapalle , Bheemunipatnam , Rambilli , Gudemkothaveedhi , Visakhapatnam , Atchutapuram, Koyyuru , Visakhapatnam urban, rural, Golugonda , Gajuwaka . Munching Puttu, Devarapalli , Gudem Kotha Veedhi.

East Godavari District Maredumilli , Pithapuram , Kapileswarapuram , Y Ramavaram , Kothapalle , Alamuru , Addateegala , Kakinada, Atreyapuram , Rajavommangi , Ravula Palem , Kotananduru , Samalkota , Pamarru , Tuni , Rangampeta , Kothapeta , Thondangi , Gandepalle , P Gannavaram , Gollaprolu , Rajanagaram , Ambajipeta , Sankhavaram , Rajahmundry, Ainavilli , Prathipadu , Mummidivaram , Yeleswaram , Kadiam , I.Polavaram , Gangavaram , Mandapeta , Katrenikona, Rampachodavaram , Anaparthy , Uppalaguptam , Devipatnam , Biccavolu , Amalapuram , Seethanagaram , Pedapudi , Allavaram , Korukonda , Karapa , Mamidikuduru , Gokavaram , Thallarevu , Razole , Jaggampeta , Kajuluru , Malikipuram , Kirlampudi , Ramachandrapuram , Sakhinetipalle, Peddapuram , Rayavaram , sankavaram, Samalkot, Kothapet , Gandepalli , Sakhinetipalli, samrlakota.

West Godavari District Jeelugumilli , Nidadavole , Undi , Buttayagudem , Tadepalligudem , Akiveedu , Polavaram , Unguturu , Kalla , Thallapudi , Bhimadole , Bheemavaram , Gopalapuram , Pedavegi , Palakoderu , Koyyalagudem , Pedapadu , Veeravasaram , Jangareddigudem , Eluru , Penumantra , T.Narasapuram , Denduluru , Penugonda , Chintalapudi , Nidamarru , Achanta , Lingapalem , Ganapavaram , Poduru , Kamavarapukota , Pentapadu , Palacole , Dwarakatirumala , Tanuku , Yelamanchili , Nallajerla , Undrajavaram , Narasapuram , Devarapalle , Peravali , Mogalthur Chagallu , Iragavaram , Kovvur , Attili . Tallapudi, Bhimavaram, Palakol, chebrolu Dwaraka Tirumala, Devarapalli.

Khammam District Cherla , Yellandu , Enkuru , Pinapaka , Singareni , Konijerla , Gundala , Bayyaram , Khammam Urban , Manuguru ,Garla , Khammam Rural , Aswapuram , Kamepalle , Thirumalayapalem , Dummugudem , Julurpad , Kusumanchi , Bhadrachalam , Chandrugonda , Nelakondapalle , Kunavaram , Mulakalapalle ,Mudigonda , Chintur , Aswaraopeta , Chinthakani , Vararamachandrapuram , Dammapeta , Wyra , Velairpad , Sathupalle , Bonakal , Kukunoor , Vemsoor , Madhira , Burgampadu , Penuballi , Yerrupalem, Palawancha, Wazeed , Kothagudem , Kalluru , Venkatapuram , Tekulapalle , Thallada . Cherla , Nakuru , Uganda , Kamepalli , Nelakondapalli ,Mulakalapalli Va Ramachandrapuram , Palvancha , Tekulapally.

Prakasam District Yerragondapalem , Martur , Veligandla , Pullalacheruvu , Parchur , Pedacherlopalle , Tripuranthakam , Karamchedu , Ponnaluru , Kurichedu , Chirala , Kondapi , Donakonda , Vetapalem , Santhanuthlapadu , Pedaaraveedu , Inkollu , Ongole , Dornala , Janakavaram, Panguluru , Naguluppalapadu , Ardhaveedu , Korisapadu , Chinaganjam , Markapur , Maddipadu , Kothapatnam , Tarlapadu , Chimakurthi , Tangutur , Konakanamitla , Marripudi , Zarugumilli , Podili , Kanigiri , Kandukur , Darsi , Hanumanthunipadu , Voletivaripalem , Mundlamuru , Bestavaripeta , Pamur , Thallur , Cumbum , Lingasamudram , Addanki , Racherla , Gudluru , Ballikuruva , Giddaluru , Ulavapadu , Santhamaguluru , Komarolu , Singarayakonda , Yeddanapudi , Chadrasekara, Puram . Peda Cherlopalli, Peddaraveedu, Tarlupadu, Chimakurthy, Jarugumilli, Ballikurava, Chandrasekara.

Sri Potti Sri Ramulu Nellore District Seetharamapuram, Kodavalur , Sydapuram , Varikuntapadu , Butchireddipalem , Dakkili , Kondapuram , Sangam , Venkatagiri , Jaladanki , Chejerla , Balayapalle , Kavali , Ananthasagaram , Ojili , Bogole , Kaluvoya , Chillakur , Kaligiri , Rapur , Kota , Vinjamur , Podlakur , Vakadu , Duttalur , Nellore , Chittamur , Udayagiri , Kovur , Naidupeta , Marripadu , Indukurpet , Pellakur , Atmakur , Thotapalligudur , Doravarisatram , Anumasamudrampeta , Muthukur , Sullurpeta , Dagadarthi , Venkatachalam , Tada , Allur , Manubolu , Vidavalur , Gudur Buchireddypalem, Balayapalli , Podalakur , Thotapalli Gudur ,Anamasamudrampeta , Allure .

Dr. Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy Cuddapah District Muddanur, Vempalle , Kondapuram , Simhadripuram , Chaknayapet , Mylavaram , Lingala , Lakkireddipalle , Peddamudium , Pulivendla , Ramapuram , Raju Palem , Vemula , Veeraballe , Duvvur , Thandur , Rajampet , S Mydukur , Veerapunayunipalle , Nandalur , Brahmamgarimattam , Yerraguntla , Penagaluru , B Kodur , Kamalapuram , Chitvel , Kalasapadu , Vallur , Kodur , Porumamilla , Chennur , Obulavaripalle , Badvel , Atlur , Pullampeta , Gopavaram , Vontimitta , T.Sundupalle , Khajipet , Sidhout , Sambepalle , Chapad , Chinnamandem , Proddutur , Chintha Kommadinne , Rayachoti , Jammalamadugu , Pendlimarri , Galiveedu Vempalli , Chakrayapet , Pulivendula , Tandur , Veerapunayuni Palli , Penagalur , Obulavaripalli , Atlanta , Pullampet , T.Sundupalli , Kazipet, Sambepalli, Proddatur.

Chittoor District Peddamandyam , K V P Puram , Nagari , Thamballapalle , Narayanavanam , Karvetinagar , Mulakalacheruvu , Vadamalapeta , Srirangaraja Puram , Peddathippa Samudram , Tirupati Rural , Palasamudram , B.Kothakota , Kammapalle , Gangadhara Nellore , Kurabalakota , Chandragiri , Penumuru , Gurramkonda , Chinnagottigallu , Puthalapattu , Kalakada , Rompicherla , Irala , Kambhamvaripalle , Pileru , Thavanampalle , Yerravaripalem , Kalikiri ,Chittoor , Tirupati Urban , Vayalpad , Gudipala , Renigunta , Nimmanapalle , Yadamari , Yerpedu , Mandopalle , Bangarupalem , Srikalahasti , Ramasamudram , Palamaner , Thottambedu , Punganur , Gangavaram , Buchinaidu Khandriga , Chowdepalle , Pedda Panjani , Varadaiahpalem , Somala , Baireddi Palle , Satyavedu , Sodam , Venkatagiri Kota , Nagalapuram , Pulicherla , Ramakuppam , Pichatur , Pakala , Santhi Puram , Vijaya Puram , Veduru Kuppam , Gudi Palle , Nindra , Puttur , Kuppam K V B Puram , Sri Rangaraja Puram , Pedda Thippa , Kammapalli , Kambham Vari Palli , Piler , Madanapalle , Madanapalle, Bangarupalem , Srikalahasti , Kandireega , Peddapanjani , Somalia , Baireddipalle ,Sathyavedu , Sodom, Santhipuram , Vijayapuram , Vedurukuppam , Gudipalle , Nidra.

Ananthapur District D.Hirchal , Kunurpi , Gandlapenta , Bommanahal , Kalyandurg , Kadiri , Vidapanakal , Atmakur , Amadagur , Vajrakarur , Anantapur , Obuladevaracheruvu , Guntakal , Bukkarayasamudram , Nallamada , Gooty , Narpala , Gorantla , Peddavadugur , Putlur , Puttaparthi , Yadiki , Yellanur , Bukkapatnam , Tadpatri , Tadimarri , Kothacheruvu , Peddapappur , Bathalapalle , Penu Konda , Singanamala , Raptadu , Roddam , Pamidi , Kanaganapalle , Somandepalle , Garladinne , Kambadur , Chilamathur , Kudair , Ramagiri , Lepakshi , Uravakonda , Chenne Kothapalle , Hindupur , Beluguppa , Dharmavaram , Parigi , Kanekal , Mudigubba , Madakasira , Rayadurg , Talupula , Gudibanda , Gummagatta , Nambulipulikunta , Amarapuram , Brahmasamudram , Tanakal , Agali , Settur , Nallacheruvu , Rolla D.Hirehal, Kundurpi , Bommanahalli , Bathalapalli , Penukonda , Kanaganapalli , Sattur.

Kurnool District Kowthalam , Kodumur , Rudravaram , Kosigi , Gonegandla , Allagadda , Mantralayam , Yemmiganur , Chagalamarri , Nandavaram , Pedda Kadalur , Uyyalawada , C.Belagal , Adoni , Dornipadu , Gudur , Holagunda , Gospadu , Kurnool , Alur , Koilkuntla , Nandi Kotkur , Aspari , Banaganapalle , Pagidyala , Devanakonda , Sanjamala , Kothapalle , Krishnagiri , Kolimigundla , Atmakur , Veldurthi , Owk , Srisailam , Bethamcherla , Peapally , Velgode , Panyam , Dhone , Pamulapadu , Gadivemula , Tuggali , Jupadu Bungalow , Bandi Atmakur , Pattikanda , Midthur , Nandyal , Maddikera East , Orvakal , Mahanandi , Chippagiri , Kallur , Sirvel , Halaharvi . Nandikotkur, Banaganapalli, Dhoni, Jupadu Bunglow, Silver.

Mahabubnagar District Kodangal , Jadcherla , Amrabad , Bomraspeta , Bhoothpur , Balmoor , Kosgi , Mahbubnagar , Lingal , Doulatabad , Addakal , Peddakothapalle , Damaragidda , Devarkadara , Kodair , Maddur , Dhanwada , Gopalpeta , Koilkonda , Narayanpet , Wanaparthy , Hanwada , Utkoor , Pangal , Nawabpet , Maganoor , Pebbair , Balanagar , Makthal , Gadwal , Kondurg , Narva , Dharur , Farooqnagar , Chinna Chinta Kunta , Maldakal , Kothur , Atmakur , Ghattu , Keshampeta , Kothakota , Aiza , Talakondapalle , Peddamandadi , Waddepalle , Amangal , Ghanpur , Itikyal , Madgul , Bijinapalle , Manopadu , Vangoor , Nagar Kurnool , Alampur , Veldanda , Tadoor , Veepangandla , Kalwakurthy , Telkapalle , Kollapur , Midjil , Uppununthala , Thimmajipeta , Achampeta . Daulatabad, Tandoor, Telkapally, Kolhapur, Thimmajipet.

Rangareddy District Marpalle ,Hayathnagar , Gandeed , Mominpet , Saroornagar , Kulkacharla , Nawabpet , Rajendranagar , Pargi , Shankarpalle , Moinabad , Pudur , Malkajgiri , Chevella , Shabad , Serilingampalle , Vikarabad , Shamshabad , Quthbullapur , Dharur , Maheswaram , Medchal , Bantaram , Ibrahimpatam , Shamirpet ,Peddemul , Manchal , Balanagar , Tandur , Yacharam , Keesara , Basheerabad , Kandukur , Ghatkesar , Yelal , Uppal , Doma . Shankarpalli, puduraya, Serilingampally, Maheshwaram, Yell.

Nalgonda District Bommalaramaram , Chityala , Thripuraram , M Turkapalle , Narketpalle , Miryalaguda , Rajapet , Kattangoor , Garide Palle , Yadagirigutta , Nakrekal , Chilkur , Alair , Kethepalle , Kodad , Gundala , Suryapet , Mellachervu , Thirumalagiri , Chivvemla , Huzurnagar , Thunga Thurthi , Mothey , Mattampalle , Nuthankal , Nadigudem , Nered Cherla , Atmakur (S) , Munagala , Dameracherla , Jaji Reddi Gudem , Penpahad , Anumula , Saligouraram , Vemulapalle , Peddavura , Mothkur , Thipparthi , Pedda Adiserlapalle , Atmakur (M) , Nalgonda , Gurrampode , Valigonda , Munugode , Nampalle , Bhuvanagiri , Narayanapur , Chintha Palle , Bibinagar , Marri Guda , Devarakonda , Pochampalle , Chandur , Gundla Palle , Choutuppal , Kangal , Chandam Pet , Ramannapeta , Nidamanur . Tripuraram , M Turkapally , Narketpally , Kethepally , Uganda , Mellacheruvu , Tirumalagiri , Chivemla ,Thoonga , Mattampally, Need Cherla , Damaracherla , Shaligouraram , Vemulapalli ,Peddavura , Narayanpur , Chintapalli , Marriguda , Pochampally , Gundlapalli ,Chandampet , Ramannapet.

Medak District Manoor , Siddipet , Kohir , Kangti , Chinna Kodur , Munpalle , Kalher , Nanganur , Pulkal , Narayankhed , Kondapak , Sadasivpet , Regode , Jagdevpur , Kondapur ,Shankarampet (A) , Gajwel , Sangareddy , Alladurg , Doultabad , Patancheru , Tekmal , Chegunta , Ramachandrapuram , Papannapet , Yeldurthy , Jinnaram , Kulcharam , Kowdipalle , Hathnoora , Medak , Andole , Narsapur , Shankarampet (R) , Raikode , Shivampet , Ramayampet , Nyalkal , Tupran , Dubbak , Jharasangam , Wargal , Mirdoddi , Zahirabad , Mulug . Manoor, Munipalle, Nanganallur, Daulatabad, Veldurthy, Kowdipally, Toopran, to Oprah

Warangal District Cheriyal , Thorrur , Duggondi , Maddur , Nellikudur , Geesugonda , Narmetta , Narsimhulapet , Atmakur , Bachannapeta , Maripeda , Shayampet , Jangaon , Dornakal , Parkal , Lingala Ghanpur , Kuravi , Regonda , Raghunatha Palle , Mahabubabad , Mogullapalle , Ghanpur(Stn) , Kesamudram , Chityal , Dharmasagar , Nekkonda , Bhupalpalle , Hasanparthy , Gudur , Ghanapur , Hanamkonda , Kothagudem , Mulug , Wardhannapet , Khanapur , Venkatapur , Zaffergadh , Govindaraopet , Palakurthi , Chennaraopet , Tadvai , Devaruppula , Parvathagiri , Eturnagaram , Kodakandla , Sangam , Mangapet , Raiparthy , Nallabelly , Warangal Cherial, Cheryl, Bachannapet, Kuruvi, Mogullapally, Bhupalpally, Ghanpur.

Karimnagar District Ibrahimpatnam , Jagtial , Vemulawada , Mallapur , Medipalle , Konaraopeta , Raikal , Koratla , Yella Reddi Peta , Sarangapur , Metpalle , Gambhiraopet , Dharmapuri , Kathlapur , Mustabad , Velgatoor , Chandurthi , Sirsilla , Ramagundam , Kodimial , Ellanthakunta , Kamanpur , Gangadhara , Bejjanki , Manthani , Mallial , Thimmapur , Kataram , Pegadapalle , Kesavapatnam , Mahadevpur , Choppadandi , Huzurabad , Mutharam , Mahadevpur , Sultanabad , Kamalapur , Malharrao , Odela , Elkathurthi , Mutharam Manthani , Jammikunta , Saidapur , Srirampur , Veenavanka , Chigurumamidi , Peddapalle , Manakondur , Koheda , Julapalle , Karimnagar , Husnabad , Dharmaram , Ramadugu , Bheemadevarpalle , Gollapalle , Boinpalle Medipally , Konaraopet , Korutla , Yellareddy Peta , Sarangpur , ,Metpally , Kathalapur , Pegadapally , Elkathurthy , Shrirampur , Peddapalli , Julapalli , , Bheemadevarapally, Bowenpally.

Nizamabad District Ranjal , Yeda Palle , Sadasivanagar , Navipet , Bodhan , Gandhari , Nandipet , Kotgiri , Banswada , Armur , Madnur , Pitlam , Balkonda , Jukkal , Nizamsagar , Mortad , Bichkunda , Yellareddy , Kammar , Palle , Birkoor , Naga Reddipet , Bheemgal , Varni , Lingampet , Velpur , Dichpalle , Tadwai , Jakranpalle , Dhar Palle , Kamareddy , Makloor , Sirkonda , Bhiknur , Nizamabad , Machareddy , Domakonda . Sadashivanagar, Kotagiri, Armour, Pelle, Naga Reddit, Dichpally, Jakranpally, Sirikonda

Adilabad District Talamadugu , Lohesra , Tiryani , Tamsi , Dilawarpur , Asifabad , Adilabad , Nirmal , Wankdi , Jainad , Laxmanchanda , Kagaz Nagar , Bela , Mamda , Rebbana , Narnoor , Khanpur , Tandur , Inderavelly , Kaddampeddur , Bellampalle , Gudihatnur , Utnur , Nennal , Ichoda , Jainoor , Bheemini , Bazarhathnoor , Kerameri , Sirpur (T) , Boath , Sirpur (U) , Kouthala , Neradigonda , Jannaram , Bejjur , Sarangapur , Dandepalle , Dahegaon , Kuntala , Luxettipet , Vemanpalle , Kubeer , Mancherial , Kotapalle , Bhainsa , Mandamarri , Chennur , Tanur , Kasipet , Jaipur , Mudhole Lohara, Tampa , Kagaznagar , Bella , Kaddam Peddur , Gudihathnoor , Bheemili, boathouse , Sarangpur , Vempalli , Kazipet.

Hyderabad, Secendrabad kukatpally , tank bund , hussain sagar , birla mandir ,himayat nagar , begumpet, shamshabad, charminar, golconda , banjara hills ,stadhampton , khairabadi , yousufguda, patancheru,Musheerabad , Ameerpet ,Khairatabad , Bandlaguda, Amberpet , Secunderabad, Charminar , Asifnagar , Himayathnagar ,Tirumalagiri , Golconda , Saidabad , Maredalle,shaikpet ,nampally ,bahadurpura , Maryland .cyderabad, jubili hills, kazipally, bollaram, bachupally, swarnapuri, miyapur, kompally,thumkunta, hakimpet, ramachandra puram, vishwambhar enclave, bala nagar, serilingampally, sri ram nagar, gachibowli, madhapur, secretarial, tolichowki, gandipet, raghuram nagar, bharat nagar, budvel, rajendra nagar, bakaram, kothwalguda, ahmadpur, kavadiguda, asthma, jeedimetla, balaji nagar, alwal, yapral, dammaiguda, sainikpuri, kapra, sakthi nagar, asrao nagar, moulali, bowenpally, ramanthapur, pizza, saroor nagar, falaknuma, vansathi puram, hanuman nagar, brindavan colony, nadergul, indira reddy, rallaguda, gollapally, new hafeezpet, trimulgherry, safilguda, yellareddyguda, musheerabad, taj residency, hill font, apollo hospital, afzalgunj, tadbund, bahadurgarh, sri raghavendra, aradhana, marredpally, zaheerabad, film nagar, mehdipatnam, imperial, esi, kanchanbagh, yeddumailaram, manikonda, chandrayangutta, janwada, chilkur, bakaram, sacoor nagar, deshmukhi, doolapally, amberpet, dilsukhnagar, karwan, gosha mahal, bahadurpura,

Bombay Dilli, Dehli, Kolkata, Kalikata, Kalkutta, Bengaloru, engaluru, Bangalur, Madras, Chennapattanam, Ahmadâbâd, Ahmadabad, Amdabad, Ahmedabad , Haidarabad, Haidarabad, Haiderabad, Hyderabad, Haider-Abad Poona, Pune, Kanpur, Kanpur, Cawnpore, Khanpur, sorat, Surat, Jeypore, Lakhnau Lucknow, Nagpur, Thana, Calcutta, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Pune, Surat, Jaipur, Vadodara, Indore, Patna, Madurai, Bhopal, Ludhiana, Coimbatore, Varanasi, Visakhapatnam, Agra, Mumbai.

Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradeshm Itangar, Itanagar, Assam, Dispur, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Raipur, Goa, Panaji, Gujaratm Gandhinagar, Haryana, Chandigarhm Himachal Pradesh, Shimla, Jammu and Kashmir, Srinagar, Jharkhand, Ranchi, Karnataka, Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, Trivandrum, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Imphal, Meghalaya, Shillong, Mizoram, Aizawi, Nagaland, Kohima, Orissa, Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneshwar, Punjab, Rajasthan, Jaipur, Sikkim, Gangtok, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Agartala, Uttaranchal, West Bengal, Kolkata, Dehradun, Uttar Pradesh, Dada and Nagar Haveli, Silvassa, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Port Blair, Daman and Diu, Lakshadeep, Kavaratti, Yanam, Pondicherry. Asia, USA, America, Washington, Belgium, New York, United States of America, United Kingdom, Columbia, Bangkok, Australia, Switzerland, Mexico, France, Sweden, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Poland, Denmark, France, London, New Zealand, Spain. Indonesia, Brazil, Nigeria, Russia, Philippines, Ethiopia, Vietnam, Egypt, Turkey, Iran, Thailand, Burma, South Africa, Algeria,

Many people in the society are looking for helping hands. Let’s be a hope to them. Amma Nanna Charitable Trust is one among them.

We are joining more orphan children who have no parent’s age group between 3 to 12 years and also joining Widows, Deceived and Separated Women at free of charges only. Our children have been staying with us up to their life settlement that means they will stand with their own bases.

you feel you are also responsible to the society, please, if you come across such people in and around your surroundings, give a hope to them by providing our address and we take care of them with pleasure.

“Please don’t Drink Alcohol and other intoxicates Live a happily and make Peaceful Society”

Everyone should read and write his/her regional language. We don’t try to take any Loans it leads to bitter life. We can live a happily in Kutcha house without loans, and then granite floored building with Loans. Loans make damage peaceful life and leads us misbehavior and corrupt minding nature.

Address of our Free of cost orphanage home Aditya Nagar, Desapathrunipalem, Parawada, Near Steel Plant Quarters Sector-X, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India, and Asia. Cell no. 08886563252

For Orphan children we are providing good education, nutritious food, sports and games, cultural activities, meditation and yoga. We are very particular in teaching them good behavior, how to be responsible to the situations, moral and spiritual values and civic senses which in deed helps in providing a healthy citizen to the society in our Orphanage children home.

For deceived women or widows, we are providing nutritious food, shelter, healthy and spiritual environment, yoga and meditation. We even accept them as the Volunteers with a service motto as we all know “SERVICE TO LIFE IS SERVICE TO GOD”

Do you know depending upon parents and teachers’ behaviors children learn good or bad activities? For example we choose one regional language in particular state, different areas living people speak different stylish the same regional language because it’s their environment effect. So when parents/teachers create good environments to their children doing good things like social, civic, moral, spiritual, cultural, social response, kind, humanity etc… Then children growing such way if not they will grimy.

Now a day’s one in all are thinking about earn billions of billions of rupees whatever job they are doing and give it to their children on heredity properties. Suppose they will give children billions of billions rupees and there will be no moral values, civic senesce, social responsibilities, humanity, social behavior, kindness, social moving with others and also no pure air, water, earth and sky. Can they enjoy in that society? and live happily such wrinkle and blight society, we will give them not only money on heredity but also we learn or grow them good behaviors like cultural, spiritual, social, moral, civics, kind, help, social responsibility etc.. . Money is requiring for live but life is not money. Money may not make life happy but service must be making live happily that should be known one in all.

Our properties just like water level in the well if we use water purposefully the decreased water level in the well filled later. If we don’t use water the level of water remains the same suppose we add more water into the well it looks raise in the water level in movement but after sometime it comes to the original level. If we use water unnecessarily and dry it then we have no water when we want to drink even though our well water will be raised later. So we take a little amount of water and use it towards real needy people. We eat for living and not live for eating man/woman should working until last his/her breathe.

Friends we may not giving as light as the sun but we are giving as light as lamp and try to drive way darkness in the society as able as we can then darkness drive way from the society then we will live peacefully and happily in such society . I hope we make such world! We assure you of our ethical zeal of service to the tender generation born to serve our nation as differently able citizens because “Ability knows no Handicap”.

NEED YOUR SUPPORT

• could you please shake your hands in the humanitarian task and noble cause of raising funds in Aid of the real orphans needy?

• Your support empowers the society with the resources to share responsibility in one of the some common activity with this society as mentioned below:

• Orphan Children Home (50 Boys / Girls)

• Residential Primary School (child Labor /street children)

• Orphan Care Home for HIV infected children

• Mobile Medical Units (3 centers)

• Income Generating Programme (Widows)

Name of the Organization: Amma Nanna Charitable Trust (ACT)

Name of Bank: State Bank of India

SB Account No: 30030634007

IFS code: SBIN0002716

Micro Code: 530002009

Branch: Visakhapatnam

Note: Please visit before give your donations to Orphanages/Voluntary Organizations/Charitable Trust

Please don’t donate anything to Orphanages/Volunteer organizations without your personal visit

Joining in our Orphanage at Free of Cost

We are joining more orphan children who have no parent’s age group between 3 to 12 years and also joining Widows and Separated/Deceived Women who have good character and willing to serve to orphan children as volunteer with their children at free of charges only. Our children have been staying with us up to their life settlement that means they will stand with their own bases.

Please don’t donate anything to orphanages/NGO/Charitable Trusts/Children homes/old age home/volunteer organizations without your personal visit. Most of organizations are making business in the name of charity. So be careful for donate to any

We are not accepting any thing to our orphanage without personal visit before he/she wants donate.

Amma Nanna Charitable Trust (ACT) was started in providing services for noble cause that includes orphanage for children who have no parent’s and also Widows/Separated /Deceived Women at free of cost only. It is a NGO providing non-profit voluntary social services organization orphanage at free charges homes, that includes promoting education to children and counseling for alcohol and other intoxicates. view to serve society, a non-profit and charitable trust, Volunteer NGO’s Services with the name “AMMA NANNA CHARITABLE TRUST (ACT)"established in year 2005 and acquired its registration (as per the Trust Act of A.P., India.) and Reg. 119/2005. And also License by Department for Women, Children, Disabled and Senior Citizen & CID-Police Department and License No. 0330/1/2011, under the leadership as Founder & Secretary Sri Gurubelli. Koteswara Rao M.sc, M.Phil, PGDCPA. And as Chairperson and Managing Trustee Smt Gurubelli Venkata Lakshmi alias Suguna M.A(Socialogy) We are so happy to expedite the meaning of “AMMA NANNA” as "MOTHER FATHER" and the exigency of naming this trust had been arisen in reminiscence of the beloved late parents ( Smt & sri Gurubelli. Ammayamma Ramamurthy) of Sri Gurubelli. Koteswara Rao, founder & secretary of this ministries following on their sympathetic favor, commitment and support launched for the neglected people who were drastically lack of food, clothes and other family problems. We are running this NGO Social Service Volunteer Organization with our own funds without any disparity in caste and creed in INDIA Asia and Boards.

Inmates are all district and states of India, like , 1 Town, 75 Feet Road, 4th Town Police Station 104 Area, Aanadha Ashramam, Abidnagar, Anatha Asram, Achampet , Achanta, Adarshnagar, Addanki, Addateegala, Addatheegala, Addakula, Addurodu, Adilabad, Adivivaram, Adoni , Air port, Aganampudi, Akividu,Akkayyapalem, Akkireddypalem, , Alair, Alamanda, Alampur, Alamuru, Allagadda, Allipuram, Allure, Alur, Amadalavalasa, Amalapuram, Amaravathi, Ambajeepeta,Amarchinta, Amaravathi, Amarevati, Anandapuram, Ananthagiri, Anaparthi, Annavaram, Anaparthy, Andhra Bhumi, Andhra University, Anantapur, Andole ,ANR Appikonda, Asifabad, Asifnagar, Asilmetta, Asheelmetta junction, Araku valley, Arasavalli, Arilova, , Armoor, Atchutapuram, Atmakur,, Attili, A U Campus, IN, Out Gate, Auto Nagar, Avanigadda, Badvel, Bala cheruvu, Balacheruvu Road, Balaji Nagar, Ballajura, Balkonda , Bangalore, Banswada, Bapujinagar, Bapatla,Baruva, Bayyavaram, Berhampur, Bhadrachalam, Bheemili, Bheemunipatnam, Bhimadolu, Bhimavaram, Bhogapuram, Bhongir, BHPV, Bhubaneswar, Bhupesh Nagar, Big Bazaar, Bazar, Birla, , Bimavaram, Boath, Bobbili, Bodhan, Bombay, Bowdara, Borra Caves, BRTS, B.S Layout Cheepurupalli, BSI Standard, Buddhavarapu Gardens, Budithi, Buggaram, Burgampahad, Butchirajupalem, Butchi Sundara Rao Street, Burujupeta, , Burugupudi, , Calcutta, CBM Compound, CBI, Chalakurthy, Challavanipeta, Chanakya Towers, Chandragiri, Chandrayangutta, Chapaluppada, Charminar , Chavulamadam, Chavulamadumu, Cheepurupalli, Chennai, Chennur, Cherial, Chevella , Chilakaluripet, Chilakapalem, China musidivada, chinnamusidivada, Chinnor, Chintalapudi, Chintapalli, krishna Chirala, Chittoor, Chodavaram, Chollangi village,Choppadandi, CMR center, Collectorate, Collectors Office Convent junction, corromendal, Coromandel gate, CDR Hospital, Cuddapah, Cumbum, Dabagarden, Dabagardens, Dagguvanipalem, Dasapalla Hills , Darsi, Dayalapuram, Dayal nagar, Delhi, Denduluru, Devarakonda, devipatnam, Dabhagaden, Dharmavaram, Dhavaleswaram, dhayal nagar, Dolphin, Dhondaparthi, Dhone , Dhorathota, , Diamond Park, Dibbalapalem, Dichpalli, Doctors Colony, Dommat,Dondaparthy, Dorakanagar, Dorathota, Dornakal , Duggirala, Duvvada, Dwaraka Nagar, Dwaraka Tirupati, Dwarapudi, , East Godavari, East Point Colony, Ecchapuram, Elamanchili, Eluru, ENDADA, Enadu, Eenadu, Etcherla, Etikoppaka, Femur, Fishing Harbour, Harbor Approach Road, Gadwal, Gajapathinagaram, Gajwel , Ganavaram Port, Gannavaram, Gangulavari, Gannavaram, Gara, Garividi, Ghanpur, Giddalur, Gumma Lakshmipuram, GL Puram, Gunnies Book, Record, Gnanapuram, Gandhigram, Gokavaram, Golkonda, Gollapalem,Gollavanipalem, Golukonda, Golugonda Gopalapatnam, Gooty, Gopalapuram, Gorantla, Gorllivanipalem, Green Park, Greater Visakhapatnam, , G.S.N. Gullipadu, Gudivada, Gudur, Guntur, Gurazala, Gurudwara, Hanamkonda, Hanuman Junction, Temple, Hanumanthavaka, Hall Mark, Hanumantuvaka, Harichandrapuram, Harischandrapuram, Harishchandrapur, HB colony, Head Post Office, Heccherla, Himayat Nagar, Hindupur, Hiramandalam, HPCL,hukumpeta, Huzurabad, Hyderabad, Ibrahimpatnam, Ichapuram, India, INDIA, Indurthi, Industrial estate, IT, IN, INL Kalinga, Isukathota, iskathota, Jadcherla,Jagadam, Jagadamba centre, Jagamba Theatre, Jail Road, Jaggampeta, Jagarajupeta, Jaggayyapalem, Jaggayyapet, Jaghadham Jagtial, Jalandhar, Jalumuru, Jammalamadugu, Jangaon, Jangareddygudem, Jodugullapalem, ,Jukkal, Kadapa, Kadiri, Kadiyam, Kaikalur, Kaikaluru, Kailashmetta, Kaka Nagar, Kakani Nagar, Kailasagiri, Kailasapuram, Kakinada, Kalaniketan, Kalanikhetan, Kalingapatnam, Kalinganagar, , Kalwakurthy, Kalyandurg, Kamalapur, Kamalapuram, Kamareddy, Kancharapalem, Kandukur, Kanigiri, Kankipadu, Kapuluppada, , Kapu uppada, Kapuluppada, Kantipudi, Kanithi Road, , Karimnagar, Karnal, Karnataka, Karnool, Karunol, Karwan, Kasibugga, Kasimkota, Kattipudi, Kavali, KGH, Khairatabad , Khammam, Khanapur, Kirlampudi, layout, K. Kotapadu, Kobbari Thota, Kodad, Kodangal , Kodumur, Koduru, Koduruand, Koilkuntla , Kolhapur, Kolkata, Kondepi, Koppaka, Korasavada, Kotabommali, Kotananduru, Kotavalasa, Kotaveedhi, , Kothagudem, Kothapet, Kotha Road, Kothavalasa, Kothuru, Kotipalli, Koturu, Kovur, Kovvur,Krishna College, Krantinagar, KRM Colony, Kuchinapudi, Kuppam, Kurupam Market, Kurmanpalem, Kurmam, Kummaripalem, Kurmannapalem , Kurnool, Kusalapuram, Lakkireddipalli, Lalitha Nagar, Lankhilapallem, Lakshminagar, Lankelapalem, Lankilapallem, LB Colony, Leela Mahal, Luxettipet, Macherla, Machilipatnam, Madakasira, Madanpalle, Madapamu, Maddilapalem, Madduru, Madivala, Madhira, Madhavadhara, Madhurawada, Madhya Pradesh, Madugula Reddi, Maharanipeta, Mahbubabad , Mahabubnagar, Mahbubnagar, Maharajgunj , Makthal, Malkapuram, Malakpet, Malleswaram, Mandapeta, Mandavaripeta, , Mangalagiri, Manthani, Marikavalasa Maredumilli, Markapur, Marripalem, Martur , Maruteru, Medak, Medchal, Medivada, Metpalli, Meghadripeta, Meghadri gadda, Meghadrigadda, Midilapuri, Mindi, Mindhi, Miryalguda, MMTC Colony, Mud Hole, Mudhole, Mudinepalli, Mulug, Mumbai, Mulagada, Mummidivaram, Muppidi Colony, Mungode, Murali Nagar, Musheerabad, Nagari , Nagarkurnool , MVP colony, Myadaram, Mydukur, Mylavaram, NAD junction, Nagaram, Naguru, Naiduthota Nakkapalem, Nakkapalli, Nakkavanipalem, Nakrekal, Nalgonda, Nallamada, Nandigama, Nandyal, Narasannapeta, Narasaraopet, Narasimha, Narayankhed , Narasapur, narsapur, Narsampet, Narsipatnam, Narisipatnam, Natavalasa, Nathavaram, Nathayyapalem, Naval Dock, Yard Neelamma Vepaqchettu, Naval Dock Yard Neelamma Vepachettu, Nellimarla, Nellore, Nerella, new Gajuwaka, Nidadavole,nidadhavole, Nidadhavolu, Nidumolu ,Nimmada, Nirmal, Nivagam, Nizamabad, N.R. I NSTL, NTPC, NTPC-Parawada, Nuzvid, Odessa, Old post office, Ongole, Orissa, Paderu, Palacole, Palair, Palakonda, Palakollu, Palamaner, Palasa, Pallavaram, Panchadarla, Panyam, Parawada, Parchur, Parkal, Pargi, Parlakimidi, Parvathipuram, Patapatnam, Pata Polavaram, Pathapatnam, Pattikonda , Payakaraopeta, Pedakurapadu, Peda Peddapalli, Peddipalem, Peddapuram, Pendurthi, pendurthy, Penugonda, Penukonda Pillala Ashramam, Piler, Pithapuram, PM Palem, PNT Colony, Pandurangapuram, Polaki, Polavaram, Ponduru, Ponnur, Poondi, Poorna Market, Porur, Prakasam, Prathipadu, Priya, Proddat, Proddatur, Pudimadaka, Pulivendula, Pundi, Pune, Punganur, purna, Purushothapuram, Purusotapuram, puspatera, Puttur , Pydibheemavaram, Rail Way New Colony, Rajahmundry, Rajam, Rajampet, Raj, Raja Nagar, rajavommangi, Rajolu, Ramachandrapuram, Ramagundam, Rama Nagar, Ramnagar, Ramannapet, Rama Talkies Center, ramatheertham, Ramtherdham, Neusan Bhag,Ramatheertham, ramavaram, Ramayampet, Rambilli, Ramnagar, Rampachodavaram, Rangapuram, Ranastalam, Rangareddy, Ravulapalem, Rayachoty, Rayadurg, Raya Durg, Rayavaram, , Razole, Reddipalli, RegupaduRepalle, Rapur, Regupalem, Revidi, Revit, RK Beach, Rotherham, Rushikonda,rusu konda, Rushukonda, Sabbavaram, Sagar Nagar, Sakhsi, Salur, Sampara , Sanath Nagar, Sangareddy, Santhanuthalapadu , Sarasota, Saraswati Park, Saravakota, Sarvepalli, Sathivada, Sathupalli, Sattenapalli Sastry Road, Satyam centre, Satyavedu, Secunderabad, seetampeta, Seethammadhara, Seethampeta, Shadnagar, Shayampet, Sholur, Shopping Mall, Siddhantam, Siddipet, Simhachalam, Sindhiya, Singanamala, Sircilla , Sirpur, Siripuram, S. Kota, Soluru, Sompeta, Sriharipuram, Srikakulam, Sri Kalahasti, Sri Kalahsti, Srikurmam, Srimukalingam, Srimukhalingam, Srungavarapukota, Steel Plant Quarters Sector, Sujathanagar, Sulurpet, Suryabagh, Surya Bhag, Suryapet, Tadepalligudem, Tadepellegudem, tadepalli gudum, Tadikonda, Tadipatri, Tagarapuvalasa, , Tallapalem, Talarevu, Tallarevu, Tamil nadu, Tandur, Tanuku , Tekkali, Tenali, Thamballapalle, Thatichetlapalem, Therlam, Thotapalli, Tilaru, Tikkavanipalem, Timaru, Tirumala, Tirupati, Tiruvuru, Tuni, Tungaturthi, UDA Park, Udda Udayagiri, Ukkumpeta, Ukkunagaram, Undi, Unguturu, Universal records, Uravakonda, Ushodaya Colony, Uttarahalli, Uttarapalli, Vada cheepurupalli, Vadacheepurapalli, Vaddadi, Vanukuru, Vartha, varthaa, Vayalpad, Vellanki, Vemur, Venkatagiri , Venkojipalem, Velampeta, Vepada, Vepagunta, Vepanjeri , Vijayawada, Vikarabad, Vinukonda, Visakhapatnam, Visakha Valley, Vitanthula ashramam, Vizag, Vizianagaram, Vrudhula ashramam Vuyyuru, Waltair, Wanaparthy, Warangal, Wardhannapet, West Godavari World Record, Yalamanchili, Yakutpura, Yeleswaram, Yellandu, Yellareddy, Yellavaram, Yemmiganur, Yendada, Y junction, Zahirabad, Zoo Park center, and other state of India.

Guntur District Macherla , Veldurthi , Narasaraopeta, Rentacrintala , Bollapalle , Rompicherla , Gurazala , Nakarikallu , Ipur Dachepalle, Muppalla , Savalyapuram , Machavaram , Phirangipuram , Vinukonda , Bellamkonda , Medikonduru , Nuzendla , Achampeta , Guntur , Chilakaluripet , Krosuru , Pedakakani , Pedanandipadu , Amaravathi , Duggirala , Kakumanu, Thullur , Kollipara , Ponnur , Thadepalle , Kollur , Amruthalur , Mangalagiri , Vemuru , Cherukupalle , Tadikonda , Tenali , Bhattiprolu , Pedakurapadu , Tsundur , Repalle , ,Sattenapalle , Chebrole , Nagaram , Rajupalem , Vatticherukuru , Nizampatnam , Piduguralla , Prathipadu , Pittalavanipalem , Karempudi , Edlapadu , Karlapalem , Durgi , Nadendla , Bapatla. Narasaraopet, Rentachintala, Bollapalli, Nekarikallu, Jaipur, Thadepalli, Cherukupalli Chebrolu, Georgia

Krishna District Vijayawada A.Konduru, Agiripalli, Avanigadda, Bantumilli, Bapulapadu, Challapalli, Chandralapadu, Chatrai, Gampalogudem, Gannavaram, G. Konduru, Ghantasala, Guduru, Gudivada, Gudlavalleru, Ibrahimpatnam, Jaggayyapeta, Kaikalur, Kalidindi , Kanchikacherla , Kankipadu, Koduru , Kruthivennu, Mailavaram , Machilipatam, Mandavalli , Movva , Mopidevi , Mudinepalle , Musunuru , Nagayalanka , Nandigama , Nandivada, Nuzvid , Pamidimukkala , Pedana, Pamarru, Pedaparupudi , Penuganchiprolu , Penamaluru , Reddigudem , Tiruvuru , Thotlavalluru , Unguturu, Vatsavai, Vissannapeta, Vuyyuru, Veerullapadu , Chandarlapadu, Gampalagudem, benz circle, ring road, Machilipatnam, gunadala matha , kondapalli , gollapalli , Telaprolu.

Srikakulam District Veeraghattam , Bhamini , Vangara , Kothuru , Regidiamadala Valasa , Hiramandalam , Rajam , Sarubujjili , Ganguvari Singadam , Amadalavalasa , Laveru , Srikakulam , Ranastalam , Gara , Hetcherla , Polaki , Ponduru , Narasannapeta , Santhakaviti , Jalumuru , Burja , Saravakota, Palakonda , Pathapatnam , Seethampeta , Meliaputti, Kotabommali , Santha Bommali , Nandigam , Vajrapu Kothuru , Palasa , Mandasa , Sompeta , Kanchili , Kaviti , Tekkali, Ichchapuram , Regidi amadalaValasa ,Santhabommali.

Vizianagaram District Komarada , Ramabhadrapuram , Gummalakshmipuram , Badangi , Kurupam , Therlam , Jiyyammavalasa , Merakamudidam , Garugubilli , Dattirajeru , Parvathipuram , Mentada , Makkuva , Gajapathinagaram , Seethanagaram , Bondapalle , Balajipeta , Gurla , Bobbili , Garividi , Salur , Cheepurupalle , Pachipenta , Nellimarla , Bhoghapuram , Denkada , Vizianagaram , Gantyada , Srungavarapukota , Vepada , Lakkavarapukota , Jami , Kothavalasa, Pusapatirega, Colorado, Thermal Bondapalli.

Visakhapatnam District Munchingiputtu, Nathavaram , Pedagantyada , Pedabayalu , Narsipatnam , Paravada , Hukumpetau , Rolugunta , Anakapalli , Dumbriguda , Ravikamatham , Munagapaka , Arakuvalley , Butchayyapeta , Kasimkota , Ananthagiri , Chodavaram , Makavarapalem, Devarapalle , K Kotapadu, Kotauratla , Cheedikada , Sabbavaram , Payakaraopeta , Madugula , Pendurthi , Nakkapalli , Paderu , Anandapuram , S. Rayavaram , Gangaraju Madugula , Padmanabham , Yelamanchili , Chintapalle , Bheemunipatnam , Rambilli , Gudemkothaveedhi , Visakhapatnam , Atchutapuram, Koyyuru , Visakhapatnam urban, rural, Golugonda , Gajuwaka . Munching Puttu, Devarapalli , Gudem Kotha Veedhi.

East Godavari District Maredumilli , Pithapuram , Kapileswarapuram , Y Ramavaram , Kothapalle , Alamuru , Addateegala , Kakinada, Atreyapuram , Rajavommangi , Ravula Palem , Kotananduru , Samalkota , Pamarru , Tuni , Rangampeta , Kothapeta , Thondangi , Gandepalle , P Gannavaram , Gollaprolu , Rajanagaram , Ambajipeta , Sankhavaram , Rajahmundry, Ainavilli , Prathipadu , Mummidivaram , Yeleswaram , Kadiam , I.Polavaram , Gangavaram , Mandapeta , Katrenikona, Rampachodavaram , Anaparthy , Uppalaguptam , Devipatnam , Biccavolu , Amalapuram , Seethanagaram , Pedapudi , Allavaram , Korukonda , Karapa , Mamidikuduru , Gokavaram , Thallarevu , Razole , Jaggampeta , Kajuluru , Malikipuram , Kirlampudi , Ramachandrapuram , Sakhinetipalle, Peddapuram , Rayavaram , sankavaram, Samalkot, Kothapet , Gandepalli , Sakhinetipalli, samrlakota.

West Godavari District Jeelugumilli , Nidadavole , Undi , Buttayagudem , Tadepalligudem , Akiveedu , Polavaram , Unguturu , Kalla , Thallapudi , Bhimadole , Bheemavaram , Gopalapuram , Pedavegi , Palakoderu , Koyyalagudem , Pedapadu , Veeravasaram , Jangareddigudem , Eluru , Penumantra , T.Narasapuram , Denduluru , Penugonda , Chintalapudi , Nidamarru , Achanta , Lingapalem , Ganapavaram , Poduru , Kamavarapukota , Pentapadu , Palacole , Dwarakatirumala , Tanuku , Yelamanchili , Nallajerla , Undrajavaram , Narasapuram , Devarapalle , Peravali , Mogalthur Chagallu , Iragavaram , Kovvur , Attili . Tallapudi, Bhimavaram, Palakol, chebrolu Dwaraka Tirumala, Devarapalli.

Khammam District Cherla , Yellandu , Enkuru , Pinapaka , Singareni , Konijerla , Gundala , Bayyaram , Khammam Urban , Manuguru ,Garla , Khammam Rural , Aswapuram , Kamepalle , Thirumalayapalem , Dummugudem , Julurpad , Kusumanchi , Bhadrachalam , Chandrugonda , Nelakondapalle , Kunavaram , Mulakalapalle ,Mudigonda , Chintur , Aswaraopeta , Chinthakani , Vararamachandrapuram , Dammapeta , Wyra , Velairpad , Sathupalle , Bonakal , Kukunoor , Vemsoor , Madhira , Burgampadu , Penuballi , Yerrupalem, Palawancha, Wazeed , Kothagudem , Kalluru , Venkatapuram , Tekulapalle , Thallada . Cherla , Nakuru , Uganda , Kamepalli , Nelakondapalli ,Mulakalapalli Va Ramachandrapuram , Palvancha , Tekulapally.

Prakasam District Yerragondapalem , Martur , Veligandla , Pullalacheruvu , Parchur , Pedacherlopalle , Tripuranthakam , Karamchedu , Ponnaluru , Kurichedu , Chirala , Kondapi , Donakonda , Vetapalem , Santhanuthlapadu , Pedaaraveedu , Inkollu , Ongole , Dornala , Janakavaram, Panguluru , Naguluppalapadu , Ardhaveedu , Korisapadu , Chinaganjam , Markapur , Maddipadu , Kothapatnam , Tarlapadu , Chimakurthi , Tangutur , Konakanamitla , Marripudi , Zarugumilli , Podili , Kanigiri , Kandukur , Darsi , Hanumanthunipadu , Voletivaripalem , Mundlamuru , Bestavaripeta , Pamur , Thallur , Cumbum , Lingasamudram , Addanki , Racherla , Gudluru , Ballikuruva , Giddaluru , Ulavapadu , Santhamaguluru , Komarolu , Singarayakonda , Yeddanapudi , Chadrasekara, Puram . Peda Cherlopalli, Peddaraveedu, Tarlupadu, Chimakurthy, Jarugumilli, Ballikurava, Chandrasekara.

Sri Potti Sri Ramulu Nellore District Seetharamapuram, Kodavalur , Sydapuram , Varikuntapadu , Butchireddipalem , Dakkili , Kondapuram , Sangam , Venkatagiri , Jaladanki , Chejerla , Balayapalle , Kavali , Ananthasagaram , Ojili , Bogole , Kaluvoya , Chillakur , Kaligiri , Rapur , Kota , Vinjamur , Podlakur , Vakadu , Duttalur , Nellore , Chittamur , Udayagiri , Kovur , Naidupeta , Marripadu , Indukurpet , Pellakur , Atmakur , Thotapalligudur , Doravarisatram , Anumasamudrampeta , Muthukur , Sullurpeta , Dagadarthi , Venkatachalam , Tada , Allur , Manubolu , Vidavalur , Gudur Buchireddypalem, Balayapalli , Podalakur , Thotapalli Gudur ,Anamasamudrampeta , Allure .

Dr. Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy Cuddapah District Muddanur, Vempalle , Kondapuram , Simhadripuram , Chaknayapet , Mylavaram , Lingala , Lakkireddipalle , Peddamudium , Pulivendla , Ramapuram , Raju Palem , Vemula , Veeraballe , Duvvur , Thandur , Rajampet , S Mydukur , Veerapunayunipalle , Nandalur , Brahmamgarimattam , Yerraguntla , Penagaluru , B Kodur , Kamalapuram , Chitvel , Kalasapadu , Vallur , Kodur , Porumamilla , Chennur , Obulavaripalle , Badvel , Atlur , Pullampeta , Gopavaram , Vontimitta , T.Sundupalle , Khajipet , Sidhout , Sambepalle , Chapad , Chinnamandem , Proddutur , Chintha Kommadinne , Rayachoti , Jammalamadugu , Pendlimarri , Galiveedu Vempalli , Chakrayapet , Pulivendula , Tandur , Veerapunayuni Palli , Penagalur , Obulavaripalli , Atlanta , Pullampet , T.Sundupalli , Kazipet, Sambepalli, Proddatur.

Chittoor District Peddamandyam , K V P Puram , Nagari , Thamballapalle , Narayanavanam , Karvetinagar , Mulakalacheruvu , Vadamalapeta , Srirangaraja Puram , Peddathippa Samudram , Tirupati Rural , Palasamudram , B.Kothakota , Kammapalle , Gangadhara Nellore , Kurabalakota , Chandragiri , Penumuru , Gurramkonda , Chinnagottigallu , Puthalapattu , Kalakada , Rompicherla , Irala , Kambhamvaripalle , Pileru , Thavanampalle , Yerravaripalem , Kalikiri ,Chittoor , Tirupati Urban , Vayalpad , Gudipala , Renigunta , Nimmanapalle , Yadamari , Yerpedu , Mandopalle , Bangarupalem , Srikalahasti , Ramasamudram , Palamaner , Thottambedu , Punganur , Gangavaram , Buchinaidu Khandriga , Chowdepalle , Pedda Panjani , Varadaiahpalem , Somala , Baireddi Palle , Satyavedu , Sodam , Venkatagiri Kota , Nagalapuram , Pulicherla , Ramakuppam , Pichatur , Pakala , Santhi Puram , Vijaya Puram , Veduru Kuppam , Gudi Palle , Nindra , Puttur , Kuppam K V B Puram , Sri Rangaraja Puram , Pedda Thippa , Kammapalli , Kambham Vari Palli , Piler , Madanapalle , Madanapalle, Bangarupalem , Srikalahasti , Kandireega , Peddapanjani , Somalia , Baireddipalle ,Sathyavedu , Sodom, Santhipuram , Vijayapuram , Vedurukuppam , Gudipalle , Nidra.

Ananthapur District D.Hirchal , Kunurpi , Gandlapenta , Bommanahal , Kalyandurg , Kadiri , Vidapanakal , Atmakur , Amadagur , Vajrakarur , Anantapur , Obuladevaracheruvu , Guntakal , Bukkarayasamudram , Nallamada , Gooty , Narpala , Gorantla , Peddavadugur , Putlur , Puttaparthi , Yadiki , Yellanur , Bukkapatnam , Tadpatri , Tadimarri , Kothacheruvu , Peddapappur , Bathalapalle , Penu Konda , Singanamala , Raptadu , Roddam , Pamidi , Kanaganapalle , Somandepalle , Garladinne , Kambadur , Chilamathur , Kudair , Ramagiri , Lepakshi , Uravakonda , Chenne Kothapalle , Hindupur , Beluguppa , Dharmavaram , Parigi , Kanekal , Mudigubba , Madakasira , Rayadurg , Talupula , Gudibanda , Gummagatta , Nambulipulikunta , Amarapuram , Brahmasamudram , Tanakal , Agali , Settur , Nallacheruvu , Rolla D.Hirehal, Kundurpi , Bommanahalli , Bathalapalli , Penukonda , Kanaganapalli , Sattur.

Kurnool District Kowthalam , Kodumur , Rudravaram , Kosigi , Gonegandla , Allagadda , Mantralayam , Yemmiganur , Chagalamarri , Nandavaram , Pedda Kadalur , Uyyalawada , C.Belagal , Adoni , Dornipadu , Gudur , Holagunda , Gospadu , Kurnool , Alur , Koilkuntla , Nandi Kotkur , Aspari , Banaganapalle , Pagidyala , Devanakonda , Sanjamala , Kothapalle , Krishnagiri , Kolimigundla , Atmakur , Veldurthi , Owk , Srisailam , Bethamcherla , Peapally , Velgode , Panyam , Dhone , Pamulapadu , Gadivemula , Tuggali , Jupadu Bungalow , Bandi Atmakur , Pattikanda , Midthur , Nandyal , Maddikera East , Orvakal , Mahanandi , Chippagiri , Kallur , Sirvel , Halaharvi . Nandikotkur, Banaganapalli, Dhoni, Jupadu Bunglow, Silver.

Mahabubnagar District Kodangal , Jadcherla , Amrabad , Bomraspeta , Bhoothpur , Balmoor , Kosgi , Mahbubnagar , Lingal , Doulatabad , Addakal , Peddakothapalle , Damaragidda , Devarkadara , Kodair , Maddur , Dhanwada , Gopalpeta , Koilkonda , Narayanpet , Wanaparthy , Hanwada , Utkoor , Pangal , Nawabpet , Maganoor , Pebbair , Balanagar , Makthal , Gadwal , Kondurg , Narva , Dharur , Farooqnagar , Chinna Chinta Kunta , Maldakal , Kothur , Atmakur , Ghattu , Keshampeta , Kothakota , Aiza , Talakondapalle , Peddamandadi , Waddepalle , Amangal , Ghanpur , Itikyal , Madgul , Bijinapalle , Manopadu , Vangoor , Nagar Kurnool , Alampur , Veldanda , Tadoor , Veepangandla , Kalwakurthy , Telkapalle , Kollapur , Midjil , Uppununthala , Thimmajipeta , Achampeta . Daulatabad, Tandoor, Telkapally, Kolhapur, Thimmajipet.

Rangareddy District Marpalle ,Hayathnagar , Gandeed , Mominpet , Saroornagar , Kulkacharla , Nawabpet , Rajendranagar , Pargi , Shankarpalle , Moinabad , Pudur , Malkajgiri , Chevella , Shabad , Serilingampalle , Vikarabad , Shamshabad , Quthbullapur , Dharur , Maheswaram , Medchal , Bantaram , Ibrahimpatam , Shamirpet ,Peddemul , Manchal , Balanagar , Tandur , Yacharam , Keesara , Basheerabad , Kandukur , Ghatkesar , Yelal , Uppal , Doma . Shankarpalli, puduraya, Serilingampally, Maheshwaram, Yell.

Nalgonda District Bommalaramaram , Chityala , Thripuraram , M Turkapalle , Narketpalle , Miryalaguda , Rajapet , Kattangoor , Garide Palle , Yadagirigutta , Nakrekal , Chilkur , Alair , Kethepalle , Kodad , Gundala , Suryapet , Mellachervu , Thirumalagiri , Chivvemla , Huzurnagar , Thunga Thurthi , Mothey , Mattampalle , Nuthankal , Nadigudem , Nered Cherla , Atmakur (S) , Munagala , Dameracherla , Jaji Reddi Gudem , Penpahad , Anumula , Saligouraram , Vemulapalle , Peddavura , Mothkur , Thipparthi , Pedda Adiserlapalle , Atmakur (M) , Nalgonda , Gurrampode , Valigonda , Munugode , Nampalle , Bhuvanagiri , Narayanapur , Chintha Palle , Bibinagar , Marri Guda , Devarakonda , Pochampalle , Chandur , Gundla Palle , Choutuppal , Kangal , Chandam Pet , Ramannapeta , Nidamanur . Tripuraram , M Turkapally , Narketpally , Kethepally , Uganda , Mellacheruvu , Tirumalagiri , Chivemla ,Thoonga , Mattampally, Need Cherla , Damaracherla , Shaligouraram , Vemulapalli ,Peddavura , Narayanpur , Chintapalli , Marriguda , Pochampally , Gundlapalli ,Chandampet , Ramannapet.

Medak District Manoor , Siddipet , Kohir , Kangti , Chinna Kodur , Munpalle , Kalher , Nanganur , Pulkal , Narayankhed , Kondapak , Sadasivpet , Regode , Jagdevpur , Kondapur ,Shankarampet (A) , Gajwel , Sangareddy , Alladurg , Doultabad , Patancheru , Tekmal , Chegunta , Ramachandrapuram , Papannapet , Yeldurthy , Jinnaram , Kulcharam , Kowdipalle , Hathnoora , Medak , Andole , Narsapur , Shankarampet (R) , Raikode , Shivampet , Ramayampet , Nyalkal , Tupran , Dubbak , Jharasangam , Wargal , Mirdoddi , Zahirabad , Mulug . Manoor, Munipalle, Nanganallur, Daulatabad, Veldurthy, Kowdipally, Toopran, to Oprah

Warangal District Cheriyal , Thorrur , Duggondi , Maddur , Nellikudur , Geesugonda , Narmetta , Narsimhulapet , Atmakur , Bachannapeta , Maripeda , Shayampet , Jangaon , Dornakal , Parkal , Lingala Ghanpur , Kuravi , Regonda , Raghunatha Palle , Mahabubabad , Mogullapalle , Ghanpur(Stn) , Kesamudram , Chityal , Dharmasagar , Nekkonda , Bhupalpalle , Hasanparthy , Gudur , Ghanapur , Hanamkonda , Kothagudem , Mulug , Wardhannapet , Khanapur , Venkatapur , Zaffergadh , Govindaraopet , Palakurthi , Chennaraopet , Tadvai , Devaruppula , Parvathagiri , Eturnagaram , Kodakandla , Sangam , Mangapet , Raiparthy , Nallabelly , Warangal Cherial, Cheryl, Bachannapet, Kuruvi, Mogullapally, Bhupalpally, Ghanpur.

Karimnagar District Ibrahimpatnam , Jagtial , Vemulawada , Mallapur , Medipalle , Konaraopeta , Raikal , Koratla , Yella Reddi Peta , Sarangapur , Metpalle , Gambhiraopet , Dharmapuri , Kathlapur , Mustabad , Velgatoor , Chandurthi , Sirsilla , Ramagundam , Kodimial , Ellanthakunta , Kamanpur , Gangadhara , Bejjanki , Manthani , Mallial , Thimmapur , Kataram , Pegadapalle , Kesavapatnam , Mahadevpur , Choppadandi , Huzurabad , Mutharam , Mahadevpur , Sultanabad , Kamalapur , Malharrao , Odela , Elkathurthi , Mutharam Manthani , Jammikunta , Saidapur , Srirampur , Veenavanka , Chigurumamidi , Peddapalle , Manakondur , Koheda , Julapalle , Karimnagar , Husnabad , Dharmaram , Ramadugu , Bheemadevarpalle , Gollapalle , Boinpalle Medipally , Konaraopet , Korutla , Yellareddy Peta , Sarangpur , ,Metpally , Kathalapur , Pegadapally , Elkathurthy , Shrirampur , Peddapalli , Julapalli , , Bheemadevarapally, Bowenpally.

Nizamabad District Ranjal , Yeda Palle , Sadasivanagar , Navipet , Bodhan , Gandhari , Nandipet , Kotgiri , Banswada , Armur , Madnur , Pitlam , Balkonda , Jukkal , Nizamsagar , Mortad , Bichkunda , Yellareddy , Kammar , Palle , Birkoor , Naga Reddipet , Bheemgal , Varni , Lingampet , Velpur , Dichpalle , Tadwai , Jakranpalle , Dhar Palle , Kamareddy , Makloor , Sirkonda , Bhiknur , Nizamabad , Machareddy , Domakonda . Sadashivanagar, Kotagiri, Armour, Pelle, Naga Reddit, Dichpally, Jakranpally, Sirikonda

Adilabad District Talamadugu , Lohesra , Tiryani , Tamsi , Dilawarpur , Asifabad , Adilabad , Nirmal , Wankdi , Jainad , Laxmanchanda , Kagaz Nagar , Bela , Mamda , Rebbana , Narnoor , Khanpur , Tandur , Inderavelly , Kaddampeddur , Bellampalle , Gudihatnur , Utnur , Nennal , Ichoda , Jainoor , Bheemini , Bazarhathnoor , Kerameri , Sirpur (T) , Boath , Sirpur (U) , Kouthala , Neradigonda , Jannaram , Bejjur , Sarangapur , Dandepalle , Dahegaon , Kuntala , Luxettipet , Vemanpalle , Kubeer , Mancherial , Kotapalle , Bhainsa , Mandamarri , Chennur , Tanur , Kasipet , Jaipur , Mudhole Lohara, Tampa , Kagaznagar , Bella , Kaddam Peddur , Gudihathnoor , Bheemili, boathouse , Sarangpur , Vempalli , Kazipet.

Hyderabad, Secendrabad kukatpally , tank bund , hussain sagar , birla mandir ,himayat nagar , begumpet, shamshabad, charminar, golconda , banjara hills ,stadhampton , khairabadi , yousufguda, patancheru,Musheerabad , Ameerpet ,Khairatabad , Bandlaguda, Amberpet , Secunderabad, Charminar , Asifnagar , Himayathnagar ,Tirumalagiri , Golconda , Saidabad , Maredalle,shaikpet ,nampally ,bahadurpura , Maryland .cyderabad, jubili hills, kazipally, bollaram, bachupally, swarnapuri, miyapur, kompally,thumkunta, hakimpet, ramachandra puram, vishwambhar enclave, bala nagar, serilingampally, sri ram nagar, gachibowli, madhapur, secretarial, tolichowki, gandipet, raghuram nagar, bharat nagar, budvel, rajendra nagar, bakaram, kothwalguda, ahmadpur, kavadiguda, asthma, jeedimetla, balaji nagar, alwal, yapral, dammaiguda, sainikpuri, kapra, sakthi nagar, asrao nagar, moulali, bowenpally, ramanthapur, pizza, saroor nagar, falaknuma, vansathi puram, hanuman nagar, brindavan colony, nadergul, indira reddy, rallaguda, gollapally, new hafeezpet, trimulgherry, safilguda, yellareddyguda, musheerabad, taj residency, hill font, apollo hospital, afzalgunj, tadbund, bahadurgarh, sri raghavendra, aradhana, marredpally, zaheerabad, film nagar, mehdipatnam, imperial, esi, kanchanbagh, yeddumailaram, manikonda, chandrayangutta, janwada, chilkur, bakaram, sacoor nagar, deshmukhi, doolapally, amberpet, dilsukhnagar, karwan, gosha mahal, bahadurpura,

Bombay Dilli, Dehli, Kolkata, Kalikata, Kalkutta, Bengaloru, engaluru, Bangalur, Madras, Chennapattanam, Ahmadâbâd, Ahmadabad, Amdabad, Ahmedabad , Haidarabad, Haidarabad, Haiderabad, Hyderabad, Haider-Abad Poona, Pune, Kanpur, Kanpur, Cawnpore, Khanpur, sorat, Surat, Jeypore, Lakhnau Lucknow, Nagpur, Thana, Calcutta, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Pune, Surat, Jaipur, Vadodara, Indore, Patna, Madurai, Bhopal, Ludhiana, Coimbatore, Varanasi, Visakhapatnam, Agra, Mumbai.

Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradeshm Itangar, Itanagar, Assam, Dispur, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Raipur, Goa, Panaji, Gujaratm Gandhinagar, Haryana, Chandigarhm Himachal Pradesh, Shimla, Jammu and Kashmir, Srinagar, Jharkhand, Ranchi, Karnataka, Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, Trivandrum, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Imphal, Meghalaya, Shillong, Mizoram, Aizawi, Nagaland, Kohima, Orissa, Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneshwar, Punjab, Rajasthan, Jaipur, Sikkim, Gangtok, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Agartala, Uttaranchal, West Bengal, Kolkata, Dehradun, Uttar Pradesh, Dada and Nagar Haveli, Silvassa, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Port Blair, Daman and Diu, Lakshadeep, Kavaratti, Yanam, Pondicherry. Asia, USA, America, Washington, Belgium, New York, United States of America, United Kingdom, Columbia, Bangkok, Australia, Switzerland, Mexico, France, Sweden, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Poland, Denmark, France, London, New Zealand, Spain. Indonesia, Brazil, Nigeria, Russia, Philippines, Ethiopia, Vietnam, Egypt, Turkey, Iran, Thailand, Burma, South Africa, Algeria,

Many people in the society are looking for helping hands. Let’s be a hope to them. Amma Nanna Charitable Trust is one among them.

We are joining more orphan children who have no parent’s age group between 3 to 12 years and also joining Widows, Deceived and Separated Women at free of charges only. Our children have been staying with us up to their life settlement that means they will stand with their own bases.

you feel you are also responsible to the society, please, if you come across such people in and around your surroundings, give a hope to them by providing our address and we take care of them with pleasure.

“Please don’t Drink Alcohol and other intoxicates Live a happily and make Peaceful Society”

Everyone should read and write his/her regional language. We don’t try to take any Loans it leads to bitter life. We can live a happily in Kutcha house without loans, and then granite floored building with Loans. Loans make damage peaceful life and leads us misbehavior and corrupt minding nature.

Address of our Free of cost orphanage home Aditya Nagar, Desapathrunipalem, Parawada, Near Steel Plant Quarters Sector-X, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India, and Asia. Cell no. 08886563252

For Orphan children we are providing good education, nutritious food, sports and games, cultural activities, meditation and yoga. We are very particular in teaching them good behavior, how to be responsible to the situations, moral and spiritual values and civic senses which in deed helps in providing a healthy citizen to the society in our Orphanage children home.

For deceived women or widows, we are providing nutritious food, shelter, healthy and spiritual environment, yoga and meditation. We even accept them as the Volunteers with a service motto as we all know “SERVICE TO LIFE IS SERVICE TO GOD”

Do you know depending upon parents and teachers’ behaviors children learn good or bad activities? For example we choose one regional language in particular state, different areas living people speak different stylish the same regional language because it’s their environment effect. So when parents/teachers create good environments to their children doing good things like social, civic, moral, spiritual, cultural, social response, kind, humanity etc… Then children growing such way if not they will grimy.

Now a day’s one in all are thinking about earn billions of billions of rupees whatever job they are doing and give it to their children on heredity properties. Suppose they will give children billions of billions rupees and there will be no moral values, civic senescence, social responsibilities, humanity, social behavior, kindness, social moving with others and also no pure air, water, earth and sky. Can they enjoy in that society? and live happily such wrinkle and blight society, we will give them not only money on heredity but also we learn or grow them good behaviors like cultural, spiritual, social, moral, civics, kind, help, social responsibility etc.. . Money is requiring for live but life is not money. Money may not make life happy but service must be making live happily that should be known one in all.

Our properties just like water level in the well if we use water purposefully the decreased water level in the well filled later. If we don’t use water the level of water remains the same suppose we add more water into the well it looks raise in the water level in movement but after sometime it comes to the original level. If we use water unnecessarily and dry it then we have no water when we want to drink even though our well water will be raised later. So we take a little amount of water and use it towards real needy people. We eat for living and not live for eating man/woman should working until last his/her breathe.

Friends we may not giving as light as the sun but we are giving as light as lamp and try to drive way darkness in the society as able as we can then darkness drive way from the society then we will live peacefully and happily in such society . I hope we make such world! We assure you of our ethical zeal of service to the tender generation born to serve our nation as differently able citizens because “Ability knows no Handicap”.

Amma Nanna Charitable Trust (ACT) was started in providing services for noble cause that includes orphanage for children who have no parent’s and also Widows/Separated /Deceived Women at free of cost only. It is a NGO providing non-profit voluntary social services organization orphanage at free charges homes, that includes promoting education to children and counseling for alcohol and other intoxicates. view to serve society, a non-profit and charitable trust, Volunteer NGO’s Services with the name “AMMA NANNA CHARITABLE TRUST (ACT)"established in year 2005 and acquired its registration (as per the Trust Act of A.P., India.) and Reg. 119/2005. And also License by Department for Women, Children, Disabled and Senior Citizen & CID-Police Department and License No. 0330/1/2011, under the leadership as Founder & Secretary Sri Gurubelli. Koteswara Rao M.sc., M.Phil., PGDCPA., And as Chairperson and Managing Trustee Smt Gurubelli Venkatalakssmy M.A (Sociology) We are so happy to expedite the meaning of “AMMA NANNA” as "MOTHER FATHER" and the exigency of naming this trust had been arisen in reminiscence of the beloved late parents ( Smt & sri Gurubelli. Ammayamma Ramamurthy) of Sri Gurubelli. Koteswara Rao, founder & secretary of this ministries following on their sympathetic favor, commitment and support launched for the neglected people who were drastically lack of food, clothes and other family problems. We are running this NGO Social Service Volunteer Organization with our own funds without any disparity in caste and creed in INDIA, Asia and Boards.

We are meeting this running cost from the profit of Indhu Plaza (Electrical, Hardware, Sanitary and Plywood) at Desapathrunipalem, Near Steel Plant Quarters Sector-X, Visakhapatnam which is maintained by our Chairperson and Managing Trustee Smt G. Suguna

NEED YOUR SUPPORT

• Could you please shake your hands in the humanitarian task and noble cause of raising funds in Aid of the real orphans needy?

• Your support empowers the society with the resources to share responsibility in one of the some common activity with this society as mentioned below:

• Orphan Children Home (50 Boys / Girls)

• Residential Primary School (child Labor /street children)

• Orphan Care Home for HIV infected children

• Mobile Medical Units (3 centers)

• Income Generating Programme (Widows)

Name of the Organization: Amma Nanna Charitable Trust (ACT)

Name of Bank: State Bank of India

SB Account No: 30030634007

IFS code: SBIN0002716

Micro Code: 530002009

Place: Visakhapatnam

Note: Please visit before give your donations to Orphanages/Voluntary Organizations/Charitable Trust

Please don’t donate anything to Orphanages/Volunteer organizations without your personal visit

Joining in our Orphanage at Free of Cost

We are joining more orphan children who have no parent’s age group between 3 to 12 years and also joining Widows and Separated/Deceived Women who have good character and willing to serve to orphan children as volunteer with their children at free of charges only. Our children have been staying with us up to their life settlement that means they will stand with their own bases.

Please don’t donate anything to orphanages/NGO/Charitable Trusts/Children homes/old age home/volunteer organizations without your personal visit. Most of organizations are making business in the name of charity. So be careful for donate to any

We are not accepting any thing to our orphanage without personal visit before he/she wants donate.

Inmates are all district and states of India, like , 1 Town, 75 Feet Road, 4th Town Police Station 104 Area, Aanadha Ashramam, Abidnagar, Anatha Asram, Achampet , Achanta, Adarshnagar, Addanki, Addateegala, Addatheegala, Addakula, Addurodu, Adilabad, Adivivaram, Adoni , Air port, Aganampudi, Akividu,Akkayyapalem, Akkireddypalem, , Alair, Alamanda, Alampur, Alamuru, Allagadda, Allipuram, Allure, Alur, Amadalavalasa, Amalapuram, Amaravathi, Ambajeepeta,Amarchinta, Amaravathi, Amarevati, Anandapuram, Ananthagiri, Anaparthi, Annavaram, Anaparthy, Andhra Bhumi, Andhra University, Anantapur, Andole ,ANR Appikonda, Asifabad, Asifnagar, Asilmetta, Asheelmetta junction, Araku valley, Arasavalli, Arilova, , Armoor, Atchutapuram, Atmakur Attili, A U Campus, IN, Out Gate, Auto Nagar, Avanigadda, Badvel, Bala cheruvu, Balacheruvu Road, Balaji Nagar, Ballajura Balkonda , Bangalore, Banswada, Bapujinagar, Bapatla, Baruva, Bayyavaram, Berhampur, Bhadrachalam, Bheemili, Bheemunipatnam, Bhimadolu Bhimavaram, Bhogapuram, Bhongir, BHPV, Bhubaneswar, Bhupesh Nagar, Big Bazaar, Bazar, Birla, , Bimavaram, Boath, Bobbili, Bodhan, Bombay, Bowdara, Borra Caves, BRTS, B.S Layout Cheepurupalli, BSI Standard, Buddhavarapu Gardens, Budithi, Buggaram, Burgampahad, Butchirajupalem, Butchi Sundara Rao Street, Burujupeta, , Burugupudi, , Calcutta, CBM Compound, CBI, Chalakurthy, Challavanipeta, Chanakya Towers, Chandragiri, Chandrayangutta, Chapaluppada, Charminar , Chavulamadam, Chavulamadumu, Cheepurupalli, Chennai, Chennur, Cherial, Chevella , Chilakaluripet, Chilakapalem, China musidivada, chinnamusidivada, Chinnor, Chintalapudi, Chintapalli, krishna Chirala, Chittoor, Chodavaram Chollangi village, Choppadandi, CMR center, Collectorate, Collectors Office Convent junction, corromendal, Coromandel gate, CDR Hospital, Cuddapah, Cumbum, Dabagarden, Dabagardens, Dagguvanipalem, Dasapalla Hills , Darsi, Dayalapuram, Dayal nagar, Delhi, Denduluru, Devarakonda, devipatnam, Dabhagaden, Dharmavaram, Dhavaleswaram, dhayal nagar, Dolphin, Dhondaparthi, Dhone , Dhorathota, , Diamond Park, Dibbalapalem, Dichpalli, Doctors Colony, Dommat,Dondaparthy, Dorakanagar, Dorathota, Dornakal , Duggirala, Duvvada, Dwaraka Nagar, Dwaraka Tirupati, Dwarapudi, , East Godavari, East Point Colony, Ecchapuram, Elamanchili, Eluru, ENDADA, Enadu, Eenadu, Etcherla, Etikoppaka, Femur, Fishing Harbour, Harbor Approach Road, Gadwal, Gajapathinagaram, Gajwel , Ganavaram Port, Gannavaram, Gangulavari, Gannavaram, Gara, Garividi, Ghanpur, Giddalur, Gumma Lakshmipuram, GL Puram, Gunnies Book, Record, Gnanapuram, Gandhigram Gokavaram Golkonda, Gollapalem,Gollavanipalem, Golukonda, Golugonda Gopalapatnam, Gooty, Gopalapuram, Gorantla, Gorllivanipalem, Green Park, Greater Visakhapatnam, , G.S.N. Gullipadu, Gudivada, Gudur, Guntur, Gurazala, Gurudwara, Hanamkonda, Hanuman Junction, Temple, Hanumanthavaka, Hall Mark, Hanumantuvaka, Harichandrapuram, Harischandrapuram, Harishchandrapur, HB colony, Head Post Office, Heccherla, Himayat Nagar, Hindupur Hiramandalam, HPCL, hukumpeta, Huzurabad, Hyderabad, Ibrahimpatnam, Ichapuram, India, INDIA, Indurthi, Industrial estate, IT, IN, INL Kalinga, Isukathota, iskathota, Jadcherla,Jagadam, Jagadamba centre, Jagamba Theatre, Jail Road, Jaggampeta, Jagarajupeta, Jaggayyapalem, Jaggayyapet, Jaghadham Jagtial, Jalandhar, Jalumuru, Jammalamadugu, Jangaon, Jangareddygudem, Jodugullapalem, Jukkal, Kadapa, Kadiri, Kadiyam, Kaikalur, Kaikaluru, Kailashmetta, Kaka Nagar, Kakani Nagar, Kailasagiri, Kailasapuram, Kakinada, Kalaniketan, Kalanikhetan, Kalingapatnam, Kalinganagar, Kalwakurthy Kalyandurg, Kamalapur, Kamalapuram, Kamareddy, Kancharapalem, Kandukur, Kanigiri, Kankipadu, Kapuluppada, , Kapu uppada, Kapuluppada, Kantipudi, Kanithi Road, , Karimnagar, Karnal, Karnataka, Karnool, Karunol, Karwan, Kasibugga, Kasimkota, Kattipudi, Kavali, KGH, Khairatabad , Khammam, Khanapur, Kirlampudi, layout, K. Kotapadu, Kobbari Thota, Kodad, Kodangal , Kodumur, Koduru, Koduruand, Koilkuntla , Kolhapur, Kolkata, Kondepi, Koppaka, Korasavada, Kotabommali, Kotananduru, Kotavalasa, Kotaveedhi, , Kothagudem, Kothapet, Kotha Road, Kothavalasa, Kothuru, Kotipalli, Koturu, Kovur, Kovvur,Krishna College, Krantinagar, KRM Colony, Kuchinapudi, Kuppam, Kurupam Market, Kurmanpalem, Kurmam, Kummaripalem, Kurmannapalem , Kurnool, Kusalapuram, Lakkireddipalli, Lalitha Nagar, Lankhilapallem, Lakshminagar, Lankelapalem, Lankilapallem, LB Colony, Leela Mahal, Luxettipet, Macherla, Machilipatnam, Madakasira, Madanpalle, Madapamu, Maddilapalem, Madduru, Madivala, Madhira, Madhavadhara, Madhurawada, Madhya Pradesh, Madugula Reddi, Maharanipeta, Mahbubabad , Mahabubnagar, Mahbubnagar, Maharajgunj , Makthal, Malkapuram, Malakpet, Malleswaram, Mandapeta, Mandavaripeta, , Mangalagiri, Manthani, Marikavalasa Maredumilli, Markapur, Marripalem, Martur , Maruteru, Medak, Medchal, Medivada, Metpalli, Meghadripeta, Meghadri gadda, Meghadrigadda, Midilapuri, Mindi, Mindhi, Miryalguda, MMTC Colony, Mud Hole, Mudhole, Mudinepalli, Mulug, Mumbai, Mulagada, Mummidivaram, Muppidi Colony, Mungode, Murali Nagar, Musheerabad, Nagari , Nagarkurnool , MVP colony, Myadaram, Mydukur, Mylavaram, NAD junction, Nagaram, Naguru, Naiduthota Nakkapalem, Nakkapalli, Nakkavanipalem, Nakrekal, Nalgonda, Nallamada, Nandigama, Nandyal, Narasannapeta, Narasaraopet Narasimha, Narayankhed , Narasapur, narsapur, Narsampet, Narsipatnam, Narisipatnam, Natavalasa, Nathavaram, Nathayyapalem, Naval Dock, Yard Neelamma Vepaqchettu, Naval Dock Yard Neelamma Vepachettu, Nellimarla, Nellore, Nerella, new Gajuwaka, Nidadavole, nidadhavole Nidadhavolu, Nidumolu ,Nimmada, Nirmal, Nivagam, Nizamabad, N.R. I NSTL, NTPC, NTPC-Parawada, Nuzvid, Odessa, Old post office, Ongole, Orissa, Paderu, Palacole, Palair, Palakonda, Palakollu, Palamaner, Palasa, Pallavaram, Panchadarla, Panyam Parawada Parchur, Parkal, Pargi, Parlakimidi, Parvathipuram, Patapatnam, Pata Polavaram, Pathapatnam, Pattikonda , Payakaraopeta, Pedakurapadu, Peda Peddapalli, Peddipalem, Peddapuram, Pendurthi, pendurthy, Penugonda, Penukonda Pillala Ashramam, Piler, Pithapuram, PM Palem, PNT Colony, Pandurangapuram, Polaki, Polavaram, Ponduru, Ponnur, Poondi, Poorna Market, Porur, Prakasam, Prathipadu, Priya, Proddat, Proddatur, Pudimadaka, Pulivendula, Pundi, Pune, Punganur, purna, Purushothapuram, Purusotapuram, puspatera, Puttur , Pydibheemavaram, Rail Way New Colony, Rajahmundry, Rajam, Rajampet, Raj, Raja Nagar, rajavommangi, Rajolu, Ramachandrapuram, Ramagundam, Rama Nagar, Ramnagar Ramannapet, Rama Talkies Center, ramatheertham, Ramtherdham, Neusan Bhag, Ramatheertham, ramavaram, Ramayampet, Rambilli, Ramnagar, Rampachodavaram, Rangapuram, Ranastalam, Rangareddy, Ravulapalem, Rayachoty, Rayadurg, Raya Durg, Rayavaram, , Razole, Reddipalli, RegupaduRepalle, Rapur, Regupalem, Revidi, Revit, RK Beach, Rotherham, Rushikonda,rusu konda, Rushukonda, Sabbavaram, Sagar Nagar, Sakhsi, Salur, Sampara , Sanath Nagar, Sangareddy, Santhanuthalapadu , Sarasota, Saraswati Park, Saravakota, Sarvepalli, Sathivada, Sathupalli, Sattenapalli Sastry Road, Satyam centre, Satyavedu, Secunderabad, seetampeta, Seethammadhara, Seethampeta, Shadnagar, Shayampet, Sholur, Shopping Mall, Siddhantam, Siddipet, Simhachalam, Sindhiya, Singanamala, Sircilla , Sirpur, Siripuram, S. Kota, Soluru, Sompeta, Sriharipuram, Srikakulam, Sri Kalahasti, Sri Kalahsti, Srikurmam, Srimukalingam, Srimukhalingam, Srungavarapukota, Steel Plant Quarters Sector, Sujathanagar, Sulurpet, Suryabagh, Surya Bhag, Suryapet, Tadepalligudem, Tadepellegudem, tadepalli gudum, Tadikonda, Tadipatri, Tagarapuvalasa, , Tallapalem, Talarevu, Tallarevu, Tamil nadu, Tandur, Tanuku , Tekkali, Tenali, Thamballapalle, Thatichetlapalem, Therlam, Thotapalli, Tilaru, Tikkavanipalem, Timaru, Tirumala, Tirupati, Tiruvuru, Tuni, Tungaturthi, UDA Park, Udda Udayagiri, Ukkumpeta, Ukkunagaram, Undi, Unguturu, Universal records, Uravakonda, Ushodaya Colony, Uttarahalli, Uttarapalli, Vada cheepurupalli, Vadacheepurapalli, Vaddadi, Vanukuru, Vartha, varthaa, Vayalpad, Vellanki, Vemur, Venkatagiri , Venkojipalem, Velampeta, Vepada, Vepagunta, Vepanjeri , Vijayawada, Vikarabad, Vinukonda, Visakhapatnam, Visakha Valley, Vitanthula ashramam, Vizag, Vizianagaram, Vrudhula ashramam Vuyyuru, Waltair, Wanaparthy, Warangal, Wardhannapet, West Godavari World Record, Yalamanchili, Yakutpura, Yeleswaram, Yellandu, Yellareddy, Yellavaram, Yemmiganur, Yendada, Y junction, Zahirabad, Zoo Park center, and other state of India.

Guntur District Macherla , Veldurthi , Narasaraopeta, Rentacrintala , Bollapalle , Rompicherla , Gurazala , Nakarikallu , Ipur Dachepalle, Muppalla , Savalyapuram , Machavaram , Phirangipuram , Vinukonda , Bellamkonda , Medikonduru , Nuzendla , Achampeta , Guntur , Chilakaluripet , Krosuru , Pedakakani , Pedanandipadu , Amaravathi , Duggirala , Kakumanu, Thullur , Kollipara , Ponnur , Thadepalle , Kollur , Amruthalur , Mangalagiri , Vemuru , Cherukupalle , Tadikonda , Tenali , Bhattiprolu , Pedakurapadu , Tsundur , Repalle , ,Sattenapalle , Chebrole , Nagaram , Rajupalem , Vatticherukuru , Nizampatnam , Piduguralla , Prathipadu , Pittalavanipalem , Karempudi , Edlapadu , Karlapalem , Durgi , Nadendla , Bapatla. Narasaraopet, Rentachintala, Bollapalli, Nekarikallu, Jaipur, Thadepalli, Cherukupalli Chebrolu, Georgia

Krishna District Vijayawada A.Konduru, Agiripalli, Avanigadda, Bantumilli, Bapulapadu, Challapalli, Chandralapadu, Chatrai, Gampalogudem, Gannavaram, G. Konduru, Ghantasala, Guduru, Gudivada, Gudlavalleru, Ibrahimpatnam, Jaggayyapeta, Kaikalur, Kalidindi , Kanchikacherla , Kankipadu, Koduru , Kruthivennu, Mailavaram , Machilipatam, Mandavalli , Movva , Mopidevi , Mudinepalle , Musunuru , Nagayalanka , Nandigama , Nandivada, Nuzvid , Pamidimukkala , Pedana, Pamarru, Pedaparupudi , Penuganchiprolu , Penamaluru , Reddigudem , Tiruvuru , Thotlavalluru , Unguturu, Vatsavai, Vissannapeta, Vuyyuru, Veerullapadu , Chandarlapadu, Gampalagudem, benz circle, ring road, Machilipatnam, gunadala matha , kondapalli , gollapalli , Telaprolu.

Srikakulam District Veeraghattam , Bhamini , Vangara , Kothuru , Regidiamadala Valasa , Hiramandalam , Rajam , Sarubujjili , Ganguvari Singadam , Amadalavalasa , Laveru , Srikakulam , Ranastalam , Gara , Hetcherla , Polaki , Ponduru , Narasannapeta , Santhakaviti , Jalumuru , Burja , Saravakota, Palakonda , Pathapatnam , Seethampeta , Meliaputti, Kotabommali , Santha Bommali , Nandigam , Vajrapu Kothuru , Palasa , Mandasa , Sompeta , Kanchili , Kaviti , Tekkali, Ichchapuram , Regidi amadalaValasa ,Santhabommali.

Vizianagaram District Komarada , Ramabhadrapuram , Gummalakshmipuram , Badangi , Kurupam , Therlam , Jiyyammavalasa , Merakamudidam , Garugubilli , Dattirajeru , Parvathipuram , Mentada , Makkuva , Gajapathinagaram , Seethanagaram , Bondapalle , Balajipeta , Gurla , Bobbili , Garividi , Salur , Cheepurupalle , Pachipenta , Nellimarla , Bhoghapuram , Denkada , Vizianagaram , Gantyada , Srungavarapukota , Vepada , Lakkavarapukota , Jami , Kothavalasa, Pusapatirega, Colorado, Thermal Bondapalli.

Visakhapatnam District Munchingiputtu, Nathavaram , Pedagantyada , Pedabayalu , Narsipatnam , Paravada , Hukumpetau , Rolugunta , Anakapalli , Dumbriguda , Ravikamatham , Munagapaka , Arakuvalley , Butchayyapeta , Kasimkota , Ananthagiri , Chodavaram , Makavarapalem, Devarapalle , K Kotapadu, Kotauratla , Cheedikada , Sabbavaram , Payakaraopeta , Madugula , Pendurthi , Nakkapalli , Paderu , Anandapuram , S. Rayavaram , Gangaraju Madugula , Padmanabham , Yelamanchili , Chintapalle , Bheemunipatnam , Rambilli , Gudemkothaveedhi , Visakhapatnam , Atchutapuram, Koyyuru , Visakhapatnam urban, rural, Golugonda , Gajuwaka . Munching Puttu, Devarapalli , Gudem Kotha Veedhi.

East Godavari District Maredumilli , Pithapuram , Kapileswarapuram , Y Ramavaram , Kothapalle , Alamuru , Addateegala , Kakinada, Atreyapuram , Rajavommangi , Ravula Palem , Kotananduru , Samalkota , Pamarru , Tuni , Rangampeta , Kothapeta , Thondangi , Gandepalle , P Gannavaram , Gollaprolu , Rajanagaram , Ambajipeta , Sankhavaram , Rajahmundry, Ainavilli , Prathipadu , Mummidivaram , Yeleswaram , Kadiam , I.Polavaram , Gangavaram , Mandapeta , Katrenikona, Rampachodavaram , Anaparthy , Uppalaguptam , Devipatnam , Biccavolu , Amalapuram , Seethanagaram , Pedapudi , Allavaram , Korukonda , Karapa , Mamidikuduru , Gokavaram , Thallarevu , Razole , Jaggampeta , Kajuluru , Malikipuram , Kirlampudi , Ramachandrapuram , Sakhinetipalle, Peddapuram , Rayavaram , sankavaram, Samalkot, Kothapet , Gandepalli , Sakhinetipalli, samrlakota.

West Godavari District Jeelugumilli , Nidadavole , Undi , Buttayagudem , Tadepalligudem , Akiveedu , Polavaram , Unguturu , Kalla , Thallapudi , Bhimadole , Bheemavaram , Gopalapuram , Pedavegi , Palakoderu , Koyyalagudem , Pedapadu , Veeravasaram , Jangareddigudem , Eluru , Penumantra , T.Narasapuram , Denduluru , Penugonda , Chintalapudi , Nidamarru , Achanta , Lingapalem , Ganapavaram , Poduru , Kamavarapukota , Pentapadu , Palacole , Dwarakatirumala , Tanuku , Yelamanchili , Nallajerla , Undrajavaram , Narasapuram , Devarapalle , Peravali , Mogalthur Chagallu , Iragavaram , Kovvur , Attili . Tallapudi, Bhimavaram, Palakol, chebrolu Dwaraka Tirumala, Devarapalli.

Khammam District Cherla , Yellandu , Enkuru , Pinapaka , Singareni , Konijerla , Gundala , Bayyaram , Khammam Urban , Manuguru ,Garla , Khammam Rural , Aswapuram , Kamepalle , Thirumalayapalem , Dummugudem , Julurpad , Kusumanchi , Bhadrachalam , Chandrugonda , Nelakondapalle , Kunavaram , Mulakalapalle ,Mudigonda , Chintur , Aswaraopeta , Chinthakani , Vararamachandrapuram , Dammapeta , Wyra , Velairpad , Sathupalle , Bonakal , Kukunoor , Vemsoor , Madhira , Burgampadu , Penuballi , Yerrupalem, Palawancha, Wazeed , Kothagudem , Kalluru , Venkatapuram , Tekulapalle , Thallada . Cherla , Nakuru , Uganda , Kamepalli , Nelakondapalli ,Mulakalapalli Va Ramachandrapuram , Palvancha , Tekulapally.

Prakasam District Yerragondapalem , Martur , Veligandla , Pullalacheruvu , Parchur , Pedacherlopalle , Tripuranthakam , Karamchedu , Ponnaluru , Kurichedu , Chirala , Kondapi , Donakonda , Vetapalem , Santhanuthlapadu , Pedaaraveedu , Inkollu , Ongole , Dornala , Janakavaram, Panguluru , Naguluppalapadu , Ardhaveedu , Korisapadu , Chinaganjam , Markapur , Maddipadu , Kothapatnam , Tarlapadu , Chimakurthi , Tangutur , Konakanamitla , Marripudi , Zarugumilli , Podili , Kanigiri , Kandukur , Darsi , Hanumanthunipadu , Voletivaripalem , Mundlamuru , Bestavaripeta , Pamur , Thallur , Cumbum , Lingasamudram , Addanki , Racherla , Gudluru , Ballikuruva , Giddaluru , Ulavapadu , Santhamaguluru , Komarolu , Singarayakonda , Yeddanapudi , Chadrasekara, Puram . Peda Cherlopalli, Peddaraveedu, Tarlupadu, Chimakurthy, Jarugumilli, Ballikurava, Chandrasekara.

Sri Potti Sri Ramulu Nellore District Seetharamapuram, Kodavalur , Sydapuram , Varikuntapadu , Butchireddipalem , Dakkili , Kondapuram , Sangam , Venkatagiri , Jaladanki , Chejerla , Balayapalle , Kavali , Ananthasagaram , Ojili , Bogole , Kaluvoya , Chillakur , Kaligiri , Rapur , Kota , Vinjamur , Podlakur , Vakadu , Duttalur , Nellore , Chittamur , Udayagiri , Kovur , Naidupeta , Marripadu , Indukurpet , Pellakur , Atmakur , Thotapalligudur , Doravarisatram , Anumasamudrampeta , Muthukur , Sullurpeta , Dagadarthi , Venkatachalam , Tada , Allur , Manubolu , Vidavalur , Gudur Buchireddypalem, Balayapalli , Podalakur , Thotapalli Gudur ,Anamasamudrampeta , Allure .

Dr. Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy Cuddapah District Muddanur, Vempalle , Kondapuram , Simhadripuram , Chaknayapet , Mylavaram , Lingala , Lakkireddipalle , Peddamudium , Pulivendla , Ramapuram , Raju Palem , Vemula , Veeraballe , Duvvur , Thandur , Rajampet , S Mydukur , Veerapunayunipalle , Nandalur , Brahmamgarimattam , Yerraguntla , Penagaluru , B Kodur , Kamalapuram , Chitvel , Kalasapadu , Vallur , Kodur , Porumamilla , Chennur , Obulavaripalle , Badvel , Atlur , Pullampeta , Gopavaram , Vontimitta , T.Sundupalle , Khajipet , Sidhout , Sambepalle , Chapad , Chinnamandem , Proddutur , Chintha Kommadinne , Rayachoti , Jammalamadugu , Pendlimarri , Galiveedu Vempalli , Chakrayapet , Pulivendula , Tandur , Veerapunayuni Palli , Penagalur , Obulavaripalli , Atlanta , Pullampet , T.Sundupalli , Kazipet, Sambepalli, Proddatur.

Chittoor District Peddamandyam , K V P Puram , Nagari , Thamballapalle , Narayanavanam , Karvetinagar , Mulakalacheruvu , Vadamalapeta , Srirangaraja Puram , Peddathippa Samudram , Tirupati Rural , Palasamudram , B.Kothakota , Kammapalle , Gangadhara Nellore , Kurabalakota , Chandragiri , Penumuru , Gurramkonda , Chinnagottigallu , Puthalapattu , Kalakada , Rompicherla , Irala , Kambhamvaripalle , Pileru , Thavanampalle , Yerravaripalem , Kalikiri ,Chittoor , Tirupati Urban , Vayalpad , Gudipala , Renigunta , Nimmanapalle , Yadamari , Yerpedu , Mandopalle , Bangarupalem , Srikalahasti , Ramasamudram , Palamaner , Thottambedu , Punganur , Gangavaram , Buchinaidu Khandriga , Chowdepalle , Pedda Panjani , Varadaiahpalem , Somala , Baireddi Palle , Satyavedu , Sodam , Venkatagiri Kota , Nagalapuram , Pulicherla , Ramakuppam , Pichatur , Pakala , Santhi Puram , Vijaya Puram , Veduru Kuppam , Gudi Palle , Nindra , Puttur , Kuppam K V B Puram , Sri Rangaraja Puram , Pedda Thippa , Kammapalli , Kambham Vari Palli , Piler , Madanapalle , Madanapalle, Bangarupalem , Srikalahasti , Kandireega , Peddapanjani , Somalia , Baireddipalle ,Sathyavedu , Sodom, Santhipuram , Vijayapuram , Vedurukuppam , Gudipalle , Nidra.

Ananthapur District D.Hirchal , Kunurpi , Gandlapenta , Bommanahal , Kalyandurg , Kadiri , Vidapanakal , Atmakur , Amadagur , Vajrakarur , Anantapur , Obuladevaracheruvu , Guntakal , Bukkarayasamudram , Nallamada , Gooty , Narpala , Gorantla , Peddavadugur , Putlur , Puttaparthi , Yadiki , Yellanur , Bukkapatnam , Tadpatri , Tadimarri , Kothacheruvu , Peddapappur , Bathalapalle , Penu Konda , Singanamala , Raptadu , Roddam , Pamidi , Kanaganapalle , Somandepalle , Garladinne , Kambadur , Chilamathur , Kudair , Ramagiri , Lepakshi , Uravakonda , Chenne Kothapalle , Hindupur , Beluguppa , Dharmavaram , Parigi , Kanekal , Mudigubba , Madakasira , Rayadurg , Talupula , Gudibanda , Gummagatta , Nambulipulikunta , Amarapuram , Brahmasamudram , Tanakal , Agali , Settur , Nallacheruvu , Rolla D.Hirehal, Kundurpi , Bommanahalli , Bathalapalli , Penukonda , Kanaganapalli , Sattur.

Kurnool District Kowthalam , Kodumur , Rudravaram , Kosigi , Gonegandla , Allagadda , Mantralayam , Yemmiganur , Chagalamarri , Nandavaram , Pedda Kadalur , Uyyalawada , C.Belagal , Adoni , Dornipadu , Gudur , Holagunda , Gospadu , Kurnool , Alur , Koilkuntla , Nandi Kotkur , Aspari , Banaganapalle , Pagidyala , Devanakonda , Sanjamala , Kothapalle , Krishnagiri , Kolimigundla , Atmakur , Veldurthi , Owk , Srisailam , Bethamcherla , Peapally , Velgode , Panyam , Dhone , Pamulapadu , Gadivemula , Tuggali , Jupadu Bungalow , Bandi Atmakur , Pattikanda , Midthur , Nandyal , Maddikera East , Orvakal , Mahanandi , Chippagiri , Kallur , Sirvel , Halaharvi . Nandikotkur, Banaganapalli, Dhoni, Jupadu Bunglow, Silver.

Mahabubnagar District Kodangal , Jadcherla , Amrabad , Bomraspeta , Bhoothpur , Balmoor , Kosgi , Mahbubnagar , Lingal , Doulatabad , Addakal , Peddakothapalle , Damaragidda , Devarkadara , Kodair , Maddur , Dhanwada , Gopalpeta , Koilkonda , Narayanpet , Wanaparthy , Hanwada , Utkoor , Pangal , Nawabpet , Maganoor , Pebbair , Balanagar , Makthal , Gadwal , Kondurg , Narva , Dharur , Farooqnagar , Chinna Chinta Kunta , Maldakal , Kothur , Atmakur , Ghattu , Keshampeta , Kothakota , Aiza , Talakondapalle , Peddamandadi , Waddepalle , Amangal , Ghanpur , Itikyal , Madgul , Bijinapalle , Manopadu , Vangoor , Nagar Kurnool , Alampur , Veldanda , Tadoor , Veepangandla , Kalwakurthy , Telkapalle , Kollapur , Midjil , Uppununthala , Thimmajipeta , Achampeta . Daulatabad, Tandoor, Telkapally, Kolhapur, Thimmajipet.

Rangareddy District Marpalle ,Hayathnagar , Gandeed , Mominpet , Saroornagar , Kulkacharla , Nawabpet , Rajendranagar , Pargi , Shankarpalle , Moinabad , Pudur , Malkajgiri , Chevella , Shabad , Serilingampalle , Vikarabad , Shamshabad , Quthbullapur , Dharur , Maheswaram , Medchal , Bantaram , Ibrahimpatam , Shamirpet ,Peddemul , Manchal , Balanagar , Tandur , Yacharam , Keesara , Basheerabad , Kandukur , Ghatkesar , Yelal , Uppal , Doma . Shankarpalli, puduraya, Serilingampally, Maheshwaram, Yell.

Nalgonda District Bommalaramaram , Chityala , Thripuraram , M Turkapalle , Narketpalle , Miryalaguda , Rajapet , Kattangoor , Garide Palle , Yadagirigutta , Nakrekal , Chilkur , Alair , Kethepalle , Kodad , Gundala , Suryapet , Mellachervu , Thirumalagiri , Chivvemla , Huzurnagar , Thunga Thurthi , Mothey , Mattampalle , Nuthankal , Nadigudem , Nered Cherla , Atmakur (S) , Munagala , Dameracherla , Jaji Reddi Gudem , Penpahad , Anumula , Saligouraram , Vemulapalle , Peddavura , Mothkur , Thipparthi , Pedda Adiserlapalle , Atmakur (M) , Nalgonda , Gurrampode , Valigonda , Munugode , Nampalle , Bhuvanagiri , Narayanapur , Chintha Palle , Bibinagar , Marri Guda , Devarakonda , Pochampalle , Chandur , Gundla Palle , Choutuppal , Kangal , Chandam Pet , Ramannapeta , Nidamanur . Tripuraram , M Turkapally , Narketpally , Kethepally , Uganda , Mellacheruvu , Tirumalagiri , Chivemla ,Thoonga , Mattampally, Need Cherla , Damaracherla , Shaligouraram , Vemulapalli ,Peddavura , Narayanpur , Chintapalli , Marriguda , Pochampally , Gundlapalli ,Chandampet , Ramannapet.

Medak District Manoor , Siddipet , Kohir , Kangti , Chinna Kodur , Munpalle , Kalher , Nanganur , Pulkal , Narayankhed , Kondapak , Sadasivpet , Regode , Jagdevpur , Kondapur ,Shankarampet (A) , Gajwel , Sangareddy , Alladurg , Doultabad , Patancheru , Tekmal , Chegunta , Ramachandrapuram , Papannapet , Yeldurthy , Jinnaram , Kulcharam , Kowdipalle , Hathnoora , Medak , Andole , Narsapur , Shankarampet (R) , Raikode , Shivampet , Ramayampet , Nyalkal , Tupran , Dubbak , Jharasangam , Wargal , Mirdoddi , Zahirabad , Mulug . Manoor, Munipalle, Nanganallur, Daulatabad, Veldurthy, Kowdipally, Toopran, to Oprah

Warangal District Cheriyal , Thorrur , Duggondi , Maddur , Nellikudur , Geesugonda , Narmetta , Narsimhulapet , Atmakur , Bachannapeta , Maripeda , Shayampet , Jangaon , Dornakal , Parkal , Lingala Ghanpur , Kuravi , Regonda , Raghunatha Palle , Mahabubabad , Mogullapalle , Ghanpur(Stn) , Kesamudram , Chityal , Dharmasagar , Nekkonda , Bhupalpalle , Hasanparthy , Gudur , Ghanapur , Hanamkonda , Kothagudem , Mulug , Wardhannapet , Khanapur , Venkatapur , Zaffergadh , Govindaraopet , Palakurthi , Chennaraopet , Tadvai , Devaruppula , Parvathagiri , Eturnagaram , Kodakandla , Sangam , Mangapet , Raiparthy , Nallabelly , Warangal Cherial, Cheryl, Bachannapet, Kuruvi, Mogullapally, Bhupalpally, Ghanpur.

Karimnagar District Ibrahimpatnam , Jagtial , Vemulawada , Mallapur , Medipalle , Konaraopeta , Raikal , Koratla , Yella Reddi Peta , Sarangapur , Metpalle , Gambhiraopet , Dharmapuri , Kathlapur , Mustabad , Velgatoor , Chandurthi , Sirsilla , Ramagundam , Kodimial , Ellanthakunta , Kamanpur , Gangadhara , Bejjanki , Manthani , Mallial , Thimmapur , Kataram , Pegadapalle , Kesavapatnam , Mahadevpur , Choppadandi , Huzurabad , Mutharam , Mahadevpur , Sultanabad , Kamalapur , Malharrao , Odela , Elkathurthi , Mutharam Manthani , Jammikunta , Saidapur , Srirampur , Veenavanka , Chigurumamidi , Peddapalle , Manakondur , Koheda , Julapalle , Karimnagar , Husnabad , Dharmaram , Ramadugu , Bheemadevarpalle , Gollapalle , Boinpalle Medipally , Konaraopet , Korutla , Yellareddy Peta , Sarangpur , ,Metpally , Kathalapur , Pegadapally , Elkathurthy , Shrirampur , Peddapalli , Julapalli , , Bheemadevarapally, Bowenpally.

Nizamabad District Ranjal , Yeda Palle , Sadasivanagar , Navipet , Bodhan , Gandhari , Nandipet , Kotgiri , Banswada , Armur , Madnur , Pitlam , Balkonda , Jukkal , Nizamsagar , Mortad , Bichkunda , Yellareddy , Kammar , Palle , Birkoor , Naga Reddipet , Bheemgal , Varni , Lingampet , Velpur , Dichpalle , Tadwai , Jakranpalle , Dhar Palle , Kamareddy , Makloor , Sirkonda , Bhiknur , Nizamabad , Machareddy , Domakonda . Sadashivanagar, Kotagiri, Armour, Pelle, Naga Reddit, Dichpally, Jakranpally, Sirikonda

Adilabad District Talamadugu , Lohesra , Tiryani , Tamsi , Dilawarpur , Asifabad , Adilabad , Nirmal , Wankdi , Jainad , Laxmanchanda , Kagaz Nagar , Bela , Mamda , Rebbana , Narnoor , Khanpur , Tandur , Inderavelly , Kaddampeddur , Bellampalle , Gudihatnur , Utnur , Nennal , Ichoda , Jainoor , Bheemini , Bazarhathnoor , Kerameri , Sirpur (T) , Boath , Sirpur (U) , Kouthala , Neradigonda , Jannaram , Bejjur , Sarangapur , Dandepalle , Dahegaon , Kuntala , Luxettipet , Vemanpalle , Kubeer , Mancherial , Kotapalle , Bhainsa , Mandamarri , Chennur , Tanur , Kasipet , Jaipur , Mudhole Lohara, Tampa , Kagaznagar , Bella , Kaddam Peddur , Gudihathnoor , Bheemili, boathouse , Sarangpur , Vempalli , Kazipet.

Hyderabad, Secendrabad kukatpally , tank bund , hussain sagar , birla mandir ,himayat nagar , begumpet, shamshabad, charminar, golconda , banjara hills ,stadhampton , khairabadi , yousufguda, patancheru,Musheerabad , Ameerpet ,Khairatabad , Bandlaguda, Amberpet , Secunderabad, Charminar , Asifnagar , Himayathnagar ,Tirumalagiri , Golconda , Saidabad , Maredalle,shaikpet ,nampally ,bahadurpura , Maryland .cyderabad, jubili hills, kazipally, bollaram, bachupally, swarnapuri, miyapur, kompally,thumkunta, hakimpet, ramachandra puram, vishwambhar enclave, bala nagar, serilingampally, sri ram nagar, gachibowli, madhapur, secretarial, tolichowki, gandipet, raghuram nagar, bharat nagar, budvel, rajendra nagar, bakaram, kothwalguda, ahmadpur, kavadiguda, asthma, jeedimetla, balaji nagar, alwal, yapral, dammaiguda, sainikpuri, kapra, sakthi nagar, asrao nagar, moulali, bowenpally, ramanthapur, pizza, saroor nagar, falaknuma, vansathi puram, hanuman nagar, brindavan colony, nadergul, indira reddy, rallaguda, gollapally, new hafeezpet, trimulgherry, safilguda, yellareddyguda, musheerabad, taj residency, hill font, apollo hospital, afzalgunj, tadbund, bahadurgarh, sri raghavendra, aradhana, marredpally, zaheerabad, film nagar, mehdipatnam, imperial, esi, kanchanbagh, yeddumailaram, manikonda, chandrayangutta, janwada, chilkur, bakaram, sacoor nagar, deshmukhi, doolapally, amberpet, dilsukhnagar, karwan, gosha mahal, bahadurpura,

Bombay Dilli, Dehli, Kolkata, Kalikata, Kalkutta, Bengaloru, engaluru, Bangalur, Madras, Chennapattanam, Ahmadâbâd, Ahmadabad, Amdabad, Ahmedabad , Haidarabad, Haidarabad, Haiderabad, Hyderabad, Haider-Abad Poona, Pune, Kanpur, Kanpur, Cawnpore, Khanpur, sorat, Surat, Jeypore, Lakhnau Lucknow, Nagpur, Thana, Calcutta, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Pune, Surat, Jaipur, Vadodara, Indore, Patna, Madurai, Bhopal, Ludhiana, Coimbatore, Varanasi, Visakhapatnam, Agra, Mumbai.

Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradeshm Itangar, Itanagar, Assam, Dispur, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Raipur, Goa, Panaji, Gujaratm Gandhinagar, Haryana, Chandigarhm Himachal Pradesh, Shimla, Jammu and Kashmir, Srinagar, Jharkhand, Ranchi, Karnataka, Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, Trivandrum, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Imphal, Meghalaya, Shillong, Mizoram, Aizawi, Nagaland, Kohima, Orissa, Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneshwar, Punjab, Rajasthan, Jaipur, Sikkim, Gangtok, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Agartala, Uttaranchal, West Bengal, Kolkata, Dehradun, Uttar Pradesh, Dada and Nagar Haveli, Silvassa, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Port Blair, Daman and Diu, Lakshadeep, Kavaratti, Yanam, Pondicherry. Asia, USA, America, Washington, Belgium, New York, United States of America, United Kingdom, Columbia, Bangkok, Australia, Switzerland, Mexico, France, Sweden, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Poland, Denmark, France, London, New Zealand, Spain. Indonesia, Brazil, Nigeria, Russia, Philippines, Ethiopia, Vietnam, Egypt, Turkey, Iran, Thailand, Burma, South Africa, Algeria,

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A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism, a monotheistic religion which originated during the 15th century in the Punjab region. The term "Sikh" has its origin in the Sanskrit words शिष्य (śiṣya; disciple, student) or शिक्ष (śikṣa; instruction). A Sikh is a disciple of a guru. According to Article I of the Sikh Rehat Maryada (the Sikh code of conduct), a Sikh is "any human being who faithfully believes in One Immortal Being; ten Gurus, from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh; Guru Granth Sahib; the teachings of the ten Gurus and the baptism bequeathed by the tenth Guru". "Sikh" properly refers to adherents of Sikhism as a religion, not an ethnic group. However, because Sikhs often share strong ethno-religious ties, many countries, such as the U.K., recognize Sikh as a designated ethnicity on their censuses. The American non-profit organization United Sikhs has fought to have Sikh included on the U.S. census as well, arguing that Sikhs "self-identify as an 'ethnic minority'" and believe "that they are more than just a religion".

Male Sikhs usually have "Singh" (Lion), and female Sikhs have "Kaur" (Princess) as their middle or last name. Sikhs who have undergone the khanḍe-kī-pahul (the Sikh initiation ceremony) may also be recognized by the five Ks: uncut hair (kesh); an iron or steel bracelet (kara); a kirpan (a sword tucked into a gatra strap); kachehra, a cotton undergarment, and kanga, a small wooden comb. Baptized male Sikhs must cover their hair with a turban, which is optional for baptized female Sikhs. The greater Punjab region is the historic homeland of the Sikhs, although significant communities exist around the world.

HISTORY

Sikh political history may be said to begin with the death of the fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjan Dev, in 1606. Guru Nanak was a religious leader and social reformer in the 15th-century Punjab. Religious practices were formalized by Guru Gobind Singh on 30 March 1699. Singh baptized five people from a variety of social backgrounds, known as the Panj Piare (the five beloved ones) to form the Khalsa, or collective body of initiated Sikhs. Sikhism has generally had amicable relations with other religions, except for the period of Mughal rule in India (1556–1707). Several Sikh gurus were killed by the Mughals for opposing their persecution of minority religious communities including Sikhs. Sikhs subsequently militarized to oppose Mughal rule. The emergence of the Sikh Confederacy under Ranjit Singh was characterized by religious tolerance and pluralism, with Christians, Muslims and Hindus in positions of power. The confederacy is considered the zenith of political Sikhism, encompassing Kashmir, Ladakh and Peshawar. Hari Singh Nalwa, the commander-in-chief of the Sikh army in the North West Frontier, expanded the confederacy to the Khyber Pass. Its secular administration implemented military, economic and governmental reforms. The months leading up to the partition of India in 1947 were marked by conflict in the Punjab between Sikhs and Muslims. This caused the religious migration of Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus from West Punjab, mirroring a similar religious migration of Punjabi Muslims from East Punjab.

The 1960s saw growing animosity between Sikhs and Hindus in India, with the Sikhs demanding the creation of a Punjab state on a linguistic basis similar to other states in India. This was promised to Sikh leader Master Tara Singh by Jawaharlal Nehru, in return for Sikh political support during negotiations for Indian independence. Although the Sikhs obtained the Punjab, they lost Hindi-speaking areas to Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan. Chandigarh was made a union territory and the capital of Haryana and Punjab on 1 November 1966.

Tensions arose again during the late 1970s, fueled by Sikh claims of discrimination and marginalisation by the Hindu-dominated Indian National Congress party and tactics adopted by the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

According to Katherine Frank, Indira Gandhi's assumption of emergency powers in 1975 resulted in the weakening of the "legitimate and impartial machinery of government", and her increasing "paranoia" about opposing political groups led her to institute a "despotic policy of playing castes, religions and political groups against each other for political advantage". Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale articulated Sikh demands for justice, and this triggered violence in the Punjab. The prime minister's 1984 defeat of Bhindranwale led to an attack on the Golden Temple in Operation Blue Star and to her assassination by her Sikh bodyguards. Gandhi's assassination resulted in an explosion of violence against Sikh communities and the killing of thousands of Sikhs throughout India. Khushwant Singh described the riots as a Sikh pogrom; he "felt like a refugee in my country. In fact, I felt like a Jew in Nazi Germany". Since 1984, relations between Sikhs and Hindus have moved toward a rapprochement aided by economic prosperity. However, a 2002 claim by the Hindu right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) that "Sikhs are Hindus" disturbed Sikh sensibilities. The Khalistan movement campaigns for justice for the victims of the violence, and for the political and economic needs of the Punjab.

In 1996, United Nations Commission on Human Rights Freedom of Religion or Belief Special Rapporteur Abdelfattah Amor (Tunisia, 1993–2004) visited India to report on religious discrimination. The following year Amor concluded, "In India it appears that the situation of the Sikhs in the religious field is satisfactory, but that difficulties are arising in the political (foreign interference, terrorism, etc.), economic (in particular with regard to sharing of water supplies) and even occupational fields. Information received from nongovernment (sic) sources indicates that discrimination does exist in certain sectors of the public administration; examples include the decline in the number of Sikhs in the police force and the military, and the absence of Sikhs in personal bodyguard units since the murder of Indira Gandhi".

Although Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks of the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, they make up 1.87 percent of the Indian population.

During the 1999 Vaisakhi, Sikhs worldwide celebrated the 300th anniversary of the creation of the Khalsa. Canada Post honoured Sikh Canadians with a commemorative stamp in conjunction with the 300th anniversary of Vaisakhi. On April 9, 1999, Indian president K.R. Narayanan issued a stamp commemorating the 300th anniversary of the Khalsa.

DEFINITION

According to Guru Granth Sahib:

One who calls himself 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, the Sikh is to bathe, and cleanse himself in the pool of nectar. Following the Instructions of the Guru, the Sikh is to chant the Name of the Lord, Har. All sins, misdeeds and negativity shall be erased. Then, at the rising of the sun, the Sikh is to sing Gurbani; whether sitting down or standing up, the Sikh is to meditate on the Lord's Name. One who meditates on my Lord, Har, with every breath and every morsel of food – 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.

Simran of the Lord's name is a recurring theme of Guru Granth Sahib, and Sukhmani Sahib were composed to allow a devotee to recite Nam throughout the day. Rising at Amrit Velā (before sunrise) is a common Sikh practice. Sikhism considers the spiritual and secular lives to be intertwined: "In the Sikh Weltanschauung ... the temporal world is part of the Infinite and partakes of its characteristics." According to Guru Nanak, living an "active, creative, and practical life" of "truthfulness, fidelity, self-control and purity" is superior to a purely contemplative life.

FIVE Ks

The five Ks (panj kakaar) are five articles of faith which all baptized Sikhs (Amritdhari Sikhs) are obliged to wear. The symbols represent the ideals of Sikhism: honesty, equality, fidelity, meditating on God and never bowing to tyranny. The five symbols are:

- Kesh: Uncut hair, usually tied and wrapped in a Dastar

- Kanga: A wooden comb, usually worn under a Dastar

- Katchera: Cotton undergarments, historically appropriate in battle due to increased mobility when compared to a dhoti. Worn by both sexes, the katchera is a symbol of chastity.

- Kara: An iron bracelet, a weapon and a symbol of eternity

- Kirpan: An iron dagger in different sizes. In the UK Sikhs can wear a small dagger, but in the Punjab they might wear a traditional curved sword from one to three feet in length.

MUSIC & INSTRUMENTS

The Sikhs have a number of musical instruments: the rebab, dilruba, taus, jori and sarinda. Playing the sarangi was encouraged in Guru Har Gobind. The rubab was first played by Bhai Mardana as he accompanied Guru Nanak on his journeys. The jori and sarinda were designed by Guru Arjan. The taus was made by Guru Hargobind, who supposedly heard a peacock singing and wanted to create an instrument mimicking its sounds (taus is the Persian word for peacock). The dilruba was made by Guru Gobind Singh at the request of his followers, who wanted a smaller instrument than the taus. After Japji Sahib, all of the shabda in the Guru Granth Sahib were composed as ragas. This type of singing is known as Gurmat Sangeet.

When they marched into battle, the Sikhs would play a Ranjit Nagara (victory drum) to boost morale. Nagaras (usually two to three feet in diameter, although some were up to five feet in diameter) are played with two sticks. The beat of the large drums, and the raising of the Nishan Sahib, meant that the singhs were on their way.

DISTRIBUTION

Numbering about 27 million worldwide, Sikhs make up 0.39 percent of the world population; approximately 83 percent live in India. About 76 percent of all Sikhs live in the north Indian State of Punjab, where they form a majority (about two-thirds) of the population. Substantial communities of Sikhs (more than 200,000) live in the Indian states or union territories of Haryana (more than 1.1 million), Rajasthan, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh Assam and Jammu and Kashmir.

Sikh migration from British India began in earnest during the second half of the 19th century, when the British completed their annexation of the Punjab. The British Raj recruited Sikhs for the Indian Civil Service (particularly the British Indian Army), which led to Sikh migration throughout India and the British Empire. During the Raj, semiskilled Sikh artisans were transported from the Punjab to British East Africa to help build railroads. Sikhs emigrated from India and Pakistan after World War II, most going to the United Kingdom but many to North America. Some Sikhs who had settled in eastern Africa were expelled by Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in 1972. Economics is a major factor in Sikh migration, and significant communities exist in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Malaysia, East Africa, Australia and Thailand.

Although 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. Moliner (2006) wrote that as a consequence of Sikh migration to the UK "becom[ing] virtually impossible since the late 1970s", migration patterns evolved to continental Europe. Italy is a rapidly growing destination for Sikh migration, with Reggio Emilia and Vicenza having significant Sikh population clusters. Italian Sikhs are generally involved in agriculture, agricultural processing, the manufacture of machine tools and horticulture.

Primarily for socio-economic reasons, Indian Sikhs have the lowest adjusted growth rate of any major religious group in India, at 16.9 percent per decade (estimated from 1991 to 2001). Johnson and Barrett (2004) estimate that the global Sikh population increases annually by 392,633 (1.7 percent per year, based on 2004 figures); this percentage includes births, deaths and conversions.

REPRESENTATION

Sikhs have been represented in Indian politics by former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh and the deputy chairman of the Indian Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is also a Sikh. Past Sikh politicians in India include former president Giani Zail Singh, Sardar Swaran Singh (India's first foreign minister), Speaker of Parliament Gurdial Singh Dhillon and former Chief Minister of Punjab Pratap Singh Kairon.

Politicians from the Sikh diaspora include the first Asian American member of the United States Congress, Dalip Singh Saund, British MPs Piara Khabra, Parmjit Dhanda and Paul Uppal, the first couple to sit together in a Commonwealth parliament (Gurmant Grewal and Nina Grewal, who requested a Canadian government apology for the Komagata Maru incident), former Canadian Shadow Social Development Minister Ruby Dhalla, Canadian Minister of State for Sport Baljit Singh Gosal and Legislative Assembly of Ontario members Vic Dhillon and Jagmeet Singh. Ujjal Dosanjh was the New Democratic Party Premier of British Columbia from July 2004 to February 2005, and was later a Liberal frontbench MP in Ottawa. In Malaysia, two Sikhs were elected MPs in the 2008 general elections: Karpal Singh (Bukit Gelugor) and his son, Gobind Singh Deo (Puchong). Two Sikhs were elected assemblymen: Jagdeep Singh Deo (Datuk Keramat) and Keshvinder Singh (Malim Nawar).

Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks in the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, while making up 1.87 percent of the Indian population. The Sikh Regiment is one of the most-decorated regiments in the army, with 73 Battle Honours, 14 Victoria Crosses, 21 first-class Indian Orders of Merit (equivalent to the Victoria Cross), 15 Theatre Honours, five COAS Unit Citations, two Param Vir Chakras, 14 Maha Vir Chakras, five Kirti Chakras, 67 Vir Chakras and 1,596 other awards. The highest-ranking general in the history of the Indian Air Force is a Punjabi Sikh, Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh. Plans by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence for a Sikh infantry regiment were scrapped in June 2007.

Historically, most Indians have been farmers and 66 percent of the Indian population are engaged in agriculture. Indian Sikhs are employed in agriculture to a lesser extent; India's 2001 census found 39 percent of the working population of the Punjab employed in this sector. The success of the 1960s Green Revolution, in which India went from "famine to plenty, from humiliation to dignity", was based in the Punjab (which became known as "the breadbasket of India"). The Punjab is the wealthiest Indian state per capita, with the average Punjabi income three times the national average. The Green Revolution centred on Indian farmers adopting more intensive and mechanised agricultural methods, aided by the electrification of the Punjab, cooperative credit, consolidation of small holdings and the existing, British Raj-developed canal system. According to Swedish political scientist Ishtiaq Ahmad, a factor in the success of the Indian green revolution was the "Sikh cultivator, often the Jat, whose courage, perseverance, spirit of enterprise and muscle prowess proved crucial". However, not all aspects of the green revolution were beneficial. Indian physicist 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.

Punjabi Sikhs are engaged in a number of professions which include science, engineering and medicine. Notable examples are nuclear scientist Piara Singh Gill (who worked on the Manhattan Project), fibre-optics pioneer Narinder Singh Kapany and physicist, science writer and broadcaster Simon Singh.

In business, the UK-based clothing retailers New Look and the Thai-based Jaspal were founded by Sikhs. India's largest pharmaceutical company, Ranbaxy Laboratories, is headed by Sikhs. UK Sikhs have the highest percentage of home ownership (82 percent) of any religious community. UK Sikhs are the second-wealthiest (after the Jewish community) religious group in the UK, with a median total household wealth of £229,000. In Singapore Kartar Singh Thakral expanded his family's trading business, Thakral Holdings, into total assets of almost $1.4 billion and is Singapore's 25th-richest person. Sikh Bob Singh Dhillon is the first Indo-Canadian billionaire. The Sikh diaspora has been most successful in North America, especially in California’s fertile Central Valley. American Sikh farmers such as Harbhajan Singh Samra and Didar Singh Bains dominate California agriculture, with Samra specialising in okra and Bains in peaches.

Sikh intellectuals, sportsmen and artists include writer Khushwant Singh, England cricketer Monty Panesar, former 400m runner Milkha Singh, Indian wrestler and actor Dara Singh, former Indian hockey team captains Ajitpal Singh and Balbir Singh Sr., former Indian cricket captain Bishen Singh Bedi, Harbhajan Singh (India's most successful off spin cricket bowler), Bollywood actress Neetu Singh, Sunny Leone, actors Parminder Nagra, Neha Dhupia, Gul Panag, Mona Singh, Namrata Singh Gujral, Archie Panjabi and director Gurinder Chadha.

Sikhs have migrated worldwide, with a variety of occupations. The Sikh Gurus preached ethnic and social harmony, and Sikhs comprise a number of ethnic groups. Those with over 1,000 members include the Ahluwalia, Arain, Arora, Bhatra, Bairagi, Bania, Basith, Bawaria, Bazigar, Bhabra, Chamar, Chhimba, Darzi, Dhobi, Gujar, Jatt, Jhinwar, Kahar, Kalal, Kamboj, Khatri, Kumhar, Labana, Lohar, Mahtam, Mazhabi, Megh, Mirasi, Mochi, Nai, Rajput, Ramgarhia, Saini, Sarera, Sikligar, Sunar, Sudh, Tarkhan and Zargar.

An order of Punjabi Sikhs, the Nihang or the Akalis, was formed during Ranjit Singh's time. Under their leader, Akali Phula Singh, they won many battles for the Sikh Confederacy during the early 19th century.

IN THE INDIAN & BRITISH ARMIES

Sikhs supported the British during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. By the beginning of World War I, Sikhs in the British Indian Army totaled over 100,000 (20 percent of the force). Until 1945 fourteen Victoria Crosses were awarded to Sikhs, a per-capita regimental record. In 2002 the names of all Sikh VC and George Cross recipients were inscribed on the monument of the Memorial Gates on Constitution Hill, next to Buckingham Palace. Chanan Singh Dhillon was instrumental in campaigning for the memorial.

During World War I, Sikh battalions fought in Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Gallipoli and France. Six battalions of the Sikh Regiment were raised during World War II, serving in the Second Battle of El Alamein, the Burma and Italian campaigns and in Iraq and receiving 27 battle honours. Around the world, Sikhs are commemorated in Commonwealth cemeteries.

In the last two world wars 83,005 turban wearing Sikh soldiers were killed and 109,045 were wounded. They all died or were wounded for the freedom of Britain and the world, and during shell fire, with no other protection but the turban, the symbol of their faith.

—General Sir Frank Messervy

British people are highly indebted and obliged to Sikhs for a long time. I know that within this century we needed their help twice [in two world wars] and they did help us very well. As a result of their timely help, we are today able to live with honour, dignity, and independence. In the war, they fought and died for us, wearing the turbans.

—Sir Winston Churchill

IN THE WEST

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Sikhs began to emigrate to East Africa, the Far East, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. In 1907 the Khalsa Diwan Society was established in Vancouver, and four years later the first gurdwara was established in London. In 1912 the first gurdwara in the United States was founded in Stockton, California.

Since Sikhs (like Middle Eastern men) wear turbans, some in Western countries have been mistaken for Muslim or Arabic men since the September 11 attacks and the Iraq War. Several days after the 9/11 attacks Sikh Balbir Singh Sodhi was murdered by Frank Roque, who thought Sodhi was connected with al-Qaeda. CNN suggested an increase in hate crimes against Sikh men in the United States and the UK after the 9/11 attacks.

Since Sikhism has never actively sought converts, the Sikhs have remained a relatively homogeneous ethnic group. The Kundalini Yoga-based activities of Harbhajan Singh Yogi in his 3HO (Happy, Healthy, Holy) organisation claim to have inspired a moderate growth in non-Indian adherents of Sikhism. In 1998 an estimated 7,800 3HO Sikhs, known colloquially as ‘gora’ (ਗੋਰਾ) or ‘white’ Sikhs, were mainly centred around Española, New Mexico and Los Angeles, California. Sikhs and the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund overturned a 1925 Oregon law banning the wearing of turbans by teachers and government officials.

In an attempt to foster Sikh leaders in the Western world, youth initiatives by a number of organisations have begun. The Sikh Youth Alliance of North America sponsors an annual Sikh Youth Symposium, a public-speaking and debate competition held in gurdwaras throughout the U.S. and Canada.

ART & CULTURE

Sikh art and culture are nearly synonymous with that of the Punjab, and Sikhs are easily recognised by their distinctive turban (Dastar). The Punjab has been called India’s melting pot, due to the confluence of invading cultures (Greek, Mughal and Persian) from the rivers from which the region gets its name. Sikh culture is therefore a synthesis of cultures. Sikhism has forged a unique architecture, which S. S. Bhatti described as "inspired by Guru Nanak’s creative mysticism" and "is a mute harbinger of holistic humanism based on pragmatic spirituality".

During the Mughal and Afghan 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. With the rise of Ranjit Singh and the Sikh Raj in Lahore and Delhi, there was a change in the landscape of art and culture in the Punjab; Hindus and Sikhs could build decorated shrines without the fear of destruction or looting.

The 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. Sikh architecture is characterised by gilded fluted domes, cupolas, kiosks, stone lanterns, ornate balusters and square roofs. A pinnacle of Sikh style is Harmandir Sahib (also known as the Golden Temple) in Amritsar.

Sikh culture is influenced by militaristic motifs (with the Khanda the most obvious), and most Sikh artifacts - except for the relics of the Gurus - have a military theme. This theme is evident in the Sikh festivals of Hola Mohalla and Vaisakhi, which feature marching and displays of valor.

Although 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 which can be described as "political Sikh" has arisen. The art of diaspora Sikhs like Amarjeet Kaur Nandhra and Amrit and Rabindra Kaur Singh (the "Singh Twins") is influenced by their Sikhism and current affairs in the Punjab.

Bhangra and Giddha are two forms of Punjabi folk dancing which have been adapted and pioneered by Sikhs. Punjabi 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").

PAINTING

Sikh painting is a direct offshoot of the Kangra school of painting. In 1810, Ranjeet Singh (1780–1839) occupied Kangra Fort and appointed Sardar Desa Singh Majithia his governor of the Punjab hills. In 1813 the Sikh army occupied Guler State, and Raja Bhup Singh became a vassal of the Sikhs. With 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.

The Sikh school adapted Kangra painting to Sikh needs and ideals. Its main subjects are the ten Sikh gurus and stories from Guru Nanak's Janamsakhis. The tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, left a deep impression on the followers of the new faith because of his courage and sacrifices. Hunting scenes and portraits are also common in Sikh painting.

WIKIPEDIA

A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism, a monotheistic religion which originated during the 15th century in the Punjab region. The term "Sikh" has its origin in the Sanskrit words शिष्य (śiṣya; disciple, student) or शिक्ष (śikṣa; instruction). A Sikh is a disciple of a guru. According to Article I of the Sikh Rehat Maryada (the Sikh code of conduct), a Sikh is "any human being who faithfully believes in One Immortal Being; ten Gurus, from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh; Guru Granth Sahib; the teachings of the ten Gurus and the baptism bequeathed by the tenth Guru". "Sikh" properly refers to adherents of Sikhism as a religion, not an ethnic group. However, because Sikhs often share strong ethno-religious ties, many countries, such as the U.K., recognize Sikh as a designated ethnicity on their censuses. The American non-profit organization United Sikhs has fought to have Sikh included on the U.S. census as well, arguing that Sikhs "self-identify as an 'ethnic minority'" and believe "that they are more than just a religion".

Male Sikhs usually have "Singh" (Lion), and female Sikhs have "Kaur" (Princess) as their middle or last name. Sikhs who have undergone the khanḍe-kī-pahul (the Sikh initiation ceremony) may also be recognized by the five Ks: uncut hair (kesh); an iron or steel bracelet (kara); a kirpan (a sword tucked into a gatra strap); kachehra, a cotton undergarment, and kanga, a small wooden comb. Baptized male Sikhs must cover their hair with a turban, which is optional for baptized female Sikhs. The greater Punjab region is the historic homeland of the Sikhs, although significant communities exist around the world.

HISTORY

Sikh political history may be said to begin with the death of the fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjan Dev, in 1606. Guru Nanak was a religious leader and social reformer in the 15th-century Punjab. Religious practices were formalized by Guru Gobind Singh on 30 March 1699. Singh baptized five people from a variety of social backgrounds, known as the Panj Piare (the five beloved ones) to form the Khalsa, or collective body of initiated Sikhs. Sikhism has generally had amicable relations with other religions, except for the period of Mughal rule in India (1556–1707). Several Sikh gurus were killed by the Mughals for opposing their persecution of minority religious communities including Sikhs. Sikhs subsequently militarized to oppose Mughal rule. The emergence of the Sikh Confederacy under Ranjit Singh was characterized by religious tolerance and pluralism, with Christians, Muslims and Hindus in positions of power. The confederacy is considered the zenith of political Sikhism, encompassing Kashmir, Ladakh and Peshawar. Hari Singh Nalwa, the commander-in-chief of the Sikh army in the North West Frontier, expanded the confederacy to the Khyber Pass. Its secular administration implemented military, economic and governmental reforms. The months leading up to the partition of India in 1947 were marked by conflict in the Punjab between Sikhs and Muslims. This caused the religious migration of Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus from West Punjab, mirroring a similar religious migration of Punjabi Muslims from East Punjab.

The 1960s saw growing animosity between Sikhs and Hindus in India, with the Sikhs demanding the creation of a Punjab state on a linguistic basis similar to other states in India. This was promised to Sikh leader Master Tara Singh by Jawaharlal Nehru, in return for Sikh political support during negotiations for Indian independence. Although the Sikhs obtained the Punjab, they lost Hindi-speaking areas to Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan. Chandigarh was made a union territory and the capital of Haryana and Punjab on 1 November 1966.

Tensions arose again during the late 1970s, fueled by Sikh claims of discrimination and marginalisation by the Hindu-dominated Indian National Congress party and tactics adopted by the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

According to Katherine Frank, Indira Gandhi's assumption of emergency powers in 1975 resulted in the weakening of the "legitimate and impartial machinery of government", and her increasing "paranoia" about opposing political groups led her to institute a "despotic policy of playing castes, religions and political groups against each other for political advantage". Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale articulated Sikh demands for justice, and this triggered violence in the Punjab. The prime minister's 1984 defeat of Bhindranwale led to an attack on the Golden Temple in Operation Blue Star and to her assassination by her Sikh bodyguards. Gandhi's assassination resulted in an explosion of violence against Sikh communities and the killing of thousands of Sikhs throughout India. Khushwant Singh described the riots as a Sikh pogrom; he "felt like a refugee in my country. In fact, I felt like a Jew in Nazi Germany". Since 1984, relations between Sikhs and Hindus have moved toward a rapprochement aided by economic prosperity. However, a 2002 claim by the Hindu right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) that "Sikhs are Hindus" disturbed Sikh sensibilities. The Khalistan movement campaigns for justice for the victims of the violence, and for the political and economic needs of the Punjab.

In 1996, United Nations Commission on Human Rights Freedom of Religion or Belief Special Rapporteur Abdelfattah Amor (Tunisia, 1993–2004) visited India to report on religious discrimination. The following year Amor concluded, "In India it appears that the situation of the Sikhs in the religious field is satisfactory, but that difficulties are arising in the political (foreign interference, terrorism, etc.), economic (in particular with regard to sharing of water supplies) and even occupational fields. Information received from nongovernment (sic) sources indicates that discrimination does exist in certain sectors of the public administration; examples include the decline in the number of Sikhs in the police force and the military, and the absence of Sikhs in personal bodyguard units since the murder of Indira Gandhi".

Although Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks of the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, they make up 1.87 percent of the Indian population.

During the 1999 Vaisakhi, Sikhs worldwide celebrated the 300th anniversary of the creation of the Khalsa. Canada Post honoured Sikh Canadians with a commemorative stamp in conjunction with the 300th anniversary of Vaisakhi. On April 9, 1999, Indian president K.R. Narayanan issued a stamp commemorating the 300th anniversary of the Khalsa.

DEFINITION

According to Guru Granth Sahib:

One who calls himself 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, the Sikh is to bathe, and cleanse himself in the pool of nectar. Following the Instructions of the Guru, the Sikh is to chant the Name of the Lord, Har. All sins, misdeeds and negativity shall be erased. Then, at the rising of the sun, the Sikh is to sing Gurbani; whether sitting down or standing up, the Sikh is to meditate on the Lord's Name. One who meditates on my Lord, Har, with every breath and every morsel of food – 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.

Simran of the Lord's name is a recurring theme of Guru Granth Sahib, and Sukhmani Sahib were composed to allow a devotee to recite Nam throughout the day. Rising at Amrit Velā (before sunrise) is a common Sikh practice. Sikhism considers the spiritual and secular lives to be intertwined: "In the Sikh Weltanschauung ... the temporal world is part of the Infinite and partakes of its characteristics." According to Guru Nanak, living an "active, creative, and practical life" of "truthfulness, fidelity, self-control and purity" is superior to a purely contemplative life.

FIVE Ks

The five Ks (panj kakaar) are five articles of faith which all baptized Sikhs (Amritdhari Sikhs) are obliged to wear. The symbols represent the ideals of Sikhism: honesty, equality, fidelity, meditating on God and never bowing to tyranny. The five symbols are:

- Kesh: Uncut hair, usually tied and wrapped in a Dastar

- Kanga: A wooden comb, usually worn under a Dastar

- Katchera: Cotton undergarments, historically appropriate in battle due to increased mobility when compared to a dhoti. Worn by both sexes, the katchera is a symbol of chastity.

- Kara: An iron bracelet, a weapon and a symbol of eternity

- Kirpan: An iron dagger in different sizes. In the UK Sikhs can wear a small dagger, but in the Punjab they might wear a traditional curved sword from one to three feet in length.

MUSIC & INSTRUMENTS

The Sikhs have a number of musical instruments: the rebab, dilruba, taus, jori and sarinda. Playing the sarangi was encouraged in Guru Har Gobind. The rubab was first played by Bhai Mardana as he accompanied Guru Nanak on his journeys. The jori and sarinda were designed by Guru Arjan. The taus was made by Guru Hargobind, who supposedly heard a peacock singing and wanted to create an instrument mimicking its sounds (taus is the Persian word for peacock). The dilruba was made by Guru Gobind Singh at the request of his followers, who wanted a smaller instrument than the taus. After Japji Sahib, all of the shabda in the Guru Granth Sahib were composed as ragas. This type of singing is known as Gurmat Sangeet.

When they marched into battle, the Sikhs would play a Ranjit Nagara (victory drum) to boost morale. Nagaras (usually two to three feet in diameter, although some were up to five feet in diameter) are played with two sticks. The beat of the large drums, and the raising of the Nishan Sahib, meant that the singhs were on their way.

DISTRIBUTION

Numbering about 27 million worldwide, Sikhs make up 0.39 percent of the world population; approximately 83 percent live in India. About 76 percent of all Sikhs live in the north Indian State of Punjab, where they form a majority (about two-thirds) of the population. Substantial communities of Sikhs (more than 200,000) live in the Indian states or union territories of Haryana (more than 1.1 million), Rajasthan, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh Assam and Jammu and Kashmir.

Sikh migration from British India began in earnest during the second half of the 19th century, when the British completed their annexation of the Punjab. The British Raj recruited Sikhs for the Indian Civil Service (particularly the British Indian Army), which led to Sikh migration throughout India and the British Empire. During the Raj, semiskilled Sikh artisans were transported from the Punjab to British East Africa to help build railroads. Sikhs emigrated from India and Pakistan after World War II, most going to the United Kingdom but many to North America. Some Sikhs who had settled in eastern Africa were expelled by Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in 1972. Economics is a major factor in Sikh migration, and significant communities exist in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Malaysia, East Africa, Australia and Thailand.

Although 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. Moliner (2006) wrote that as a consequence of Sikh migration to the UK "becom[ing] virtually impossible since the late 1970s", migration patterns evolved to continental Europe. Italy is a rapidly growing destination for Sikh migration, with Reggio Emilia and Vicenza having significant Sikh population clusters. Italian Sikhs are generally involved in agriculture, agricultural processing, the manufacture of machine tools and horticulture.

Primarily for socio-economic reasons, Indian Sikhs have the lowest adjusted growth rate of any major religious group in India, at 16.9 percent per decade (estimated from 1991 to 2001). Johnson and Barrett (2004) estimate that the global Sikh population increases annually by 392,633 (1.7 percent per year, based on 2004 figures); this percentage includes births, deaths and conversions.

REPRESENTATION

Sikhs have been represented in Indian politics by former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh and the deputy chairman of the Indian Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is also a Sikh. Past Sikh politicians in India include former president Giani Zail Singh, Sardar Swaran Singh (India's first foreign minister), Speaker of Parliament Gurdial Singh Dhillon and former Chief Minister of Punjab Pratap Singh Kairon.

Politicians from the Sikh diaspora include the first Asian American member of the United States Congress, Dalip Singh Saund, British MPs Piara Khabra, Parmjit Dhanda and Paul Uppal, the first couple to sit together in a Commonwealth parliament (Gurmant Grewal and Nina Grewal, who requested a Canadian government apology for the Komagata Maru incident), former Canadian Shadow Social Development Minister Ruby Dhalla, Canadian Minister of State for Sport Baljit Singh Gosal and Legislative Assembly of Ontario members Vic Dhillon and Jagmeet Singh. Ujjal Dosanjh was the New Democratic Party Premier of British Columbia from July 2004 to February 2005, and was later a Liberal frontbench MP in Ottawa. In Malaysia, two Sikhs were elected MPs in the 2008 general elections: Karpal Singh (Bukit Gelugor) and his son, Gobind Singh Deo (Puchong). Two Sikhs were elected assemblymen: Jagdeep Singh Deo (Datuk Keramat) and Keshvinder Singh (Malim Nawar).

Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks in the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, while making up 1.87 percent of the Indian population. The Sikh Regiment is one of the most-decorated regiments in the army, with 73 Battle Honours, 14 Victoria Crosses, 21 first-class Indian Orders of Merit (equivalent to the Victoria Cross), 15 Theatre Honours, five COAS Unit Citations, two Param Vir Chakras, 14 Maha Vir Chakras, five Kirti Chakras, 67 Vir Chakras and 1,596 other awards. The highest-ranking general in the history of the Indian Air Force is a Punjabi Sikh, Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh. Plans by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence for a Sikh infantry regiment were scrapped in June 2007.

Historically, most Indians have been farmers and 66 percent of the Indian population are engaged in agriculture. Indian Sikhs are employed in agriculture to a lesser extent; India's 2001 census found 39 percent of the working population of the Punjab employed in this sector. The success of the 1960s Green Revolution, in which India went from "famine to plenty, from humiliation to dignity", was based in the Punjab (which became known as "the breadbasket of India"). The Punjab is the wealthiest Indian state per capita, with the average Punjabi income three times the national average. The Green Revolution centred on Indian farmers adopting more intensive and mechanised agricultural methods, aided by the electrification of the Punjab, cooperative credit, consolidation of small holdings and the existing, British Raj-developed canal system. According to Swedish political scientist Ishtiaq Ahmad, a factor in the success of the Indian green revolution was the "Sikh cultivator, often the Jat, whose courage, perseverance, spirit of enterprise and muscle prowess proved crucial". However, not all aspects of the green revolution were beneficial. Indian physicist 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.

Punjabi Sikhs are engaged in a number of professions which include science, engineering and medicine. Notable examples are nuclear scientist Piara Singh Gill (who worked on the Manhattan Project), fibre-optics pioneer Narinder Singh Kapany and physicist, science writer and broadcaster Simon Singh.

In business, the UK-based clothing retailers New Look and the Thai-based Jaspal were founded by Sikhs. India's largest pharmaceutical company, Ranbaxy Laboratories, is headed by Sikhs. UK Sikhs have the highest percentage of home ownership (82 percent) of any religious community. UK Sikhs are the second-wealthiest (after the Jewish community) religious group in the UK, with a median total household wealth of £229,000. In Singapore Kartar Singh Thakral expanded his family's trading business, Thakral Holdings, into total assets of almost $1.4 billion and is Singapore's 25th-richest person. Sikh Bob Singh Dhillon is the first Indo-Canadian billionaire. The Sikh diaspora has been most successful in North America, especially in California’s fertile Central Valley. American Sikh farmers such as Harbhajan Singh Samra and Didar Singh Bains dominate California agriculture, with Samra specialising in okra and Bains in peaches.

Sikh intellectuals, sportsmen and artists include writer Khushwant Singh, England cricketer Monty Panesar, former 400m runner Milkha Singh, Indian wrestler and actor Dara Singh, former Indian hockey team captains Ajitpal Singh and Balbir Singh Sr., former Indian cricket captain Bishen Singh Bedi, Harbhajan Singh (India's most successful off spin cricket bowler), Bollywood actress Neetu Singh, Sunny Leone, actors Parminder Nagra, Neha Dhupia, Gul Panag, Mona Singh, Namrata Singh Gujral, Archie Panjabi and director Gurinder Chadha.

Sikhs have migrated worldwide, with a variety of occupations. The Sikh Gurus preached ethnic and social harmony, and Sikhs comprise a number of ethnic groups. Those with over 1,000 members include the Ahluwalia, Arain, Arora, Bhatra, Bairagi, Bania, Basith, Bawaria, Bazigar, Bhabra, Chamar, Chhimba, Darzi, Dhobi, Gujar, Jatt, Jhinwar, Kahar, Kalal, Kamboj, Khatri, Kumhar, Labana, Lohar, Mahtam, Mazhabi, Megh, Mirasi, Mochi, Nai, Rajput, Ramgarhia, Saini, Sarera, Sikligar, Sunar, Sudh, Tarkhan and Zargar.

An order of Punjabi Sikhs, the Nihang or the Akalis, was formed during Ranjit Singh's time. Under their leader, Akali Phula Singh, they won many battles for the Sikh Confederacy during the early 19th century.

IN THE INDIAN & BRITISH ARMIES

Sikhs supported the British during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. By the beginning of World War I, Sikhs in the British Indian Army totaled over 100,000 (20 percent of the force). Until 1945 fourteen Victoria Crosses were awarded to Sikhs, a per-capita regimental record. In 2002 the names of all Sikh VC and George Cross recipients were inscribed on the monument of the Memorial Gates on Constitution Hill, next to Buckingham Palace. Chanan Singh Dhillon was instrumental in campaigning for the memorial.

During World War I, Sikh battalions fought in Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Gallipoli and France. Six battalions of the Sikh Regiment were raised during World War II, serving in the Second Battle of El Alamein, the Burma and Italian campaigns and in Iraq and receiving 27 battle honours. Around the world, Sikhs are commemorated in Commonwealth cemeteries.

In the last two world wars 83,005 turban wearing Sikh soldiers were killed and 109,045 were wounded. They all died or were wounded for the freedom of Britain and the world, and during shell fire, with no other protection but the turban, the symbol of their faith.

—General Sir Frank Messervy

British people are highly indebted and obliged to Sikhs for a long time. I know that within this century we needed their help twice [in two world wars] and they did help us very well. As a result of their timely help, we are today able to live with honour, dignity, and independence. In the war, they fought and died for us, wearing the turbans.

—Sir Winston Churchill

IN THE WEST

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Sikhs began to emigrate to East Africa, the Far East, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. In 1907 the Khalsa Diwan Society was established in Vancouver, and four years later the first gurdwara was established in London. In 1912 the first gurdwara in the United States was founded in Stockton, California.

Since Sikhs (like Middle Eastern men) wear turbans, some in Western countries have been mistaken for Muslim or Arabic men since the September 11 attacks and the Iraq War. Several days after the 9/11 attacks Sikh Balbir Singh Sodhi was murdered by Frank Roque, who thought Sodhi was connected with al-Qaeda. CNN suggested an increase in hate crimes against Sikh men in the United States and the UK after the 9/11 attacks.

Since Sikhism has never actively sought converts, the Sikhs have remained a relatively homogeneous ethnic group. The Kundalini Yoga-based activities of Harbhajan Singh Yogi in his 3HO (Happy, Healthy, Holy) organisation claim to have inspired a moderate growth in non-Indian adherents of Sikhism. In 1998 an estimated 7,800 3HO Sikhs, known colloquially as ‘gora’ (ਗੋਰਾ) or ‘white’ Sikhs, were mainly centred around Española, New Mexico and Los Angeles, California. Sikhs and the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund overturned a 1925 Oregon law banning the wearing of turbans by teachers and government officials.

In an attempt to foster Sikh leaders in the Western world, youth initiatives by a number of organisations have begun. The Sikh Youth Alliance of North America sponsors an annual Sikh Youth Symposium, a public-speaking and debate competition held in gurdwaras throughout the U.S. and Canada.

ART & CULTURE

Sikh art and culture are nearly synonymous with that of the Punjab, and Sikhs are easily recognised by their distinctive turban (Dastar). The Punjab has been called India’s melting pot, due to the confluence of invading cultures (Greek, Mughal and Persian) from the rivers from which the region gets its name. Sikh culture is therefore a synthesis of cultures. Sikhism has forged a unique architecture, which S. S. Bhatti described as "inspired by Guru Nanak’s creative mysticism" and "is a mute harbinger of holistic humanism based on pragmatic spirituality".

During the Mughal and Afghan 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. With the rise of Ranjit Singh and the Sikh Raj in Lahore and Delhi, there was a change in the landscape of art and culture in the Punjab; Hindus and Sikhs could build decorated shrines without the fear of destruction or looting.

The 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. Sikh architecture is characterised by gilded fluted domes, cupolas, kiosks, stone lanterns, ornate balusters and square roofs. A pinnacle of Sikh style is Harmandir Sahib (also known as the Golden Temple) in Amritsar.

Sikh culture is influenced by militaristic motifs (with the Khanda the most obvious), and most Sikh artifacts - except for the relics of the Gurus - have a military theme. This theme is evident in the Sikh festivals of Hola Mohalla and Vaisakhi, which feature marching and displays of valor.

Although 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 which can be described as "political Sikh" has arisen. The art of diaspora Sikhs like Amarjeet Kaur Nandhra and Amrit and Rabindra Kaur Singh (the "Singh Twins") is influenced by their Sikhism and current affairs in the Punjab.

Bhangra and Giddha are two forms of Punjabi folk dancing which have been adapted and pioneered by Sikhs. Punjabi 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").

PAINTING

Sikh painting is a direct offshoot of the Kangra school of painting. In 1810, Ranjeet Singh (1780–1839) occupied Kangra Fort and appointed Sardar Desa Singh Majithia his governor of the Punjab hills. In 1813 the Sikh army occupied Guler State, and Raja Bhup Singh became a vassal of the Sikhs. With 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.

The Sikh school adapted Kangra painting to Sikh needs and ideals. Its main subjects are the ten Sikh gurus and stories from Guru Nanak's Janamsakhis. The tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, left a deep impression on the followers of the new faith because of his courage and sacrifices. Hunting scenes and portraits are also common in Sikh painting.

WIKIPEDIA

. . . what a smile!

_______________

A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism, a monotheistic religion which originated during the 15th century in the Punjab region. The term "Sikh" has its origin in the Sanskrit words शिष्य (śiṣya; disciple, student) or शिक्ष (śikṣa; instruction). A Sikh is a disciple of a guru. According to Article I of the Sikh Rehat Maryada (the Sikh code of conduct), a Sikh is "any human being who faithfully believes in One Immortal Being; ten Gurus, from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh; Guru Granth Sahib; the teachings of the ten Gurus and the baptism bequeathed by the tenth Guru". "Sikh" properly refers to adherents of Sikhism as a religion, not an ethnic group. However, because Sikhs often share strong ethno-religious ties, many countries, such as the U.K., recognize Sikh as a designated ethnicity on their censuses. The American non-profit organization United Sikhs has fought to have Sikh included on the U.S. census as well, arguing that Sikhs "self-identify as an 'ethnic minority'" and believe "that they are more than just a religion".

Male Sikhs usually have "Singh" (Lion), and female Sikhs have "Kaur" (Princess) as their middle or last name. Sikhs who have undergone the khanḍe-kī-pahul (the Sikh initiation ceremony) may also be recognized by the five Ks: uncut hair (kesh); an iron or steel bracelet (kara); a kirpan (a sword tucked into a gatra strap); kachehra, a cotton undergarment, and kanga, a small wooden comb. Baptized male Sikhs must cover their hair with a turban, which is optional for baptized female Sikhs. The greater Punjab region is the historic homeland of the Sikhs, although significant communities exist around the world.

HISTORY

Sikh political history may be said to begin with the death of the fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjan Dev, in 1606. Guru Nanak was a religious leader and social reformer in the 15th-century Punjab. Religious practices were formalized by Guru Gobind Singh on 30 March 1699. Singh baptized five people from a variety of social backgrounds, known as the Panj Piare (the five beloved ones) to form the Khalsa, or collective body of initiated Sikhs. Sikhism has generally had amicable relations with other religions, except for the period of Mughal rule in India (1556–1707). Several Sikh gurus were killed by the Mughals for opposing their persecution of minority religious communities including Sikhs. Sikhs subsequently militarized to oppose Mughal rule. The emergence of the Sikh Confederacy under Ranjit Singh was characterized by religious tolerance and pluralism, with Christians, Muslims and Hindus in positions of power. The confederacy is considered the zenith of political Sikhism, encompassing Kashmir, Ladakh and Peshawar. Hari Singh Nalwa, the commander-in-chief of the Sikh army in the North West Frontier, expanded the confederacy to the Khyber Pass. Its secular administration implemented military, economic and governmental reforms. The months leading up to the partition of India in 1947 were marked by conflict in the Punjab between Sikhs and Muslims. This caused the religious migration of Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus from West Punjab, mirroring a similar religious migration of Punjabi Muslims from East Punjab.

The 1960s saw growing animosity between Sikhs and Hindus in India, with the Sikhs demanding the creation of a Punjab state on a linguistic basis similar to other states in India. This was promised to Sikh leader Master Tara Singh by Jawaharlal Nehru, in return for Sikh political support during negotiations for Indian independence. Although the Sikhs obtained the Punjab, they lost Hindi-speaking areas to Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan. Chandigarh was made a union territory and the capital of Haryana and Punjab on 1 November 1966.

Tensions arose again during the late 1970s, fueled by Sikh claims of discrimination and marginalisation by the Hindu-dominated Indian National Congress party and tactics adopted by the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

According to Katherine Frank, Indira Gandhi's assumption of emergency powers in 1975 resulted in the weakening of the "legitimate and impartial machinery of government", and her increasing "paranoia" about opposing political groups led her to institute a "despotic policy of playing castes, religions and political groups against each other for political advantage". Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale articulated Sikh demands for justice, and this triggered violence in the Punjab. The prime minister's 1984 defeat of Bhindranwale led to an attack on the Golden Temple in Operation Blue Star and to her assassination by her Sikh bodyguards. Gandhi's assassination resulted in an explosion of violence against Sikh communities and the killing of thousands of Sikhs throughout India. Khushwant Singh described the riots as a Sikh pogrom; he "felt like a refugee in my country. In fact, I felt like a Jew in Nazi Germany". Since 1984, relations between Sikhs and Hindus have moved toward a rapprochement aided by economic prosperity. However, a 2002 claim by the Hindu right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) that "Sikhs are Hindus" disturbed Sikh sensibilities. The Khalistan movement campaigns for justice for the victims of the violence, and for the political and economic needs of the Punjab.

In 1996, United Nations Commission on Human Rights Freedom of Religion or Belief Special Rapporteur Abdelfattah Amor (Tunisia, 1993–2004) visited India to report on religious discrimination. The following year Amor concluded, "In India it appears that the situation of the Sikhs in the religious field is satisfactory, but that difficulties are arising in the political (foreign interference, terrorism, etc.), economic (in particular with regard to sharing of water supplies) and even occupational fields. Information received from nongovernment (sic) sources indicates that discrimination does exist in certain sectors of the public administration; examples include the decline in the number of Sikhs in the police force and the military, and the absence of Sikhs in personal bodyguard units since the murder of Indira Gandhi".

Although Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks of the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, they make up 1.87 percent of the Indian population.

During the 1999 Vaisakhi, Sikhs worldwide celebrated the 300th anniversary of the creation of the Khalsa. Canada Post honoured Sikh Canadians with a commemorative stamp in conjunction with the 300th anniversary of Vaisakhi. On April 9, 1999, Indian president K.R. Narayanan issued a stamp commemorating the 300th anniversary of the Khalsa.

DEFINITION

According to Guru Granth Sahib:

One who calls himself 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, the Sikh is to bathe, and cleanse himself in the pool of nectar. Following the Instructions of the Guru, the Sikh is to chant the Name of the Lord, Har. All sins, misdeeds and negativity shall be erased. Then, at the rising of the sun, the Sikh is to sing Gurbani; whether sitting down or standing up, the Sikh is to meditate on the Lord's Name. One who meditates on my Lord, Har, with every breath and every morsel of food – 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.

Simran of the Lord's name is a recurring theme of Guru Granth Sahib, and Sukhmani Sahib were composed to allow a devotee to recite Nam throughout the day. Rising at Amrit Velā (before sunrise) is a common Sikh practice. Sikhism considers the spiritual and secular lives to be intertwined: "In the Sikh Weltanschauung ... the temporal world is part of the Infinite and partakes of its characteristics." According to Guru Nanak, living an "active, creative, and practical life" of "truthfulness, fidelity, self-control and purity" is superior to a purely contemplative life.

FIVE Ks

The five Ks (panj kakaar) are five articles of faith which all baptized Sikhs (Amritdhari Sikhs) are obliged to wear. The symbols represent the ideals of Sikhism: honesty, equality, fidelity, meditating on God and never bowing to tyranny. The five symbols are:

- Kesh: Uncut hair, usually tied and wrapped in a Dastar

- Kanga: A wooden comb, usually worn under a Dastar

- Katchera: Cotton undergarments, historically appropriate in battle due to increased mobility when compared to a dhoti. Worn by both sexes, the katchera is a symbol of chastity.

- Kara: An iron bracelet, a weapon and a symbol of eternity

- Kirpan: An iron dagger in different sizes. In the UK Sikhs can wear a small dagger, but in the Punjab they might wear a traditional curved sword from one to three feet in length.

MUSIC & INSTRUMENTS

The Sikhs have a number of musical instruments: the rebab, dilruba, taus, jori and sarinda. Playing the sarangi was encouraged in Guru Har Gobind. The rubab was first played by Bhai Mardana as he accompanied Guru Nanak on his journeys. The jori and sarinda were designed by Guru Arjan. The taus was made by Guru Hargobind, who supposedly heard a peacock singing and wanted to create an instrument mimicking its sounds (taus is the Persian word for peacock). The dilruba was made by Guru Gobind Singh at the request of his followers, who wanted a smaller instrument than the taus. After Japji Sahib, all of the shabda in the Guru Granth Sahib were composed as ragas. This type of singing is known as Gurmat Sangeet.

When they marched into battle, the Sikhs would play a Ranjit Nagara (victory drum) to boost morale. Nagaras (usually two to three feet in diameter, although some were up to five feet in diameter) are played with two sticks. The beat of the large drums, and the raising of the Nishan Sahib, meant that the singhs were on their way.

DISTRIBUTION

Numbering about 27 million worldwide, Sikhs make up 0.39 percent of the world population; approximately 83 percent live in India. About 76 percent of all Sikhs live in the north Indian State of Punjab, where they form a majority (about two-thirds) of the population. Substantial communities of Sikhs (more than 200,000) live in the Indian states or union territories of Haryana (more than 1.1 million), Rajasthan, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh Assam and Jammu and Kashmir.

Sikh migration from British India began in earnest during the second half of the 19th century, when the British completed their annexation of the Punjab. The British Raj recruited Sikhs for the Indian Civil Service (particularly the British Indian Army), which led to Sikh migration throughout India and the British Empire. During the Raj, semiskilled Sikh artisans were transported from the Punjab to British East Africa to help build railroads. Sikhs emigrated from India and Pakistan after World War II, most going to the United Kingdom but many to North America. Some Sikhs who had settled in eastern Africa were expelled by Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in 1972. Economics is a major factor in Sikh migration, and significant communities exist in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Malaysia, East Africa, Australia and Thailand.

Although 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. Moliner (2006) wrote that as a consequence of Sikh migration to the UK "becom[ing] virtually impossible since the late 1970s", migration patterns evolved to continental Europe. Italy is a rapidly growing destination for Sikh migration, with Reggio Emilia and Vicenza having significant Sikh population clusters. Italian Sikhs are generally involved in agriculture, agricultural processing, the manufacture of machine tools and horticulture.

Primarily for socio-economic reasons, Indian Sikhs have the lowest adjusted growth rate of any major religious group in India, at 16.9 percent per decade (estimated from 1991 to 2001). Johnson and Barrett (2004) estimate that the global Sikh population increases annually by 392,633 (1.7 percent per year, based on 2004 figures); this percentage includes births, deaths and conversions.

REPRESENTATION

Sikhs have been represented in Indian politics by former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh and the deputy chairman of the Indian Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is also a Sikh. Past Sikh politicians in India include former president Giani Zail Singh, Sardar Swaran Singh (India's first foreign minister), Speaker of Parliament Gurdial Singh Dhillon and former Chief Minister of Punjab Pratap Singh Kairon.

Politicians from the Sikh diaspora include the first Asian American member of the United States Congress, Dalip Singh Saund, British MPs Piara Khabra, Parmjit Dhanda and Paul Uppal, the first couple to sit together in a Commonwealth parliament (Gurmant Grewal and Nina Grewal, who requested a Canadian government apology for the Komagata Maru incident), former Canadian Shadow Social Development Minister Ruby Dhalla, Canadian Minister of State for Sport Baljit Singh Gosal and Legislative Assembly of Ontario members Vic Dhillon and Jagmeet Singh. Ujjal Dosanjh was the New Democratic Party Premier of British Columbia from July 2004 to February 2005, and was later a Liberal frontbench MP in Ottawa. In Malaysia, two Sikhs were elected MPs in the 2008 general elections: Karpal Singh (Bukit Gelugor) and his son, Gobind Singh Deo (Puchong). Two Sikhs were elected assemblymen: Jagdeep Singh Deo (Datuk Keramat) and Keshvinder Singh (Malim Nawar).

Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks in the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, while making up 1.87 percent of the Indian population. The Sikh Regiment is one of the most-decorated regiments in the army, with 73 Battle Honours, 14 Victoria Crosses, 21 first-class Indian Orders of Merit (equivalent to the Victoria Cross), 15 Theatre Honours, five COAS Unit Citations, two Param Vir Chakras, 14 Maha Vir Chakras, five Kirti Chakras, 67 Vir Chakras and 1,596 other awards. The highest-ranking general in the history of the Indian Air Force is a Punjabi Sikh, Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh. Plans by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence for a Sikh infantry regiment were scrapped in June 2007.

Historically, most Indians have been farmers and 66 percent of the Indian population are engaged in agriculture. Indian Sikhs are employed in agriculture to a lesser extent; India's 2001 census found 39 percent of the working population of the Punjab employed in this sector. The success of the 1960s Green Revolution, in which India went from "famine to plenty, from humiliation to dignity", was based in the Punjab (which became known as "the breadbasket of India"). The Punjab is the wealthiest Indian state per capita, with the average Punjabi income three times the national average. The Green Revolution centred on Indian farmers adopting more intensive and mechanised agricultural methods, aided by the electrification of the Punjab, cooperative credit, consolidation of small holdings and the existing, British Raj-developed canal system. According to Swedish political scientist Ishtiaq Ahmad, a factor in the success of the Indian green revolution was the "Sikh cultivator, often the Jat, whose courage, perseverance, spirit of enterprise and muscle prowess proved crucial". However, not all aspects of the green revolution were beneficial. Indian physicist 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.

Punjabi Sikhs are engaged in a number of professions which include science, engineering and medicine. Notable examples are nuclear scientist Piara Singh Gill (who worked on the Manhattan Project), fibre-optics pioneer Narinder Singh Kapany and physicist, science writer and broadcaster Simon Singh.

In business, the UK-based clothing retailers New Look and the Thai-based Jaspal were founded by Sikhs. India's largest pharmaceutical company, Ranbaxy Laboratories, is headed by Sikhs. UK Sikhs have the highest percentage of home ownership (82 percent) of any religious community. UK Sikhs are the second-wealthiest (after the Jewish community) religious group in the UK, with a median total household wealth of £229,000. In Singapore Kartar Singh Thakral expanded his family's trading business, Thakral Holdings, into total assets of almost $1.4 billion and is Singapore's 25th-richest person. Sikh Bob Singh Dhillon is the first Indo-Canadian billionaire. The Sikh diaspora has been most successful in North America, especially in California’s fertile Central Valley. American Sikh farmers such as Harbhajan Singh Samra and Didar Singh Bains dominate California agriculture, with Samra specialising in okra and Bains in peaches.

Sikh intellectuals, sportsmen and artists include writer Khushwant Singh, England cricketer Monty Panesar, former 400m runner Milkha Singh, Indian wrestler and actor Dara Singh, former Indian hockey team captains Ajitpal Singh and Balbir Singh Sr., former Indian cricket captain Bishen Singh Bedi, Harbhajan Singh (India's most successful off spin cricket bowler), Bollywood actress Neetu Singh, Sunny Leone, actors Parminder Nagra, Neha Dhupia, Gul Panag, Mona Singh, Namrata Singh Gujral, Archie Panjabi and director Gurinder Chadha.

Sikhs have migrated worldwide, with a variety of occupations. The Sikh Gurus preached ethnic and social harmony, and Sikhs comprise a number of ethnic groups. Those with over 1,000 members include the Ahluwalia, Arain, Arora, Bhatra, Bairagi, Bania, Basith, Bawaria, Bazigar, Bhabra, Chamar, Chhimba, Darzi, Dhobi, Gujar, Jatt, Jhinwar, Kahar, Kalal, Kamboj, Khatri, Kumhar, Labana, Lohar, Mahtam, Mazhabi, Megh, Mirasi, Mochi, Nai, Rajput, Ramgarhia, Saini, Sarera, Sikligar, Sunar, Sudh, Tarkhan and Zargar.

An order of Punjabi Sikhs, the Nihang or the Akalis, was formed during Ranjit Singh's time. Under their leader, Akali Phula Singh, they won many battles for the Sikh Confederacy during the early 19th century.

IN THE INDIAN & BRITISH ARMIES

Sikhs supported the British during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. By the beginning of World War I, Sikhs in the British Indian Army totaled over 100,000 (20 percent of the force). Until 1945 fourteen Victoria Crosses were awarded to Sikhs, a per-capita regimental record. In 2002 the names of all Sikh VC and George Cross recipients were inscribed on the monument of the Memorial Gates on Constitution Hill, next to Buckingham Palace. Chanan Singh Dhillon was instrumental in campaigning for the memorial.

During World War I, Sikh battalions fought in Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Gallipoli and France. Six battalions of the Sikh Regiment were raised during World War II, serving in the Second Battle of El Alamein, the Burma and Italian campaigns and in Iraq and receiving 27 battle honours. Around the world, Sikhs are commemorated in Commonwealth cemeteries.

In the last two world wars 83,005 turban wearing Sikh soldiers were killed and 109,045 were wounded. They all died or were wounded for the freedom of Britain and the world, and during shell fire, with no other protection but the turban, the symbol of their faith.

—General Sir Frank Messervy

British people are highly indebted and obliged to Sikhs for a long time. I know that within this century we needed their help twice [in two world wars] and they did help us very well. As a result of their timely help, we are today able to live with honour, dignity, and independence. In the war, they fought and died for us, wearing the turbans.

—Sir Winston Churchill

IN THE WEST

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Sikhs began to emigrate to East Africa, the Far East, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. In 1907 the Khalsa Diwan Society was established in Vancouver, and four years later the first gurdwara was established in London. In 1912 the first gurdwara in the United States was founded in Stockton, California.

Since Sikhs (like Middle Eastern men) wear turbans, some in Western countries have been mistaken for Muslim or Arabic men since the September 11 attacks and the Iraq War. Several days after the 9/11 attacks Sikh Balbir Singh Sodhi was murdered by Frank Roque, who thought Sodhi was connected with al-Qaeda. CNN suggested an increase in hate crimes against Sikh men in the United States and the UK after the 9/11 attacks.

Since Sikhism has never actively sought converts, the Sikhs have remained a relatively homogeneous ethnic group. The Kundalini Yoga-based activities of Harbhajan Singh Yogi in his 3HO (Happy, Healthy, Holy) organisation claim to have inspired a moderate growth in non-Indian adherents of Sikhism. In 1998 an estimated 7,800 3HO Sikhs, known colloquially as ‘gora’ (ਗੋਰਾ) or ‘white’ Sikhs, were mainly centred around Española, New Mexico and Los Angeles, California. Sikhs and the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund overturned a 1925 Oregon law banning the wearing of turbans by teachers and government officials.

In an attempt to foster Sikh leaders in the Western world, youth initiatives by a number of organisations have begun. The Sikh Youth Alliance of North America sponsors an annual Sikh Youth Symposium, a public-speaking and debate competition held in gurdwaras throughout the U.S. and Canada.

ART & CULTURE

Sikh art and culture are nearly synonymous with that of the Punjab, and Sikhs are easily recognised by their distinctive turban (Dastar). The Punjab has been called India’s melting pot, due to the confluence of invading cultures (Greek, Mughal and Persian) from the rivers from which the region gets its name. Sikh culture is therefore a synthesis of cultures. Sikhism has forged a unique architecture, which S. S. Bhatti described as "inspired by Guru Nanak’s creative mysticism" and "is a mute harbinger of holistic humanism based on pragmatic spirituality".

During the Mughal and Afghan 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. With the rise of Ranjit Singh and the Sikh Raj in Lahore and Delhi, there was a change in the landscape of art and culture in the Punjab; Hindus and Sikhs could build decorated shrines without the fear of destruction or looting.

The 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. Sikh architecture is characterised by gilded fluted domes, cupolas, kiosks, stone lanterns, ornate balusters and square roofs. A pinnacle of Sikh style is Harmandir Sahib (also known as the Golden Temple) in Amritsar.

Sikh culture is influenced by militaristic motifs (with the Khanda the most obvious), and most Sikh artifacts - except for the relics of the Gurus - have a military theme. This theme is evident in the Sikh festivals of Hola Mohalla and Vaisakhi, which feature marching and displays of valor.

Although 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 which can be described as "political Sikh" has arisen. The art of diaspora Sikhs like Amarjeet Kaur Nandhra and Amrit and Rabindra Kaur Singh (the "Singh Twins") is influenced by their Sikhism and current affairs in the Punjab.

Bhangra and Giddha are two forms of Punjabi folk dancing which have been adapted and pioneered by Sikhs. Punjabi 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").

PAINTING

Sikh painting is a direct offshoot of the Kangra school of painting. In 1810, Ranjeet Singh (1780–1839) occupied Kangra Fort and appointed Sardar Desa Singh Majithia his governor of the Punjab hills. In 1813 the Sikh army occupied Guler State, and Raja Bhup Singh became a vassal of the Sikhs. With 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.

The Sikh school adapted Kangra painting to Sikh needs and ideals. Its main subjects are the ten Sikh gurus and stories from Guru Nanak's Janamsakhis. The tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, left a deep impression on the followers of the new faith because of his courage and sacrifices. Hunting scenes and portraits are also common in Sikh painting.

WIKIPEDIA

Many people in the society are looking for helping hands. Let’s be a hope to them. Amma Nanna Charitable Trust is one among them.

We are joining more orphan children who have no parent’s age group between 3 to 12 years and also joining Widows, Deceived and Separated Women at free of charges only. Our children have been staying with us up to their life settlement that means they will stand with their own bases.

you feel you are also responsible to the society, please, if you come across such people in and around your surroundings, give a hope to them by providing our address and we take care of them with pleasure.

“Please don’t Drink Alcohol and other intoxicates Live a happily and make Peaceful Society”

Everyone should read and write his/her regional language. We don’t try to take any Loans it leads to bitter life. We can live a happily in Kutcha house without loans, and then granite floored building with Loans. Loans make damage peaceful life and leads us misbehavior and corrupt minding nature.

Address of our Free of cost orphanage home Aditya Nagar, Desapathrunipalem, Parawada, Near Steel Plant Quarters Sector-X, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India, and Asia. Cell no. 08886563252

For Orphan children we are providing good education, nutritious food, sports and games, cultural activities, meditation and yoga. We are very particular in teaching them good behavior, how to be responsible to the situations, moral and spiritual values and civic senses which in deed helps in providing a healthy citizen to the society in our Orphanage children home.

For deceived women or widows, we are providing nutritious food, shelter, healthy and spiritual environment, yoga and meditation. We even accept them as the Volunteers with a service motto as we all know “SERVICE TO LIFE IS SERVICE TO GOD”

Do you know depending upon parents and teachers’ behaviors children learn good or bad activities? For example we choose one regional language in particular state, different areas living people speak different stylish the same regional language because it’s their environment effect. So when parents/teachers create good environments to their children doing good things like social, civic, moral, spiritual, cultural, social response, kind, humanity etc… Then children growing such way if not they will grimy.

Now a day’s one in all are thinking about earn billions of billions of rupees whatever job they are doing and give it to their children on heredity properties. Suppose they will give children billions of billions rupees and there will be no moral values, civic senesce, social responsibilities, humanity, social behavior, kindness, social moving with others and also no pure air, water, earth and sky. Can they enjoy in that society? and live happily such wrinkle and blight society, we will give them not only money on heredity but also we learn or grow them good behaviors like cultural, spiritual, social, moral, civics, kind, help, social responsibility etc.. . Money is requiring for live but life is not money. Money may not make life happy but service must be making live happily that should be known one in all.

Our properties just like water level in the well if we use water purposefully the decreased water level in the well filled later. If we don’t use water the level of water remains the same suppose we add more water into the well it looks raise in the water level in movement but after sometime it comes to the original level. If we use water unnecessarily and dry it then we have no water when we want to drink even though our well water will be raised later. So we take a little amount of water and use it towards real needy people. We eat for living and not live for eating man/woman should working until last his/her breathe.

Friends we may not giving as light as the sun but we are giving as light as lamp and try to drive way darkness in the society as able as we can then darkness drive way from the society then we will live peacefully and happily in such society . I hope we make such world! We assure you of our ethical zeal of service to the tender generation born to serve our nation as differently able citizens because “Ability knows no Handicap”.

NEED YOUR SUPPORT

• could you please shake your hands in the humanitarian task and noble cause of raising funds in Aid of the real orphans needy?

• Your support empowers the society with the resources to share responsibility in one of the some common activity with this society as mentioned below:

• Orphan Children Home (50 Boys / Girls)

• Residential Primary School (child Labor /street children)

• Orphan Care Home for HIV infected children

• Mobile Medical Units (3 centers)

• Income Generating Programme (Widows)

Name of the Organization: Amma Nanna Charitable Trust (ACT)

Name of Bank: State Bank of India

SB Account No: 30030634007

IFS code: SBIN0002716

Micro Code: 530002009

Branch: Visakhapatnam

Note: Please visit before give your donations to Orphanages/Voluntary Organizations/Charitable Trust

Please don’t donate anything to Orphanages/Volunteer organizations without your personal visit

Joining in our Orphanage at Free of Cost

We are joining more orphan children who have no parent’s age group between 3 to 12 years and also joining Widows and Separated/Deceived Women who have good character and willing to serve to orphan children as volunteer with their children at free of charges only. Our children have been staying with us up to their life settlement that means they will stand with their own bases.

Please don’t donate anything to orphanages/NGO/Charitable Trusts/Children homes/old age home/volunteer organizations without your personal visit. Most of organizations are making business in the name of charity. So be careful for donate to any

We are not accepting any thing to our orphanage without personal visit before he/she wants donate.

Amma Nanna Charitable Trust (ACT) was started in providing services for noble cause that includes orphanage for children who have no parent’s and also Widows/Separated /Deceived Women at free of cost only. It is a NGO providing non-profit voluntary social services organization orphanage at free charges homes, that includes promoting education to children and counseling for alcohol and other intoxicates. view to serve society, a non-profit and charitable trust, Volunteer NGO’s Services with the name “AMMA NANNA CHARITABLE TRUST (ACT)"established in year 2005 and acquired its registration (as per the Trust Act of A.P., India.) and Reg. 119/2005. And also License by Department for Women, Children, Disabled and Senior Citizen & CID-Police Department and License No. 0330/1/2011, under the leadership as Founder & Secretary Sri Gurubelli. Koteswara Rao M.sc, M.Phil, PGDCPA. And as Chairperson and Managing Trustee Smt Gurubelli Venkata Lakshmi alias Suguna M.A(Socialogy) We are so happy to expedite the meaning of “AMMA NANNA” as "MOTHER FATHER" and the exigency of naming this trust had been arisen in reminiscence of the beloved late parents ( Smt & sri Gurubelli. Ammayamma Ramamurthy) of Sri Gurubelli. Koteswara Rao, founder & secretary of this ministries following on their sympathetic favor, commitment and support launched for the neglected people who were drastically lack of food, clothes and other family problems. We are running this NGO Social Service Volunteer Organization with our own funds without any disparity in caste and creed in INDIA Asia and Boards.

Inmates are all district and states of India, like , 1 Town, 75 Feet Road, 4th Town Police Station 104 Area, Aanadha Ashramam, Abidnagar, Anatha Asram, Achampet , Achanta, Adarshnagar, Addanki, Addateegala, Addatheegala, Addakula, Addurodu, Adilabad, Adivivaram, Adoni , Air port, Aganampudi, Akividu,Akkayyapalem, Akkireddypalem, , Alair, Alamanda, Alampur, Alamuru, Allagadda, Allipuram, Allure, Alur, Amadalavalasa, Amalapuram, Amaravathi, Ambajeepeta,Amarchinta, Amaravathi, Amarevati, Anandapuram, Ananthagiri, Anaparthi, Annavaram, Anaparthy, Andhra Bhumi, Andhra University, Anantapur, Andole ,ANR Appikonda, Asifabad, Asifnagar, Asilmetta, Asheelmetta junction, Araku valley, Arasavalli, Arilova, , Armoor, Atchutapuram, Atmakur,, Attili, A U Campus, IN, Out Gate, Auto Nagar, Avanigadda, Badvel, Bala cheruvu, Balacheruvu Road, Balaji Nagar, Ballajura, Balkonda , Bangalore, Banswada, Bapujinagar, Bapatla,Baruva, Bayyavaram, Berhampur, Bhadrachalam, Bheemili, Bheemunipatnam, Bhimadolu, Bhimavaram, Bhogapuram, Bhongir, BHPV, Bhubaneswar, Bhupesh Nagar, Big Bazaar, Bazar, Birla, , Bimavaram, Boath, Bobbili, Bodhan, Bombay, Bowdara, Borra Caves, BRTS, B.S Layout Cheepurupalli, BSI Standard, Buddhavarapu Gardens, Budithi, Buggaram, Burgampahad, Butchirajupalem, Butchi Sundara Rao Street, Burujupeta, , Burugupudi, , Calcutta, CBM Compound, CBI, Chalakurthy, Challavanipeta, Chanakya Towers, Chandragiri, Chandrayangutta, Chapaluppada, Charminar , Chavulamadam, Chavulamadumu, Cheepurupalli, Chennai, Chennur, Cherial, Chevella , Chilakaluripet, Chilakapalem, China musidivada, chinnamusidivada, Chinnor, Chintalapudi, Chintapalli, krishna Chirala, Chittoor, Chodavaram, Chollangi village,Choppadandi, CMR center, Collectorate, Collectors Office Convent junction, corromendal, Coromandel gate, CDR Hospital, Cuddapah, Cumbum, Dabagarden, Dabagardens, Dagguvanipalem, Dasapalla Hills , Darsi, Dayalapuram, Dayal nagar, Delhi, Denduluru, Devarakonda, devipatnam, Dabhagaden, Dharmavaram, Dhavaleswaram, dhayal nagar, Dolphin, Dhondaparthi, Dhone , Dhorathota, , Diamond Park, Dibbalapalem, Dichpalli, Doctors Colony, Dommat,Dondaparthy, Dorakanagar, Dorathota, Dornakal , Duggirala, Duvvada, Dwaraka Nagar, Dwaraka Tirupati, Dwarapudi, , East Godavari, East Point Colony, Ecchapuram, Elamanchili, Eluru, ENDADA, Enadu, Eenadu, Etcherla, Etikoppaka, Femur, Fishing Harbour, Harbor Approach Road, Gadwal, Gajapathinagaram, Gajwel , Ganavaram Port, Gannavaram, Gangulavari, Gannavaram, Gara, Garividi, Ghanpur, Giddalur, Gumma Lakshmipuram, GL Puram, Gunnies Book, Record, Gnanapuram, Gandhigram, Gokavaram, Golkonda, Gollapalem,Gollavanipalem, Golukonda, Golugonda Gopalapatnam, Gooty, Gopalapuram, Gorantla, Gorllivanipalem, Green Park, Greater Visakhapatnam, , G.S.N. Gullipadu, Gudivada, Gudur, Guntur, Gurazala, Gurudwara, Hanamkonda, Hanuman Junction, Temple, Hanumanthavaka, Hall Mark, Hanumantuvaka, Harichandrapuram, Harischandrapuram, Harishchandrapur, HB colony, Head Post Office, Heccherla, Himayat Nagar, Hindupur, Hiramandalam, HPCL,hukumpeta, Huzurabad, Hyderabad, Ibrahimpatnam, Ichapuram, India, INDIA, Indurthi, Industrial estate, IT, IN, INL Kalinga, Isukathota, iskathota, Jadcherla,Jagadam, Jagadamba centre, Jagamba Theatre, Jail Road, Jaggampeta, Jagarajupeta, Jaggayyapalem, Jaggayyapet, Jaghadham Jagtial, Jalandhar, Jalumuru, Jammalamadugu, Jangaon, Jangareddygudem, Jodugullapalem, ,Jukkal, Kadapa, Kadiri, Kadiyam, Kaikalur, Kaikaluru, Kailashmetta, Kaka Nagar, Kakani Nagar, Kailasagiri, Kailasapuram, Kakinada, Kalaniketan, Kalanikhetan, Kalingapatnam, Kalinganagar, , Kalwakurthy, Kalyandurg, Kamalapur, Kamalapuram, Kamareddy, Kancharapalem, Kandukur, Kanigiri, Kankipadu, Kapuluppada, , Kapu uppada, Kapuluppada, Kantipudi, Kanithi Road, , Karimnagar, Karnal, Karnataka, Karnool, Karunol, Karwan, Kasibugga, Kasimkota, Kattipudi, Kavali, KGH, Khairatabad , Khammam, Khanapur, Kirlampudi, layout, K. Kotapadu, Kobbari Thota, Kodad, Kodangal , Kodumur, Koduru, Koduruand, Koilkuntla , Kolhapur, Kolkata, Kondepi, Koppaka, Korasavada, Kotabommali, Kotananduru, Kotavalasa, Kotaveedhi, , Kothagudem, Kothapet, Kotha Road, Kothavalasa, Kothuru, Kotipalli, Koturu, Kovur, Kovvur,Krishna College, Krantinagar, KRM Colony, Kuchinapudi, Kuppam, Kurupam Market, Kurmanpalem, Kurmam, Kummaripalem, Kurmannapalem , Kurnool, Kusalapuram, Lakkireddipalli, Lalitha Nagar, Lankhilapallem, Lakshminagar, Lankelapalem, Lankilapallem, LB Colony, Leela Mahal, Luxettipet, Macherla, Machilipatnam, Madakasira, Madanpalle, Madapamu, Maddilapalem, Madduru, Madivala, Madhira, Madhavadhara, Madhurawada, Madhya Pradesh, Madugula Reddi, Maharanipeta, Mahbubabad , Mahabubnagar, Mahbubnagar, Maharajgunj , Makthal, Malkapuram, Malakpet, Malleswaram, Mandapeta, Mandavaripeta, , Mangalagiri, Manthani, Marikavalasa Maredumilli, Markapur, Marripalem, Martur , Maruteru, Medak, Medchal, Medivada, Metpalli, Meghadripeta, Meghadri gadda, Meghadrigadda, Midilapuri, Mindi, Mindhi, Miryalguda, MMTC Colony, Mud Hole, Mudhole, Mudinepalli, Mulug, Mumbai, Mulagada, Mummidivaram, Muppidi Colony, Mungode, Murali Nagar, Musheerabad, Nagari , Nagarkurnool , MVP colony, Myadaram, Mydukur, Mylavaram, NAD junction, Nagaram, Naguru, Naiduthota Nakkapalem, Nakkapalli, Nakkavanipalem, Nakrekal, Nalgonda, Nallamada, Nandigama, Nandyal, Narasannapeta, Narasaraopet, Narasimha, Narayankhed , Narasapur, narsapur, Narsampet, Narsipatnam, Narisipatnam, Natavalasa, Nathavaram, Nathayyapalem, Naval Dock, Yard Neelamma Vepaqchettu, Naval Dock Yard Neelamma Vepachettu, Nellimarla, Nellore, Nerella, new Gajuwaka, Nidadavole,nidadhavole, Nidadhavolu, Nidumolu ,Nimmada, Nirmal, Nivagam, Nizamabad, N.R. I NSTL, NTPC, NTPC-Parawada, Nuzvid, Odessa, Old post office, Ongole, Orissa, Paderu, Palacole, Palair, Palakonda, Palakollu, Palamaner, Palasa, Pallavaram, Panchadarla, Panyam, Parawada, Parchur, Parkal, Pargi, Parlakimidi, Parvathipuram, Patapatnam, Pata Polavaram, Pathapatnam, Pattikonda , Payakaraopeta, Pedakurapadu, Peda Peddapalli, Peddipalem, Peddapuram, Pendurthi, pendurthy, Penugonda, Penukonda Pillala Ashramam, Piler, Pithapuram, PM Palem, PNT Colony, Pandurangapuram, Polaki, Polavaram, Ponduru, Ponnur, Poondi, Poorna Market, Porur, Prakasam, Prathipadu, Priya, Proddat, Proddatur, Pudimadaka, Pulivendula, Pundi, Pune, Punganur, purna, Purushothapuram, Purusotapuram, puspatera, Puttur , Pydibheemavaram, Rail Way New Colony, Rajahmundry, Rajam, Rajampet, Raj, Raja Nagar, rajavommangi, Rajolu, Ramachandrapuram, Ramagundam, Rama Nagar, Ramnagar, Ramannapet, Rama Talkies Center, ramatheertham, Ramtherdham, Neusan Bhag,Ramatheertham, ramavaram, Ramayampet, Rambilli, Ramnagar, Rampachodavaram, Rangapuram, Ranastalam, Rangareddy, Ravulapalem, Rayachoty, Rayadurg, Raya Durg, Rayavaram, , Razole, Reddipalli, RegupaduRepalle, Rapur, Regupalem, Revidi, Revit, RK Beach, Rotherham, Rushikonda,rusu konda, Rushukonda, Sabbavaram, Sagar Nagar, Sakhsi, Salur, Sampara , Sanath Nagar, Sangareddy, Santhanuthalapadu , Sarasota, Saraswati Park, Saravakota, Sarvepalli, Sathivada, Sathupalli, Sattenapalli Sastry Road, Satyam centre, Satyavedu, Secunderabad, seetampeta, Seethammadhara, Seethampeta, Shadnagar, Shayampet, Sholur, Shopping Mall, Siddhantam, Siddipet, Simhachalam, Sindhiya, Singanamala, Sircilla , Sirpur, Siripuram, S. Kota, Soluru, Sompeta, Sriharipuram, Srikakulam, Sri Kalahasti, Sri Kalahsti, Srikurmam, Srimukalingam, Srimukhalingam, Srungavarapukota, Steel Plant Quarters Sector, Sujathanagar, Sulurpet, Suryabagh, Surya Bhag, Suryapet, Tadepalligudem, Tadepellegudem, tadepalli gudum, Tadikonda, Tadipatri, Tagarapuvalasa, , Tallapalem, Talarevu, Tallarevu, Tamil nadu, Tandur, Tanuku , Tekkali, Tenali, Thamballapalle, Thatichetlapalem, Therlam, Thotapalli, Tilaru, Tikkavanipalem, Timaru, Tirumala, Tirupati, Tiruvuru, Tuni, Tungaturthi, UDA Park, Udda Udayagiri, Ukkumpeta, Ukkunagaram, Undi, Unguturu, Universal records, Uravakonda, Ushodaya Colony, Uttarahalli, Uttarapalli, Vada cheepurupalli, Vadacheepurapalli, Vaddadi, Vanukuru, Vartha, varthaa, Vayalpad, Vellanki, Vemur, Venkatagiri , Venkojipalem, Velampeta, Vepada, Vepagunta, Vepanjeri , Vijayawada, Vikarabad, Vinukonda, Visakhapatnam, Visakha Valley, Vitanthula ashramam, Vizag, Vizianagaram, Vrudhula ashramam Vuyyuru, Waltair, Wanaparthy, Warangal, Wardhannapet, West Godavari World Record, Yalamanchili, Yakutpura, Yeleswaram, Yellandu, Yellareddy, Yellavaram, Yemmiganur, Yendada, Y junction, Zahirabad, Zoo Park center, and other state of India.

Guntur District Macherla , Veldurthi , Narasaraopeta, Rentacrintala , Bollapalle , Rompicherla , Gurazala , Nakarikallu , Ipur Dachepalle, Muppalla , Savalyapuram , Machavaram , Phirangipuram , Vinukonda , Bellamkonda , Medikonduru , Nuzendla , Achampeta , Guntur , Chilakaluripet , Krosuru , Pedakakani , Pedanandipadu , Amaravathi , Duggirala , Kakumanu, Thullur , Kollipara , Ponnur , Thadepalle , Kollur , Amruthalur , Mangalagiri , Vemuru , Cherukupalle , Tadikonda , Tenali , Bhattiprolu , Pedakurapadu , Tsundur , Repalle , ,Sattenapalle , Chebrole , Nagaram , Rajupalem , Vatticherukuru , Nizampatnam , Piduguralla , Prathipadu , Pittalavanipalem , Karempudi , Edlapadu , Karlapalem , Durgi , Nadendla , Bapatla. Narasaraopet, Rentachintala, Bollapalli, Nekarikallu, Jaipur, Thadepalli, Cherukupalli Chebrolu, Georgia

Krishna District Vijayawada A.Konduru, Agiripalli, Avanigadda, Bantumilli, Bapulapadu, Challapalli, Chandralapadu, Chatrai, Gampalogudem, Gannavaram, G. Konduru, Ghantasala, Guduru, Gudivada, Gudlavalleru, Ibrahimpatnam, Jaggayyapeta, Kaikalur, Kalidindi , Kanchikacherla , Kankipadu, Koduru , Kruthivennu, Mailavaram , Machilipatam, Mandavalli , Movva , Mopidevi , Mudinepalle , Musunuru , Nagayalanka , Nandigama , Nandivada, Nuzvid , Pamidimukkala , Pedana, Pamarru, Pedaparupudi , Penuganchiprolu , Penamaluru , Reddigudem , Tiruvuru , Thotlavalluru , Unguturu, Vatsavai, Vissannapeta, Vuyyuru, Veerullapadu , Chandarlapadu, Gampalagudem, benz circle, ring road, Machilipatnam, gunadala matha , kondapalli , gollapalli , Telaprolu.

Srikakulam District Veeraghattam , Bhamini , Vangara , Kothuru , Regidiamadala Valasa , Hiramandalam , Rajam , Sarubujjili , Ganguvari Singadam , Amadalavalasa , Laveru , Srikakulam , Ranastalam , Gara , Hetcherla , Polaki , Ponduru , Narasannapeta , Santhakaviti , Jalumuru , Burja , Saravakota, Palakonda , Pathapatnam , Seethampeta , Meliaputti, Kotabommali , Santha Bommali , Nandigam , Vajrapu Kothuru , Palasa , Mandasa , Sompeta , Kanchili , Kaviti , Tekkali, Ichchapuram , Regidi amadalaValasa ,Santhabommali.

Vizianagaram District Komarada , Ramabhadrapuram , Gummalakshmipuram , Badangi , Kurupam , Therlam , Jiyyammavalasa , Merakamudidam , Garugubilli , Dattirajeru , Parvathipuram , Mentada , Makkuva , Gajapathinagaram , Seethanagaram , Bondapalle , Balajipeta , Gurla , Bobbili , Garividi , Salur , Cheepurupalle , Pachipenta , Nellimarla , Bhoghapuram , Denkada , Vizianagaram , Gantyada , Srungavarapukota , Vepada , Lakkavarapukota , Jami , Kothavalasa, Pusapatirega, Colorado, Thermal Bondapalli.

Visakhapatnam District Munchingiputtu, Nathavaram , Pedagantyada , Pedabayalu , Narsipatnam , Paravada , Hukumpetau , Rolugunta , Anakapalli , Dumbriguda , Ravikamatham , Munagapaka , Arakuvalley , Butchayyapeta , Kasimkota , Ananthagiri , Chodavaram , Makavarapalem, Devarapalle , K Kotapadu, Kotauratla , Cheedikada , Sabbavaram , Payakaraopeta , Madugula , Pendurthi , Nakkapalli , Paderu , Anandapuram , S. Rayavaram , Gangaraju Madugula , Padmanabham , Yelamanchili , Chintapalle , Bheemunipatnam , Rambilli , Gudemkothaveedhi , Visakhapatnam , Atchutapuram, Koyyuru , Visakhapatnam urban, rural, Golugonda , Gajuwaka . Munching Puttu, Devarapalli , Gudem Kotha Veedhi.

East Godavari District Maredumilli , Pithapuram , Kapileswarapuram , Y Ramavaram , Kothapalle , Alamuru , Addateegala , Kakinada, Atreyapuram , Rajavommangi , Ravula Palem , Kotananduru , Samalkota , Pamarru , Tuni , Rangampeta , Kothapeta , Thondangi , Gandepalle , P Gannavaram , Gollaprolu , Rajanagaram , Ambajipeta , Sankhavaram , Rajahmundry, Ainavilli , Prathipadu , Mummidivaram , Yeleswaram , Kadiam , I.Polavaram , Gangavaram , Mandapeta , Katrenikona, Rampachodavaram , Anaparthy , Uppalaguptam , Devipatnam , Biccavolu , Amalapuram , Seethanagaram , Pedapudi , Allavaram , Korukonda , Karapa , Mamidikuduru , Gokavaram , Thallarevu , Razole , Jaggampeta , Kajuluru , Malikipuram , Kirlampudi , Ramachandrapuram , Sakhinetipalle, Peddapuram , Rayavaram , sankavaram, Samalkot, Kothapet , Gandepalli , Sakhinetipalli, samrlakota.

West Godavari District Jeelugumilli , Nidadavole , Undi , Buttayagudem , Tadepalligudem , Akiveedu , Polavaram , Unguturu , Kalla , Thallapudi , Bhimadole , Bheemavaram , Gopalapuram , Pedavegi , Palakoderu , Koyyalagudem , Pedapadu , Veeravasaram , Jangareddigudem , Eluru , Penumantra , T.Narasapuram , Denduluru , Penugonda , Chintalapudi , Nidamarru , Achanta , Lingapalem , Ganapavaram , Poduru , Kamavarapukota , Pentapadu , Palacole , Dwarakatirumala , Tanuku , Yelamanchili , Nallajerla , Undrajavaram , Narasapuram , Devarapalle , Peravali , Mogalthur Chagallu , Iragavaram , Kovvur , Attili . Tallapudi, Bhimavaram, Palakol, chebrolu Dwaraka Tirumala, Devarapalli.

Khammam District Cherla , Yellandu , Enkuru , Pinapaka , Singareni , Konijerla , Gundala , Bayyaram , Khammam Urban , Manuguru ,Garla , Khammam Rural , Aswapuram , Kamepalle , Thirumalayapalem , Dummugudem , Julurpad , Kusumanchi , Bhadrachalam , Chandrugonda , Nelakondapalle , Kunavaram , Mulakalapalle ,Mudigonda , Chintur , Aswaraopeta , Chinthakani , Vararamachandrapuram , Dammapeta , Wyra , Velairpad , Sathupalle , Bonakal , Kukunoor , Vemsoor , Madhira , Burgampadu , Penuballi , Yerrupalem, Palawancha, Wazeed , Kothagudem , Kalluru , Venkatapuram , Tekulapalle , Thallada . Cherla , Nakuru , Uganda , Kamepalli , Nelakondapalli ,Mulakalapalli Va Ramachandrapuram , Palvancha , Tekulapally.

Prakasam District Yerragondapalem , Martur , Veligandla , Pullalacheruvu , Parchur , Pedacherlopalle , Tripuranthakam , Karamchedu , Ponnaluru , Kurichedu , Chirala , Kondapi , Donakonda , Vetapalem , Santhanuthlapadu , Pedaaraveedu , Inkollu , Ongole , Dornala , Janakavaram, Panguluru , Naguluppalapadu , Ardhaveedu , Korisapadu , Chinaganjam , Markapur , Maddipadu , Kothapatnam , Tarlapadu , Chimakurthi , Tangutur , Konakanamitla , Marripudi , Zarugumilli , Podili , Kanigiri , Kandukur , Darsi , Hanumanthunipadu , Voletivaripalem , Mundlamuru , Bestavaripeta , Pamur , Thallur , Cumbum , Lingasamudram , Addanki , Racherla , Gudluru , Ballikuruva , Giddaluru , Ulavapadu , Santhamaguluru , Komarolu , Singarayakonda , Yeddanapudi , Chadrasekara, Puram . Peda Cherlopalli, Peddaraveedu, Tarlupadu, Chimakurthy, Jarugumilli, Ballikurava, Chandrasekara.

Sri Potti Sri Ramulu Nellore District Seetharamapuram, Kodavalur , Sydapuram , Varikuntapadu , Butchireddipalem , Dakkili , Kondapuram , Sangam , Venkatagiri , Jaladanki , Chejerla , Balayapalle , Kavali , Ananthasagaram , Ojili , Bogole , Kaluvoya , Chillakur , Kaligiri , Rapur , Kota , Vinjamur , Podlakur , Vakadu , Duttalur , Nellore , Chittamur , Udayagiri , Kovur , Naidupeta , Marripadu , Indukurpet , Pellakur , Atmakur , Thotapalligudur , Doravarisatram , Anumasamudrampeta , Muthukur , Sullurpeta , Dagadarthi , Venkatachalam , Tada , Allur , Manubolu , Vidavalur , Gudur Buchireddypalem, Balayapalli , Podalakur , Thotapalli Gudur ,Anamasamudrampeta , Allure .

Dr. Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy Cuddapah District Muddanur, Vempalle , Kondapuram , Simhadripuram , Chaknayapet , Mylavaram , Lingala , Lakkireddipalle , Peddamudium , Pulivendla , Ramapuram , Raju Palem , Vemula , Veeraballe , Duvvur , Thandur , Rajampet , S Mydukur , Veerapunayunipalle , Nandalur , Brahmamgarimattam , Yerraguntla , Penagaluru , B Kodur , Kamalapuram , Chitvel , Kalasapadu , Vallur , Kodur , Porumamilla , Chennur , Obulavaripalle , Badvel , Atlur , Pullampeta , Gopavaram , Vontimitta , T.Sundupalle , Khajipet , Sidhout , Sambepalle , Chapad , Chinnamandem , Proddutur , Chintha Kommadinne , Rayachoti , Jammalamadugu , Pendlimarri , Galiveedu Vempalli , Chakrayapet , Pulivendula , Tandur , Veerapunayuni Palli , Penagalur , Obulavaripalli , Atlanta , Pullampet , T.Sundupalli , Kazipet, Sambepalli, Proddatur.

Chittoor District Peddamandyam , K V P Puram , Nagari , Thamballapalle , Narayanavanam , Karvetinagar , Mulakalacheruvu , Vadamalapeta , Srirangaraja Puram , Peddathippa Samudram , Tirupati Rural , Palasamudram , B.Kothakota , Kammapalle , Gangadhara Nellore , Kurabalakota , Chandragiri , Penumuru , Gurramkonda , Chinnagottigallu , Puthalapattu , Kalakada , Rompicherla , Irala , Kambhamvaripalle , Pileru , Thavanampalle , Yerravaripalem , Kalikiri ,Chittoor , Tirupati Urban , Vayalpad , Gudipala , Renigunta , Nimmanapalle , Yadamari , Yerpedu , Mandopalle , Bangarupalem , Srikalahasti , Ramasamudram , Palamaner , Thottambedu , Punganur , Gangavaram , Buchinaidu Khandriga , Chowdepalle , Pedda Panjani , Varadaiahpalem , Somala , Baireddi Palle , Satyavedu , Sodam , Venkatagiri Kota , Nagalapuram , Pulicherla , Ramakuppam , Pichatur , Pakala , Santhi Puram , Vijaya Puram , Veduru Kuppam , Gudi Palle , Nindra , Puttur , Kuppam K V B Puram , Sri Rangaraja Puram , Pedda Thippa , Kammapalli , Kambham Vari Palli , Piler , Madanapalle , Madanapalle, Bangarupalem , Srikalahasti , Kandireega , Peddapanjani , Somalia , Baireddipalle ,Sathyavedu , Sodom, Santhipuram , Vijayapuram , Vedurukuppam , Gudipalle , Nidra.

Ananthapur District D.Hirchal , Kunurpi , Gandlapenta , Bommanahal , Kalyandurg , Kadiri , Vidapanakal , Atmakur , Amadagur , Vajrakarur , Anantapur , Obuladevaracheruvu , Guntakal , Bukkarayasamudram , Nallamada , Gooty , Narpala , Gorantla , Peddavadugur , Putlur , Puttaparthi , Yadiki , Yellanur , Bukkapatnam , Tadpatri , Tadimarri , Kothacheruvu , Peddapappur , Bathalapalle , Penu Konda , Singanamala , Raptadu , Roddam , Pamidi , Kanaganapalle , Somandepalle , Garladinne , Kambadur , Chilamathur , Kudair , Ramagiri , Lepakshi , Uravakonda , Chenne Kothapalle , Hindupur , Beluguppa , Dharmavaram , Parigi , Kanekal , Mudigubba , Madakasira , Rayadurg , Talupula , Gudibanda , Gummagatta , Nambulipulikunta , Amarapuram , Brahmasamudram , Tanakal , Agali , Settur , Nallacheruvu , Rolla D.Hirehal, Kundurpi , Bommanahalli , Bathalapalli , Penukonda , Kanaganapalli , Sattur.

Kurnool District Kowthalam , Kodumur , Rudravaram , Kosigi , Gonegandla , Allagadda , Mantralayam , Yemmiganur , Chagalamarri , Nandavaram , Pedda Kadalur , Uyyalawada , C.Belagal , Adoni , Dornipadu , Gudur , Holagunda , Gospadu , Kurnool , Alur , Koilkuntla , Nandi Kotkur , Aspari , Banaganapalle , Pagidyala , Devanakonda , Sanjamala , Kothapalle , Krishnagiri , Kolimigundla , Atmakur , Veldurthi , Owk , Srisailam , Bethamcherla , Peapally , Velgode , Panyam , Dhone , Pamulapadu , Gadivemula , Tuggali , Jupadu Bungalow , Bandi Atmakur , Pattikanda , Midthur , Nandyal , Maddikera East , Orvakal , Mahanandi , Chippagiri , Kallur , Sirvel , Halaharvi . Nandikotkur, Banaganapalli, Dhoni, Jupadu Bunglow, Silver.

Mahabubnagar District Kodangal , Jadcherla , Amrabad , Bomraspeta , Bhoothpur , Balmoor , Kosgi , Mahbubnagar , Lingal , Doulatabad , Addakal , Peddakothapalle , Damaragidda , Devarkadara , Kodair , Maddur , Dhanwada , Gopalpeta , Koilkonda , Narayanpet , Wanaparthy , Hanwada , Utkoor , Pangal , Nawabpet , Maganoor , Pebbair , Balanagar , Makthal , Gadwal , Kondurg , Narva , Dharur , Farooqnagar , Chinna Chinta Kunta , Maldakal , Kothur , Atmakur , Ghattu , Keshampeta , Kothakota , Aiza , Talakondapalle , Peddamandadi , Waddepalle , Amangal , Ghanpur , Itikyal , Madgul , Bijinapalle , Manopadu , Vangoor , Nagar Kurnool , Alampur , Veldanda , Tadoor , Veepangandla , Kalwakurthy , Telkapalle , Kollapur , Midjil , Uppununthala , Thimmajipeta , Achampeta . Daulatabad, Tandoor, Telkapally, Kolhapur, Thimmajipet.

Rangareddy District Marpalle ,Hayathnagar , Gandeed , Mominpet , Saroornagar , Kulkacharla , Nawabpet , Rajendranagar , Pargi , Shankarpalle , Moinabad , Pudur , Malkajgiri , Chevella , Shabad , Serilingampalle , Vikarabad , Shamshabad , Quthbullapur , Dharur , Maheswaram , Medchal , Bantaram , Ibrahimpatam , Shamirpet ,Peddemul , Manchal , Balanagar , Tandur , Yacharam , Keesara , Basheerabad , Kandukur , Ghatkesar , Yelal , Uppal , Doma . Shankarpalli, puduraya, Serilingampally, Maheshwaram, Yell.

Nalgonda District Bommalaramaram , Chityala , Thripuraram , M Turkapalle , Narketpalle , Miryalaguda , Rajapet , Kattangoor , Garide Palle , Yadagirigutta , Nakrekal , Chilkur , Alair , Kethepalle , Kodad , Gundala , Suryapet , Mellachervu , Thirumalagiri , Chivvemla , Huzurnagar , Thunga Thurthi , Mothey , Mattampalle , Nuthankal , Nadigudem , Nered Cherla , Atmakur (S) , Munagala , Dameracherla , Jaji Reddi Gudem , Penpahad , Anumula , Saligouraram , Vemulapalle , Peddavura , Mothkur , Thipparthi , Pedda Adiserlapalle , Atmakur (M) , Nalgonda , Gurrampode , Valigonda , Munugode , Nampalle , Bhuvanagiri , Narayanapur , Chintha Palle , Bibinagar , Marri Guda , Devarakonda , Pochampalle , Chandur , Gundla Palle , Choutuppal , Kangal , Chandam Pet , Ramannapeta , Nidamanur . Tripuraram , M Turkapally , Narketpally , Kethepally , Uganda , Mellacheruvu , Tirumalagiri , Chivemla ,Thoonga , Mattampally, Need Cherla , Damaracherla , Shaligouraram , Vemulapalli ,Peddavura , Narayanpur , Chintapalli , Marriguda , Pochampally , Gundlapalli ,Chandampet , Ramannapet.

Medak District Manoor , Siddipet , Kohir , Kangti , Chinna Kodur , Munpalle , Kalher , Nanganur , Pulkal , Narayankhed , Kondapak , Sadasivpet , Regode , Jagdevpur , Kondapur ,Shankarampet (A) , Gajwel , Sangareddy , Alladurg , Doultabad , Patancheru , Tekmal , Chegunta , Ramachandrapuram , Papannapet , Yeldurthy , Jinnaram , Kulcharam , Kowdipalle , Hathnoora , Medak , Andole , Narsapur , Shankarampet (R) , Raikode , Shivampet , Ramayampet , Nyalkal , Tupran , Dubbak , Jharasangam , Wargal , Mirdoddi , Zahirabad , Mulug . Manoor, Munipalle, Nanganallur, Daulatabad, Veldurthy, Kowdipally, Toopran, to Oprah

Warangal District Cheriyal , Thorrur , Duggondi , Maddur , Nellikudur , Geesugonda , Narmetta , Narsimhulapet , Atmakur , Bachannapeta , Maripeda , Shayampet , Jangaon , Dornakal , Parkal , Lingala Ghanpur , Kuravi , Regonda , Raghunatha Palle , Mahabubabad , Mogullapalle , Ghanpur(Stn) , Kesamudram , Chityal , Dharmasagar , Nekkonda , Bhupalpalle , Hasanparthy , Gudur , Ghanapur , Hanamkonda , Kothagudem , Mulug , Wardhannapet , Khanapur , Venkatapur , Zaffergadh , Govindaraopet , Palakurthi , Chennaraopet , Tadvai , Devaruppula , Parvathagiri , Eturnagaram , Kodakandla , Sangam , Mangapet , Raiparthy , Nallabelly , Warangal Cherial, Cheryl, Bachannapet, Kuruvi, Mogullapally, Bhupalpally, Ghanpur.

Karimnagar District Ibrahimpatnam , Jagtial , Vemulawada , Mallapur , Medipalle , Konaraopeta , Raikal , Koratla , Yella Reddi Peta , Sarangapur , Metpalle , Gambhiraopet , Dharmapuri , Kathlapur , Mustabad , Velgatoor , Chandurthi , Sirsilla , Ramagundam , Kodimial , Ellanthakunta , Kamanpur , Gangadhara , Bejjanki , Manthani , Mallial , Thimmapur , Kataram , Pegadapalle , Kesavapatnam , Mahadevpur , Choppadandi , Huzurabad , Mutharam , Mahadevpur , Sultanabad , Kamalapur , Malharrao , Odela , Elkathurthi , Mutharam Manthani , Jammikunta , Saidapur , Srirampur , Veenavanka , Chigurumamidi , Peddapalle , Manakondur , Koheda , Julapalle , Karimnagar , Husnabad , Dharmaram , Ramadugu , Bheemadevarpalle , Gollapalle , Boinpalle Medipally , Konaraopet , Korutla , Yellareddy Peta , Sarangpur , ,Metpally , Kathalapur , Pegadapally , Elkathurthy , Shrirampur , Peddapalli , Julapalli , , Bheemadevarapally, Bowenpally.

Nizamabad District Ranjal , Yeda Palle , Sadasivanagar , Navipet , Bodhan , Gandhari , Nandipet , Kotgiri , Banswada , Armur , Madnur , Pitlam , Balkonda , Jukkal , Nizamsagar , Mortad , Bichkunda , Yellareddy , Kammar , Palle , Birkoor , Naga Reddipet , Bheemgal , Varni , Lingampet , Velpur , Dichpalle , Tadwai , Jakranpalle , Dhar Palle , Kamareddy , Makloor , Sirkonda , Bhiknur , Nizamabad , Machareddy , Domakonda . Sadashivanagar, Kotagiri, Armour, Pelle, Naga Reddit, Dichpally, Jakranpally, Sirikonda

Adilabad District Talamadugu , Lohesra , Tiryani , Tamsi , Dilawarpur , Asifabad , Adilabad , Nirmal , Wankdi , Jainad , Laxmanchanda , Kagaz Nagar , Bela , Mamda , Rebbana , Narnoor , Khanpur , Tandur , Inderavelly , Kaddampeddur , Bellampalle , Gudihatnur , Utnur , Nennal , Ichoda , Jainoor , Bheemini , Bazarhathnoor , Kerameri , Sirpur (T) , Boath , Sirpur (U) , Kouthala , Neradigonda , Jannaram , Bejjur , Sarangapur , Dandepalle , Dahegaon , Kuntala , Luxettipet , Vemanpalle , Kubeer , Mancherial , Kotapalle , Bhainsa , Mandamarri , Chennur , Tanur , Kasipet , Jaipur , Mudhole Lohara, Tampa , Kagaznagar , Bella , Kaddam Peddur , Gudihathnoor , Bheemili, boathouse , Sarangpur , Vempalli , Kazipet.

Hyderabad, Secendrabad kukatpally , tank bund , hussain sagar , birla mandir ,himayat nagar , begumpet, shamshabad, charminar, golconda , banjara hills ,stadhampton , khairabadi , yousufguda, patancheru,Musheerabad , Ameerpet ,Khairatabad , Bandlaguda, Amberpet , Secunderabad, Charminar , Asifnagar , Himayathnagar ,Tirumalagiri , Golconda , Saidabad , Maredalle,shaikpet ,nampally ,bahadurpura , Maryland .cyderabad, jubili hills, kazipally, bollaram, bachupally, swarnapuri, miyapur, kompally,thumkunta, hakimpet, ramachandra puram, vishwambhar enclave, bala nagar, serilingampally, sri ram nagar, gachibowli, madhapur, secretarial, tolichowki, gandipet, raghuram nagar, bharat nagar, budvel, rajendra nagar, bakaram, kothwalguda, ahmadpur, kavadiguda, asthma, jeedimetla, balaji nagar, alwal, yapral, dammaiguda, sainikpuri, kapra, sakthi nagar, asrao nagar, moulali, bowenpally, ramanthapur, pizza, saroor nagar, falaknuma, vansathi puram, hanuman nagar, brindavan colony, nadergul, indira reddy, rallaguda, gollapally, new hafeezpet, trimulgherry, safilguda, yellareddyguda, musheerabad, taj residency, hill font, apollo hospital, afzalgunj, tadbund, bahadurgarh, sri raghavendra, aradhana, marredpally, zaheerabad, film nagar, mehdipatnam, imperial, esi, kanchanbagh, yeddumailaram, manikonda, chandrayangutta, janwada, chilkur, bakaram, sacoor nagar, deshmukhi, doolapally, amberpet, dilsukhnagar, karwan, gosha mahal, bahadurpura,

Bombay Dilli, Dehli, Kolkata, Kalikata, Kalkutta, Bengaloru, engaluru, Bangalur, Madras, Chennapattanam, Ahmadâbâd, Ahmadabad, Amdabad, Ahmedabad , Haidarabad, Haidarabad, Haiderabad, Hyderabad, Haider-Abad Poona, Pune, Kanpur, Kanpur, Cawnpore, Khanpur, sorat, Surat, Jeypore, Lakhnau Lucknow, Nagpur, Thana, Calcutta, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Pune, Surat, Jaipur, Vadodara, Indore, Patna, Madurai, Bhopal, Ludhiana, Coimbatore, Varanasi, Visakhapatnam, Agra, Mumbai.

Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradeshm Itangar, Itanagar, Assam, Dispur, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Raipur, Goa, Panaji, Gujaratm Gandhinagar, Haryana, Chandigarhm Himachal Pradesh, Shimla, Jammu and Kashmir, Srinagar, Jharkhand, Ranchi, Karnataka, Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, Trivandrum, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Imphal, Meghalaya, Shillong, Mizoram, Aizawi, Nagaland, Kohima, Orissa, Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneshwar, Punjab, Rajasthan, Jaipur, Sikkim, Gangtok, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Agartala, Uttaranchal, West Bengal, Kolkata, Dehradun, Uttar Pradesh, Dada and Nagar Haveli, Silvassa, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Port Blair, Daman and Diu, Lakshadeep, Kavaratti, Yanam, Pondicherry. Asia, USA, America, Washington, Belgium, New York, United States of America, United Kingdom, Columbia, Bangkok, Australia, Switzerland, Mexico, France, Sweden, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Poland, Denmark, France, London, New Zealand, Spain. Indonesia, Brazil, Nigeria, Russia, Philippines, Ethiopia, Vietnam, Egypt, Turkey, Iran, Thailand, Burma, South Africa, Algeria,

Winter nesting

Eurasian coot (Fulica atra)

The Hyderabad Metro is a rapid transit system, serving the city of Hyderabad, Telangana, India. It is in Secant Operational model. It is being implemented entirely on public-private partnership (PPP) basis, with the state government holding a minority equity stake. A 30 km stretch from Miyapur to Nagole, having 24 stations was inaugurated on 28 November 2017 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. No other rapid transit metro service in India opened for public operations on such a long stretch of 30 km. As of October 2018, it is the second longest operational metro network in India after the Delhi Metro, after a 16 km stretch between Ameerpet-LB Nagar Metro route was opened on 24 September 2018. It is estimated to cost ₹18,800 crore (US$2.6 billion). As of October 2018, about 200,000 people use the Metro per day. Trains are now crowded during the morning and evening hours, when employees travel to and from work. A ladies only coach was introduced on all the trains from 7 May 2018.

HISTORY

To respond the rising public transport needs and mitigate escalating vehicular traffic in the twin-cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad, the State Government and the South Central Railway jointly launched the Multi Modal Transport System (MMTS) in [August] 2003. The increase in population of Hyderabad made MMTS alone insufficient for public transport, which led to Union Ministry of Urban Development giving the nod for the Hyderabad Metro Rail Project and directed the DMRC to conduct a survey on the project.[ this project was seen necessary in view that the population of Hyderabad was forecasted to reach 13.6 million by the year 2021. According to the initial plan, the metro was to be connected with the already existing MMTS to provide commuters with alternate modes of transport. Simultaneously, the proposals for taking up the construction of MMTS Phase-II were also taken forward.

On March 26, 2018, Telangana Govt announced that it would set up a SPV "Hyderabad Airport Metro Limited (HAML)", jointly promoted by HMRL and HMDA, to extend the Blue line from Raidurg to Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Shamshabad.

INITIAL BIDDING

The bidding process was completed by July 2008 and awarded to Maytas which failed to achieve financial closure for the project as per schedule By March 2009. In July 2009, the State Government cancelled the contract and called for fresh bids for the project.

RE-BIDDING

In the July-2010 rebidding process, Larsen & Toubro (L&T) emerged as the lowest bidder for the ₹121.32 billion (US$1.7 billion) project. L&T came forward to take up the work for about ₹14.58 billion (US$200 million) as viability gap funding as against the sanctioned ₹48.53 billion (US$680 million).

MASCOT

The mascot of Hyderabad Metro Rail is Niz. It was derived from the word Nizam, who ruled the princely state of Hyderabad.

AWARDS AND NOMINATIONS

HMR project was showcased as one of the top 100 strategic global infrastructure projects at the Global Infrastructure Leadership Forum held in New York during February–March 2013.

L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad Limited (LTMRHL) has been conferred the SAP ACE Award 2015 in the 'Strategic HR and Talent Management category.

In 2018, Rasoolpura, Paradise and Prakash Nagar metro stations were awarded Indian Green Building Council’s (IGBC) Green MRTS Platinum Award.

CONSTRUCTION HISTORY

Groundbreaking (Bhoomi Puja) for the project was conducted on 26 April 2012 the concessionaire started the pillar erection on the same day for Stage-I and on 6 June 2012 for Stage-II. The work for Corridor 2 has been delayed due to traders in Koti and Sultan Bazar demanding realignment of the route to safeguard traders and old age heritage markets. If the recent bill proposed in Parliament which allows construction within a 100 metre radius of heritage structures and sites of historical or archaeological importance is passed, Metro might receive a chance as it helps to connect the Old city with IT corridor.

The construction of the entire 71.16 km has been split into 6 stages with the first stage originally scheduled to be completed by March 2015.

In November 2013, L&T Hyderabad Metro started laying of rails on the metro viaduct between Nagole and Mettuguda, a stretch of 8 km.

The first highly sophisticated train of the Hyderabad Metro Rail (HMR) came from Korea during the third week of May 2014. Stringent trial runs commenced from June 2014 till February 2015. The trial runs started on the Miyapur to Sanjeeva Reddy Nagar stretch in October 2015.

CMRS inspection for Stage-II (Miyapur and S.R.Nagar Section) was done on 9, 10 August 2016. Three interchanges are planned at Mahatma Gandhi Bus Terminus, Parade Grounds and Ameerpet.

The steel bridge of the HMR was successfully placed over the Oliphant bridge in August 2017.

In November 2017, Commissioner of Railway Safety (CMRS) granted safety approval for 12 km stretch from Miyapur to SR Nagar, 10 km stretch from SR Nagar to Mettuguda and 8 km stretch from Nagole to Mettuguda.

Ameerpet-LB Nagar Metro stretch is open for commercial operations from 24 September 2018.

CONSTRUCTION PHASES

The construction work was undertaken in two phases. There are six stages of completion in Phase I

PHASE I

The Phase I of the project includes 3 lines covering a distance of around 72 km. The metro rail stretches between Nagole and Secunderabad 11 km originally scheduled to be operational by December 2015, is now partially operational since 29 November 2017. The entire 72 km 57-station first phase is due to be completed by December 2019 with Hitec City - Raidurg line and MGBS - Falaknuma line is scheduled to be completed by December 2019.

Line 1 - Red Line - Miyapur – L B Nagar - 29.2 km

Line 2 - Green Line - JBS - Falaknuma 15 km

Line 3 - Blue Line - Nagole – Raidurg - 28 km

PHASE II

The Government is planning second phase of metro rail extending further. The construction of Phase II will be taken up solely by the state government, instead of public private partnership (PPP) mode in Phase I. Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) was entrusted to give a detailed project report (DPR) for Phase II. Metro Rail Phase II expansion plan is for about 60 km, which includes providing link to Shamshabad RGI Airport.

LINES

Since the first version of the plans, the three corridors mostly remained the same, but minor changes were introduced. These include the lack of stop at Lalaguda, or a stop at Lakdikapul instead of Secretariat. Also, the lines have been marked with several different combination of color. Ameerpet- LB Nagar metro stretch opened on 24 September 2018. HiTec City to Raidurg, 1.5-kilometre stretch on Corridor Three - Nagole to Raidurg, is scheduled to be completed in November 2019, as it involves construction of 49 pillars and the Raidurg terminal station. Efforts are being made to complete the 8.5-km stretch from Ameerpet to HiTec City by December 2018.

RECEPTION

The Metro has opened to overwhelming response, with over 200,000 people using it on Day 1. On the first Sunday of operations, the Metro was used by 240,000 people.. As of September 2018, the daily ridership was about 2,00,000.

Trains are initially being operated at a frequency of 3.5 minutes in very peak hours and every 6.5 minutes in peak hours (between Miyapur-Ameerpet) and 6.5 minutes in peak hours (between Ameerpet-Nagole),, though maximum achievable frequency is every 90 seconds. Similarly, three-car trains are being used currently, though it is planned to use six-car trains in the future.

In December 2017, Hyderabad Metro Rail launched its mobile app, TSavaari. Hyderabad Metro timings are available on T-Savari app. Ola Cabs and Uber tied up its services with app.

COST

The initial official estimated cost of the 72 km long Metro project stood at ₹14,132 crore (US$2.0 billion). The Central Government decided to bear 10% of it, while L&T was to bear the remaining 90% of the cost. The construction work which was supposed to commence on 3 March 2011 commenced in 2012. In March 2012, the cost of the project was revised upwards to ₹15,957 crore (US$2.2 billion). This has been further revised upwards to ₹18,800 crore (US$2.6 billion) (as of November 2017).

INFRASTRUCTURE

The 71.3 km standard-gauge network will feature ballastless track throughout and will be electrified at 25kV ac 50 Hz. An operations control centre and depot are constructed at Uppal. At some places, a flyover, underpass and metro has been constructed at the same place, as part of Strategic road development plan (SRDP).

CBTC TECHNOLOGY

At the end of 2012, L&T Metro Rail awarded Thales a Rs 7.4bn ($US 134m) contract to provide CBTC and integrated telecommunications and supervision systems on all three lines. Thales will supply its SelTrac CBTC technology, and trains will initially run in automatic train operation mode with minimum headways of 90 seconds, although the system will support eventual migration to unattended train operation (UTO).

ROLLING STOCK

On 12 September 2012, Larsen and Toubro Metro Rail Hyderabad Ltd (LTMRHL) announced that it has awarded tender for supply of rolling stock to Hyundai Rotem. The ₹18 billion (US$250 million) tender is for 57 trains consisting of 171 cars which will be delivered in phases at least 9 months before the commencement of each stage. On 2 October 2013, LTMRHL unveiled its train car for Hyderabad Metro. A model coach which is half the size of the actual coach, was on public display at Necklace Road on the banks of Hussain Sagar in the heart of Hyderabad. The trains will be 3.2m wide and 4m high. There will be 4 doors on each side of each coach.

On 10 April 2014, the first metro train for HMR rolled out of Hyundai Rotem factory at Changwon in South Korea and reached Hyderabad in May 2014. On 31 December 2014, Hyderabad Metro Rail successfully conducted a training run in Automatic Train Operation (ATO) mode for the first time between Nagole and Mettuguda.

TICKETING

The L&T Hyderabad project will have an automated ticketing system with features such as contactless smart card based ticketing, slim automatic gates, payment by cash and credit/debit card, passenger operated ticket vending machine and provision of common ticketing system. It will also have a provision of NFC-based technology to enable usage of mobile phones as fare media and high performance machine to avoid long queues. Samsung Data Systems India, a subsidiary of South Korean firm Samsung, has been awarded the automatic fare collection system package for the L&T metro rail project. The package involves design, manufacture, supply, installation, testing and commissioning of the system.

Official ticket prices were announced on 25 November 2017. The base fare is ₹10 for up to 2 km and going to slap 10 with ₹60 for more than 26 km.

STATIONS

Hyderabad metro will have 64 stations in phase I. They will be provided with amenities such as escalators and elevators to reach the stations, announcement boards, electronic display systems among others for passengers. Commercial will also be provided on stations. Hyderabad metro stations will also have service roads underneath them to provide last mile connectivity by allowing other public transportation systems use it for dropping/picking passengers right in front of the stations and ensure uninterrupted traffic. Currently the service lane works are currently on at Nagole and Uppal stations. The signboards of Hyderabad Metro are displayed in Telugu, English, Hindi and Urdu at metro stations.

Otis Elevator Company of United States won the contract to supply and maintain 670 elevators.

In May 2018, L&T Metro Rail announced that it had signed a contract with Powergrid Corporation of India to install electric vehicle charging facilities at all metro stations beginning with Miyapur and Dr. B R Ambedkar Balanagar stations. L&THMRL has setup free wifi access units for commuters at Miyapur, Ameerpet and Nagole metro stations, in association with ACT Fibernet, as part of a pilot project.

WIKIPEDIA

A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism, a monotheistic religion which originated during the 15th century in the Punjab region. The term "Sikh" has its origin in the Sanskrit words शिष्य (śiṣya; disciple, student) or शिक्ष (śikṣa; instruction). A Sikh is a disciple of a guru. According to Article I of the Sikh Rehat Maryada (the Sikh code of conduct), a Sikh is "any human being who faithfully believes in One Immortal Being; ten Gurus, from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh; Guru Granth Sahib; the teachings of the ten Gurus and the baptism bequeathed by the tenth Guru". "Sikh" properly refers to adherents of Sikhism as a religion, not an ethnic group. However, because Sikhs often share strong ethno-religious ties, many countries, such as the U.K., recognize Sikh as a designated ethnicity on their censuses. The American non-profit organization United Sikhs has fought to have Sikh included on the U.S. census as well, arguing that Sikhs "self-identify as an 'ethnic minority'" and believe "that they are more than just a religion".

Male Sikhs usually have "Singh" (Lion), and female Sikhs have "Kaur" (Princess) as their middle or last name. Sikhs who have undergone the khanḍe-kī-pahul (the Sikh initiation ceremony) may also be recognized by the five Ks: uncut hair (kesh); an iron or steel bracelet (kara); a kirpan (a sword tucked into a gatra strap); kachehra, a cotton undergarment, and kanga, a small wooden comb. Baptized male Sikhs must cover their hair with a turban, which is optional for baptized female Sikhs. The greater Punjab region is the historic homeland of the Sikhs, although significant communities exist around the world.

HISTORY

Sikh political history may be said to begin with the death of the fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjan Dev, in 1606. Guru Nanak was a religious leader and social reformer in the 15th-century Punjab. Religious practices were formalized by Guru Gobind Singh on 30 March 1699. Singh baptized five people from a variety of social backgrounds, known as the Panj Piare (the five beloved ones) to form the Khalsa, or collective body of initiated Sikhs. Sikhism has generally had amicable relations with other religions, except for the period of Mughal rule in India (1556–1707). Several Sikh gurus were killed by the Mughals for opposing their persecution of minority religious communities including Sikhs. Sikhs subsequently militarized to oppose Mughal rule. The emergence of the Sikh Confederacy under Ranjit Singh was characterized by religious tolerance and pluralism, with Christians, Muslims and Hindus in positions of power. The confederacy is considered the zenith of political Sikhism, encompassing Kashmir, Ladakh and Peshawar. Hari Singh Nalwa, the commander-in-chief of the Sikh army in the North West Frontier, expanded the confederacy to the Khyber Pass. Its secular administration implemented military, economic and governmental reforms. The months leading up to the partition of India in 1947 were marked by conflict in the Punjab between Sikhs and Muslims. This caused the religious migration of Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus from West Punjab, mirroring a similar religious migration of Punjabi Muslims from East Punjab.

The 1960s saw growing animosity between Sikhs and Hindus in India, with the Sikhs demanding the creation of a Punjab state on a linguistic basis similar to other states in India. This was promised to Sikh leader Master Tara Singh by Jawaharlal Nehru, in return for Sikh political support during negotiations for Indian independence. Although the Sikhs obtained the Punjab, they lost Hindi-speaking areas to Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan. Chandigarh was made a union territory and the capital of Haryana and Punjab on 1 November 1966.

Tensions arose again during the late 1970s, fueled by Sikh claims of discrimination and marginalisation by the Hindu-dominated Indian National Congress party and tactics adopted by the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

According to Katherine Frank, Indira Gandhi's assumption of emergency powers in 1975 resulted in the weakening of the "legitimate and impartial machinery of government", and her increasing "paranoia" about opposing political groups led her to institute a "despotic policy of playing castes, religions and political groups against each other for political advantage". Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale articulated Sikh demands for justice, and this triggered violence in the Punjab. The prime minister's 1984 defeat of Bhindranwale led to an attack on the Golden Temple in Operation Blue Star and to her assassination by her Sikh bodyguards. Gandhi's assassination resulted in an explosion of violence against Sikh communities and the killing of thousands of Sikhs throughout India. Khushwant Singh described the riots as a Sikh pogrom; he "felt like a refugee in my country. In fact, I felt like a Jew in Nazi Germany". Since 1984, relations between Sikhs and Hindus have moved toward a rapprochement aided by economic prosperity. However, a 2002 claim by the Hindu right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) that "Sikhs are Hindus" disturbed Sikh sensibilities. The Khalistan movement campaigns for justice for the victims of the violence, and for the political and economic needs of the Punjab.

In 1996, United Nations Commission on Human Rights Freedom of Religion or Belief Special Rapporteur Abdelfattah Amor (Tunisia, 1993–2004) visited India to report on religious discrimination. The following year Amor concluded, "In India it appears that the situation of the Sikhs in the religious field is satisfactory, but that difficulties are arising in the political (foreign interference, terrorism, etc.), economic (in particular with regard to sharing of water supplies) and even occupational fields. Information received from nongovernment (sic) sources indicates that discrimination does exist in certain sectors of the public administration; examples include the decline in the number of Sikhs in the police force and the military, and the absence of Sikhs in personal bodyguard units since the murder of Indira Gandhi".

Although Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks of the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, they make up 1.87 percent of the Indian population.

During the 1999 Vaisakhi, Sikhs worldwide celebrated the 300th anniversary of the creation of the Khalsa. Canada Post honoured Sikh Canadians with a commemorative stamp in conjunction with the 300th anniversary of Vaisakhi. On April 9, 1999, Indian president K.R. Narayanan issued a stamp commemorating the 300th anniversary of the Khalsa.

DEFINITION

According to Guru Granth Sahib:

One who calls himself 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, the Sikh is to bathe, and cleanse himself in the pool of nectar. Following the Instructions of the Guru, the Sikh is to chant the Name of the Lord, Har. All sins, misdeeds and negativity shall be erased. Then, at the rising of the sun, the Sikh is to sing Gurbani; whether sitting down or standing up, the Sikh is to meditate on the Lord's Name. One who meditates on my Lord, Har, with every breath and every morsel of food – 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.

Simran of the Lord's name is a recurring theme of Guru Granth Sahib, and Sukhmani Sahib were composed to allow a devotee to recite Nam throughout the day. Rising at Amrit Velā (before sunrise) is a common Sikh practice. Sikhism considers the spiritual and secular lives to be intertwined: "In the Sikh Weltanschauung ... the temporal world is part of the Infinite and partakes of its characteristics." According to Guru Nanak, living an "active, creative, and practical life" of "truthfulness, fidelity, self-control and purity" is superior to a purely contemplative life.

FIVE Ks

The five Ks (panj kakaar) are five articles of faith which all baptized Sikhs (Amritdhari Sikhs) are obliged to wear. The symbols represent the ideals of Sikhism: honesty, equality, fidelity, meditating on God and never bowing to tyranny. The five symbols are:

- Kesh: Uncut hair, usually tied and wrapped in a Dastar

- Kanga: A wooden comb, usually worn under a Dastar

- Katchera: Cotton undergarments, historically appropriate in battle due to increased mobility when compared to a dhoti. Worn by both sexes, the katchera is a symbol of chastity.

- Kara: An iron bracelet, a weapon and a symbol of eternity

- Kirpan: An iron dagger in different sizes. In the UK Sikhs can wear a small dagger, but in the Punjab they might wear a traditional curved sword from one to three feet in length.

MUSIC & INSTRUMENTS

The Sikhs have a number of musical instruments: the rebab, dilruba, taus, jori and sarinda. Playing the sarangi was encouraged in Guru Har Gobind. The rubab was first played by Bhai Mardana as he accompanied Guru Nanak on his journeys. The jori and sarinda were designed by Guru Arjan. The taus was made by Guru Hargobind, who supposedly heard a peacock singing and wanted to create an instrument mimicking its sounds (taus is the Persian word for peacock). The dilruba was made by Guru Gobind Singh at the request of his followers, who wanted a smaller instrument than the taus. After Japji Sahib, all of the shabda in the Guru Granth Sahib were composed as ragas. This type of singing is known as Gurmat Sangeet.

When they marched into battle, the Sikhs would play a Ranjit Nagara (victory drum) to boost morale. Nagaras (usually two to three feet in diameter, although some were up to five feet in diameter) are played with two sticks. The beat of the large drums, and the raising of the Nishan Sahib, meant that the singhs were on their way.

DISTRIBUTION

Numbering about 27 million worldwide, Sikhs make up 0.39 percent of the world population; approximately 83 percent live in India. About 76 percent of all Sikhs live in the north Indian State of Punjab, where they form a majority (about two-thirds) of the population. Substantial communities of Sikhs (more than 200,000) live in the Indian states or union territories of Haryana (more than 1.1 million), Rajasthan, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh Assam and Jammu and Kashmir.

Sikh migration from British India began in earnest during the second half of the 19th century, when the British completed their annexation of the Punjab. The British Raj recruited Sikhs for the Indian Civil Service (particularly the British Indian Army), which led to Sikh migration throughout India and the British Empire. During the Raj, semiskilled Sikh artisans were transported from the Punjab to British East Africa to help build railroads. Sikhs emigrated from India and Pakistan after World War II, most going to the United Kingdom but many to North America. Some Sikhs who had settled in eastern Africa were expelled by Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in 1972. Economics is a major factor in Sikh migration, and significant communities exist in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Malaysia, East Africa, Australia and Thailand.

Although 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. Moliner (2006) wrote that as a consequence of Sikh migration to the UK "becom[ing] virtually impossible since the late 1970s", migration patterns evolved to continental Europe. Italy is a rapidly growing destination for Sikh migration, with Reggio Emilia and Vicenza having significant Sikh population clusters. Italian Sikhs are generally involved in agriculture, agricultural processing, the manufacture of machine tools and horticulture.

Primarily for socio-economic reasons, Indian Sikhs have the lowest adjusted growth rate of any major religious group in India, at 16.9 percent per decade (estimated from 1991 to 2001). Johnson and Barrett (2004) estimate that the global Sikh population increases annually by 392,633 (1.7 percent per year, based on 2004 figures); this percentage includes births, deaths and conversions.

REPRESENTATION

Sikhs have been represented in Indian politics by former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh and the deputy chairman of the Indian Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is also a Sikh. Past Sikh politicians in India include former president Giani Zail Singh, Sardar Swaran Singh (India's first foreign minister), Speaker of Parliament Gurdial Singh Dhillon and former Chief Minister of Punjab Pratap Singh Kairon.

Politicians from the Sikh diaspora include the first Asian American member of the United States Congress, Dalip Singh Saund, British MPs Piara Khabra, Parmjit Dhanda and Paul Uppal, the first couple to sit together in a Commonwealth parliament (Gurmant Grewal and Nina Grewal, who requested a Canadian government apology for the Komagata Maru incident), former Canadian Shadow Social Development Minister Ruby Dhalla, Canadian Minister of State for Sport Baljit Singh Gosal and Legislative Assembly of Ontario members Vic Dhillon and Jagmeet Singh. Ujjal Dosanjh was the New Democratic Party Premier of British Columbia from July 2004 to February 2005, and was later a Liberal frontbench MP in Ottawa. In Malaysia, two Sikhs were elected MPs in the 2008 general elections: Karpal Singh (Bukit Gelugor) and his son, Gobind Singh Deo (Puchong). Two Sikhs were elected assemblymen: Jagdeep Singh Deo (Datuk Keramat) and Keshvinder Singh (Malim Nawar).

Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks in the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, while making up 1.87 percent of the Indian population. The Sikh Regiment is one of the most-decorated regiments in the army, with 73 Battle Honours, 14 Victoria Crosses, 21 first-class Indian Orders of Merit (equivalent to the Victoria Cross), 15 Theatre Honours, five COAS Unit Citations, two Param Vir Chakras, 14 Maha Vir Chakras, five Kirti Chakras, 67 Vir Chakras and 1,596 other awards. The highest-ranking general in the history of the Indian Air Force is a Punjabi Sikh, Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh. Plans by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence for a Sikh infantry regiment were scrapped in June 2007.

Historically, most Indians have been farmers and 66 percent of the Indian population are engaged in agriculture. Indian Sikhs are employed in agriculture to a lesser extent; India's 2001 census found 39 percent of the working population of the Punjab employed in this sector. The success of the 1960s Green Revolution, in which India went from "famine to plenty, from humiliation to dignity", was based in the Punjab (which became known as "the breadbasket of India"). The Punjab is the wealthiest Indian state per capita, with the average Punjabi income three times the national average. The Green Revolution centred on Indian farmers adopting more intensive and mechanised agricultural methods, aided by the electrification of the Punjab, cooperative credit, consolidation of small holdings and the existing, British Raj-developed canal system. According to Swedish political scientist Ishtiaq Ahmad, a factor in the success of the Indian green revolution was the "Sikh cultivator, often the Jat, whose courage, perseverance, spirit of enterprise and muscle prowess proved crucial". However, not all aspects of the green revolution were beneficial. Indian physicist 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.

Punjabi Sikhs are engaged in a number of professions which include science, engineering and medicine. Notable examples are nuclear scientist Piara Singh Gill (who worked on the Manhattan Project), fibre-optics pioneer Narinder Singh Kapany and physicist, science writer and broadcaster Simon Singh.

In business, the UK-based clothing retailers New Look and the Thai-based Jaspal were founded by Sikhs. India's largest pharmaceutical company, Ranbaxy Laboratories, is headed by Sikhs. UK Sikhs have the highest percentage of home ownership (82 percent) of any religious community. UK Sikhs are the second-wealthiest (after the Jewish community) religious group in the UK, with a median total household wealth of £229,000. In Singapore Kartar Singh Thakral expanded his family's trading business, Thakral Holdings, into total assets of almost $1.4 billion and is Singapore's 25th-richest person. Sikh Bob Singh Dhillon is the first Indo-Canadian billionaire. The Sikh diaspora has been most successful in North America, especially in California’s fertile Central Valley. American Sikh farmers such as Harbhajan Singh Samra and Didar Singh Bains dominate California agriculture, with Samra specialising in okra and Bains in peaches.

Sikh intellectuals, sportsmen and artists include writer Khushwant Singh, England cricketer Monty Panesar, former 400m runner Milkha Singh, Indian wrestler and actor Dara Singh, former Indian hockey team captains Ajitpal Singh and Balbir Singh Sr., former Indian cricket captain Bishen Singh Bedi, Harbhajan Singh (India's most successful off spin cricket bowler), Bollywood actress Neetu Singh, Sunny Leone, actors Parminder Nagra, Neha Dhupia, Gul Panag, Mona Singh, Namrata Singh Gujral, Archie Panjabi and director Gurinder Chadha.

Sikhs have migrated worldwide, with a variety of occupations. The Sikh Gurus preached ethnic and social harmony, and Sikhs comprise a number of ethnic groups. Those with over 1,000 members include the Ahluwalia, Arain, Arora, Bhatra, Bairagi, Bania, Basith, Bawaria, Bazigar, Bhabra, Chamar, Chhimba, Darzi, Dhobi, Gujar, Jatt, Jhinwar, Kahar, Kalal, Kamboj, Khatri, Kumhar, Labana, Lohar, Mahtam, Mazhabi, Megh, Mirasi, Mochi, Nai, Rajput, Ramgarhia, Saini, Sarera, Sikligar, Sunar, Sudh, Tarkhan and Zargar.

An order of Punjabi Sikhs, the Nihang or the Akalis, was formed during Ranjit Singh's time. Under their leader, Akali Phula Singh, they won many battles for the Sikh Confederacy during the early 19th century.

IN THE INDIAN & BRITISH ARMIES

Sikhs supported the British during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. By the beginning of World War I, Sikhs in the British Indian Army totaled over 100,000 (20 percent of the force). Until 1945 fourteen Victoria Crosses were awarded to Sikhs, a per-capita regimental record. In 2002 the names of all Sikh VC and George Cross recipients were inscribed on the monument of the Memorial Gates on Constitution Hill, next to Buckingham Palace. Chanan Singh Dhillon was instrumental in campaigning for the memorial.

During World War I, Sikh battalions fought in Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Gallipoli and France. Six battalions of the Sikh Regiment were raised during World War II, serving in the Second Battle of El Alamein, the Burma and Italian campaigns and in Iraq and receiving 27 battle honours. Around the world, Sikhs are commemorated in Commonwealth cemeteries.

In the last two world wars 83,005 turban wearing Sikh soldiers were killed and 109,045 were wounded. They all died or were wounded for the freedom of Britain and the world, and during shell fire, with no other protection but the turban, the symbol of their faith.

—General Sir Frank Messervy

British people are highly indebted and obliged to Sikhs for a long time. I know that within this century we needed their help twice [in two world wars] and they did help us very well. As a result of their timely help, we are today able to live with honour, dignity, and independence. In the war, they fought and died for us, wearing the turbans.

—Sir Winston Churchill

IN THE WEST

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Sikhs began to emigrate to East Africa, the Far East, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. In 1907 the Khalsa Diwan Society was established in Vancouver, and four years later the first gurdwara was established in London. In 1912 the first gurdwara in the United States was founded in Stockton, California.

Since Sikhs (like Middle Eastern men) wear turbans, some in Western countries have been mistaken for Muslim or Arabic men since the September 11 attacks and the Iraq War. Several days after the 9/11 attacks Sikh Balbir Singh Sodhi was murdered by Frank Roque, who thought Sodhi was connected with al-Qaeda. CNN suggested an increase in hate crimes against Sikh men in the United States and the UK after the 9/11 attacks.

Since Sikhism has never actively sought converts, the Sikhs have remained a relatively homogeneous ethnic group. The Kundalini Yoga-based activities of Harbhajan Singh Yogi in his 3HO (Happy, Healthy, Holy) organisation claim to have inspired a moderate growth in non-Indian adherents of Sikhism. In 1998 an estimated 7,800 3HO Sikhs, known colloquially as ‘gora’ (ਗੋਰਾ) or ‘white’ Sikhs, were mainly centred around Española, New Mexico and Los Angeles, California. Sikhs and the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund overturned a 1925 Oregon law banning the wearing of turbans by teachers and government officials.

In an attempt to foster Sikh leaders in the Western world, youth initiatives by a number of organisations have begun. The Sikh Youth Alliance of North America sponsors an annual Sikh Youth Symposium, a public-speaking and debate competition held in gurdwaras throughout the U.S. and Canada.

ART & CULTURE

Sikh art and culture are nearly synonymous with that of the Punjab, and Sikhs are easily recognised by their distinctive turban (Dastar). The Punjab has been called India’s melting pot, due to the confluence of invading cultures (Greek, Mughal and Persian) from the rivers from which the region gets its name. Sikh culture is therefore a synthesis of cultures. Sikhism has forged a unique architecture, which S. S. Bhatti described as "inspired by Guru Nanak’s creative mysticism" and "is a mute harbinger of holistic humanism based on pragmatic spirituality".

During the Mughal and Afghan 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. With the rise of Ranjit Singh and the Sikh Raj in Lahore and Delhi, there was a change in the landscape of art and culture in the Punjab; Hindus and Sikhs could build decorated shrines without the fear of destruction or looting.

The 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. Sikh architecture is characterised by gilded fluted domes, cupolas, kiosks, stone lanterns, ornate balusters and square roofs. A pinnacle of Sikh style is Harmandir Sahib (also known as the Golden Temple) in Amritsar.

Sikh culture is influenced by militaristic motifs (with the Khanda the most obvious), and most Sikh artifacts - except for the relics of the Gurus - have a military theme. This theme is evident in the Sikh festivals of Hola Mohalla and Vaisakhi, which feature marching and displays of valor.

Although 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 which can be described as "political Sikh" has arisen. The art of diaspora Sikhs like Amarjeet Kaur Nandhra and Amrit and Rabindra Kaur Singh (the "Singh Twins") is influenced by their Sikhism and current affairs in the Punjab.

Bhangra and Giddha are two forms of Punjabi folk dancing which have been adapted and pioneered by Sikhs. Punjabi 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").

PAINTING

Sikh painting is a direct offshoot of the Kangra school of painting. In 1810, Ranjeet Singh (1780–1839) occupied Kangra Fort and appointed Sardar Desa Singh Majithia his governor of the Punjab hills. In 1813 the Sikh army occupied Guler State, and Raja Bhup Singh became a vassal of the Sikhs. With 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.

The Sikh school adapted Kangra painting to Sikh needs and ideals. Its main subjects are the ten Sikh gurus and stories from Guru Nanak's Janamsakhis. The tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, left a deep impression on the followers of the new faith because of his courage and sacrifices. Hunting scenes and portraits are also common in Sikh painting.

WIKIPEDIA

Many people in the society are looking for helping hands. Let’s be a hope to them. Amma Nanna Charitable Trust is one among them.

We are joining more orphan children who have no parent’s age group between 3 to 12 years and also joining Widows, Deceived and Separated Women at free of charges only. Our children have been staying with us up to their life settlement that means they will stand with their own bases.

you feel you are also responsible to the society, please, if you come across such people in and around your surroundings, give a hope to them by providing our address and we take care of them with pleasure.

“Please don’t Drink Alcohol and other intoxicates Live a happily and make Peaceful Society”

Everyone should read and write his/her regional language. We don’t try to take any Loans it leads to bitter life. We can live a happily in Kutcha house without loans, and then granite floored building with Loans. Loans make damage peaceful life and leads us misbehavior and corrupt minding nature.

Address of our Free of cost orphanage home Aditya Nagar, Desapathrunipalem, Parawada, Near Steel Plant Quarters Sector-X, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India, and Asia. Cell no. 08886563252

For Orphan children we are providing good education, nutritious food, sports and games, cultural activities, meditation and yoga. We are very particular in teaching them good behavior, how to be responsible to the situations, moral and spiritual values and civic senses which in deed helps in providing a healthy citizen to the society in our Orphanage children home.

For deceived women or widows, we are providing nutritious food, shelter, healthy and spiritual environment, yoga and meditation. We even accept them as the Volunteers with a service motto as we all know “SERVICE TO LIFE IS SERVICE TO GOD”

Do you know depending upon parents and teachers’ behaviors children learn good or bad activities? For example we choose one regional language in particular state, different areas living people speak different stylish the same regional language because it’s their environment effect. So when parents/teachers create good environments to their children doing good things like social, civic, moral, spiritual, cultural, social response, kind, humanity etc… Then children growing such way if not they will grimy.

Now a day’s one in all are thinking about earn billions of billions of rupees whatever job they are doing and give it to their children on heredity properties. Suppose they will give children billions of billions rupees and there will be no moral values, civic senescence, social responsibilities, humanity, social behavior, kindness, social moving with others and also no pure air, water, earth and sky. Can they enjoy in that society? and live happily such wrinkle and blight society, we will give them not only money on heredity but also we learn or grow them good behaviors like cultural, spiritual, social, moral, civics, kind, help, social responsibility etc.. . Money is requiring for live but life is not money. Money may not make life happy but service must be making live happily that should be known one in all.

Our properties just like water level in the well if we use water purposefully the decreased water level in the well filled later. If we don’t use water the level of water remains the same suppose we add more water into the well it looks raise in the water level in movement but after sometime it comes to the original level. If we use water unnecessarily and dry it then we have no water when we want to drink even though our well water will be raised later. So we take a little amount of water and use it towards real needy people. We eat for living and not live for eating man/woman should working until last his/her breathe.

Friends we may not giving as light as the sun but we are giving as light as lamp and try to drive way darkness in the society as able as we can then darkness drive way from the society then we will live peacefully and happily in such society . I hope we make such world! We assure you of our ethical zeal of service to the tender generation born to serve our nation as differently able citizens because “Ability knows no Handicap”.

Amma Nanna Charitable Trust (ACT) was started in providing services for noble cause that includes orphanage for children who have no parent’s and also Widows/Separated /Deceived Women at free of cost only. It is a NGO providing non-profit voluntary social services organization orphanage at free charges homes, that includes promoting education to children and counseling for alcohol and other intoxicates. view to serve society, a non-profit and charitable trust, Volunteer NGO’s Services with the name “AMMA NANNA CHARITABLE TRUST (ACT)"established in year 2005 and acquired its registration (as per the Trust Act of A.P., India.) and Reg. 119/2005. And also License by Department for Women, Children, Disabled and Senior Citizen & CID-Police Department and License No. 0330/1/2011, under the leadership as Founder & Secretary Sri Gurubelli. Koteswara Rao M.sc., M.Phil., PGDCPA., And as Chairperson and Managing Trustee Smt Gurubelli Venkatalakssmy M.A (Sociology) We are so happy to expedite the meaning of “AMMA NANNA” as "MOTHER FATHER" and the exigency of naming this trust had been arisen in reminiscence of the beloved late parents ( Smt & sri Gurubelli. Ammayamma Ramamurthy) of Sri Gurubelli. Koteswara Rao, founder & secretary of this ministries following on their sympathetic favor, commitment and support launched for the neglected people who were drastically lack of food, clothes and other family problems. We are running this NGO Social Service Volunteer Organization with our own funds without any disparity in caste and creed in INDIA, Asia and Boards.

We are meeting this running cost from the profit of Indhu Plaza (Electrical, Hardware, Sanitary and Plywood) at Desapathrunipalem, Near Steel Plant Quarters Sector-X, Visakhapatnam which is maintained by our Chairperson and Managing Trustee Smt G. Suguna

NEED YOUR SUPPORT

• Could you please shake your hands in the humanitarian task and noble cause of raising funds in Aid of the real orphans needy?

• Your support empowers the society with the resources to share responsibility in one of the some common activity with this society as mentioned below:

• Orphan Children Home (50 Boys / Girls)

• Residential Primary School (child Labor /street children)

• Orphan Care Home for HIV infected children

• Mobile Medical Units (3 centers)

• Income Generating Programme (Widows)

Name of the Organization: Amma Nanna Charitable Trust (ACT)

Name of Bank: State Bank of India

SB Account No: 30030634007

IFS code: SBIN0002716

Micro Code: 530002009

Place: Visakhapatnam

Note: Please visit before give your donations to Orphanages/Voluntary Organizations/Charitable Trust

Please don’t donate anything to Orphanages/Volunteer organizations without your personal visit

Joining in our Orphanage at Free of Cost

We are joining more orphan children who have no parent’s age group between 3 to 12 years and also joining Widows and Separated/Deceived Women who have good character and willing to serve to orphan children as volunteer with their children at free of charges only. Our children have been staying with us up to their life settlement that means they will stand with their own bases.

Please don’t donate anything to orphanages/NGO/Charitable Trusts/Children homes/old age home/volunteer organizations without your personal visit. Most of organizations are making business in the name of charity. So be careful for donate to any

We are not accepting any thing to our orphanage without personal visit before he/she wants donate.

Inmates are all district and states of India, like , 1 Town, 75 Feet Road, 4th Town Police Station 104 Area, Aanadha Ashramam, Abidnagar, Anatha Asram, Achampet , Achanta, Adarshnagar, Addanki, Addateegala, Addatheegala, Addakula, Addurodu, Adilabad, Adivivaram, Adoni , Air port, Aganampudi, Akividu,Akkayyapalem, Akkireddypalem, , Alair, Alamanda, Alampur, Alamuru, Allagadda, Allipuram, Allure, Alur, Amadalavalasa, Amalapuram, Amaravathi, Ambajeepeta,Amarchinta, Amaravathi, Amarevati, Anandapuram, Ananthagiri, Anaparthi, Annavaram, Anaparthy, Andhra Bhumi, Andhra University, Anantapur, Andole ,ANR Appikonda, Asifabad, Asifnagar, Asilmetta, Asheelmetta junction, Araku valley, Arasavalli, Arilova, , Armoor, Atchutapuram, Atmakur Attili, A U Campus, IN, Out Gate, Auto Nagar, Avanigadda, Badvel, Bala cheruvu, Balacheruvu Road, Balaji Nagar, Ballajura Balkonda , Bangalore, Banswada, Bapujinagar, Bapatla, Baruva, Bayyavaram, Berhampur, Bhadrachalam, Bheemili, Bheemunipatnam, Bhimadolu Bhimavaram, Bhogapuram, Bhongir, BHPV, Bhubaneswar, Bhupesh Nagar, Big Bazaar, Bazar, Birla, , Bimavaram, Boath, Bobbili, Bodhan, Bombay, Bowdara, Borra Caves, BRTS, B.S Layout Cheepurupalli, BSI Standard, Buddhavarapu Gardens, Budithi, Buggaram, Burgampahad, Butchirajupalem, Butchi Sundara Rao Street, Burujupeta, , Burugupudi, , Calcutta, CBM Compound, CBI, Chalakurthy, Challavanipeta, Chanakya Towers, Chandragiri, Chandrayangutta, Chapaluppada, Charminar , Chavulamadam, Chavulamadumu, Cheepurupalli, Chennai, Chennur, Cherial, Chevella , Chilakaluripet, Chilakapalem, China musidivada, chinnamusidivada, Chinnor, Chintalapudi, Chintapalli, krishna Chirala, Chittoor, Chodavaram Chollangi village, Choppadandi, CMR center, Collectorate, Collectors Office Convent junction, corromendal, Coromandel gate, CDR Hospital, Cuddapah, Cumbum, Dabagarden, Dabagardens, Dagguvanipalem, Dasapalla Hills , Darsi, Dayalapuram, Dayal nagar, Delhi, Denduluru, Devarakonda, devipatnam, Dabhagaden, Dharmavaram, Dhavaleswaram, dhayal nagar, Dolphin, Dhondaparthi, Dhone , Dhorathota, , Diamond Park, Dibbalapalem, Dichpalli, Doctors Colony, Dommat,Dondaparthy, Dorakanagar, Dorathota, Dornakal , Duggirala, Duvvada, Dwaraka Nagar, Dwaraka Tirupati, Dwarapudi, , East Godavari, East Point Colony, Ecchapuram, Elamanchili, Eluru, ENDADA, Enadu, Eenadu, Etcherla, Etikoppaka, Femur, Fishing Harbour, Harbor Approach Road, Gadwal, Gajapathinagaram, Gajwel , Ganavaram Port, Gannavaram, Gangulavari, Gannavaram, Gara, Garividi, Ghanpur, Giddalur, Gumma Lakshmipuram, GL Puram, Gunnies Book, Record, Gnanapuram, Gandhigram Gokavaram Golkonda, Gollapalem,Gollavanipalem, Golukonda, Golugonda Gopalapatnam, Gooty, Gopalapuram, Gorantla, Gorllivanipalem, Green Park, Greater Visakhapatnam, , G.S.N. Gullipadu, Gudivada, Gudur, Guntur, Gurazala, Gurudwara, Hanamkonda, Hanuman Junction, Temple, Hanumanthavaka, Hall Mark, Hanumantuvaka, Harichandrapuram, Harischandrapuram, Harishchandrapur, HB colony, Head Post Office, Heccherla, Himayat Nagar, Hindupur Hiramandalam, HPCL, hukumpeta, Huzurabad, Hyderabad, Ibrahimpatnam, Ichapuram, India, INDIA, Indurthi, Industrial estate, IT, IN, INL Kalinga, Isukathota, iskathota, Jadcherla,Jagadam, Jagadamba centre, Jagamba Theatre, Jail Road, Jaggampeta, Jagarajupeta, Jaggayyapalem, Jaggayyapet, Jaghadham Jagtial, Jalandhar, Jalumuru, Jammalamadugu, Jangaon, Jangareddygudem, Jodugullapalem, Jukkal, Kadapa, Kadiri, Kadiyam, Kaikalur, Kaikaluru, Kailashmetta, Kaka Nagar, Kakani Nagar, Kailasagiri, Kailasapuram, Kakinada, Kalaniketan, Kalanikhetan, Kalingapatnam, Kalinganagar, Kalwakurthy Kalyandurg, Kamalapur, Kamalapuram, Kamareddy, Kancharapalem, Kandukur, Kanigiri, Kankipadu, Kapuluppada, , Kapu uppada, Kapuluppada, Kantipudi, Kanithi Road, , Karimnagar, Karnal, Karnataka, Karnool, Karunol, Karwan, Kasibugga, Kasimkota, Kattipudi, Kavali, KGH, Khairatabad , Khammam, Khanapur, Kirlampudi, layout, K. Kotapadu, Kobbari Thota, Kodad, Kodangal , Kodumur, Koduru, Koduruand, Koilkuntla , Kolhapur, Kolkata, Kondepi, Koppaka, Korasavada, Kotabommali, Kotananduru, Kotavalasa, Kotaveedhi, , Kothagudem, Kothapet, Kotha Road, Kothavalasa, Kothuru, Kotipalli, Koturu, Kovur, Kovvur,Krishna College, Krantinagar, KRM Colony, Kuchinapudi, Kuppam, Kurupam Market, Kurmanpalem, Kurmam, Kummaripalem, Kurmannapalem , Kurnool, Kusalapuram, Lakkireddipalli, Lalitha Nagar, Lankhilapallem, Lakshminagar, Lankelapalem, Lankilapallem, LB Colony, Leela Mahal, Luxettipet, Macherla, Machilipatnam, Madakasira, Madanpalle, Madapamu, Maddilapalem, Madduru, Madivala, Madhira, Madhavadhara, Madhurawada, Madhya Pradesh, Madugula Reddi, Maharanipeta, Mahbubabad , Mahabubnagar, Mahbubnagar, Maharajgunj , Makthal, Malkapuram, Malakpet, Malleswaram, Mandapeta, Mandavaripeta, , Mangalagiri, Manthani, Marikavalasa Maredumilli, Markapur, Marripalem, Martur , Maruteru, Medak, Medchal, Medivada, Metpalli, Meghadripeta, Meghadri gadda, Meghadrigadda, Midilapuri, Mindi, Mindhi, Miryalguda, MMTC Colony, Mud Hole, Mudhole, Mudinepalli, Mulug, Mumbai, Mulagada, Mummidivaram, Muppidi Colony, Mungode, Murali Nagar, Musheerabad, Nagari , Nagarkurnool , MVP colony, Myadaram, Mydukur, Mylavaram, NAD junction, Nagaram, Naguru, Naiduthota Nakkapalem, Nakkapalli, Nakkavanipalem, Nakrekal, Nalgonda, Nallamada, Nandigama, Nandyal, Narasannapeta, Narasaraopet Narasimha, Narayankhed , Narasapur, narsapur, Narsampet, Narsipatnam, Narisipatnam, Natavalasa, Nathavaram, Nathayyapalem, Naval Dock, Yard Neelamma Vepaqchettu, Naval Dock Yard Neelamma Vepachettu, Nellimarla, Nellore, Nerella, new Gajuwaka, Nidadavole, nidadhavole Nidadhavolu, Nidumolu ,Nimmada, Nirmal, Nivagam, Nizamabad, N.R. I NSTL, NTPC, NTPC-Parawada, Nuzvid, Odessa, Old post office, Ongole, Orissa, Paderu, Palacole, Palair, Palakonda, Palakollu, Palamaner, Palasa, Pallavaram, Panchadarla, Panyam Parawada Parchur, Parkal, Pargi, Parlakimidi, Parvathipuram, Patapatnam, Pata Polavaram, Pathapatnam, Pattikonda , Payakaraopeta, Pedakurapadu, Peda Peddapalli, Peddipalem, Peddapuram, Pendurthi, pendurthy, Penugonda, Penukonda Pillala Ashramam, Piler, Pithapuram, PM Palem, PNT Colony, Pandurangapuram, Polaki, Polavaram, Ponduru, Ponnur, Poondi, Poorna Market, Porur, Prakasam, Prathipadu, Priya, Proddat, Proddatur, Pudimadaka, Pulivendula, Pundi, Pune, Punganur, purna, Purushothapuram, Purusotapuram, puspatera, Puttur , Pydibheemavaram, Rail Way New Colony, Rajahmundry, Rajam, Rajampet, Raj, Raja Nagar, rajavommangi, Rajolu, Ramachandrapuram, Ramagundam, Rama Nagar, Ramnagar Ramannapet, Rama Talkies Center, ramatheertham, Ramtherdham, Neusan Bhag, Ramatheertham, ramavaram, Ramayampet, Rambilli, Ramnagar, Rampachodavaram, Rangapuram, Ranastalam, Rangareddy, Ravulapalem, Rayachoty, Rayadurg, Raya Durg, Rayavaram, , Razole, Reddipalli, RegupaduRepalle, Rapur, Regupalem, Revidi, Revit, RK Beach, Rotherham, Rushikonda,rusu konda, Rushukonda, Sabbavaram, Sagar Nagar, Sakhsi, Salur, Sampara , Sanath Nagar, Sangareddy, Santhanuthalapadu , Sarasota, Saraswati Park, Saravakota, Sarvepalli, Sathivada, Sathupalli, Sattenapalli Sastry Road, Satyam centre, Satyavedu, Secunderabad, seetampeta, Seethammadhara, Seethampeta, Shadnagar, Shayampet, Sholur, Shopping Mall, Siddhantam, Siddipet, Simhachalam, Sindhiya, Singanamala, Sircilla , Sirpur, Siripuram, S. Kota, Soluru, Sompeta, Sriharipuram, Srikakulam, Sri Kalahasti, Sri Kalahsti, Srikurmam, Srimukalingam, Srimukhalingam, Srungavarapukota, Steel Plant Quarters Sector, Sujathanagar, Sulurpet, Suryabagh, Surya Bhag, Suryapet, Tadepalligudem, Tadepellegudem, tadepalli gudum, Tadikonda, Tadipatri, Tagarapuvalasa, , Tallapalem, Talarevu, Tallarevu, Tamil nadu, Tandur, Tanuku , Tekkali, Tenali, Thamballapalle, Thatichetlapalem, Therlam, Thotapalli, Tilaru, Tikkavanipalem, Timaru, Tirumala, Tirupati, Tiruvuru, Tuni, Tungaturthi, UDA Park, Udda Udayagiri, Ukkumpeta, Ukkunagaram, Undi, Unguturu, Universal records, Uravakonda, Ushodaya Colony, Uttarahalli, Uttarapalli, Vada cheepurupalli, Vadacheepurapalli, Vaddadi, Vanukuru, Vartha, varthaa, Vayalpad, Vellanki, Vemur, Venkatagiri , Venkojipalem, Velampeta, Vepada, Vepagunta, Vepanjeri , Vijayawada, Vikarabad, Vinukonda, Visakhapatnam, Visakha Valley, Vitanthula ashramam, Vizag, Vizianagaram, Vrudhula ashramam Vuyyuru, Waltair, Wanaparthy, Warangal, Wardhannapet, West Godavari World Record, Yalamanchili, Yakutpura, Yeleswaram, Yellandu, Yellareddy, Yellavaram, Yemmiganur, Yendada, Y junction, Zahirabad, Zoo Park center, and other state of India.

Guntur District Macherla , Veldurthi , Narasaraopeta, Rentacrintala , Bollapalle , Rompicherla , Gurazala , Nakarikallu , Ipur Dachepalle, Muppalla , Savalyapuram , Machavaram , Phirangipuram , Vinukonda , Bellamkonda , Medikonduru , Nuzendla , Achampeta , Guntur , Chilakaluripet , Krosuru , Pedakakani , Pedanandipadu , Amaravathi , Duggirala , Kakumanu, Thullur , Kollipara , Ponnur , Thadepalle , Kollur , Amruthalur , Mangalagiri , Vemuru , Cherukupalle , Tadikonda , Tenali , Bhattiprolu , Pedakurapadu , Tsundur , Repalle , ,Sattenapalle , Chebrole , Nagaram , Rajupalem , Vatticherukuru , Nizampatnam , Piduguralla , Prathipadu , Pittalavanipalem , Karempudi , Edlapadu , Karlapalem , Durgi , Nadendla , Bapatla. Narasaraopet, Rentachintala, Bollapalli, Nekarikallu, Jaipur, Thadepalli, Cherukupalli Chebrolu, Georgia

Krishna District Vijayawada A.Konduru, Agiripalli, Avanigadda, Bantumilli, Bapulapadu, Challapalli, Chandralapadu, Chatrai, Gampalogudem, Gannavaram, G. Konduru, Ghantasala, Guduru, Gudivada, Gudlavalleru, Ibrahimpatnam, Jaggayyapeta, Kaikalur, Kalidindi , Kanchikacherla , Kankipadu, Koduru , Kruthivennu, Mailavaram , Machilipatam, Mandavalli , Movva , Mopidevi , Mudinepalle , Musunuru , Nagayalanka , Nandigama , Nandivada, Nuzvid , Pamidimukkala , Pedana, Pamarru, Pedaparupudi , Penuganchiprolu , Penamaluru , Reddigudem , Tiruvuru , Thotlavalluru , Unguturu, Vatsavai, Vissannapeta, Vuyyuru, Veerullapadu , Chandarlapadu, Gampalagudem, benz circle, ring road, Machilipatnam, gunadala matha , kondapalli , gollapalli , Telaprolu.

Srikakulam District Veeraghattam , Bhamini , Vangara , Kothuru , Regidiamadala Valasa , Hiramandalam , Rajam , Sarubujjili , Ganguvari Singadam , Amadalavalasa , Laveru , Srikakulam , Ranastalam , Gara , Hetcherla , Polaki , Ponduru , Narasannapeta , Santhakaviti , Jalumuru , Burja , Saravakota, Palakonda , Pathapatnam , Seethampeta , Meliaputti, Kotabommali , Santha Bommali , Nandigam , Vajrapu Kothuru , Palasa , Mandasa , Sompeta , Kanchili , Kaviti , Tekkali, Ichchapuram , Regidi amadalaValasa ,Santhabommali.

Vizianagaram District Komarada , Ramabhadrapuram , Gummalakshmipuram , Badangi , Kurupam , Therlam , Jiyyammavalasa , Merakamudidam , Garugubilli , Dattirajeru , Parvathipuram , Mentada , Makkuva , Gajapathinagaram , Seethanagaram , Bondapalle , Balajipeta , Gurla , Bobbili , Garividi , Salur , Cheepurupalle , Pachipenta , Nellimarla , Bhoghapuram , Denkada , Vizianagaram , Gantyada , Srungavarapukota , Vepada , Lakkavarapukota , Jami , Kothavalasa, Pusapatirega, Colorado, Thermal Bondapalli.

Visakhapatnam District Munchingiputtu, Nathavaram , Pedagantyada , Pedabayalu , Narsipatnam , Paravada , Hukumpetau , Rolugunta , Anakapalli , Dumbriguda , Ravikamatham , Munagapaka , Arakuvalley , Butchayyapeta , Kasimkota , Ananthagiri , Chodavaram , Makavarapalem, Devarapalle , K Kotapadu, Kotauratla , Cheedikada , Sabbavaram , Payakaraopeta , Madugula , Pendurthi , Nakkapalli , Paderu , Anandapuram , S. Rayavaram , Gangaraju Madugula , Padmanabham , Yelamanchili , Chintapalle , Bheemunipatnam , Rambilli , Gudemkothaveedhi , Visakhapatnam , Atchutapuram, Koyyuru , Visakhapatnam urban, rural, Golugonda , Gajuwaka . Munching Puttu, Devarapalli , Gudem Kotha Veedhi.

East Godavari District Maredumilli , Pithapuram , Kapileswarapuram , Y Ramavaram , Kothapalle , Alamuru , Addateegala , Kakinada, Atreyapuram , Rajavommangi , Ravula Palem , Kotananduru , Samalkota , Pamarru , Tuni , Rangampeta , Kothapeta , Thondangi , Gandepalle , P Gannavaram , Gollaprolu , Rajanagaram , Ambajipeta , Sankhavaram , Rajahmundry, Ainavilli , Prathipadu , Mummidivaram , Yeleswaram , Kadiam , I.Polavaram , Gangavaram , Mandapeta , Katrenikona, Rampachodavaram , Anaparthy , Uppalaguptam , Devipatnam , Biccavolu , Amalapuram , Seethanagaram , Pedapudi , Allavaram , Korukonda , Karapa , Mamidikuduru , Gokavaram , Thallarevu , Razole , Jaggampeta , Kajuluru , Malikipuram , Kirlampudi , Ramachandrapuram , Sakhinetipalle, Peddapuram , Rayavaram , sankavaram, Samalkot, Kothapet , Gandepalli , Sakhinetipalli, samrlakota.

West Godavari District Jeelugumilli , Nidadavole , Undi , Buttayagudem , Tadepalligudem , Akiveedu , Polavaram , Unguturu , Kalla , Thallapudi , Bhimadole , Bheemavaram , Gopalapuram , Pedavegi , Palakoderu , Koyyalagudem , Pedapadu , Veeravasaram , Jangareddigudem , Eluru , Penumantra , T.Narasapuram , Denduluru , Penugonda , Chintalapudi , Nidamarru , Achanta , Lingapalem , Ganapavaram , Poduru , Kamavarapukota , Pentapadu , Palacole , Dwarakatirumala , Tanuku , Yelamanchili , Nallajerla , Undrajavaram , Narasapuram , Devarapalle , Peravali , Mogalthur Chagallu , Iragavaram , Kovvur , Attili . Tallapudi, Bhimavaram, Palakol, chebrolu Dwaraka Tirumala, Devarapalli.

Khammam District Cherla , Yellandu , Enkuru , Pinapaka , Singareni , Konijerla , Gundala , Bayyaram , Khammam Urban , Manuguru ,Garla , Khammam Rural , Aswapuram , Kamepalle , Thirumalayapalem , Dummugudem , Julurpad , Kusumanchi , Bhadrachalam , Chandrugonda , Nelakondapalle , Kunavaram , Mulakalapalle ,Mudigonda , Chintur , Aswaraopeta , Chinthakani , Vararamachandrapuram , Dammapeta , Wyra , Velairpad , Sathupalle , Bonakal , Kukunoor , Vemsoor , Madhira , Burgampadu , Penuballi , Yerrupalem, Palawancha, Wazeed , Kothagudem , Kalluru , Venkatapuram , Tekulapalle , Thallada . Cherla , Nakuru , Uganda , Kamepalli , Nelakondapalli ,Mulakalapalli Va Ramachandrapuram , Palvancha , Tekulapally.

Prakasam District Yerragondapalem , Martur , Veligandla , Pullalacheruvu , Parchur , Pedacherlopalle , Tripuranthakam , Karamchedu , Ponnaluru , Kurichedu , Chirala , Kondapi , Donakonda , Vetapalem , Santhanuthlapadu , Pedaaraveedu , Inkollu , Ongole , Dornala , Janakavaram, Panguluru , Naguluppalapadu , Ardhaveedu , Korisapadu , Chinaganjam , Markapur , Maddipadu , Kothapatnam , Tarlapadu , Chimakurthi , Tangutur , Konakanamitla , Marripudi , Zarugumilli , Podili , Kanigiri , Kandukur , Darsi , Hanumanthunipadu , Voletivaripalem , Mundlamuru , Bestavaripeta , Pamur , Thallur , Cumbum , Lingasamudram , Addanki , Racherla , Gudluru , Ballikuruva , Giddaluru , Ulavapadu , Santhamaguluru , Komarolu , Singarayakonda , Yeddanapudi , Chadrasekara, Puram . Peda Cherlopalli, Peddaraveedu, Tarlupadu, Chimakurthy, Jarugumilli, Ballikurava, Chandrasekara.

Sri Potti Sri Ramulu Nellore District Seetharamapuram, Kodavalur , Sydapuram , Varikuntapadu , Butchireddipalem , Dakkili , Kondapuram , Sangam , Venkatagiri , Jaladanki , Chejerla , Balayapalle , Kavali , Ananthasagaram , Ojili , Bogole , Kaluvoya , Chillakur , Kaligiri , Rapur , Kota , Vinjamur , Podlakur , Vakadu , Duttalur , Nellore , Chittamur , Udayagiri , Kovur , Naidupeta , Marripadu , Indukurpet , Pellakur , Atmakur , Thotapalligudur , Doravarisatram , Anumasamudrampeta , Muthukur , Sullurpeta , Dagadarthi , Venkatachalam , Tada , Allur , Manubolu , Vidavalur , Gudur Buchireddypalem, Balayapalli , Podalakur , Thotapalli Gudur ,Anamasamudrampeta , Allure .

Dr. Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy Cuddapah District Muddanur, Vempalle , Kondapuram , Simhadripuram , Chaknayapet , Mylavaram , Lingala , Lakkireddipalle , Peddamudium , Pulivendla , Ramapuram , Raju Palem , Vemula , Veeraballe , Duvvur , Thandur , Rajampet , S Mydukur , Veerapunayunipalle , Nandalur , Brahmamgarimattam , Yerraguntla , Penagaluru , B Kodur , Kamalapuram , Chitvel , Kalasapadu , Vallur , Kodur , Porumamilla , Chennur , Obulavaripalle , Badvel , Atlur , Pullampeta , Gopavaram , Vontimitta , T.Sundupalle , Khajipet , Sidhout , Sambepalle , Chapad , Chinnamandem , Proddutur , Chintha Kommadinne , Rayachoti , Jammalamadugu , Pendlimarri , Galiveedu Vempalli , Chakrayapet , Pulivendula , Tandur , Veerapunayuni Palli , Penagalur , Obulavaripalli , Atlanta , Pullampet , T.Sundupalli , Kazipet, Sambepalli, Proddatur.

Chittoor District Peddamandyam , K V P Puram , Nagari , Thamballapalle , Narayanavanam , Karvetinagar , Mulakalacheruvu , Vadamalapeta , Srirangaraja Puram , Peddathippa Samudram , Tirupati Rural , Palasamudram , B.Kothakota , Kammapalle , Gangadhara Nellore , Kurabalakota , Chandragiri , Penumuru , Gurramkonda , Chinnagottigallu , Puthalapattu , Kalakada , Rompicherla , Irala , Kambhamvaripalle , Pileru , Thavanampalle , Yerravaripalem , Kalikiri ,Chittoor , Tirupati Urban , Vayalpad , Gudipala , Renigunta , Nimmanapalle , Yadamari , Yerpedu , Mandopalle , Bangarupalem , Srikalahasti , Ramasamudram , Palamaner , Thottambedu , Punganur , Gangavaram , Buchinaidu Khandriga , Chowdepalle , Pedda Panjani , Varadaiahpalem , Somala , Baireddi Palle , Satyavedu , Sodam , Venkatagiri Kota , Nagalapuram , Pulicherla , Ramakuppam , Pichatur , Pakala , Santhi Puram , Vijaya Puram , Veduru Kuppam , Gudi Palle , Nindra , Puttur , Kuppam K V B Puram , Sri Rangaraja Puram , Pedda Thippa , Kammapalli , Kambham Vari Palli , Piler , Madanapalle , Madanapalle, Bangarupalem , Srikalahasti , Kandireega , Peddapanjani , Somalia , Baireddipalle ,Sathyavedu , Sodom, Santhipuram , Vijayapuram , Vedurukuppam , Gudipalle , Nidra.

Ananthapur District D.Hirchal , Kunurpi , Gandlapenta , Bommanahal , Kalyandurg , Kadiri , Vidapanakal , Atmakur , Amadagur , Vajrakarur , Anantapur , Obuladevaracheruvu , Guntakal , Bukkarayasamudram , Nallamada , Gooty , Narpala , Gorantla , Peddavadugur , Putlur , Puttaparthi , Yadiki , Yellanur , Bukkapatnam , Tadpatri , Tadimarri , Kothacheruvu , Peddapappur , Bathalapalle , Penu Konda , Singanamala , Raptadu , Roddam , Pamidi , Kanaganapalle , Somandepalle , Garladinne , Kambadur , Chilamathur , Kudair , Ramagiri , Lepakshi , Uravakonda , Chenne Kothapalle , Hindupur , Beluguppa , Dharmavaram , Parigi , Kanekal , Mudigubba , Madakasira , Rayadurg , Talupula , Gudibanda , Gummagatta , Nambulipulikunta , Amarapuram , Brahmasamudram , Tanakal , Agali , Settur , Nallacheruvu , Rolla D.Hirehal, Kundurpi , Bommanahalli , Bathalapalli , Penukonda , Kanaganapalli , Sattur.

Kurnool District Kowthalam , Kodumur , Rudravaram , Kosigi , Gonegandla , Allagadda , Mantralayam , Yemmiganur , Chagalamarri , Nandavaram , Pedda Kadalur , Uyyalawada , C.Belagal , Adoni , Dornipadu , Gudur , Holagunda , Gospadu , Kurnool , Alur , Koilkuntla , Nandi Kotkur , Aspari , Banaganapalle , Pagidyala , Devanakonda , Sanjamala , Kothapalle , Krishnagiri , Kolimigundla , Atmakur , Veldurthi , Owk , Srisailam , Bethamcherla , Peapally , Velgode , Panyam , Dhone , Pamulapadu , Gadivemula , Tuggali , Jupadu Bungalow , Bandi Atmakur , Pattikanda , Midthur , Nandyal , Maddikera East , Orvakal , Mahanandi , Chippagiri , Kallur , Sirvel , Halaharvi . Nandikotkur, Banaganapalli, Dhoni, Jupadu Bunglow, Silver.

Mahabubnagar District Kodangal , Jadcherla , Amrabad , Bomraspeta , Bhoothpur , Balmoor , Kosgi , Mahbubnagar , Lingal , Doulatabad , Addakal , Peddakothapalle , Damaragidda , Devarkadara , Kodair , Maddur , Dhanwada , Gopalpeta , Koilkonda , Narayanpet , Wanaparthy , Hanwada , Utkoor , Pangal , Nawabpet , Maganoor , Pebbair , Balanagar , Makthal , Gadwal , Kondurg , Narva , Dharur , Farooqnagar , Chinna Chinta Kunta , Maldakal , Kothur , Atmakur , Ghattu , Keshampeta , Kothakota , Aiza , Talakondapalle , Peddamandadi , Waddepalle , Amangal , Ghanpur , Itikyal , Madgul , Bijinapalle , Manopadu , Vangoor , Nagar Kurnool , Alampur , Veldanda , Tadoor , Veepangandla , Kalwakurthy , Telkapalle , Kollapur , Midjil , Uppununthala , Thimmajipeta , Achampeta . Daulatabad, Tandoor, Telkapally, Kolhapur, Thimmajipet.

Rangareddy District Marpalle ,Hayathnagar , Gandeed , Mominpet , Saroornagar , Kulkacharla , Nawabpet , Rajendranagar , Pargi , Shankarpalle , Moinabad , Pudur , Malkajgiri , Chevella , Shabad , Serilingampalle , Vikarabad , Shamshabad , Quthbullapur , Dharur , Maheswaram , Medchal , Bantaram , Ibrahimpatam , Shamirpet ,Peddemul , Manchal , Balanagar , Tandur , Yacharam , Keesara , Basheerabad , Kandukur , Ghatkesar , Yelal , Uppal , Doma . Shankarpalli, puduraya, Serilingampally, Maheshwaram, Yell.

Nalgonda District Bommalaramaram , Chityala , Thripuraram , M Turkapalle , Narketpalle , Miryalaguda , Rajapet , Kattangoor , Garide Palle , Yadagirigutta , Nakrekal , Chilkur , Alair , Kethepalle , Kodad , Gundala , Suryapet , Mellachervu , Thirumalagiri , Chivvemla , Huzurnagar , Thunga Thurthi , Mothey , Mattampalle , Nuthankal , Nadigudem , Nered Cherla , Atmakur (S) , Munagala , Dameracherla , Jaji Reddi Gudem , Penpahad , Anumula , Saligouraram , Vemulapalle , Peddavura , Mothkur , Thipparthi , Pedda Adiserlapalle , Atmakur (M) , Nalgonda , Gurrampode , Valigonda , Munugode , Nampalle , Bhuvanagiri , Narayanapur , Chintha Palle , Bibinagar , Marri Guda , Devarakonda , Pochampalle , Chandur , Gundla Palle , Choutuppal , Kangal , Chandam Pet , Ramannapeta , Nidamanur . Tripuraram , M Turkapally , Narketpally , Kethepally , Uganda , Mellacheruvu , Tirumalagiri , Chivemla ,Thoonga , Mattampally, Need Cherla , Damaracherla , Shaligouraram , Vemulapalli ,Peddavura , Narayanpur , Chintapalli , Marriguda , Pochampally , Gundlapalli ,Chandampet , Ramannapet.

Medak District Manoor , Siddipet , Kohir , Kangti , Chinna Kodur , Munpalle , Kalher , Nanganur , Pulkal , Narayankhed , Kondapak , Sadasivpet , Regode , Jagdevpur , Kondapur ,Shankarampet (A) , Gajwel , Sangareddy , Alladurg , Doultabad , Patancheru , Tekmal , Chegunta , Ramachandrapuram , Papannapet , Yeldurthy , Jinnaram , Kulcharam , Kowdipalle , Hathnoora , Medak , Andole , Narsapur , Shankarampet (R) , Raikode , Shivampet , Ramayampet , Nyalkal , Tupran , Dubbak , Jharasangam , Wargal , Mirdoddi , Zahirabad , Mulug . Manoor, Munipalle, Nanganallur, Daulatabad, Veldurthy, Kowdipally, Toopran, to Oprah

Warangal District Cheriyal , Thorrur , Duggondi , Maddur , Nellikudur , Geesugonda , Narmetta , Narsimhulapet , Atmakur , Bachannapeta , Maripeda , Shayampet , Jangaon , Dornakal , Parkal , Lingala Ghanpur , Kuravi , Regonda , Raghunatha Palle , Mahabubabad , Mogullapalle , Ghanpur(Stn) , Kesamudram , Chityal , Dharmasagar , Nekkonda , Bhupalpalle , Hasanparthy , Gudur , Ghanapur , Hanamkonda , Kothagudem , Mulug , Wardhannapet , Khanapur , Venkatapur , Zaffergadh , Govindaraopet , Palakurthi , Chennaraopet , Tadvai , Devaruppula , Parvathagiri , Eturnagaram , Kodakandla , Sangam , Mangapet , Raiparthy , Nallabelly , Warangal Cherial, Cheryl, Bachannapet, Kuruvi, Mogullapally, Bhupalpally, Ghanpur.

Karimnagar District Ibrahimpatnam , Jagtial , Vemulawada , Mallapur , Medipalle , Konaraopeta , Raikal , Koratla , Yella Reddi Peta , Sarangapur , Metpalle , Gambhiraopet , Dharmapuri , Kathlapur , Mustabad , Velgatoor , Chandurthi , Sirsilla , Ramagundam , Kodimial , Ellanthakunta , Kamanpur , Gangadhara , Bejjanki , Manthani , Mallial , Thimmapur , Kataram , Pegadapalle , Kesavapatnam , Mahadevpur , Choppadandi , Huzurabad , Mutharam , Mahadevpur , Sultanabad , Kamalapur , Malharrao , Odela , Elkathurthi , Mutharam Manthani , Jammikunta , Saidapur , Srirampur , Veenavanka , Chigurumamidi , Peddapalle , Manakondur , Koheda , Julapalle , Karimnagar , Husnabad , Dharmaram , Ramadugu , Bheemadevarpalle , Gollapalle , Boinpalle Medipally , Konaraopet , Korutla , Yellareddy Peta , Sarangpur , ,Metpally , Kathalapur , Pegadapally , Elkathurthy , Shrirampur , Peddapalli , Julapalli , , Bheemadevarapally, Bowenpally.

Nizamabad District Ranjal , Yeda Palle , Sadasivanagar , Navipet , Bodhan , Gandhari , Nandipet , Kotgiri , Banswada , Armur , Madnur , Pitlam , Balkonda , Jukkal , Nizamsagar , Mortad , Bichkunda , Yellareddy , Kammar , Palle , Birkoor , Naga Reddipet , Bheemgal , Varni , Lingampet , Velpur , Dichpalle , Tadwai , Jakranpalle , Dhar Palle , Kamareddy , Makloor , Sirkonda , Bhiknur , Nizamabad , Machareddy , Domakonda . Sadashivanagar, Kotagiri, Armour, Pelle, Naga Reddit, Dichpally, Jakranpally, Sirikonda

Adilabad District Talamadugu , Lohesra , Tiryani , Tamsi , Dilawarpur , Asifabad , Adilabad , Nirmal , Wankdi , Jainad , Laxmanchanda , Kagaz Nagar , Bela , Mamda , Rebbana , Narnoor , Khanpur , Tandur , Inderavelly , Kaddampeddur , Bellampalle , Gudihatnur , Utnur , Nennal , Ichoda , Jainoor , Bheemini , Bazarhathnoor , Kerameri , Sirpur (T) , Boath , Sirpur (U) , Kouthala , Neradigonda , Jannaram , Bejjur , Sarangapur , Dandepalle , Dahegaon , Kuntala , Luxettipet , Vemanpalle , Kubeer , Mancherial , Kotapalle , Bhainsa , Mandamarri , Chennur , Tanur , Kasipet , Jaipur , Mudhole Lohara, Tampa , Kagaznagar , Bella , Kaddam Peddur , Gudihathnoor , Bheemili, boathouse , Sarangpur , Vempalli , Kazipet.

Hyderabad, Secendrabad kukatpally , tank bund , hussain sagar , birla mandir ,himayat nagar , begumpet, shamshabad, charminar, golconda , banjara hills ,stadhampton , khairabadi , yousufguda, patancheru,Musheerabad , Ameerpet ,Khairatabad , Bandlaguda, Amberpet , Secunderabad, Charminar , Asifnagar , Himayathnagar ,Tirumalagiri , Golconda , Saidabad , Maredalle,shaikpet ,nampally ,bahadurpura , Maryland .cyderabad, jubili hills, kazipally, bollaram, bachupally, swarnapuri, miyapur, kompally,thumkunta, hakimpet, ramachandra puram, vishwambhar enclave, bala nagar, serilingampally, sri ram nagar, gachibowli, madhapur, secretarial, tolichowki, gandipet, raghuram nagar, bharat nagar, budvel, rajendra nagar, bakaram, kothwalguda, ahmadpur, kavadiguda, asthma, jeedimetla, balaji nagar, alwal, yapral, dammaiguda, sainikpuri, kapra, sakthi nagar, asrao nagar, moulali, bowenpally, ramanthapur, pizza, saroor nagar, falaknuma, vansathi puram, hanuman nagar, brindavan colony, nadergul, indira reddy, rallaguda, gollapally, new hafeezpet, trimulgherry, safilguda, yellareddyguda, musheerabad, taj residency, hill font, apollo hospital, afzalgunj, tadbund, bahadurgarh, sri raghavendra, aradhana, marredpally, zaheerabad, film nagar, mehdipatnam, imperial, esi, kanchanbagh, yeddumailaram, manikonda, chandrayangutta, janwada, chilkur, bakaram, sacoor nagar, deshmukhi, doolapally, amberpet, dilsukhnagar, karwan, gosha mahal, bahadurpura,

Bombay Dilli, Dehli, Kolkata, Kalikata, Kalkutta, Bengaloru, engaluru, Bangalur, Madras, Chennapattanam, Ahmadâbâd, Ahmadabad, Amdabad, Ahmedabad , Haidarabad, Haidarabad, Haiderabad, Hyderabad, Haider-Abad Poona, Pune, Kanpur, Kanpur, Cawnpore, Khanpur, sorat, Surat, Jeypore, Lakhnau Lucknow, Nagpur, Thana, Calcutta, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Pune, Surat, Jaipur, Vadodara, Indore, Patna, Madurai, Bhopal, Ludhiana, Coimbatore, Varanasi, Visakhapatnam, Agra, Mumbai.

Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradeshm Itangar, Itanagar, Assam, Dispur, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Raipur, Goa, Panaji, Gujaratm Gandhinagar, Haryana, Chandigarhm Himachal Pradesh, Shimla, Jammu and Kashmir, Srinagar, Jharkhand, Ranchi, Karnataka, Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, Trivandrum, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Imphal, Meghalaya, Shillong, Mizoram, Aizawi, Nagaland, Kohima, Orissa, Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneshwar, Punjab, Rajasthan, Jaipur, Sikkim, Gangtok, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Agartala, Uttaranchal, West Bengal, Kolkata, Dehradun, Uttar Pradesh, Dada and Nagar Haveli, Silvassa, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Port Blair, Daman and Diu, Lakshadeep, Kavaratti, Yanam, Pondicherry. Asia, USA, America, Washington, Belgium, New York, United States of America, United Kingdom, Columbia, Bangkok, Australia, Switzerland, Mexico, France, Sweden, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Poland, Denmark, France, London, New Zealand, Spain. Indonesia, Brazil, Nigeria, Russia, Philippines, Ethiopia, Vietnam, Egypt, Turkey, Iran, Thailand, Burma, South Africa, Algeria,

Many people in the society are looking for helping hands. Let’s be a hope to them. Amma Nanna Charitable Trust is one among them.

We are joining more orphan children who have no parent’s age group between 3 to 12 years and also joining Widows, Deceived and Separated Women at free of charges only. Our children have been staying with us up to their life settlement that means they will stand with their own bases.

you feel you are also responsible to the society, please, if you come across such people in and around your surroundings, give a hope to them by providing our address and we take care of them with pleasure.

“Please don’t Drink Alcohol and other intoxicates Live a happily and make Peaceful Society”

Everyone should read and write his/her regional language. We don’t try to take any Loans it leads to bitter life. We can live a happily in Kutcha house without loans, and then granite floored building with Loans. Loans make damage peaceful life and leads us misbehavior and corrupt minding nature.

Address of our Free of cost orphanage home Aditya Nagar, Desapathrunipalem, Parawada, Near Steel Plant Quarters Sector-X, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India, and Asia. Cell no. 08886563252

For Orphan children we are providing good education, nutritious food, sports and games, cultural activities, meditation and yoga. We are very particular in teaching them good behavior, how to be responsible to the situations, moral and spiritual values and civic senses which in deed helps in providing a healthy citizen to the society in our Orphanage children home.

For deceived women or widows, we are providing nutritious food, shelter, healthy and spiritual environment, yoga and meditation. We even accept them as the Volunteers with a service motto as we all know “SERVICE TO LIFE IS SERVICE TO GOD”

Do you know depending upon parents and teachers’ behaviors children learn good or bad activities? For example we choose one regional language in particular state, different areas living people speak different stylish the same regional language because it’s their environment effect. So when parents/teachers create good environments to their children doing good things like social, civic, moral, spiritual, cultural, social response, kind, humanity etc… Then children growing such way if not they will grimy.

Now a day’s one in all are thinking about earn billions of billions of rupees whatever job they are doing and give it to their children on heredity properties. Suppose they will give children billions of billions rupees and there will be no moral values, civic senesce, social responsibilities, humanity, social behavior, kindness, social moving with others and also no pure air, water, earth and sky. Can they enjoy in that society? and live happily such wrinkle and blight society, we will give them not only money on heredity but also we learn or grow them good behaviors like cultural, spiritual, social, moral, civics, kind, help, social responsibility etc.. . Money is requiring for live but life is not money. Money may not make life happy but service must be making live happily that should be known one in all.

Our properties just like water level in the well if we use water purposefully the decreased water level in the well filled later. If we don’t use water the level of water remains the same suppose we add more water into the well it looks raise in the water level in movement but after sometime it comes to the original level. If we use water unnecessarily and dry it then we have no water when we want to drink even though our well water will be raised later. So we take a little amount of water and use it towards real needy people. We eat for living and not live for eating man/woman should working until last his/her breathe.

Friends we may not giving as light as the sun but we are giving as light as lamp and try to drive way darkness in the society as able as we can then darkness drive way from the society then we will live peacefully and happily in such society . I hope we make such world! We assure you of our ethical zeal of service to the tender generation born to serve our nation as differently able citizens because “Ability knows no Handicap”.

NEED YOUR SUPPORT

• could you please shake your hands in the humanitarian task and noble cause of raising funds in Aid of the real orphans needy?

• Your support empowers the society with the resources to share responsibility in one of the some common activity with this society as mentioned below:

• Orphan Children Home (50 Boys / Girls)

• Residential Primary School (child Labor /street children)

• Orphan Care Home for HIV infected children

• Mobile Medical Units (3 centers)

• Income Generating Programme (Widows)

Name of the Organization: Amma Nanna Charitable Trust (ACT)

Name of Bank: State Bank of India

SB Account No: 30030634007

IFS code: SBIN0002716

Micro Code: 530002009

Branch: Visakhapatnam

Note: Please visit before give your donations to Orphanages/Voluntary Organizations/Charitable Trust

Please don’t donate anything to Orphanages/Volunteer organizations without your personal visit

Joining in our Orphanage at Free of Cost

We are joining more orphan children who have no parent’s age group between 3 to 12 years and also joining Widows and Separated/Deceived Women who have good character and willing to serve to orphan children as volunteer with their children at free of charges only. Our children have been staying with us up to their life settlement that means they will stand with their own bases.

Please don’t donate anything to orphanages/NGO/Charitable Trusts/Children homes/old age home/volunteer organizations without your personal visit. Most of organizations are making business in the name of charity. So be careful for donate to any

We are not accepting any thing to our orphanage without personal visit before he/she wants donate.

Amma Nanna Charitable Trust (ACT) was started in providing services for noble cause that includes orphanage for children who have no parent’s and also Widows/Separated /Deceived Women at free of cost only. It is a NGO providing non-profit voluntary social services organization orphanage at free charges homes, that includes promoting education to children and counseling for alcohol and other intoxicates. view to serve society, a non-profit and charitable trust, Volunteer NGO’s Services with the name “AMMA NANNA CHARITABLE TRUST (ACT)"established in year 2005 and acquired its registration (as per the Trust Act of A.P., India.) and Reg. 119/2005. And also License by Department for Women, Children, Disabled and Senior Citizen & CID-Police Department and License No. 0330/1/2011, under the leadership as Founder & Secretary Sri Gurubelli. Koteswara Rao M.sc, M.Phil, PGDCPA. And as Chairperson and Managing Trustee Smt Gurubelli Venkata Lakshmi alias Suguna M.A(Socialogy) We are so happy to expedite the meaning of “AMMA NANNA” as "MOTHER FATHER" and the exigency of naming this trust had been arisen in reminiscence of the beloved late parents ( Smt & sri Gurubelli. Ammayamma Ramamurthy) of Sri Gurubelli. Koteswara Rao, founder & secretary of this ministries following on their sympathetic favor, commitment and support launched for the neglected people who were drastically lack of food, clothes and other family problems. We are running this NGO Social Service Volunteer Organization with our own funds without any disparity in caste and creed in INDIA Asia and Boards.

Inmates are all district and states of India, like , 1 Town, 75 Feet Road, 4th Town Police Station 104 Area, Aanadha Ashramam, Abidnagar, Anatha Asram, Achampet , Achanta, Adarshnagar, Addanki, Addateegala, Addatheegala, Addakula, Addurodu, Adilabad, Adivivaram, Adoni , Air port, Aganampudi, Akividu,Akkayyapalem, Akkireddypalem, , Alair, Alamanda, Alampur, Alamuru, Allagadda, Allipuram, Allure, Alur, Amadalavalasa, Amalapuram, Amaravathi, Ambajeepeta,Amarchinta, Amaravathi, Amarevati, Anandapuram, Ananthagiri, Anaparthi, Annavaram, Anaparthy, Andhra Bhumi, Andhra University, Anantapur, Andole ,ANR Appikonda, Asifabad, Asifnagar, Asilmetta, Asheelmetta junction, Araku valley, Arasavalli, Arilova, , Armoor, Atchutapuram, Atmakur,, Attili, A U Campus, IN, Out Gate, Auto Nagar, Avanigadda, Badvel, Bala cheruvu, Balacheruvu Road, Balaji Nagar, Ballajura, Balkonda , Bangalore, Banswada, Bapujinagar, Bapatla,Baruva, Bayyavaram, Berhampur, Bhadrachalam, Bheemili, Bheemunipatnam, Bhimadolu, Bhimavaram, Bhogapuram, Bhongir, BHPV, Bhubaneswar, Bhupesh Nagar, Big Bazaar, Bazar, Birla, , Bimavaram, Boath, Bobbili, Bodhan, Bombay, Bowdara, Borra Caves, BRTS, B.S Layout Cheepurupalli, BSI Standard, Buddhavarapu Gardens, Budithi, Buggaram, Burgampahad, Butchirajupalem, Butchi Sundara Rao Street, Burujupeta, , Burugupudi, , Calcutta, CBM Compound, CBI, Chalakurthy, Challavanipeta, Chanakya Towers, Chandragiri, Chandrayangutta, Chapaluppada, Charminar , Chavulamadam, Chavulamadumu, Cheepurupalli, Chennai, Chennur, Cherial, Chevella , Chilakaluripet, Chilakapalem, China musidivada, chinnamusidivada, Chinnor, Chintalapudi, Chintapalli, krishna Chirala, Chittoor, Chodavaram, Chollangi village,Choppadandi, CMR center, Collectorate, Collectors Office Convent junction, corromendal, Coromandel gate, CDR Hospital, Cuddapah, Cumbum, Dabagarden, Dabagardens, Dagguvanipalem, Dasapalla Hills , Darsi, Dayalapuram, Dayal nagar, Delhi, Denduluru, Devarakonda, devipatnam, Dabhagaden, Dharmavaram, Dhavaleswaram, dhayal nagar, Dolphin, Dhondaparthi, Dhone , Dhorathota, , Diamond Park, Dibbalapalem, Dichpalli, Doctors Colony, Dommat,Dondaparthy, Dorakanagar, Dorathota, Dornakal , Duggirala, Duvvada, Dwaraka Nagar, Dwaraka Tirupati, Dwarapudi, , East Godavari, East Point Colony, Ecchapuram, Elamanchili, Eluru, ENDADA, Enadu, Eenadu, Etcherla, Etikoppaka, Femur, Fishing Harbour, Harbor Approach Road, Gadwal, Gajapathinagaram, Gajwel , Ganavaram Port, Gannavaram, Gangulavari, Gannavaram, Gara, Garividi, Ghanpur, Giddalur, Gumma Lakshmipuram, GL Puram, Gunnies Book, Record, Gnanapuram, Gandhigram, Gokavaram, Golkonda, Gollapalem,Gollavanipalem, Golukonda, Golugonda Gopalapatnam, Gooty, Gopalapuram, Gorantla, Gorllivanipalem, Green Park, Greater Visakhapatnam, , G.S.N. Gullipadu, Gudivada, Gudur, Guntur, Gurazala, Gurudwara, Hanamkonda, Hanuman Junction, Temple, Hanumanthavaka, Hall Mark, Hanumantuvaka, Harichandrapuram, Harischandrapuram, Harishchandrapur, HB colony, Head Post Office, Heccherla, Himayat Nagar, Hindupur, Hiramandalam, HPCL,hukumpeta, Huzurabad, Hyderabad, Ibrahimpatnam, Ichapuram, India, INDIA, Indurthi, Industrial estate, IT, IN, INL Kalinga, Isukathota, iskathota, Jadcherla,Jagadam, Jagadamba centre, Jagamba Theatre, Jail Road, Jaggampeta, Jagarajupeta, Jaggayyapalem, Jaggayyapet, Jaghadham Jagtial, Jalandhar, Jalumuru, Jammalamadugu, Jangaon, Jangareddygudem, Jodugullapalem, ,Jukkal, Kadapa, Kadiri, Kadiyam, Kaikalur, Kaikaluru, Kailashmetta, Kaka Nagar, Kakani Nagar, Kailasagiri, Kailasapuram, Kakinada, Kalaniketan, Kalanikhetan, Kalingapatnam, Kalinganagar, , Kalwakurthy, Kalyandurg, Kamalapur, Kamalapuram, Kamareddy, Kancharapalem, Kandukur, Kanigiri, Kankipadu, Kapuluppada, , Kapu uppada, Kapuluppada, Kantipudi, Kanithi Road, , Karimnagar, Karnal, Karnataka, Karnool, Karunol, Karwan, Kasibugga, Kasimkota, Kattipudi, Kavali, KGH, Khairatabad , Khammam, Khanapur, Kirlampudi, layout, K. Kotapadu, Kobbari Thota, Kodad, Kodangal , Kodumur, Koduru, Koduruand, Koilkuntla , Kolhapur, Kolkata, Kondepi, Koppaka, Korasavada, Kotabommali, Kotananduru, Kotavalasa, Kotaveedhi, , Kothagudem, Kothapet, Kotha Road, Kothavalasa, Kothuru, Kotipalli, Koturu, Kovur, Kovvur,Krishna College, Krantinagar, KRM Colony, Kuchinapudi, Kuppam, Kurupam Market, Kurmanpalem, Kurmam, Kummaripalem, Kurmannapalem , Kurnool, Kusalapuram, Lakkireddipalli, Lalitha Nagar, Lankhilapallem, Lakshminagar, Lankelapalem, Lankilapallem, LB Colony, Leela Mahal, Luxettipet, Macherla, Machilipatnam, Madakasira, Madanpalle, Madapamu, Maddilapalem, Madduru, Madivala, Madhira, Madhavadhara, Madhurawada, Madhya Pradesh, Madugula Reddi, Maharanipeta, Mahbubabad , Mahabubnagar, Mahbubnagar, Maharajgunj , Makthal, Malkapuram, Malakpet, Malleswaram, Mandapeta, Mandavaripeta, , Mangalagiri, Manthani, Marikavalasa Maredumilli, Markapur, Marripalem, Martur , Maruteru, Medak, Medchal, Medivada, Metpalli, Meghadripeta, Meghadri gadda, Meghadrigadda, Midilapuri, Mindi, Mindhi, Miryalguda, MMTC Colony, Mud Hole, Mudhole, Mudinepalli, Mulug, Mumbai, Mulagada, Mummidivaram, Muppidi Colony, Mungode, Murali Nagar, Musheerabad, Nagari , Nagarkurnool , MVP colony, Myadaram, Mydukur, Mylavaram, NAD junction, Nagaram, Naguru, Naiduthota Nakkapalem, Nakkapalli, Nakkavanipalem, Nakrekal, Nalgonda, Nallamada, Nandigama, Nandyal, Narasannapeta, Narasaraopet, Narasimha, Narayankhed , Narasapur, narsapur, Narsampet, Narsipatnam, Narisipatnam, Natavalasa, Nathavaram, Nathayyapalem, Naval Dock, Yard Neelamma Vepaqchettu, Naval Dock Yard Neelamma Vepachettu, Nellimarla, Nellore, Nerella, new Gajuwaka, Nidadavole,nidadhavole, Nidadhavolu, Nidumolu ,Nimmada, Nirmal, Nivagam, Nizamabad, N.R. I NSTL, NTPC, NTPC-Parawada, Nuzvid, Odessa, Old post office, Ongole, Orissa, Paderu, Palacole, Palair, Palakonda, Palakollu, Palamaner, Palasa, Pallavaram, Panchadarla, Panyam, Parawada, Parchur, Parkal, Pargi, Parlakimidi, Parvathipuram, Patapatnam, Pata Polavaram, Pathapatnam, Pattikonda , Payakaraopeta, Pedakurapadu, Peda Peddapalli, Peddipalem, Peddapuram, Pendurthi, pendurthy, Penugonda, Penukonda Pillala Ashramam, Piler, Pithapuram, PM Palem, PNT Colony, Pandurangapuram, Polaki, Polavaram, Ponduru, Ponnur, Poondi, Poorna Market, Porur, Prakasam, Prathipadu, Priya, Proddat, Proddatur, Pudimadaka, Pulivendula, Pundi, Pune, Punganur, purna, Purushothapuram, Purusotapuram, puspatera, Puttur , Pydibheemavaram, Rail Way New Colony, Rajahmundry, Rajam, Rajampet, Raj, Raja Nagar, rajavommangi, Rajolu, Ramachandrapuram, Ramagundam, Rama Nagar, Ramnagar, Ramannapet, Rama Talkies Center, ramatheertham, Ramtherdham, Neusan Bhag,Ramatheertham, ramavaram, Ramayampet, Rambilli, Ramnagar, Rampachodavaram, Rangapuram, Ranastalam, Rangareddy, Ravulapalem, Rayachoty, Rayadurg, Raya Durg, Rayavaram, , Razole, Reddipalli, RegupaduRepalle, Rapur, Regupalem, Revidi, Revit, RK Beach, Rotherham, Rushikonda,rusu konda, Rushukonda, Sabbavaram, Sagar Nagar, Sakhsi, Salur, Sampara , Sanath Nagar, Sangareddy, Santhanuthalapadu , Sarasota, Saraswati Park, Saravakota, Sarvepalli, Sathivada, Sathupalli, Sattenapalli Sastry Road, Satyam centre, Satyavedu, Secunderabad, seetampeta, Seethammadhara, Seethampeta, Shadnagar, Shayampet, Sholur, Shopping Mall, Siddhantam, Siddipet, Simhachalam, Sindhiya, Singanamala, Sircilla , Sirpur, Siripuram, S. Kota, Soluru, Sompeta, Sriharipuram, Srikakulam, Sri Kalahasti, Sri Kalahsti, Srikurmam, Srimukalingam, Srimukhalingam, Srungavarapukota, Steel Plant Quarters Sector, Sujathanagar, Sulurpet, Suryabagh, Surya Bhag, Suryapet, Tadepalligudem, Tadepellegudem, tadepalli gudum, Tadikonda, Tadipatri, Tagarapuvalasa, , Tallapalem, Talarevu, Tallarevu, Tamil nadu, Tandur, Tanuku , Tekkali, Tenali, Thamballapalle, Thatichetlapalem, Therlam, Thotapalli, Tilaru, Tikkavanipalem, Timaru, Tirumala, Tirupati, Tiruvuru, Tuni, Tungaturthi, UDA Park, Udda Udayagiri, Ukkumpeta, Ukkunagaram, Undi, Unguturu, Universal records, Uravakonda, Ushodaya Colony, Uttarahalli, Uttarapalli, Vada cheepurupalli, Vadacheepurapalli, Vaddadi, Vanukuru, Vartha, varthaa, Vayalpad, Vellanki, Vemur, Venkatagiri , Venkojipalem, Velampeta, Vepada, Vepagunta, Vepanjeri , Vijayawada, Vikarabad, Vinukonda, Visakhapatnam, Visakha Valley, Vitanthula ashramam, Vizag, Vizianagaram, Vrudhula ashramam Vuyyuru, Waltair, Wanaparthy, Warangal, Wardhannapet, West Godavari World Record, Yalamanchili, Yakutpura, Yeleswaram, Yellandu, Yellareddy, Yellavaram, Yemmiganur, Yendada, Y junction, Zahirabad, Zoo Park center, and other state of India.

Guntur District Macherla , Veldurthi , Narasaraopeta, Rentacrintala , Bollapalle , Rompicherla , Gurazala , Nakarikallu , Ipur Dachepalle, Muppalla , Savalyapuram , Machavaram , Phirangipuram , Vinukonda , Bellamkonda , Medikonduru , Nuzendla , Achampeta , Guntur , Chilakaluripet , Krosuru , Pedakakani , Pedanandipadu , Amaravathi , Duggirala , Kakumanu, Thullur , Kollipara , Ponnur , Thadepalle , Kollur , Amruthalur , Mangalagiri , Vemuru , Cherukupalle , Tadikonda , Tenali , Bhattiprolu , Pedakurapadu , Tsundur , Repalle , ,Sattenapalle , Chebrole , Nagaram , Rajupalem , Vatticherukuru , Nizampatnam , Piduguralla , Prathipadu , Pittalavanipalem , Karempudi , Edlapadu , Karlapalem , Durgi , Nadendla , Bapatla. Narasaraopet, Rentachintala, Bollapalli, Nekarikallu, Jaipur, Thadepalli, Cherukupalli Chebrolu, Georgia

Krishna District Vijayawada A.Konduru, Agiripalli, Avanigadda, Bantumilli, Bapulapadu, Challapalli, Chandralapadu, Chatrai, Gampalogudem, Gannavaram, G. Konduru, Ghantasala, Guduru, Gudivada, Gudlavalleru, Ibrahimpatnam, Jaggayyapeta, Kaikalur, Kalidindi , Kanchikacherla , Kankipadu, Koduru , Kruthivennu, Mailavaram , Machilipatam, Mandavalli , Movva , Mopidevi , Mudinepalle , Musunuru , Nagayalanka , Nandigama , Nandivada, Nuzvid , Pamidimukkala , Pedana, Pamarru, Pedaparupudi , Penuganchiprolu , Penamaluru , Reddigudem , Tiruvuru , Thotlavalluru , Unguturu, Vatsavai, Vissannapeta, Vuyyuru, Veerullapadu , Chandarlapadu, Gampalagudem, benz circle, ring road, Machilipatnam, gunadala matha , kondapalli , gollapalli , Telaprolu.

Srikakulam District Veeraghattam , Bhamini , Vangara , Kothuru , Regidiamadala Valasa , Hiramandalam , Rajam , Sarubujjili , Ganguvari Singadam , Amadalavalasa , Laveru , Srikakulam , Ranastalam , Gara , Hetcherla , Polaki , Ponduru , Narasannapeta , Santhakaviti , Jalumuru , Burja , Saravakota, Palakonda , Pathapatnam , Seethampeta , Meliaputti, Kotabommali , Santha Bommali , Nandigam , Vajrapu Kothuru , Palasa , Mandasa , Sompeta , Kanchili , Kaviti , Tekkali, Ichchapuram , Regidi amadalaValasa ,Santhabommali.

Vizianagaram District Komarada , Ramabhadrapuram , Gummalakshmipuram , Badangi , Kurupam , Therlam , Jiyyammavalasa , Merakamudidam , Garugubilli , Dattirajeru , Parvathipuram , Mentada , Makkuva , Gajapathinagaram , Seethanagaram , Bondapalle , Balajipeta , Gurla , Bobbili , Garividi , Salur , Cheepurupalle , Pachipenta , Nellimarla , Bhoghapuram , Denkada , Vizianagaram , Gantyada , Srungavarapukota , Vepada , Lakkavarapukota , Jami , Kothavalasa, Pusapatirega, Colorado, Thermal Bondapalli.

Visakhapatnam District Munchingiputtu, Nathavaram , Pedagantyada , Pedabayalu , Narsipatnam , Paravada , Hukumpetau , Rolugunta , Anakapalli , Dumbriguda , Ravikamatham , Munagapaka , Arakuvalley , Butchayyapeta , Kasimkota , Ananthagiri , Chodavaram , Makavarapalem, Devarapalle , K Kotapadu, Kotauratla , Cheedikada , Sabbavaram , Payakaraopeta , Madugula , Pendurthi , Nakkapalli , Paderu , Anandapuram , S. Rayavaram , Gangaraju Madugula , Padmanabham , Yelamanchili , Chintapalle , Bheemunipatnam , Rambilli , Gudemkothaveedhi , Visakhapatnam , Atchutapuram, Koyyuru , Visakhapatnam urban, rural, Golugonda , Gajuwaka . Munching Puttu, Devarapalli , Gudem Kotha Veedhi.

East Godavari District Maredumilli , Pithapuram , Kapileswarapuram , Y Ramavaram , Kothapalle , Alamuru , Addateegala , Kakinada, Atreyapuram , Rajavommangi , Ravula Palem , Kotananduru , Samalkota , Pamarru , Tuni , Rangampeta , Kothapeta , Thondangi , Gandepalle , P Gannavaram , Gollaprolu , Rajanagaram , Ambajipeta , Sankhavaram , Rajahmundry, Ainavilli , Prathipadu , Mummidivaram , Yeleswaram , Kadiam , I.Polavaram , Gangavaram , Mandapeta , Katrenikona, Rampachodavaram , Anaparthy , Uppalaguptam , Devipatnam , Biccavolu , Amalapuram , Seethanagaram , Pedapudi , Allavaram , Korukonda , Karapa , Mamidikuduru , Gokavaram , Thallarevu , Razole , Jaggampeta , Kajuluru , Malikipuram , Kirlampudi , Ramachandrapuram , Sakhinetipalle, Peddapuram , Rayavaram , sankavaram, Samalkot, Kothapet , Gandepalli , Sakhinetipalli, samrlakota.

West Godavari District Jeelugumilli , Nidadavole , Undi , Buttayagudem , Tadepalligudem , Akiveedu , Polavaram , Unguturu , Kalla , Thallapudi , Bhimadole , Bheemavaram , Gopalapuram , Pedavegi , Palakoderu , Koyyalagudem , Pedapadu , Veeravasaram , Jangareddigudem , Eluru , Penumantra , T.Narasapuram , Denduluru , Penugonda , Chintalapudi , Nidamarru , Achanta , Lingapalem , Ganapavaram , Poduru , Kamavarapukota , Pentapadu , Palacole , Dwarakatirumala , Tanuku , Yelamanchili , Nallajerla , Undrajavaram , Narasapuram , Devarapalle , Peravali , Mogalthur Chagallu , Iragavaram , Kovvur , Attili . Tallapudi, Bhimavaram, Palakol, chebrolu Dwaraka Tirumala, Devarapalli.

Khammam District Cherla , Yellandu , Enkuru , Pinapaka , Singareni , Konijerla , Gundala , Bayyaram , Khammam Urban , Manuguru ,Garla , Khammam Rural , Aswapuram , Kamepalle , Thirumalayapalem , Dummugudem , Julurpad , Kusumanchi , Bhadrachalam , Chandrugonda , Nelakondapalle , Kunavaram , Mulakalapalle ,Mudigonda , Chintur , Aswaraopeta , Chinthakani , Vararamachandrapuram , Dammapeta , Wyra , Velairpad , Sathupalle , Bonakal , Kukunoor , Vemsoor , Madhira , Burgampadu , Penuballi , Yerrupalem, Palawancha, Wazeed , Kothagudem , Kalluru , Venkatapuram , Tekulapalle , Thallada . Cherla , Nakuru , Uganda , Kamepalli , Nelakondapalli ,Mulakalapalli Va Ramachandrapuram , Palvancha , Tekulapally.

Prakasam District Yerragondapalem , Martur , Veligandla , Pullalacheruvu , Parchur , Pedacherlopalle , Tripuranthakam , Karamchedu , Ponnaluru , Kurichedu , Chirala , Kondapi , Donakonda , Vetapalem , Santhanuthlapadu , Pedaaraveedu , Inkollu , Ongole , Dornala , Janakavaram, Panguluru , Naguluppalapadu , Ardhaveedu , Korisapadu , Chinaganjam , Markapur , Maddipadu , Kothapatnam , Tarlapadu , Chimakurthi , Tangutur , Konakanamitla , Marripudi , Zarugumilli , Podili , Kanigiri , Kandukur , Darsi , Hanumanthunipadu , Voletivaripalem , Mundlamuru , Bestavaripeta , Pamur , Thallur , Cumbum , Lingasamudram , Addanki , Racherla , Gudluru , Ballikuruva , Giddaluru , Ulavapadu , Santhamaguluru , Komarolu , Singarayakonda , Yeddanapudi , Chadrasekara, Puram . Peda Cherlopalli, Peddaraveedu, Tarlupadu, Chimakurthy, Jarugumilli, Ballikurava, Chandrasekara.

Sri Potti Sri Ramulu Nellore District Seetharamapuram, Kodavalur , Sydapuram , Varikuntapadu , Butchireddipalem , Dakkili , Kondapuram , Sangam , Venkatagiri , Jaladanki , Chejerla , Balayapalle , Kavali , Ananthasagaram , Ojili , Bogole , Kaluvoya , Chillakur , Kaligiri , Rapur , Kota , Vinjamur , Podlakur , Vakadu , Duttalur , Nellore , Chittamur , Udayagiri , Kovur , Naidupeta , Marripadu , Indukurpet , Pellakur , Atmakur , Thotapalligudur , Doravarisatram , Anumasamudrampeta , Muthukur , Sullurpeta , Dagadarthi , Venkatachalam , Tada , Allur , Manubolu , Vidavalur , Gudur Buchireddypalem, Balayapalli , Podalakur , Thotapalli Gudur ,Anamasamudrampeta , Allure .

Dr. Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy Cuddapah District Muddanur, Vempalle , Kondapuram , Simhadripuram , Chaknayapet , Mylavaram , Lingala , Lakkireddipalle , Peddamudium , Pulivendla , Ramapuram , Raju Palem , Vemula , Veeraballe , Duvvur , Thandur , Rajampet , S Mydukur , Veerapunayunipalle , Nandalur , Brahmamgarimattam , Yerraguntla , Penagaluru , B Kodur , Kamalapuram , Chitvel , Kalasapadu , Vallur , Kodur , Porumamilla , Chennur , Obulavaripalle , Badvel , Atlur , Pullampeta , Gopavaram , Vontimitta , T.Sundupalle , Khajipet , Sidhout , Sambepalle , Chapad , Chinnamandem , Proddutur , Chintha Kommadinne , Rayachoti , Jammalamadugu , Pendlimarri , Galiveedu Vempalli , Chakrayapet , Pulivendula , Tandur , Veerapunayuni Palli , Penagalur , Obulavaripalli , Atlanta , Pullampet , T.Sundupalli , Kazipet, Sambepalli, Proddatur.

Chittoor District Peddamandyam , K V P Puram , Nagari , Thamballapalle , Narayanavanam , Karvetinagar , Mulakalacheruvu , Vadamalapeta , Srirangaraja Puram , Peddathippa Samudram , Tirupati Rural , Palasamudram , B.Kothakota , Kammapalle , Gangadhara Nellore , Kurabalakota , Chandragiri , Penumuru , Gurramkonda , Chinnagottigallu , Puthalapattu , Kalakada , Rompicherla , Irala , Kambhamvaripalle , Pileru , Thavanampalle , Yerravaripalem , Kalikiri ,Chittoor , Tirupati Urban , Vayalpad , Gudipala , Renigunta , Nimmanapalle , Yadamari , Yerpedu , Mandopalle , Bangarupalem , Srikalahasti , Ramasamudram , Palamaner , Thottambedu , Punganur , Gangavaram , Buchinaidu Khandriga , Chowdepalle , Pedda Panjani , Varadaiahpalem , Somala , Baireddi Palle , Satyavedu , Sodam , Venkatagiri Kota , Nagalapuram , Pulicherla , Ramakuppam , Pichatur , Pakala , Santhi Puram , Vijaya Puram , Veduru Kuppam , Gudi Palle , Nindra , Puttur , Kuppam K V B Puram , Sri Rangaraja Puram , Pedda Thippa , Kammapalli , Kambham Vari Palli , Piler , Madanapalle , Madanapalle, Bangarupalem , Srikalahasti , Kandireega , Peddapanjani , Somalia , Baireddipalle ,Sathyavedu , Sodom, Santhipuram , Vijayapuram , Vedurukuppam , Gudipalle , Nidra.

Ananthapur District D.Hirchal , Kunurpi , Gandlapenta , Bommanahal , Kalyandurg , Kadiri , Vidapanakal , Atmakur , Amadagur , Vajrakarur , Anantapur , Obuladevaracheruvu , Guntakal , Bukkarayasamudram , Nallamada , Gooty , Narpala , Gorantla , Peddavadugur , Putlur , Puttaparthi , Yadiki , Yellanur , Bukkapatnam , Tadpatri , Tadimarri , Kothacheruvu , Peddapappur , Bathalapalle , Penu Konda , Singanamala , Raptadu , Roddam , Pamidi , Kanaganapalle , Somandepalle , Garladinne , Kambadur , Chilamathur , Kudair , Ramagiri , Lepakshi , Uravakonda , Chenne Kothapalle , Hindupur , Beluguppa , Dharmavaram , Parigi , Kanekal , Mudigubba , Madakasira , Rayadurg , Talupula , Gudibanda , Gummagatta , Nambulipulikunta , Amarapuram , Brahmasamudram , Tanakal , Agali , Settur , Nallacheruvu , Rolla D.Hirehal, Kundurpi , Bommanahalli , Bathalapalli , Penukonda , Kanaganapalli , Sattur.

Kurnool District Kowthalam , Kodumur , Rudravaram , Kosigi , Gonegandla , Allagadda , Mantralayam , Yemmiganur , Chagalamarri , Nandavaram , Pedda Kadalur , Uyyalawada , C.Belagal , Adoni , Dornipadu , Gudur , Holagunda , Gospadu , Kurnool , Alur , Koilkuntla , Nandi Kotkur , Aspari , Banaganapalle , Pagidyala , Devanakonda , Sanjamala , Kothapalle , Krishnagiri , Kolimigundla , Atmakur , Veldurthi , Owk , Srisailam , Bethamcherla , Peapally , Velgode , Panyam , Dhone , Pamulapadu , Gadivemula , Tuggali , Jupadu Bungalow , Bandi Atmakur , Pattikanda , Midthur , Nandyal , Maddikera East , Orvakal , Mahanandi , Chippagiri , Kallur , Sirvel , Halaharvi . Nandikotkur, Banaganapalli, Dhoni, Jupadu Bunglow, Silver.

Mahabubnagar District Kodangal , Jadcherla , Amrabad , Bomraspeta , Bhoothpur , Balmoor , Kosgi , Mahbubnagar , Lingal , Doulatabad , Addakal , Peddakothapalle , Damaragidda , Devarkadara , Kodair , Maddur , Dhanwada , Gopalpeta , Koilkonda , Narayanpet , Wanaparthy , Hanwada , Utkoor , Pangal , Nawabpet , Maganoor , Pebbair , Balanagar , Makthal , Gadwal , Kondurg , Narva , Dharur , Farooqnagar , Chinna Chinta Kunta , Maldakal , Kothur , Atmakur , Ghattu , Keshampeta , Kothakota , Aiza , Talakondapalle , Peddamandadi , Waddepalle , Amangal , Ghanpur , Itikyal , Madgul , Bijinapalle , Manopadu , Vangoor , Nagar Kurnool , Alampur , Veldanda , Tadoor , Veepangandla , Kalwakurthy , Telkapalle , Kollapur , Midjil , Uppununthala , Thimmajipeta , Achampeta . Daulatabad, Tandoor, Telkapally, Kolhapur, Thimmajipet.

Rangareddy District Marpalle ,Hayathnagar , Gandeed , Mominpet , Saroornagar , Kulkacharla , Nawabpet , Rajendranagar , Pargi , Shankarpalle , Moinabad , Pudur , Malkajgiri , Chevella , Shabad , Serilingampalle , Vikarabad , Shamshabad , Quthbullapur , Dharur , Maheswaram , Medchal , Bantaram , Ibrahimpatam , Shamirpet ,Peddemul , Manchal , Balanagar , Tandur , Yacharam , Keesara , Basheerabad , Kandukur , Ghatkesar , Yelal , Uppal , Doma . Shankarpalli, puduraya, Serilingampally, Maheshwaram, Yell.

Nalgonda District Bommalaramaram , Chityala , Thripuraram , M Turkapalle , Narketpalle , Miryalaguda , Rajapet , Kattangoor , Garide Palle , Yadagirigutta , Nakrekal , Chilkur , Alair , Kethepalle , Kodad , Gundala , Suryapet , Mellachervu , Thirumalagiri , Chivvemla , Huzurnagar , Thunga Thurthi , Mothey , Mattampalle , Nuthankal , Nadigudem , Nered Cherla , Atmakur (S) , Munagala , Dameracherla , Jaji Reddi Gudem , Penpahad , Anumula , Saligouraram , Vemulapalle , Peddavura , Mothkur , Thipparthi , Pedda Adiserlapalle , Atmakur (M) , Nalgonda , Gurrampode , Valigonda , Munugode , Nampalle , Bhuvanagiri , Narayanapur , Chintha Palle , Bibinagar , Marri Guda , Devarakonda , Pochampalle , Chandur , Gundla Palle , Choutuppal , Kangal , Chandam Pet , Ramannapeta , Nidamanur . Tripuraram , M Turkapally , Narketpally , Kethepally , Uganda , Mellacheruvu , Tirumalagiri , Chivemla ,Thoonga , Mattampally, Need Cherla , Damaracherla , Shaligouraram , Vemulapalli ,Peddavura , Narayanpur , Chintapalli , Marriguda , Pochampally , Gundlapalli ,Chandampet , Ramannapet.

Medak District Manoor , Siddipet , Kohir , Kangti , Chinna Kodur , Munpalle , Kalher , Nanganur , Pulkal , Narayankhed , Kondapak , Sadasivpet , Regode , Jagdevpur , Kondapur ,Shankarampet (A) , Gajwel , Sangareddy , Alladurg , Doultabad , Patancheru , Tekmal , Chegunta , Ramachandrapuram , Papannapet , Yeldurthy , Jinnaram , Kulcharam , Kowdipalle , Hathnoora , Medak , Andole , Narsapur , Shankarampet (R) , Raikode , Shivampet , Ramayampet , Nyalkal , Tupran , Dubbak , Jharasangam , Wargal , Mirdoddi , Zahirabad , Mulug . Manoor, Munipalle, Nanganallur, Daulatabad, Veldurthy, Kowdipally, Toopran, to Oprah

Warangal District Cheriyal , Thorrur , Duggondi , Maddur , Nellikudur , Geesugonda , Narmetta , Narsimhulapet , Atmakur , Bachannapeta , Maripeda , Shayampet , Jangaon , Dornakal , Parkal , Lingala Ghanpur , Kuravi , Regonda , Raghunatha Palle , Mahabubabad , Mogullapalle , Ghanpur(Stn) , Kesamudram , Chityal , Dharmasagar , Nekkonda , Bhupalpalle , Hasanparthy , Gudur , Ghanapur , Hanamkonda , Kothagudem , Mulug , Wardhannapet , Khanapur , Venkatapur , Zaffergadh , Govindaraopet , Palakurthi , Chennaraopet , Tadvai , Devaruppula , Parvathagiri , Eturnagaram , Kodakandla , Sangam , Mangapet , Raiparthy , Nallabelly , Warangal Cherial, Cheryl, Bachannapet, Kuruvi, Mogullapally, Bhupalpally, Ghanpur.

Karimnagar District Ibrahimpatnam , Jagtial , Vemulawada , Mallapur , Medipalle , Konaraopeta , Raikal , Koratla , Yella Reddi Peta , Sarangapur , Metpalle , Gambhiraopet , Dharmapuri , Kathlapur , Mustabad , Velgatoor , Chandurthi , Sirsilla , Ramagundam , Kodimial , Ellanthakunta , Kamanpur , Gangadhara , Bejjanki , Manthani , Mallial , Thimmapur , Kataram , Pegadapalle , Kesavapatnam , Mahadevpur , Choppadandi , Huzurabad , Mutharam , Mahadevpur , Sultanabad , Kamalapur , Malharrao , Odela , Elkathurthi , Mutharam Manthani , Jammikunta , Saidapur , Srirampur , Veenavanka , Chigurumamidi , Peddapalle , Manakondur , Koheda , Julapalle , Karimnagar , Husnabad , Dharmaram , Ramadugu , Bheemadevarpalle , Gollapalle , Boinpalle Medipally , Konaraopet , Korutla , Yellareddy Peta , Sarangpur , ,Metpally , Kathalapur , Pegadapally , Elkathurthy , Shrirampur , Peddapalli , Julapalli , , Bheemadevarapally, Bowenpally.

Nizamabad District Ranjal , Yeda Palle , Sadasivanagar , Navipet , Bodhan , Gandhari , Nandipet , Kotgiri , Banswada , Armur , Madnur , Pitlam , Balkonda , Jukkal , Nizamsagar , Mortad , Bichkunda , Yellareddy , Kammar , Palle , Birkoor , Naga Reddipet , Bheemgal , Varni , Lingampet , Velpur , Dichpalle , Tadwai , Jakranpalle , Dhar Palle , Kamareddy , Makloor , Sirkonda , Bhiknur , Nizamabad , Machareddy , Domakonda . Sadashivanagar, Kotagiri, Armour, Pelle, Naga Reddit, Dichpally, Jakranpally, Sirikonda

Adilabad District Talamadugu , Lohesra , Tiryani , Tamsi , Dilawarpur , Asifabad , Adilabad , Nirmal , Wankdi , Jainad , Laxmanchanda , Kagaz Nagar , Bela , Mamda , Rebbana , Narnoor , Khanpur , Tandur , Inderavelly , Kaddampeddur , Bellampalle , Gudihatnur , Utnur , Nennal , Ichoda , Jainoor , Bheemini , Bazarhathnoor , Kerameri , Sirpur (T) , Boath , Sirpur (U) , Kouthala , Neradigonda , Jannaram , Bejjur , Sarangapur , Dandepalle , Dahegaon , Kuntala , Luxettipet , Vemanpalle , Kubeer , Mancherial , Kotapalle , Bhainsa , Mandamarri , Chennur , Tanur , Kasipet , Jaipur , Mudhole Lohara, Tampa , Kagaznagar , Bella , Kaddam Peddur , Gudihathnoor , Bheemili, boathouse , Sarangpur , Vempalli , Kazipet.

Hyderabad, Secendrabad kukatpally , tank bund , hussain sagar , birla mandir ,himayat nagar , begumpet, shamshabad, charminar, golconda , banjara hills ,stadhampton , khairabadi , yousufguda, patancheru,Musheerabad , Ameerpet ,Khairatabad , Bandlaguda, Amberpet , Secunderabad, Charminar , Asifnagar , Himayathnagar ,Tirumalagiri , Golconda , Saidabad , Maredalle,shaikpet ,nampally ,bahadurpura , Maryland .cyderabad, jubili hills, kazipally, bollaram, bachupally, swarnapuri, miyapur, kompally,thumkunta, hakimpet, ramachandra puram, vishwambhar enclave, bala nagar, serilingampally, sri ram nagar, gachibowli, madhapur, secretarial, tolichowki, gandipet, raghuram nagar, bharat nagar, budvel, rajendra nagar, bakaram, kothwalguda, ahmadpur, kavadiguda, asthma, jeedimetla, balaji nagar, alwal, yapral, dammaiguda, sainikpuri, kapra, sakthi nagar, asrao nagar, moulali, bowenpally, ramanthapur, pizza, saroor nagar, falaknuma, vansathi puram, hanuman nagar, brindavan colony, nadergul, indira reddy, rallaguda, gollapally, new hafeezpet, trimulgherry, safilguda, yellareddyguda, musheerabad, taj residency, hill font, apollo hospital, afzalgunj, tadbund, bahadurgarh, sri raghavendra, aradhana, marredpally, zaheerabad, film nagar, mehdipatnam, imperial, esi, kanchanbagh, yeddumailaram, manikonda, chandrayangutta, janwada, chilkur, bakaram, sacoor nagar, deshmukhi, doolapally, amberpet, dilsukhnagar, karwan, gosha mahal, bahadurpura,

Bombay Dilli, Dehli, Kolkata, Kalikata, Kalkutta, Bengaloru, engaluru, Bangalur, Madras, Chennapattanam, Ahmadâbâd, Ahmadabad, Amdabad, Ahmedabad , Haidarabad, Haidarabad, Haiderabad, Hyderabad, Haider-Abad Poona, Pune, Kanpur, Kanpur, Cawnpore, Khanpur, sorat, Surat, Jeypore, Lakhnau Lucknow, Nagpur, Thana, Calcutta, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore, Pune, Surat, Jaipur, Vadodara, Indore, Patna, Madurai, Bhopal, Ludhiana, Coimbatore, Varanasi, Visakhapatnam, Agra, Mumbai.

Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradeshm Itangar, Itanagar, Assam, Dispur, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Raipur, Goa, Panaji, Gujaratm Gandhinagar, Haryana, Chandigarhm Himachal Pradesh, Shimla, Jammu and Kashmir, Srinagar, Jharkhand, Ranchi, Karnataka, Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, Trivandrum, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Imphal, Meghalaya, Shillong, Mizoram, Aizawi, Nagaland, Kohima, Orissa, Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneshwar, Punjab, Rajasthan, Jaipur, Sikkim, Gangtok, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Agartala, Uttaranchal, West Bengal, Kolkata, Dehradun, Uttar Pradesh, Dada and Nagar Haveli, Silvassa, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Port Blair, Daman and Diu, Lakshadeep, Kavaratti, Yanam, Pondicherry. Asia, USA, America, Washington, Belgium, New York, United States of America, United Kingdom, Columbia, Bangkok, Australia, Switzerland, Mexico, France, Sweden, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Italy, Poland, Denmark, France, London, New Zealand, Spain. Indonesia, Brazil, Nigeria, Russia, Philippines, Ethiopia, Vietnam, Egypt, Turkey, Iran, Thailand, Burma, South Africa, Algeria,

The Hyderabad Metro is a rapid transit system, serving the city of Hyderabad, Telangana, India. It is in Secant Operational model. It is being implemented entirely on public-private partnership (PPP) basis, with the state government holding a minority equity stake. A 30 km stretch from Miyapur to Nagole, having 24 stations was inaugurated on 28 November 2017 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. No other rapid transit metro service in India opened for public operations on such a long stretch of 30 km. As of October 2018, it is the second longest operational metro network in India after the Delhi Metro, after a 16 km stretch between Ameerpet-LB Nagar Metro route was opened on 24 September 2018. It is estimated to cost ₹18,800 crore (US$2.6 billion). As of October 2018, about 200,000 people use the Metro per day. Trains are now crowded during the morning and evening hours, when employees travel to and from work. A ladies only coach was introduced on all the trains from 7 May 2018.

HISTORY

To respond the rising public transport needs and mitigate escalating vehicular traffic in the twin-cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad, the State Government and the South Central Railway jointly launched the Multi Modal Transport System (MMTS) in [August] 2003. The increase in population of Hyderabad made MMTS alone insufficient for public transport, which led to Union Ministry of Urban Development giving the nod for the Hyderabad Metro Rail Project and directed the DMRC to conduct a survey on the project.[ this project was seen necessary in view that the population of Hyderabad was forecasted to reach 13.6 million by the year 2021. According to the initial plan, the metro was to be connected with the already existing MMTS to provide commuters with alternate modes of transport. Simultaneously, the proposals for taking up the construction of MMTS Phase-II were also taken forward.

On March 26, 2018, Telangana Govt announced that it would set up a SPV "Hyderabad Airport Metro Limited (HAML)", jointly promoted by HMRL and HMDA, to extend the Blue line from Raidurg to Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Shamshabad.

INITIAL BIDDING

The bidding process was completed by July 2008 and awarded to Maytas which failed to achieve financial closure for the project as per schedule By March 2009. In July 2009, the State Government cancelled the contract and called for fresh bids for the project.

RE-BIDDING

In the July-2010 rebidding process, Larsen & Toubro (L&T) emerged as the lowest bidder for the ₹121.32 billion (US$1.7 billion) project. L&T came forward to take up the work for about ₹14.58 billion (US$200 million) as viability gap funding as against the sanctioned ₹48.53 billion (US$680 million).

MASCOT

The mascot of Hyderabad Metro Rail is Niz. It was derived from the word Nizam, who ruled the princely state of Hyderabad.

AWARDS AND NOMINATIONS

HMR project was showcased as one of the top 100 strategic global infrastructure projects at the Global Infrastructure Leadership Forum held in New York during February–March 2013.

L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad Limited (LTMRHL) has been conferred the SAP ACE Award 2015 in the 'Strategic HR and Talent Management category.

In 2018, Rasoolpura, Paradise and Prakash Nagar metro stations were awarded Indian Green Building Council’s (IGBC) Green MRTS Platinum Award.

CONSTRUCTION HISTORY

Groundbreaking (Bhoomi Puja) for the project was conducted on 26 April 2012 the concessionaire started the pillar erection on the same day for Stage-I and on 6 June 2012 for Stage-II. The work for Corridor 2 has been delayed due to traders in Koti and Sultan Bazar demanding realignment of the route to safeguard traders and old age heritage markets. If the recent bill proposed in Parliament which allows construction within a 100 metre radius of heritage structures and sites of historical or archaeological importance is passed, Metro might receive a chance as it helps to connect the Old city with IT corridor.

The construction of the entire 71.16 km has been split into 6 stages with the first stage originally scheduled to be completed by March 2015.

In November 2013, L&T Hyderabad Metro started laying of rails on the metro viaduct between Nagole and Mettuguda, a stretch of 8 km.

The first highly sophisticated train of the Hyderabad Metro Rail (HMR) came from Korea during the third week of May 2014. Stringent trial runs commenced from June 2014 till February 2015. The trial runs started on the Miyapur to Sanjeeva Reddy Nagar stretch in October 2015.

CMRS inspection for Stage-II (Miyapur and S.R.Nagar Section) was done on 9, 10 August 2016. Three interchanges are planned at Mahatma Gandhi Bus Terminus, Parade Grounds and Ameerpet.

The steel bridge of the HMR was successfully placed over the Oliphant bridge in August 2017.

In November 2017, Commissioner of Railway Safety (CMRS) granted safety approval for 12 km stretch from Miyapur to SR Nagar, 10 km stretch from SR Nagar to Mettuguda and 8 km stretch from Nagole to Mettuguda.

Ameerpet-LB Nagar Metro stretch is open for commercial operations from 24 September 2018.

CONSTRUCTION PHASES

The construction work was undertaken in two phases. There are six stages of completion in Phase I

PHASE I

The Phase I of the project includes 3 lines covering a distance of around 72 km. The metro rail stretches between Nagole and Secunderabad 11 km originally scheduled to be operational by December 2015, is now partially operational since 29 November 2017. The entire 72 km 57-station first phase is due to be completed by December 2019 with Hitec City - Raidurg line and MGBS - Falaknuma line is scheduled to be completed by December 2019.

Line 1 - Red Line - Miyapur – L B Nagar - 29.2 km

Line 2 - Green Line - JBS - Falaknuma 15 km

Line 3 - Blue Line - Nagole – Raidurg - 28 km

PHASE II

The Government is planning second phase of metro rail extending further. The construction of Phase II will be taken up solely by the state government, instead of public private partnership (PPP) mode in Phase I. Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) was entrusted to give a detailed project report (DPR) for Phase II. Metro Rail Phase II expansion plan is for about 60 km, which includes providing link to Shamshabad RGI Airport.

LINES

Since the first version of the plans, the three corridors mostly remained the same, but minor changes were introduced. These include the lack of stop at Lalaguda, or a stop at Lakdikapul instead of Secretariat. Also, the lines have been marked with several different combination of color. Ameerpet- LB Nagar metro stretch opened on 24 September 2018. HiTec City to Raidurg, 1.5-kilometre stretch on Corridor Three - Nagole to Raidurg, is scheduled to be completed in November 2019, as it involves construction of 49 pillars and the Raidurg terminal station. Efforts are being made to complete the 8.5-km stretch from Ameerpet to HiTec City by December 2018.

RECEPTION

The Metro has opened to overwhelming response, with over 200,000 people using it on Day 1. On the first Sunday of operations, the Metro was used by 240,000 people.. As of September 2018, the daily ridership was about 2,00,000.

Trains are initially being operated at a frequency of 3.5 minutes in very peak hours and every 6.5 minutes in peak hours (between Miyapur-Ameerpet) and 6.5 minutes in peak hours (between Ameerpet-Nagole),, though maximum achievable frequency is every 90 seconds. Similarly, three-car trains are being used currently, though it is planned to use six-car trains in the future.

In December 2017, Hyderabad Metro Rail launched its mobile app, TSavaari. Hyderabad Metro timings are available on T-Savari app. Ola Cabs and Uber tied up its services with app.

COST

The initial official estimated cost of the 72 km long Metro project stood at ₹14,132 crore (US$2.0 billion). The Central Government decided to bear 10% of it, while L&T was to bear the remaining 90% of the cost. The construction work which was supposed to commence on 3 March 2011 commenced in 2012. In March 2012, the cost of the project was revised upwards to ₹15,957 crore (US$2.2 billion). This has been further revised upwards to ₹18,800 crore (US$2.6 billion) (as of November 2017).

INFRASTRUCTURE

The 71.3 km standard-gauge network will feature ballastless track throughout and will be electrified at 25kV ac 50 Hz. An operations control centre and depot are constructed at Uppal. At some places, a flyover, underpass and metro has been constructed at the same place, as part of Strategic road development plan (SRDP).

CBTC TECHNOLOGY

At the end of 2012, L&T Metro Rail awarded Thales a Rs 7.4bn ($US 134m) contract to provide CBTC and integrated telecommunications and supervision systems on all three lines. Thales will supply its SelTrac CBTC technology, and trains will initially run in automatic train operation mode with minimum headways of 90 seconds, although the system will support eventual migration to unattended train operation (UTO).

ROLLING STOCK

On 12 September 2012, Larsen and Toubro Metro Rail Hyderabad Ltd (LTMRHL) announced that it has awarded tender for supply of rolling stock to Hyundai Rotem. The ₹18 billion (US$250 million) tender is for 57 trains consisting of 171 cars which will be delivered in phases at least 9 months before the commencement of each stage. On 2 October 2013, LTMRHL unveiled its train car for Hyderabad Metro. A model coach which is half the size of the actual coach, was on public display at Necklace Road on the banks of Hussain Sagar in the heart of Hyderabad. The trains will be 3.2m wide and 4m high. There will be 4 doors on each side of each coach.

On 10 April 2014, the first metro train for HMR rolled out of Hyundai Rotem factory at Changwon in South Korea and reached Hyderabad in May 2014. On 31 December 2014, Hyderabad Metro Rail successfully conducted a training run in Automatic Train Operation (ATO) mode for the first time between Nagole and Mettuguda.

TICKETING

The L&T Hyderabad project will have an automated ticketing system with features such as contactless smart card based ticketing, slim automatic gates, payment by cash and credit/debit card, passenger operated ticket vending machine and provision of common ticketing system. It will also have a provision of NFC-based technology to enable usage of mobile phones as fare media and high performance machine to avoid long queues. Samsung Data Systems India, a subsidiary of South Korean firm Samsung, has been awarded the automatic fare collection system package for the L&T metro rail project. The package involves design, manufacture, supply, installation, testing and commissioning of the system.

Official ticket prices were announced on 25 November 2017. The base fare is ₹10 for up to 2 km and going to slap 10 with ₹60 for more than 26 km.

STATIONS

Hyderabad metro will have 64 stations in phase I. They will be provided with amenities such as escalators and elevators to reach the stations, announcement boards, electronic display systems among others for passengers. Commercial will also be provided on stations. Hyderabad metro stations will also have service roads underneath them to provide last mile connectivity by allowing other public transportation systems use it for dropping/picking passengers right in front of the stations and ensure uninterrupted traffic. Currently the service lane works are currently on at Nagole and Uppal stations. The signboards of Hyderabad Metro are displayed in Telugu, English, Hindi and Urdu at metro stations.

Otis Elevator Company of United States won the contract to supply and maintain 670 elevators.

In May 2018, L&T Metro Rail announced that it had signed a contract with Powergrid Corporation of India to install electric vehicle charging facilities at all metro stations beginning with Miyapur and Dr. B R Ambedkar Balanagar stations. L&THMRL has setup free wifi access units for commuters at Miyapur, Ameerpet and Nagole metro stations, in association with ACT Fibernet, as part of a pilot project.

WIKIPEDIA

A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism, a monotheistic religion which originated during the 15th century in the Punjab region. The term "Sikh" has its origin in the Sanskrit words शिष्य (śiṣya; disciple, student) or शिक्ष (śikṣa; instruction). A Sikh is a disciple of a guru. According to Article I of the Sikh Rehat Maryada (the Sikh code of conduct), a Sikh is "any human being who faithfully believes in One Immortal Being; ten Gurus, from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh; Guru Granth Sahib; the teachings of the ten Gurus and the baptism bequeathed by the tenth Guru". "Sikh" properly refers to adherents of Sikhism as a religion, not an ethnic group. However, because Sikhs often share strong ethno-religious ties, many countries, such as the U.K., recognize Sikh as a designated ethnicity on their censuses. The American non-profit organization United Sikhs has fought to have Sikh included on the U.S. census as well, arguing that Sikhs "self-identify as an 'ethnic minority'" and believe "that they are more than just a religion".

Male Sikhs usually have "Singh" (Lion), and female Sikhs have "Kaur" (Princess) as their middle or last name. Sikhs who have undergone the khanḍe-kī-pahul (the Sikh initiation ceremony) may also be recognized by the five Ks: uncut hair (kesh); an iron or steel bracelet (kara); a kirpan (a sword tucked into a gatra strap); kachehra, a cotton undergarment, and kanga, a small wooden comb. Baptized male Sikhs must cover their hair with a turban, which is optional for baptized female Sikhs. The greater Punjab region is the historic homeland of the Sikhs, although significant communities exist around the world.

HISTORY

Sikh political history may be said to begin with the death of the fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjan Dev, in 1606. Guru Nanak was a religious leader and social reformer in the 15th-century Punjab. Religious practices were formalized by Guru Gobind Singh on 30 March 1699. Singh baptized five people from a variety of social backgrounds, known as the Panj Piare (the five beloved ones) to form the Khalsa, or collective body of initiated Sikhs. Sikhism has generally had amicable relations with other religions, except for the period of Mughal rule in India (1556–1707). Several Sikh gurus were killed by the Mughals for opposing their persecution of minority religious communities including Sikhs. Sikhs subsequently militarized to oppose Mughal rule. The emergence of the Sikh Confederacy under Ranjit Singh was characterized by religious tolerance and pluralism, with Christians, Muslims and Hindus in positions of power. The confederacy is considered the zenith of political Sikhism, encompassing Kashmir, Ladakh and Peshawar. Hari Singh Nalwa, the commander-in-chief of the Sikh army in the North West Frontier, expanded the confederacy to the Khyber Pass. Its secular administration implemented military, economic and governmental reforms. The months leading up to the partition of India in 1947 were marked by conflict in the Punjab between Sikhs and Muslims. This caused the religious migration of Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus from West Punjab, mirroring a similar religious migration of Punjabi Muslims from East Punjab.

The 1960s saw growing animosity between Sikhs and Hindus in India, with the Sikhs demanding the creation of a Punjab state on a linguistic basis similar to other states in India. This was promised to Sikh leader Master Tara Singh by Jawaharlal Nehru, in return for Sikh political support during negotiations for Indian independence. Although the Sikhs obtained the Punjab, they lost Hindi-speaking areas to Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan. Chandigarh was made a union territory and the capital of Haryana and Punjab on 1 November 1966.

Tensions arose again during the late 1970s, fueled by Sikh claims of discrimination and marginalisation by the Hindu-dominated Indian National Congress party and tactics adopted by the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

According to Katherine Frank, Indira Gandhi's assumption of emergency powers in 1975 resulted in the weakening of the "legitimate and impartial machinery of government", and her increasing "paranoia" about opposing political groups led her to institute a "despotic policy of playing castes, religions and political groups against each other for political advantage". Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale articulated Sikh demands for justice, and this triggered violence in the Punjab. The prime minister's 1984 defeat of Bhindranwale led to an attack on the Golden Temple in Operation Blue Star and to her assassination by her Sikh bodyguards. Gandhi's assassination resulted in an explosion of violence against Sikh communities and the killing of thousands of Sikhs throughout India. Khushwant Singh described the riots as a Sikh pogrom; he "felt like a refugee in my country. In fact, I felt like a Jew in Nazi Germany". Since 1984, relations between Sikhs and Hindus have moved toward a rapprochement aided by economic prosperity. However, a 2002 claim by the Hindu right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) that "Sikhs are Hindus" disturbed Sikh sensibilities. The Khalistan movement campaigns for justice for the victims of the violence, and for the political and economic needs of the Punjab.

In 1996, United Nations Commission on Human Rights Freedom of Religion or Belief Special Rapporteur Abdelfattah Amor (Tunisia, 1993–2004) visited India to report on religious discrimination. The following year Amor concluded, "In India it appears that the situation of the Sikhs in the religious field is satisfactory, but that difficulties are arising in the political (foreign interference, terrorism, etc.), economic (in particular with regard to sharing of water supplies) and even occupational fields. Information received from nongovernment (sic) sources indicates that discrimination does exist in certain sectors of the public administration; examples include the decline in the number of Sikhs in the police force and the military, and the absence of Sikhs in personal bodyguard units since the murder of Indira Gandhi".

Although Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks of the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, they make up 1.87 percent of the Indian population.

During the 1999 Vaisakhi, Sikhs worldwide celebrated the 300th anniversary of the creation of the Khalsa. Canada Post honoured Sikh Canadians with a commemorative stamp in conjunction with the 300th anniversary of Vaisakhi. On April 9, 1999, Indian president K.R. Narayanan issued a stamp commemorating the 300th anniversary of the Khalsa.

DEFINITION

According to Guru Granth Sahib:

One who calls himself 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, the Sikh is to bathe, and cleanse himself in the pool of nectar. Following the Instructions of the Guru, the Sikh is to chant the Name of the Lord, Har. All sins, misdeeds and negativity shall be erased. Then, at the rising of the sun, the Sikh is to sing Gurbani; whether sitting down or standing up, the Sikh is to meditate on the Lord's Name. One who meditates on my Lord, Har, with every breath and every morsel of food – 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.

Simran of the Lord's name is a recurring theme of Guru Granth Sahib, and Sukhmani Sahib were composed to allow a devotee to recite Nam throughout the day. Rising at Amrit Velā (before sunrise) is a common Sikh practice. Sikhism considers the spiritual and secular lives to be intertwined: "In the Sikh Weltanschauung ... the temporal world is part of the Infinite and partakes of its characteristics." According to Guru Nanak, living an "active, creative, and practical life" of "truthfulness, fidelity, self-control and purity" is superior to a purely contemplative life.

FIVE Ks

The five Ks (panj kakaar) are five articles of faith which all baptized Sikhs (Amritdhari Sikhs) are obliged to wear. The symbols represent the ideals of Sikhism: honesty, equality, fidelity, meditating on God and never bowing to tyranny. The five symbols are:

- Kesh: Uncut hair, usually tied and wrapped in a Dastar

- Kanga: A wooden comb, usually worn under a Dastar

- Katchera: Cotton undergarments, historically appropriate in battle due to increased mobility when compared to a dhoti. Worn by both sexes, the katchera is a symbol of chastity.

- Kara: An iron bracelet, a weapon and a symbol of eternity

- Kirpan: An iron dagger in different sizes. In the UK Sikhs can wear a small dagger, but in the Punjab they might wear a traditional curved sword from one to three feet in length.

MUSIC & INSTRUMENTS

The Sikhs have a number of musical instruments: the rebab, dilruba, taus, jori and sarinda. Playing the sarangi was encouraged in Guru Har Gobind. The rubab was first played by Bhai Mardana as he accompanied Guru Nanak on his journeys. The jori and sarinda were designed by Guru Arjan. The taus was made by Guru Hargobind, who supposedly heard a peacock singing and wanted to create an instrument mimicking its sounds (taus is the Persian word for peacock). The dilruba was made by Guru Gobind Singh at the request of his followers, who wanted a smaller instrument than the taus. After Japji Sahib, all of the shabda in the Guru Granth Sahib were composed as ragas. This type of singing is known as Gurmat Sangeet.

When they marched into battle, the Sikhs would play a Ranjit Nagara (victory drum) to boost morale. Nagaras (usually two to three feet in diameter, although some were up to five feet in diameter) are played with two sticks. The beat of the large drums, and the raising of the Nishan Sahib, meant that the singhs were on their way.

DISTRIBUTION

Numbering about 27 million worldwide, Sikhs make up 0.39 percent of the world population; approximately 83 percent live in India. About 76 percent of all Sikhs live in the north Indian State of Punjab, where they form a majority (about two-thirds) of the population. Substantial communities of Sikhs (more than 200,000) live in the Indian states or union territories of Haryana (more than 1.1 million), Rajasthan, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh Assam and Jammu and Kashmir.

Sikh migration from British India began in earnest during the second half of the 19th century, when the British completed their annexation of the Punjab. The British Raj recruited Sikhs for the Indian Civil Service (particularly the British Indian Army), which led to Sikh migration throughout India and the British Empire. During the Raj, semiskilled Sikh artisans were transported from the Punjab to British East Africa to help build railroads. Sikhs emigrated from India and Pakistan after World War II, most going to the United Kingdom but many to North America. Some Sikhs who had settled in eastern Africa were expelled by Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in 1972. Economics is a major factor in Sikh migration, and significant communities exist in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Malaysia, East Africa, Australia and Thailand.

Although 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. Moliner (2006) wrote that as a consequence of Sikh migration to the UK "becom[ing] virtually impossible since the late 1970s", migration patterns evolved to continental Europe. Italy is a rapidly growing destination for Sikh migration, with Reggio Emilia and Vicenza having significant Sikh population clusters. Italian Sikhs are generally involved in agriculture, agricultural processing, the manufacture of machine tools and horticulture.

Primarily for socio-economic reasons, Indian Sikhs have the lowest adjusted growth rate of any major religious group in India, at 16.9 percent per decade (estimated from 1991 to 2001). Johnson and Barrett (2004) estimate that the global Sikh population increases annually by 392,633 (1.7 percent per year, based on 2004 figures); this percentage includes births, deaths and conversions.

REPRESENTATION

Sikhs have been represented in Indian politics by former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh and the deputy chairman of the Indian Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is also a Sikh. Past Sikh politicians in India include former president Giani Zail Singh, Sardar Swaran Singh (India's first foreign minister), Speaker of Parliament Gurdial Singh Dhillon and former Chief Minister of Punjab Pratap Singh Kairon.

Politicians from the Sikh diaspora include the first Asian American member of the United States Congress, Dalip Singh Saund, British MPs Piara Khabra, Parmjit Dhanda and Paul Uppal, the first couple to sit together in a Commonwealth parliament (Gurmant Grewal and Nina Grewal, who requested a Canadian government apology for the Komagata Maru incident), former Canadian Shadow Social Development Minister Ruby Dhalla, Canadian Minister of State for Sport Baljit Singh Gosal and Legislative Assembly of Ontario members Vic Dhillon and Jagmeet Singh. Ujjal Dosanjh was the New Democratic Party Premier of British Columbia from July 2004 to February 2005, and was later a Liberal frontbench MP in Ottawa. In Malaysia, two Sikhs were elected MPs in the 2008 general elections: Karpal Singh (Bukit Gelugor) and his son, Gobind Singh Deo (Puchong). Two Sikhs were elected assemblymen: Jagdeep Singh Deo (Datuk Keramat) and Keshvinder Singh (Malim Nawar).

Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks in the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, while making up 1.87 percent of the Indian population. The Sikh Regiment is one of the most-decorated regiments in the army, with 73 Battle Honours, 14 Victoria Crosses, 21 first-class Indian Orders of Merit (equivalent to the Victoria Cross), 15 Theatre Honours, five COAS Unit Citations, two Param Vir Chakras, 14 Maha Vir Chakras, five Kirti Chakras, 67 Vir Chakras and 1,596 other awards. The highest-ranking general in the history of the Indian Air Force is a Punjabi Sikh, Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh. Plans by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence for a Sikh infantry regiment were scrapped in June 2007.

Historically, most Indians have been farmers and 66 percent of the Indian population are engaged in agriculture. Indian Sikhs are employed in agriculture to a lesser extent; India's 2001 census found 39 percent of the working population of the Punjab employed in this sector. The success of the 1960s Green Revolution, in which India went from "famine to plenty, from humiliation to dignity", was based in the Punjab (which became known as "the breadbasket of India"). The Punjab is the wealthiest Indian state per capita, with the average Punjabi income three times the national average. The Green Revolution centred on Indian farmers adopting more intensive and mechanised agricultural methods, aided by the electrification of the Punjab, cooperative credit, consolidation of small holdings and the existing, British Raj-developed canal system. According to Swedish political scientist Ishtiaq Ahmad, a factor in the success of the Indian green revolution was the "Sikh cultivator, often the Jat, whose courage, perseverance, spirit of enterprise and muscle prowess proved crucial". However, not all aspects of the green revolution were beneficial. Indian physicist 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.

Punjabi Sikhs are engaged in a number of professions which include science, engineering and medicine. Notable examples are nuclear scientist Piara Singh Gill (who worked on the Manhattan Project), fibre-optics pioneer Narinder Singh Kapany and physicist, science writer and broadcaster Simon Singh.

In business, the UK-based clothing retailers New Look and the Thai-based Jaspal were founded by Sikhs. India's largest pharmaceutical company, Ranbaxy Laboratories, is headed by Sikhs. UK Sikhs have the highest percentage of home ownership (82 percent) of any religious community. UK Sikhs are the second-wealthiest (after the Jewish community) religious group in the UK, with a median total household wealth of £229,000. In Singapore Kartar Singh Thakral expanded his family's trading business, Thakral Holdings, into total assets of almost $1.4 billion and is Singapore's 25th-richest person. Sikh Bob Singh Dhillon is the first Indo-Canadian billionaire. The Sikh diaspora has been most successful in North America, especially in California’s fertile Central Valley. American Sikh farmers such as Harbhajan Singh Samra and Didar Singh Bains dominate California agriculture, with Samra specialising in okra and Bains in peaches.

Sikh intellectuals, sportsmen and artists include writer Khushwant Singh, England cricketer Monty Panesar, former 400m runner Milkha Singh, Indian wrestler and actor Dara Singh, former Indian hockey team captains Ajitpal Singh and Balbir Singh Sr., former Indian cricket captain Bishen Singh Bedi, Harbhajan Singh (India's most successful off spin cricket bowler), Bollywood actress Neetu Singh, Sunny Leone, actors Parminder Nagra, Neha Dhupia, Gul Panag, Mona Singh, Namrata Singh Gujral, Archie Panjabi and director Gurinder Chadha.

Sikhs have migrated worldwide, with a variety of occupations. The Sikh Gurus preached ethnic and social harmony, and Sikhs comprise a number of ethnic groups. Those with over 1,000 members include the Ahluwalia, Arain, Arora, Bhatra, Bairagi, Bania, Basith, Bawaria, Bazigar, Bhabra, Chamar, Chhimba, Darzi, Dhobi, Gujar, Jatt, Jhinwar, Kahar, Kalal, Kamboj, Khatri, Kumhar, Labana, Lohar, Mahtam, Mazhabi, Megh, Mirasi, Mochi, Nai, Rajput, Ramgarhia, Saini, Sarera, Sikligar, Sunar, Sudh, Tarkhan and Zargar.

An order of Punjabi Sikhs, the Nihang or the Akalis, was formed during Ranjit Singh's time. Under their leader, Akali Phula Singh, they won many battles for the Sikh Confederacy during the early 19th century.

IN THE INDIAN & BRITISH ARMIES

Sikhs supported the British during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. By the beginning of World War I, Sikhs in the British Indian Army totaled over 100,000 (20 percent of the force). Until 1945 fourteen Victoria Crosses were awarded to Sikhs, a per-capita regimental record. In 2002 the names of all Sikh VC and George Cross recipients were inscribed on the monument of the Memorial Gates on Constitution Hill, next to Buckingham Palace. Chanan Singh Dhillon was instrumental in campaigning for the memorial.

During World War I, Sikh battalions fought in Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Gallipoli and France. Six battalions of the Sikh Regiment were raised during World War II, serving in the Second Battle of El Alamein, the Burma and Italian campaigns and in Iraq and receiving 27 battle honours. Around the world, Sikhs are commemorated in Commonwealth cemeteries.

In the last two world wars 83,005 turban wearing Sikh soldiers were killed and 109,045 were wounded. They all died or were wounded for the freedom of Britain and the world, and during shell fire, with no other protection but the turban, the symbol of their faith.

—General Sir Frank Messervy

British people are highly indebted and obliged to Sikhs for a long time. I know that within this century we needed their help twice [in two world wars] and they did help us very well. As a result of their timely help, we are today able to live with honour, dignity, and independence. In the war, they fought and died for us, wearing the turbans.

—Sir Winston Churchill

IN THE WEST

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Sikhs began to emigrate to East Africa, the Far East, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. In 1907 the Khalsa Diwan Society was established in Vancouver, and four years later the first gurdwara was established in London. In 1912 the first gurdwara in the United States was founded in Stockton, California.

Since Sikhs (like Middle Eastern men) wear turbans, some in Western countries have been mistaken for Muslim or Arabic men since the September 11 attacks and the Iraq War. Several days after the 9/11 attacks Sikh Balbir Singh Sodhi was murdered by Frank Roque, who thought Sodhi was connected with al-Qaeda. CNN suggested an increase in hate crimes against Sikh men in the United States and the UK after the 9/11 attacks.

Since Sikhism has never actively sought converts, the Sikhs have remained a relatively homogeneous ethnic group. The Kundalini Yoga-based activities of Harbhajan Singh Yogi in his 3HO (Happy, Healthy, Holy) organisation claim to have inspired a moderate growth in non-Indian adherents of Sikhism. In 1998 an estimated 7,800 3HO Sikhs, known colloquially as ‘gora’ (ਗੋਰਾ) or ‘white’ Sikhs, were mainly centred around Española, New Mexico and Los Angeles, California. Sikhs and the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund overturned a 1925 Oregon law banning the wearing of turbans by teachers and government officials.

In an attempt to foster Sikh leaders in the Western world, youth initiatives by a number of organisations have begun. The Sikh Youth Alliance of North America sponsors an annual Sikh Youth Symposium, a public-speaking and debate competition held in gurdwaras throughout the U.S. and Canada.

ART & CULTURE

Sikh art and culture are nearly synonymous with that of the Punjab, and Sikhs are easily recognised by their distinctive turban (Dastar). The Punjab has been called India’s melting pot, due to the confluence of invading cultures (Greek, Mughal and Persian) from the rivers from which the region gets its name. Sikh culture is therefore a synthesis of cultures. Sikhism has forged a unique architecture, which S. S. Bhatti described as "inspired by Guru Nanak’s creative mysticism" and "is a mute harbinger of holistic humanism based on pragmatic spirituality".

During the Mughal and Afghan 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. With the rise of Ranjit Singh and the Sikh Raj in Lahore and Delhi, there was a change in the landscape of art and culture in the Punjab; Hindus and Sikhs could build decorated shrines without the fear of destruction or looting.

The 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. Sikh architecture is characterised by gilded fluted domes, cupolas, kiosks, stone lanterns, ornate balusters and square roofs. A pinnacle of Sikh style is Harmandir Sahib (also known as the Golden Temple) in Amritsar.

Sikh culture is influenced by militaristic motifs (with the Khanda the most obvious), and most Sikh artifacts - except for the relics of the Gurus - have a military theme. This theme is evident in the Sikh festivals of Hola Mohalla and Vaisakhi, which feature marching and displays of valor.

Although 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 which can be described as "political Sikh" has arisen. The art of diaspora Sikhs like Amarjeet Kaur Nandhra and Amrit and Rabindra Kaur Singh (the "Singh Twins") is influenced by their Sikhism and current affairs in the Punjab.

Bhangra and Giddha are two forms of Punjabi folk dancing which have been adapted and pioneered by Sikhs. Punjabi 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").

PAINTING

Sikh painting is a direct offshoot of the Kangra school of painting. In 1810, Ranjeet Singh (1780–1839) occupied Kangra Fort and appointed Sardar Desa Singh Majithia his governor of the Punjab hills. In 1813 the Sikh army occupied Guler State, and Raja Bhup Singh became a vassal of the Sikhs. With 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.

The Sikh school adapted Kangra painting to Sikh needs and ideals. Its main subjects are the ten Sikh gurus and stories from Guru Nanak's Janamsakhis. The tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, left a deep impression on the followers of the new faith because of his courage and sacrifices. Hunting scenes and portraits are also common in Sikh painting.

WIKIPEDIA

A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism, a monotheistic religion which originated during the 15th century in the Punjab region. The term "Sikh" has its origin in the Sanskrit words शिष्य (śiṣya; disciple, student) or शिक्ष (śikṣa; instruction). A Sikh is a disciple of a guru. According to Article I of the Sikh Rehat Maryada (the Sikh code of conduct), a Sikh is "any human being who faithfully believes in One Immortal Being; ten Gurus, from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh; Guru Granth Sahib; the teachings of the ten Gurus and the baptism bequeathed by the tenth Guru". "Sikh" properly refers to adherents of Sikhism as a religion, not an ethnic group. However, because Sikhs often share strong ethno-religious ties, many countries, such as the U.K., recognize Sikh as a designated ethnicity on their censuses. The American non-profit organization United Sikhs has fought to have Sikh included on the U.S. census as well, arguing that Sikhs "self-identify as an 'ethnic minority'" and believe "that they are more than just a religion".

Male Sikhs usually have "Singh" (Lion), and female Sikhs have "Kaur" (Princess) as their middle or last name. Sikhs who have undergone the khanḍe-kī-pahul (the Sikh initiation ceremony) may also be recognized by the five Ks: uncut hair (kesh); an iron or steel bracelet (kara); a kirpan (a sword tucked into a gatra strap); kachehra, a cotton undergarment, and kanga, a small wooden comb. Baptized male Sikhs must cover their hair with a turban, which is optional for baptized female Sikhs. The greater Punjab region is the historic homeland of the Sikhs, although significant communities exist around the world.

HISTORY

Sikh political history may be said to begin with the death of the fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjan Dev, in 1606. Guru Nanak was a religious leader and social reformer in the 15th-century Punjab. Religious practices were formalized by Guru Gobind Singh on 30 March 1699. Singh baptized five people from a variety of social backgrounds, known as the Panj Piare (the five beloved ones) to form the Khalsa, or collective body of initiated Sikhs. Sikhism has generally had amicable relations with other religions, except for the period of Mughal rule in India (1556–1707). Several Sikh gurus were killed by the Mughals for opposing their persecution of minority religious communities including Sikhs. Sikhs subsequently militarized to oppose Mughal rule. The emergence of the Sikh Confederacy under Ranjit Singh was characterized by religious tolerance and pluralism, with Christians, Muslims and Hindus in positions of power. The confederacy is considered the zenith of political Sikhism, encompassing Kashmir, Ladakh and Peshawar. Hari Singh Nalwa, the commander-in-chief of the Sikh army in the North West Frontier, expanded the confederacy to the Khyber Pass. Its secular administration implemented military, economic and governmental reforms. The months leading up to the partition of India in 1947 were marked by conflict in the Punjab between Sikhs and Muslims. This caused the religious migration of Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus from West Punjab, mirroring a similar religious migration of Punjabi Muslims from East Punjab.

The 1960s saw growing animosity between Sikhs and Hindus in India, with the Sikhs demanding the creation of a Punjab state on a linguistic basis similar to other states in India. This was promised to Sikh leader Master Tara Singh by Jawaharlal Nehru, in return for Sikh political support during negotiations for Indian independence. Although the Sikhs obtained the Punjab, they lost Hindi-speaking areas to Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan. Chandigarh was made a union territory and the capital of Haryana and Punjab on 1 November 1966.

Tensions arose again during the late 1970s, fueled by Sikh claims of discrimination and marginalisation by the Hindu-dominated Indian National Congress party and tactics adopted by the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

According to Katherine Frank, Indira Gandhi's assumption of emergency powers in 1975 resulted in the weakening of the "legitimate and impartial machinery of government", and her increasing "paranoia" about opposing political groups led her to institute a "despotic policy of playing castes, religions and political groups against each other for political advantage". Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale articulated Sikh demands for justice, and this triggered violence in the Punjab. The prime minister's 1984 defeat of Bhindranwale led to an attack on the Golden Temple in Operation Blue Star and to her assassination by her Sikh bodyguards. Gandhi's assassination resulted in an explosion of violence against Sikh communities and the killing of thousands of Sikhs throughout India. Khushwant Singh described the riots as a Sikh pogrom; he "felt like a refugee in my country. In fact, I felt like a Jew in Nazi Germany". Since 1984, relations between Sikhs and Hindus have moved toward a rapprochement aided by economic prosperity. However, a 2002 claim by the Hindu right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) that "Sikhs are Hindus" disturbed Sikh sensibilities. The Khalistan movement campaigns for justice for the victims of the violence, and for the political and economic needs of the Punjab.

In 1996, United Nations Commission on Human Rights Freedom of Religion or Belief Special Rapporteur Abdelfattah Amor (Tunisia, 1993–2004) visited India to report on religious discrimination. The following year Amor concluded, "In India it appears that the situation of the Sikhs in the religious field is satisfactory, but that difficulties are arising in the political (foreign interference, terrorism, etc.), economic (in particular with regard to sharing of water supplies) and even occupational fields. Information received from nongovernment (sic) sources indicates that discrimination does exist in certain sectors of the public administration; examples include the decline in the number of Sikhs in the police force and the military, and the absence of Sikhs in personal bodyguard units since the murder of Indira Gandhi".

Although Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks of the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, they make up 1.87 percent of the Indian population.

During the 1999 Vaisakhi, Sikhs worldwide celebrated the 300th anniversary of the creation of the Khalsa. Canada Post honoured Sikh Canadians with a commemorative stamp in conjunction with the 300th anniversary of Vaisakhi. On April 9, 1999, Indian president K.R. Narayanan issued a stamp commemorating the 300th anniversary of the Khalsa.

DEFINITION

According to Guru Granth Sahib:

One who calls himself 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, the Sikh is to bathe, and cleanse himself in the pool of nectar. Following the Instructions of the Guru, the Sikh is to chant the Name of the Lord, Har. All sins, misdeeds and negativity shall be erased. Then, at the rising of the sun, the Sikh is to sing Gurbani; whether sitting down or standing up, the Sikh is to meditate on the Lord's Name. One who meditates on my Lord, Har, with every breath and every morsel of food – 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.

Simran of the Lord's name is a recurring theme of Guru Granth Sahib, and Sukhmani Sahib were composed to allow a devotee to recite Nam throughout the day. Rising at Amrit Velā (before sunrise) is a common Sikh practice. Sikhism considers the spiritual and secular lives to be intertwined: "In the Sikh Weltanschauung ... the temporal world is part of the Infinite and partakes of its characteristics." According to Guru Nanak, living an "active, creative, and practical life" of "truthfulness, fidelity, self-control and purity" is superior to a purely contemplative life.

FIVE Ks

The five Ks (panj kakaar) are five articles of faith which all baptized Sikhs (Amritdhari Sikhs) are obliged to wear. The symbols represent the ideals of Sikhism: honesty, equality, fidelity, meditating on God and never bowing to tyranny. The five symbols are:

- Kesh: Uncut hair, usually tied and wrapped in a Dastar

- Kanga: A wooden comb, usually worn under a Dastar

- Katchera: Cotton undergarments, historically appropriate in battle due to increased mobility when compared to a dhoti. Worn by both sexes, the katchera is a symbol of chastity.

- Kara: An iron bracelet, a weapon and a symbol of eternity

- Kirpan: An iron dagger in different sizes. In the UK Sikhs can wear a small dagger, but in the Punjab they might wear a traditional curved sword from one to three feet in length.

MUSIC & INSTRUMENTS

The Sikhs have a number of musical instruments: the rebab, dilruba, taus, jori and sarinda. Playing the sarangi was encouraged in Guru Har Gobind. The rubab was first played by Bhai Mardana as he accompanied Guru Nanak on his journeys. The jori and sarinda were designed by Guru Arjan. The taus was made by Guru Hargobind, who supposedly heard a peacock singing and wanted to create an instrument mimicking its sounds (taus is the Persian word for peacock). The dilruba was made by Guru Gobind Singh at the request of his followers, who wanted a smaller instrument than the taus. After Japji Sahib, all of the shabda in the Guru Granth Sahib were composed as ragas. This type of singing is known as Gurmat Sangeet.

When they marched into battle, the Sikhs would play a Ranjit Nagara (victory drum) to boost morale. Nagaras (usually two to three feet in diameter, although some were up to five feet in diameter) are played with two sticks. The beat of the large drums, and the raising of the Nishan Sahib, meant that the singhs were on their way.

DISTRIBUTION

Numbering about 27 million worldwide, Sikhs make up 0.39 percent of the world population; approximately 83 percent live in India. About 76 percent of all Sikhs live in the north Indian State of Punjab, where they form a majority (about two-thirds) of the population. Substantial communities of Sikhs (more than 200,000) live in the Indian states or union territories of Haryana (more than 1.1 million), Rajasthan, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh Assam and Jammu and Kashmir.

Sikh migration from British India began in earnest during the second half of the 19th century, when the British completed their annexation of the Punjab. The British Raj recruited Sikhs for the Indian Civil Service (particularly the British Indian Army), which led to Sikh migration throughout India and the British Empire. During the Raj, semiskilled Sikh artisans were transported from the Punjab to British East Africa to help build railroads. Sikhs emigrated from India and Pakistan after World War II, most going to the United Kingdom but many to North America. Some Sikhs who had settled in eastern Africa were expelled by Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in 1972. Economics is a major factor in Sikh migration, and significant communities exist in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Malaysia, East Africa, Australia and Thailand.

Although 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. Moliner (2006) wrote that as a consequence of Sikh migration to the UK "becom[ing] virtually impossible since the late 1970s", migration patterns evolved to continental Europe. Italy is a rapidly growing destination for Sikh migration, with Reggio Emilia and Vicenza having significant Sikh population clusters. Italian Sikhs are generally involved in agriculture, agricultural processing, the manufacture of machine tools and horticulture.

Primarily for socio-economic reasons, Indian Sikhs have the lowest adjusted growth rate of any major religious group in India, at 16.9 percent per decade (estimated from 1991 to 2001). Johnson and Barrett (2004) estimate that the global Sikh population increases annually by 392,633 (1.7 percent per year, based on 2004 figures); this percentage includes births, deaths and conversions.

REPRESENTATION

Sikhs have been represented in Indian politics by former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh and the deputy chairman of the Indian Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is also a Sikh. Past Sikh politicians in India include former president Giani Zail Singh, Sardar Swaran Singh (India's first foreign minister), Speaker of Parliament Gurdial Singh Dhillon and former Chief Minister of Punjab Pratap Singh Kairon.

Politicians from the Sikh diaspora include the first Asian American member of the United States Congress, Dalip Singh Saund, British MPs Piara Khabra, Parmjit Dhanda and Paul Uppal, the first couple to sit together in a Commonwealth parliament (Gurmant Grewal and Nina Grewal, who requested a Canadian government apology for the Komagata Maru incident), former Canadian Shadow Social Development Minister Ruby Dhalla, Canadian Minister of State for Sport Baljit Singh Gosal and Legislative Assembly of Ontario members Vic Dhillon and Jagmeet Singh. Ujjal Dosanjh was the New Democratic Party Premier of British Columbia from July 2004 to February 2005, and was later a Liberal frontbench MP in Ottawa. In Malaysia, two Sikhs were elected MPs in the 2008 general elections: Karpal Singh (Bukit Gelugor) and his son, Gobind Singh Deo (Puchong). Two Sikhs were elected assemblymen: Jagdeep Singh Deo (Datuk Keramat) and Keshvinder Singh (Malim Nawar).

Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks in the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, while making up 1.87 percent of the Indian population. The Sikh Regiment is one of the most-decorated regiments in the army, with 73 Battle Honours, 14 Victoria Crosses, 21 first-class Indian Orders of Merit (equivalent to the Victoria Cross), 15 Theatre Honours, five COAS Unit Citations, two Param Vir Chakras, 14 Maha Vir Chakras, five Kirti Chakras, 67 Vir Chakras and 1,596 other awards. The highest-ranking general in the history of the Indian Air Force is a Punjabi Sikh, Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh. Plans by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence for a Sikh infantry regiment were scrapped in June 2007.

Historically, most Indians have been farmers and 66 percent of the Indian population are engaged in agriculture. Indian Sikhs are employed in agriculture to a lesser extent; India's 2001 census found 39 percent of the working population of the Punjab employed in this sector. The success of the 1960s Green Revolution, in which India went from "famine to plenty, from humiliation to dignity", was based in the Punjab (which became known as "the breadbasket of India"). The Punjab is the wealthiest Indian state per capita, with the average Punjabi income three times the national average. The Green Revolution centred on Indian farmers adopting more intensive and mechanised agricultural methods, aided by the electrification of the Punjab, cooperative credit, consolidation of small holdings and the existing, British Raj-developed canal system. According to Swedish political scientist Ishtiaq Ahmad, a factor in the success of the Indian green revolution was the "Sikh cultivator, often the Jat, whose courage, perseverance, spirit of enterprise and muscle prowess proved crucial". However, not all aspects of the green revolution were beneficial. Indian physicist 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.

Punjabi Sikhs are engaged in a number of professions which include science, engineering and medicine. Notable examples are nuclear scientist Piara Singh Gill (who worked on the Manhattan Project), fibre-optics pioneer Narinder Singh Kapany and physicist, science writer and broadcaster Simon Singh.

In business, the UK-based clothing retailers New Look and the Thai-based Jaspal were founded by Sikhs. India's largest pharmaceutical company, Ranbaxy Laboratories, is headed by Sikhs. UK Sikhs have the highest percentage of home ownership (82 percent) of any religious community. UK Sikhs are the second-wealthiest (after the Jewish community) religious group in the UK, with a median total household wealth of £229,000. In Singapore Kartar Singh Thakral expanded his family's trading business, Thakral Holdings, into total assets of almost $1.4 billion and is Singapore's 25th-richest person. Sikh Bob Singh Dhillon is the first Indo-Canadian billionaire. The Sikh diaspora has been most successful in North America, especially in California’s fertile Central Valley. American Sikh farmers such as Harbhajan Singh Samra and Didar Singh Bains dominate California agriculture, with Samra specialising in okra and Bains in peaches.

Sikh intellectuals, sportsmen and artists include writer Khushwant Singh, England cricketer Monty Panesar, former 400m runner Milkha Singh, Indian wrestler and actor Dara Singh, former Indian hockey team captains Ajitpal Singh and Balbir Singh Sr., former Indian cricket captain Bishen Singh Bedi, Harbhajan Singh (India's most successful off spin cricket bowler), Bollywood actress Neetu Singh, Sunny Leone, actors Parminder Nagra, Neha Dhupia, Gul Panag, Mona Singh, Namrata Singh Gujral, Archie Panjabi and director Gurinder Chadha.

Sikhs have migrated worldwide, with a variety of occupations. The Sikh Gurus preached ethnic and social harmony, and Sikhs comprise a number of ethnic groups. Those with over 1,000 members include the Ahluwalia, Arain, Arora, Bhatra, Bairagi, Bania, Basith, Bawaria, Bazigar, Bhabra, Chamar, Chhimba, Darzi, Dhobi, Gujar, Jatt, Jhinwar, Kahar, Kalal, Kamboj, Khatri, Kumhar, Labana, Lohar, Mahtam, Mazhabi, Megh, Mirasi, Mochi, Nai, Rajput, Ramgarhia, Saini, Sarera, Sikligar, Sunar, Sudh, Tarkhan and Zargar.

An order of Punjabi Sikhs, the Nihang or the Akalis, was formed during Ranjit Singh's time. Under their leader, Akali Phula Singh, they won many battles for the Sikh Confederacy during the early 19th century.

IN THE INDIAN & BRITISH ARMIES

Sikhs supported the British during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. By the beginning of World War I, Sikhs in the British Indian Army totaled over 100,000 (20 percent of the force). Until 1945 fourteen Victoria Crosses were awarded to Sikhs, a per-capita regimental record. In 2002 the names of all Sikh VC and George Cross recipients were inscribed on the monument of the Memorial Gates on Constitution Hill, next to Buckingham Palace. Chanan Singh Dhillon was instrumental in campaigning for the memorial.

During World War I, Sikh battalions fought in Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Gallipoli and France. Six battalions of the Sikh Regiment were raised during World War II, serving in the Second Battle of El Alamein, the Burma and Italian campaigns and in Iraq and receiving 27 battle honours. Around the world, Sikhs are commemorated in Commonwealth cemeteries.

In the last two world wars 83,005 turban wearing Sikh soldiers were killed and 109,045 were wounded. They all died or were wounded for the freedom of Britain and the world, and during shell fire, with no other protection but the turban, the symbol of their faith.

—General Sir Frank Messervy

British people are highly indebted and obliged to Sikhs for a long time. I know that within this century we needed their help twice [in two world wars] and they did help us very well. As a result of their timely help, we are today able to live with honour, dignity, and independence. In the war, they fought and died for us, wearing the turbans.

—Sir Winston Churchill

IN THE WEST

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Sikhs began to emigrate to East Africa, the Far East, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. In 1907 the Khalsa Diwan Society was established in Vancouver, and four years later the first gurdwara was established in London. In 1912 the first gurdwara in the United States was founded in Stockton, California.

Since Sikhs (like Middle Eastern men) wear turbans, some in Western countries have been mistaken for Muslim or Arabic men since the September 11 attacks and the Iraq War. Several days after the 9/11 attacks Sikh Balbir Singh Sodhi was murdered by Frank Roque, who thought Sodhi was connected with al-Qaeda. CNN suggested an increase in hate crimes against Sikh men in the United States and the UK after the 9/11 attacks.

Since Sikhism has never actively sought converts, the Sikhs have remained a relatively homogeneous ethnic group. The Kundalini Yoga-based activities of Harbhajan Singh Yogi in his 3HO (Happy, Healthy, Holy) organisation claim to have inspired a moderate growth in non-Indian adherents of Sikhism. In 1998 an estimated 7,800 3HO Sikhs, known colloquially as ‘gora’ (ਗੋਰਾ) or ‘white’ Sikhs, were mainly centred around Española, New Mexico and Los Angeles, California. Sikhs and the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund overturned a 1925 Oregon law banning the wearing of turbans by teachers and government officials.

In an attempt to foster Sikh leaders in the Western world, youth initiatives by a number of organisations have begun. The Sikh Youth Alliance of North America sponsors an annual Sikh Youth Symposium, a public-speaking and debate competition held in gurdwaras throughout the U.S. and Canada.

ART & CULTURE

Sikh art and culture are nearly synonymous with that of the Punjab, and Sikhs are easily recognised by their distinctive turban (Dastar). The Punjab has been called India’s melting pot, due to the confluence of invading cultures (Greek, Mughal and Persian) from the rivers from which the region gets its name. Sikh culture is therefore a synthesis of cultures. Sikhism has forged a unique architecture, which S. S. Bhatti described as "inspired by Guru Nanak’s creative mysticism" and "is a mute harbinger of holistic humanism based on pragmatic spirituality".

During the Mughal and Afghan 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. With the rise of Ranjit Singh and the Sikh Raj in Lahore and Delhi, there was a change in the landscape of art and culture in the Punjab; Hindus and Sikhs could build decorated shrines without the fear of destruction or looting.

The 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. Sikh architecture is characterised by gilded fluted domes, cupolas, kiosks, stone lanterns, ornate balusters and square roofs. A pinnacle of Sikh style is Harmandir Sahib (also known as the Golden Temple) in Amritsar.

Sikh culture is influenced by militaristic motifs (with the Khanda the most obvious), and most Sikh artifacts - except for the relics of the Gurus - have a military theme. This theme is evident in the Sikh festivals of Hola Mohalla and Vaisakhi, which feature marching and displays of valor.

Although 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 which can be described as "political Sikh" has arisen. The art of diaspora Sikhs like Amarjeet Kaur Nandhra and Amrit and Rabindra Kaur Singh (the "Singh Twins") is influenced by their Sikhism and current affairs in the Punjab.

Bhangra and Giddha are two forms of Punjabi folk dancing which have been adapted and pioneered by Sikhs. Punjabi 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").

PAINTING

Sikh painting is a direct offshoot of the Kangra school of painting. In 1810, Ranjeet Singh (1780–1839) occupied Kangra Fort and appointed Sardar Desa Singh Majithia his governor of the Punjab hills. In 1813 the Sikh army occupied Guler State, and Raja Bhup Singh became a vassal of the Sikhs. With 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.

The Sikh school adapted Kangra painting to Sikh needs and ideals. Its main subjects are the ten Sikh gurus and stories from Guru Nanak's Janamsakhis. The tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, left a deep impression on the followers of the new faith because of his courage and sacrifices. Hunting scenes and portraits are also common in Sikh painting.

WIKIPEDIA

A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism, a monotheistic religion which originated during the 15th century in the Punjab region. The term "Sikh" has its origin in the Sanskrit words शिष्य (śiṣya; disciple, student) or शिक्ष (śikṣa; instruction). A Sikh is a disciple of a guru. According to Article I of the Sikh Rehat Maryada (the Sikh code of conduct), a Sikh is "any human being who faithfully believes in One Immortal Being; ten Gurus, from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh; Guru Granth Sahib; the teachings of the ten Gurus and the baptism bequeathed by the tenth Guru". "Sikh" properly refers to adherents of Sikhism as a religion, not an ethnic group. However, because Sikhs often share strong ethno-religious ties, many countries, such as the U.K., recognize Sikh as a designated ethnicity on their censuses. The American non-profit organization United Sikhs has fought to have Sikh included on the U.S. census as well, arguing that Sikhs "self-identify as an 'ethnic minority'" and believe "that they are more than just a religion".

Male Sikhs usually have "Singh" (Lion), and female Sikhs have "Kaur" (Princess) as their middle or last name. Sikhs who have undergone the khanḍe-kī-pahul (the Sikh initiation ceremony) may also be recognized by the five Ks: uncut hair (kesh); an iron or steel bracelet (kara); a kirpan (a sword tucked into a gatra strap); kachehra, a cotton undergarment, and kanga, a small wooden comb. Baptized male Sikhs must cover their hair with a turban, which is optional for baptized female Sikhs. The greater Punjab region is the historic homeland of the Sikhs, although significant communities exist around the world.

HISTORY

Sikh political history may be said to begin with the death of the fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjan Dev, in 1606. Guru Nanak was a religious leader and social reformer in the 15th-century Punjab. Religious practices were formalized by Guru Gobind Singh on 30 March 1699. Singh baptized five people from a variety of social backgrounds, known as the Panj Piare (the five beloved ones) to form the Khalsa, or collective body of initiated Sikhs. Sikhism has generally had amicable relations with other religions, except for the period of Mughal rule in India (1556–1707). Several Sikh gurus were killed by the Mughals for opposing their persecution of minority religious communities including Sikhs. Sikhs subsequently militarized to oppose Mughal rule. The emergence of the Sikh Confederacy under Ranjit Singh was characterized by religious tolerance and pluralism, with Christians, Muslims and Hindus in positions of power. The confederacy is considered the zenith of political Sikhism, encompassing Kashmir, Ladakh and Peshawar. Hari Singh Nalwa, the commander-in-chief of the Sikh army in the North West Frontier, expanded the confederacy to the Khyber Pass. Its secular administration implemented military, economic and governmental reforms. The months leading up to the partition of India in 1947 were marked by conflict in the Punjab between Sikhs and Muslims. This caused the religious migration of Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus from West Punjab, mirroring a similar religious migration of Punjabi Muslims from East Punjab.

The 1960s saw growing animosity between Sikhs and Hindus in India, with the Sikhs demanding the creation of a Punjab state on a linguistic basis similar to other states in India. This was promised to Sikh leader Master Tara Singh by Jawaharlal Nehru, in return for Sikh political support during negotiations for Indian independence. Although the Sikhs obtained the Punjab, they lost Hindi-speaking areas to Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan. Chandigarh was made a union territory and the capital of Haryana and Punjab on 1 November 1966.

Tensions arose again during the late 1970s, fueled by Sikh claims of discrimination and marginalisation by the Hindu-dominated Indian National Congress party and tactics adopted by the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

According to Katherine Frank, Indira Gandhi's assumption of emergency powers in 1975 resulted in the weakening of the "legitimate and impartial machinery of government", and her increasing "paranoia" about opposing political groups led her to institute a "despotic policy of playing castes, religions and political groups against each other for political advantage". Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale articulated Sikh demands for justice, and this triggered violence in the Punjab. The prime minister's 1984 defeat of Bhindranwale led to an attack on the Golden Temple in Operation Blue Star and to her assassination by her Sikh bodyguards. Gandhi's assassination resulted in an explosion of violence against Sikh communities and the killing of thousands of Sikhs throughout India. Khushwant Singh described the riots as a Sikh pogrom; he "felt like a refugee in my country. In fact, I felt like a Jew in Nazi Germany". Since 1984, relations between Sikhs and Hindus have moved toward a rapprochement aided by economic prosperity. However, a 2002 claim by the Hindu right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) that "Sikhs are Hindus" disturbed Sikh sensibilities. The Khalistan movement campaigns for justice for the victims of the violence, and for the political and economic needs of the Punjab.

In 1996, United Nations Commission on Human Rights Freedom of Religion or Belief Special Rapporteur Abdelfattah Amor (Tunisia, 1993–2004) visited India to report on religious discrimination. The following year Amor concluded, "In India it appears that the situation of the Sikhs in the religious field is satisfactory, but that difficulties are arising in the political (foreign interference, terrorism, etc.), economic (in particular with regard to sharing of water supplies) and even occupational fields. Information received from nongovernment (sic) sources indicates that discrimination does exist in certain sectors of the public administration; examples include the decline in the number of Sikhs in the police force and the military, and the absence of Sikhs in personal bodyguard units since the murder of Indira Gandhi".

Although Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks of the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, they make up 1.87 percent of the Indian population.

During the 1999 Vaisakhi, Sikhs worldwide celebrated the 300th anniversary of the creation of the Khalsa. Canada Post honoured Sikh Canadians with a commemorative stamp in conjunction with the 300th anniversary of Vaisakhi. On April 9, 1999, Indian president K.R. Narayanan issued a stamp commemorating the 300th anniversary of the Khalsa.

DEFINITION

According to Guru Granth Sahib:

One who calls himself 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, the Sikh is to bathe, and cleanse himself in the pool of nectar. Following the Instructions of the Guru, the Sikh is to chant the Name of the Lord, Har. All sins, misdeeds and negativity shall be erased. Then, at the rising of the sun, the Sikh is to sing Gurbani; whether sitting down or standing up, the Sikh is to meditate on the Lord's Name. One who meditates on my Lord, Har, with every breath and every morsel of food – 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.

Simran of the Lord's name is a recurring theme of Guru Granth Sahib, and Sukhmani Sahib were composed to allow a devotee to recite Nam throughout the day. Rising at Amrit Velā (before sunrise) is a common Sikh practice. Sikhism considers the spiritual and secular lives to be intertwined: "In the Sikh Weltanschauung ... the temporal world is part of the Infinite and partakes of its characteristics." According to Guru Nanak, living an "active, creative, and practical life" of "truthfulness, fidelity, self-control and purity" is superior to a purely contemplative life.

FIVE Ks

The five Ks (panj kakaar) are five articles of faith which all baptized Sikhs (Amritdhari Sikhs) are obliged to wear. The symbols represent the ideals of Sikhism: honesty, equality, fidelity, meditating on God and never bowing to tyranny. The five symbols are:

- Kesh: Uncut hair, usually tied and wrapped in a Dastar

- Kanga: A wooden comb, usually worn under a Dastar

- Katchera: Cotton undergarments, historically appropriate in battle due to increased mobility when compared to a dhoti. Worn by both sexes, the katchera is a symbol of chastity.

- Kara: An iron bracelet, a weapon and a symbol of eternity

- Kirpan: An iron dagger in different sizes. In the UK Sikhs can wear a small dagger, but in the Punjab they might wear a traditional curved sword from one to three feet in length.

MUSIC & INSTRUMENTS

The Sikhs have a number of musical instruments: the rebab, dilruba, taus, jori and sarinda. Playing the sarangi was encouraged in Guru Har Gobind. The rubab was first played by Bhai Mardana as he accompanied Guru Nanak on his journeys. The jori and sarinda were designed by Guru Arjan. The taus was made by Guru Hargobind, who supposedly heard a peacock singing and wanted to create an instrument mimicking its sounds (taus is the Persian word for peacock). The dilruba was made by Guru Gobind Singh at the request of his followers, who wanted a smaller instrument than the taus. After Japji Sahib, all of the shabda in the Guru Granth Sahib were composed as ragas. This type of singing is known as Gurmat Sangeet.

When they marched into battle, the Sikhs would play a Ranjit Nagara (victory drum) to boost morale. Nagaras (usually two to three feet in diameter, although some were up to five feet in diameter) are played with two sticks. The beat of the large drums, and the raising of the Nishan Sahib, meant that the singhs were on their way.

DISTRIBUTION

Numbering about 27 million worldwide, Sikhs make up 0.39 percent of the world population; approximately 83 percent live in India. About 76 percent of all Sikhs live in the north Indian State of Punjab, where they form a majority (about two-thirds) of the population. Substantial communities of Sikhs (more than 200,000) live in the Indian states or union territories of Haryana (more than 1.1 million), Rajasthan, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh Assam and Jammu and Kashmir.

Sikh migration from British India began in earnest during the second half of the 19th century, when the British completed their annexation of the Punjab. The British Raj recruited Sikhs for the Indian Civil Service (particularly the British Indian Army), which led to Sikh migration throughout India and the British Empire. During the Raj, semiskilled Sikh artisans were transported from the Punjab to British East Africa to help build railroads. Sikhs emigrated from India and Pakistan after World War II, most going to the United Kingdom but many to North America. Some Sikhs who had settled in eastern Africa were expelled by Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in 1972. Economics is a major factor in Sikh migration, and significant communities exist in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Malaysia, East Africa, Australia and Thailand.

Although 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. Moliner (2006) wrote that as a consequence of Sikh migration to the UK "becom[ing] virtually impossible since the late 1970s", migration patterns evolved to continental Europe. Italy is a rapidly growing destination for Sikh migration, with Reggio Emilia and Vicenza having significant Sikh population clusters. Italian Sikhs are generally involved in agriculture, agricultural processing, the manufacture of machine tools and horticulture.

Primarily for socio-economic reasons, Indian Sikhs have the lowest adjusted growth rate of any major religious group in India, at 16.9 percent per decade (estimated from 1991 to 2001). Johnson and Barrett (2004) estimate that the global Sikh population increases annually by 392,633 (1.7 percent per year, based on 2004 figures); this percentage includes births, deaths and conversions.

REPRESENTATION

Sikhs have been represented in Indian politics by former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh and the deputy chairman of the Indian Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is also a Sikh. Past Sikh politicians in India include former president Giani Zail Singh, Sardar Swaran Singh (India's first foreign minister), Speaker of Parliament Gurdial Singh Dhillon and former Chief Minister of Punjab Pratap Singh Kairon.

Politicians from the Sikh diaspora include the first Asian American member of the United States Congress, Dalip Singh Saund, British MPs Piara Khabra, Parmjit Dhanda and Paul Uppal, the first couple to sit together in a Commonwealth parliament (Gurmant Grewal and Nina Grewal, who requested a Canadian government apology for the Komagata Maru incident), former Canadian Shadow Social Development Minister Ruby Dhalla, Canadian Minister of State for Sport Baljit Singh Gosal and Legislative Assembly of Ontario members Vic Dhillon and Jagmeet Singh. Ujjal Dosanjh was the New Democratic Party Premier of British Columbia from July 2004 to February 2005, and was later a Liberal frontbench MP in Ottawa. In Malaysia, two Sikhs were elected MPs in the 2008 general elections: Karpal Singh (Bukit Gelugor) and his son, Gobind Singh Deo (Puchong). Two Sikhs were elected assemblymen: Jagdeep Singh Deo (Datuk Keramat) and Keshvinder Singh (Malim Nawar).

Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks in the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, while making up 1.87 percent of the Indian population. The Sikh Regiment is one of the most-decorated regiments in the army, with 73 Battle Honours, 14 Victoria Crosses, 21 first-class Indian Orders of Merit (equivalent to the Victoria Cross), 15 Theatre Honours, five COAS Unit Citations, two Param Vir Chakras, 14 Maha Vir Chakras, five Kirti Chakras, 67 Vir Chakras and 1,596 other awards. The highest-ranking general in the history of the Indian Air Force is a Punjabi Sikh, Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh. Plans by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence for a Sikh infantry regiment were scrapped in June 2007.

Historically, most Indians have been farmers and 66 percent of the Indian population are engaged in agriculture. Indian Sikhs are employed in agriculture to a lesser extent; India's 2001 census found 39 percent of the working population of the Punjab employed in this sector. The success of the 1960s Green Revolution, in which India went from "famine to plenty, from humiliation to dignity", was based in the Punjab (which became known as "the breadbasket of India"). The Punjab is the wealthiest Indian state per capita, with the average Punjabi income three times the national average. The Green Revolution centred on Indian farmers adopting more intensive and mechanised agricultural methods, aided by the electrification of the Punjab, cooperative credit, consolidation of small holdings and the existing, British Raj-developed canal system. According to Swedish political scientist Ishtiaq Ahmad, a factor in the success of the Indian green revolution was the "Sikh cultivator, often the Jat, whose courage, perseverance, spirit of enterprise and muscle prowess proved crucial". However, not all aspects of the green revolution were beneficial. Indian physicist 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.

Punjabi Sikhs are engaged in a number of professions which include science, engineering and medicine. Notable examples are nuclear scientist Piara Singh Gill (who worked on the Manhattan Project), fibre-optics pioneer Narinder Singh Kapany and physicist, science writer and broadcaster Simon Singh.

In business, the UK-based clothing retailers New Look and the Thai-based Jaspal were founded by Sikhs. India's largest pharmaceutical company, Ranbaxy Laboratories, is headed by Sikhs. UK Sikhs have the highest percentage of home ownership (82 percent) of any religious community. UK Sikhs are the second-wealthiest (after the Jewish community) religious group in the UK, with a median total household wealth of £229,000. In Singapore Kartar Singh Thakral expanded his family's trading business, Thakral Holdings, into total assets of almost $1.4 billion and is Singapore's 25th-richest person. Sikh Bob Singh Dhillon is the first Indo-Canadian billionaire. The Sikh diaspora has been most successful in North America, especially in California’s fertile Central Valley. American Sikh farmers such as Harbhajan Singh Samra and Didar Singh Bains dominate California agriculture, with Samra specialising in okra and Bains in peaches.

Sikh intellectuals, sportsmen and artists include writer Khushwant Singh, England cricketer Monty Panesar, former 400m runner Milkha Singh, Indian wrestler and actor Dara Singh, former Indian hockey team captains Ajitpal Singh and Balbir Singh Sr., former Indian cricket captain Bishen Singh Bedi, Harbhajan Singh (India's most successful off spin cricket bowler), Bollywood actress Neetu Singh, Sunny Leone, actors Parminder Nagra, Neha Dhupia, Gul Panag, Mona Singh, Namrata Singh Gujral, Archie Panjabi and director Gurinder Chadha.

Sikhs have migrated worldwide, with a variety of occupations. The Sikh Gurus preached ethnic and social harmony, and Sikhs comprise a number of ethnic groups. Those with over 1,000 members include the Ahluwalia, Arain, Arora, Bhatra, Bairagi, Bania, Basith, Bawaria, Bazigar, Bhabra, Chamar, Chhimba, Darzi, Dhobi, Gujar, Jatt, Jhinwar, Kahar, Kalal, Kamboj, Khatri, Kumhar, Labana, Lohar, Mahtam, Mazhabi, Megh, Mirasi, Mochi, Nai, Rajput, Ramgarhia, Saini, Sarera, Sikligar, Sunar, Sudh, Tarkhan and Zargar.

An order of Punjabi Sikhs, the Nihang or the Akalis, was formed during Ranjit Singh's time. Under their leader, Akali Phula Singh, they won many battles for the Sikh Confederacy during the early 19th century.

IN THE INDIAN & BRITISH ARMIES

Sikhs supported the British during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. By the beginning of World War I, Sikhs in the British Indian Army totaled over 100,000 (20 percent of the force). Until 1945 fourteen Victoria Crosses were awarded to Sikhs, a per-capita regimental record. In 2002 the names of all Sikh VC and George Cross recipients were inscribed on the monument of the Memorial Gates on Constitution Hill, next to Buckingham Palace. Chanan Singh Dhillon was instrumental in campaigning for the memorial.

During World War I, Sikh battalions fought in Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Gallipoli and France. Six battalions of the Sikh Regiment were raised during World War II, serving in the Second Battle of El Alamein, the Burma and Italian campaigns and in Iraq and receiving 27 battle honours. Around the world, Sikhs are commemorated in Commonwealth cemeteries.

In the last two world wars 83,005 turban wearing Sikh soldiers were killed and 109,045 were wounded. They all died or were wounded for the freedom of Britain and the world, and during shell fire, with no other protection but the turban, the symbol of their faith.

—General Sir Frank Messervy

British people are highly indebted and obliged to Sikhs for a long time. I know that within this century we needed their help twice [in two world wars] and they did help us very well. As a result of their timely help, we are today able to live with honour, dignity, and independence. In the war, they fought and died for us, wearing the turbans.

—Sir Winston Churchill

IN THE WEST

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Sikhs began to emigrate to East Africa, the Far East, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. In 1907 the Khalsa Diwan Society was established in Vancouver, and four years later the first gurdwara was established in London. In 1912 the first gurdwara in the United States was founded in Stockton, California.

Since Sikhs (like Middle Eastern men) wear turbans, some in Western countries have been mistaken for Muslim or Arabic men since the September 11 attacks and the Iraq War. Several days after the 9/11 attacks Sikh Balbir Singh Sodhi was murdered by Frank Roque, who thought Sodhi was connected with al-Qaeda. CNN suggested an increase in hate crimes against Sikh men in the United States and the UK after the 9/11 attacks.

Since Sikhism has never actively sought converts, the Sikhs have remained a relatively homogeneous ethnic group. The Kundalini Yoga-based activities of Harbhajan Singh Yogi in his 3HO (Happy, Healthy, Holy) organisation claim to have inspired a moderate growth in non-Indian adherents of Sikhism. In 1998 an estimated 7,800 3HO Sikhs, known colloquially as ‘gora’ (ਗੋਰਾ) or ‘white’ Sikhs, were mainly centred around Española, New Mexico and Los Angeles, California. Sikhs and the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund overturned a 1925 Oregon law banning the wearing of turbans by teachers and government officials.

In an attempt to foster Sikh leaders in the Western world, youth initiatives by a number of organisations have begun. The Sikh Youth Alliance of North America sponsors an annual Sikh Youth Symposium, a public-speaking and debate competition held in gurdwaras throughout the U.S. and Canada.

ART & CULTURE

Sikh art and culture are nearly synonymous with that of the Punjab, and Sikhs are easily recognised by their distinctive turban (Dastar). The Punjab has been called India’s melting pot, due to the confluence of invading cultures (Greek, Mughal and Persian) from the rivers from which the region gets its name. Sikh culture is therefore a synthesis of cultures. Sikhism has forged a unique architecture, which S. S. Bhatti described as "inspired by Guru Nanak’s creative mysticism" and "is a mute harbinger of holistic humanism based on pragmatic spirituality".

During the Mughal and Afghan 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. With the rise of Ranjit Singh and the Sikh Raj in Lahore and Delhi, there was a change in the landscape of art and culture in the Punjab; Hindus and Sikhs could build decorated shrines without the fear of destruction or looting.

The 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. Sikh architecture is characterised by gilded fluted domes, cupolas, kiosks, stone lanterns, ornate balusters and square roofs. A pinnacle of Sikh style is Harmandir Sahib (also known as the Golden Temple) in Amritsar.

Sikh culture is influenced by militaristic motifs (with the Khanda the most obvious), and most Sikh artifacts - except for the relics of the Gurus - have a military theme. This theme is evident in the Sikh festivals of Hola Mohalla and Vaisakhi, which feature marching and displays of valor.

Although 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 which can be described as "political Sikh" has arisen. The art of diaspora Sikhs like Amarjeet Kaur Nandhra and Amrit and Rabindra Kaur Singh (the "Singh Twins") is influenced by their Sikhism and current affairs in the Punjab.

Bhangra and Giddha are two forms of Punjabi folk dancing which have been adapted and pioneered by Sikhs. Punjabi 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").

PAINTING

Sikh painting is a direct offshoot of the Kangra school of painting. In 1810, Ranjeet Singh (1780–1839) occupied Kangra Fort and appointed Sardar Desa Singh Majithia his governor of the Punjab hills. In 1813 the Sikh army occupied Guler State, and Raja Bhup Singh became a vassal of the Sikhs. With 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.

The Sikh school adapted Kangra painting to Sikh needs and ideals. Its main subjects are the ten Sikh gurus and stories from Guru Nanak's Janamsakhis. The tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, left a deep impression on the followers of the new faith because of his courage and sacrifices. Hunting scenes and portraits are also common in Sikh painting.

WIKIPEDIA

A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism, a monotheistic religion which originated during the 15th century in the Punjab region. The term "Sikh" has its origin in the Sanskrit words शिष्य (śiṣya; disciple, student) or शिक्ष (śikṣa; instruction). A Sikh is a disciple of a guru. According to Article I of the Sikh Rehat Maryada (the Sikh code of conduct), a Sikh is "any human being who faithfully believes in One Immortal Being; ten Gurus, from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh; Guru Granth Sahib; the teachings of the ten Gurus and the baptism bequeathed by the tenth Guru". "Sikh" properly refers to adherents of Sikhism as a religion, not an ethnic group. However, because Sikhs often share strong ethno-religious ties, many countries, such as the U.K., recognize Sikh as a designated ethnicity on their censuses. The American non-profit organization United Sikhs has fought to have Sikh included on the U.S. census as well, arguing that Sikhs "self-identify as an 'ethnic minority'" and believe "that they are more than just a religion".

Male Sikhs usually have "Singh" (Lion), and female Sikhs have "Kaur" (Princess) as their middle or last name. Sikhs who have undergone the khanḍe-kī-pahul (the Sikh initiation ceremony) may also be recognized by the five Ks: uncut hair (kesh); an iron or steel bracelet (kara); a kirpan (a sword tucked into a gatra strap); kachehra, a cotton undergarment, and kanga, a small wooden comb. Baptized male Sikhs must cover their hair with a turban, which is optional for baptized female Sikhs. The greater Punjab region is the historic homeland of the Sikhs, although significant communities exist around the world.

HISTORY

Sikh political history may be said to begin with the death of the fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjan Dev, in 1606. Guru Nanak was a religious leader and social reformer in the 15th-century Punjab. Religious practices were formalized by Guru Gobind Singh on 30 March 1699. Singh baptized five people from a variety of social backgrounds, known as the Panj Piare (the five beloved ones) to form the Khalsa, or collective body of initiated Sikhs. Sikhism has generally had amicable relations with other religions, except for the period of Mughal rule in India (1556–1707). Several Sikh gurus were killed by the Mughals for opposing their persecution of minority religious communities including Sikhs. Sikhs subsequently militarized to oppose Mughal rule. The emergence of the Sikh Confederacy under Ranjit Singh was characterized by religious tolerance and pluralism, with Christians, Muslims and Hindus in positions of power. The confederacy is considered the zenith of political Sikhism, encompassing Kashmir, Ladakh and Peshawar. Hari Singh Nalwa, the commander-in-chief of the Sikh army in the North West Frontier, expanded the confederacy to the Khyber Pass. Its secular administration implemented military, economic and governmental reforms. The months leading up to the partition of India in 1947 were marked by conflict in the Punjab between Sikhs and Muslims. This caused the religious migration of Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus from West Punjab, mirroring a similar religious migration of Punjabi Muslims from East Punjab.

The 1960s saw growing animosity between Sikhs and Hindus in India, with the Sikhs demanding the creation of a Punjab state on a linguistic basis similar to other states in India. This was promised to Sikh leader Master Tara Singh by Jawaharlal Nehru, in return for Sikh political support during negotiations for Indian independence. Although the Sikhs obtained the Punjab, they lost Hindi-speaking areas to Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan. Chandigarh was made a union territory and the capital of Haryana and Punjab on 1 November 1966.

Tensions arose again during the late 1970s, fueled by Sikh claims of discrimination and marginalisation by the Hindu-dominated Indian National Congress party and tactics adopted by the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

According to Katherine Frank, Indira Gandhi's assumption of emergency powers in 1975 resulted in the weakening of the "legitimate and impartial machinery of government", and her increasing "paranoia" about opposing political groups led her to institute a "despotic policy of playing castes, religions and political groups against each other for political advantage". Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale articulated Sikh demands for justice, and this triggered violence in the Punjab. The prime minister's 1984 defeat of Bhindranwale led to an attack on the Golden Temple in Operation Blue Star and to her assassination by her Sikh bodyguards. Gandhi's assassination resulted in an explosion of violence against Sikh communities and the killing of thousands of Sikhs throughout India. Khushwant Singh described the riots as a Sikh pogrom; he "felt like a refugee in my country. In fact, I felt like a Jew in Nazi Germany". Since 1984, relations between Sikhs and Hindus have moved toward a rapprochement aided by economic prosperity. However, a 2002 claim by the Hindu right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) that "Sikhs are Hindus" disturbed Sikh sensibilities. The Khalistan movement campaigns for justice for the victims of the violence, and for the political and economic needs of the Punjab.

In 1996, United Nations Commission on Human Rights Freedom of Religion or Belief Special Rapporteur Abdelfattah Amor (Tunisia, 1993–2004) visited India to report on religious discrimination. The following year Amor concluded, "In India it appears that the situation of the Sikhs in the religious field is satisfactory, but that difficulties are arising in the political (foreign interference, terrorism, etc.), economic (in particular with regard to sharing of water supplies) and even occupational fields. Information received from nongovernment (sic) sources indicates that discrimination does exist in certain sectors of the public administration; examples include the decline in the number of Sikhs in the police force and the military, and the absence of Sikhs in personal bodyguard units since the murder of Indira Gandhi".

Although Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks of the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, they make up 1.87 percent of the Indian population.

During the 1999 Vaisakhi, Sikhs worldwide celebrated the 300th anniversary of the creation of the Khalsa. Canada Post honoured Sikh Canadians with a commemorative stamp in conjunction with the 300th anniversary of Vaisakhi. On April 9, 1999, Indian president K.R. Narayanan issued a stamp commemorating the 300th anniversary of the Khalsa.

DEFINITION

According to Guru Granth Sahib:

One who calls himself 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, the Sikh is to bathe, and cleanse himself in the pool of nectar. Following the Instructions of the Guru, the Sikh is to chant the Name of the Lord, Har. All sins, misdeeds and negativity shall be erased. Then, at the rising of the sun, the Sikh is to sing Gurbani; whether sitting down or standing up, the Sikh is to meditate on the Lord's Name. One who meditates on my Lord, Har, with every breath and every morsel of food – 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.

Simran of the Lord's name is a recurring theme of Guru Granth Sahib, and Sukhmani Sahib were composed to allow a devotee to recite Nam throughout the day. Rising at Amrit Velā (before sunrise) is a common Sikh practice. Sikhism considers the spiritual and secular lives to be intertwined: "In the Sikh Weltanschauung ... the temporal world is part of the Infinite and partakes of its characteristics." According to Guru Nanak, living an "active, creative, and practical life" of "truthfulness, fidelity, self-control and purity" is superior to a purely contemplative life.

FIVE Ks

The five Ks (panj kakaar) are five articles of faith which all baptized Sikhs (Amritdhari Sikhs) are obliged to wear. The symbols represent the ideals of Sikhism: honesty, equality, fidelity, meditating on God and never bowing to tyranny. The five symbols are:

- Kesh: Uncut hair, usually tied and wrapped in a Dastar

- Kanga: A wooden comb, usually worn under a Dastar

- Katchera: Cotton undergarments, historically appropriate in battle due to increased mobility when compared to a dhoti. Worn by both sexes, the katchera is a symbol of chastity.

- Kara: An iron bracelet, a weapon and a symbol of eternity

- Kirpan: An iron dagger in different sizes. In the UK Sikhs can wear a small dagger, but in the Punjab they might wear a traditional curved sword from one to three feet in length.

MUSIC & INSTRUMENTS

The Sikhs have a number of musical instruments: the rebab, dilruba, taus, jori and sarinda. Playing the sarangi was encouraged in Guru Har Gobind. The rubab was first played by Bhai Mardana as he accompanied Guru Nanak on his journeys. The jori and sarinda were designed by Guru Arjan. The taus was made by Guru Hargobind, who supposedly heard a peacock singing and wanted to create an instrument mimicking its sounds (taus is the Persian word for peacock). The dilruba was made by Guru Gobind Singh at the request of his followers, who wanted a smaller instrument than the taus. After Japji Sahib, all of the shabda in the Guru Granth Sahib were composed as ragas. This type of singing is known as Gurmat Sangeet.

When they marched into battle, the Sikhs would play a Ranjit Nagara (victory drum) to boost morale. Nagaras (usually two to three feet in diameter, although some were up to five feet in diameter) are played with two sticks. The beat of the large drums, and the raising of the Nishan Sahib, meant that the singhs were on their way.

DISTRIBUTION

Numbering about 27 million worldwide, Sikhs make up 0.39 percent of the world population; approximately 83 percent live in India. About 76 percent of all Sikhs live in the north Indian State of Punjab, where they form a majority (about two-thirds) of the population. Substantial communities of Sikhs (more than 200,000) live in the Indian states or union territories of Haryana (more than 1.1 million), Rajasthan, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh Assam and Jammu and Kashmir.

Sikh migration from British India began in earnest during the second half of the 19th century, when the British completed their annexation of the Punjab. The British Raj recruited Sikhs for the Indian Civil Service (particularly the British Indian Army), which led to Sikh migration throughout India and the British Empire. During the Raj, semiskilled Sikh artisans were transported from the Punjab to British East Africa to help build railroads. Sikhs emigrated from India and Pakistan after World War II, most going to the United Kingdom but many to North America. Some Sikhs who had settled in eastern Africa were expelled by Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in 1972. Economics is a major factor in Sikh migration, and significant communities exist in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Malaysia, East Africa, Australia and Thailand.

Although 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. Moliner (2006) wrote that as a consequence of Sikh migration to the UK "becom[ing] virtually impossible since the late 1970s", migration patterns evolved to continental Europe. Italy is a rapidly growing destination for Sikh migration, with Reggio Emilia and Vicenza having significant Sikh population clusters. Italian Sikhs are generally involved in agriculture, agricultural processing, the manufacture of machine tools and horticulture.

Primarily for socio-economic reasons, Indian Sikhs have the lowest adjusted growth rate of any major religious group in India, at 16.9 percent per decade (estimated from 1991 to 2001). Johnson and Barrett (2004) estimate that the global Sikh population increases annually by 392,633 (1.7 percent per year, based on 2004 figures); this percentage includes births, deaths and conversions.

REPRESENTATION

Sikhs have been represented in Indian politics by former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh and the deputy chairman of the Indian Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is also a Sikh. Past Sikh politicians in India include former president Giani Zail Singh, Sardar Swaran Singh (India's first foreign minister), Speaker of Parliament Gurdial Singh Dhillon and former Chief Minister of Punjab Pratap Singh Kairon.

Politicians from the Sikh diaspora include the first Asian American member of the United States Congress, Dalip Singh Saund, British MPs Piara Khabra, Parmjit Dhanda and Paul Uppal, the first couple to sit together in a Commonwealth parliament (Gurmant Grewal and Nina Grewal, who requested a Canadian government apology for the Komagata Maru incident), former Canadian Shadow Social Development Minister Ruby Dhalla, Canadian Minister of State for Sport Baljit Singh Gosal and Legislative Assembly of Ontario members Vic Dhillon and Jagmeet Singh. Ujjal Dosanjh was the New Democratic Party Premier of British Columbia from July 2004 to February 2005, and was later a Liberal frontbench MP in Ottawa. In Malaysia, two Sikhs were elected MPs in the 2008 general elections: Karpal Singh (Bukit Gelugor) and his son, Gobind Singh Deo (Puchong). Two Sikhs were elected assemblymen: Jagdeep Singh Deo (Datuk Keramat) and Keshvinder Singh (Malim Nawar).

Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks in the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, while making up 1.87 percent of the Indian population. The Sikh Regiment is one of the most-decorated regiments in the army, with 73 Battle Honours, 14 Victoria Crosses, 21 first-class Indian Orders of Merit (equivalent to the Victoria Cross), 15 Theatre Honours, five COAS Unit Citations, two Param Vir Chakras, 14 Maha Vir Chakras, five Kirti Chakras, 67 Vir Chakras and 1,596 other awards. The highest-ranking general in the history of the Indian Air Force is a Punjabi Sikh, Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh. Plans by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence for a Sikh infantry regiment were scrapped in June 2007.

Historically, most Indians have been farmers and 66 percent of the Indian population are engaged in agriculture. Indian Sikhs are employed in agriculture to a lesser extent; India's 2001 census found 39 percent of the working population of the Punjab employed in this sector. The success of the 1960s Green Revolution, in which India went from "famine to plenty, from humiliation to dignity", was based in the Punjab (which became known as "the breadbasket of India"). The Punjab is the wealthiest Indian state per capita, with the average Punjabi income three times the national average. The Green Revolution centred on Indian farmers adopting more intensive and mechanised agricultural methods, aided by the electrification of the Punjab, cooperative credit, consolidation of small holdings and the existing, British Raj-developed canal system. According to Swedish political scientist Ishtiaq Ahmad, a factor in the success of the Indian green revolution was the "Sikh cultivator, often the Jat, whose courage, perseverance, spirit of enterprise and muscle prowess proved crucial". However, not all aspects of the green revolution were beneficial. Indian physicist 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.

Punjabi Sikhs are engaged in a number of professions which include science, engineering and medicine. Notable examples are nuclear scientist Piara Singh Gill (who worked on the Manhattan Project), fibre-optics pioneer Narinder Singh Kapany and physicist, science writer and broadcaster Simon Singh.

In business, the UK-based clothing retailers New Look and the Thai-based Jaspal were founded by Sikhs. India's largest pharmaceutical company, Ranbaxy Laboratories, is headed by Sikhs. UK Sikhs have the highest percentage of home ownership (82 percent) of any religious community. UK Sikhs are the second-wealthiest (after the Jewish community) religious group in the UK, with a median total household wealth of £229,000. In Singapore Kartar Singh Thakral expanded his family's trading business, Thakral Holdings, into total assets of almost $1.4 billion and is Singapore's 25th-richest person. Sikh Bob Singh Dhillon is the first Indo-Canadian billionaire. The Sikh diaspora has been most successful in North America, especially in California’s fertile Central Valley. American Sikh farmers such as Harbhajan Singh Samra and Didar Singh Bains dominate California agriculture, with Samra specialising in okra and Bains in peaches.

Sikh intellectuals, sportsmen and artists include writer Khushwant Singh, England cricketer Monty Panesar, former 400m runner Milkha Singh, Indian wrestler and actor Dara Singh, former Indian hockey team captains Ajitpal Singh and Balbir Singh Sr., former Indian cricket captain Bishen Singh Bedi, Harbhajan Singh (India's most successful off spin cricket bowler), Bollywood actress Neetu Singh, Sunny Leone, actors Parminder Nagra, Neha Dhupia, Gul Panag, Mona Singh, Namrata Singh Gujral, Archie Panjabi and director Gurinder Chadha.

Sikhs have migrated worldwide, with a variety of occupations. The Sikh Gurus preached ethnic and social harmony, and Sikhs comprise a number of ethnic groups. Those with over 1,000 members include the Ahluwalia, Arain, Arora, Bhatra, Bairagi, Bania, Basith, Bawaria, Bazigar, Bhabra, Chamar, Chhimba, Darzi, Dhobi, Gujar, Jatt, Jhinwar, Kahar, Kalal, Kamboj, Khatri, Kumhar, Labana, Lohar, Mahtam, Mazhabi, Megh, Mirasi, Mochi, Nai, Rajput, Ramgarhia, Saini, Sarera, Sikligar, Sunar, Sudh, Tarkhan and Zargar.

An order of Punjabi Sikhs, the Nihang or the Akalis, was formed during Ranjit Singh's time. Under their leader, Akali Phula Singh, they won many battles for the Sikh Confederacy during the early 19th century.

IN THE INDIAN & BRITISH ARMIES

Sikhs supported the British during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. By the beginning of World War I, Sikhs in the British Indian Army totaled over 100,000 (20 percent of the force). Until 1945 fourteen Victoria Crosses were awarded to Sikhs, a per-capita regimental record. In 2002 the names of all Sikh VC and George Cross recipients were inscribed on the monument of the Memorial Gates on Constitution Hill, next to Buckingham Palace. Chanan Singh Dhillon was instrumental in campaigning for the memorial.

During World War I, Sikh battalions fought in Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Gallipoli and France. Six battalions of the Sikh Regiment were raised during World War II, serving in the Second Battle of El Alamein, the Burma and Italian campaigns and in Iraq and receiving 27 battle honours. Around the world, Sikhs are commemorated in Commonwealth cemeteries.

In the last two world wars 83,005 turban wearing Sikh soldiers were killed and 109,045 were wounded. They all died or were wounded for the freedom of Britain and the world, and during shell fire, with no other protection but the turban, the symbol of their faith.

—General Sir Frank Messervy

British people are highly indebted and obliged to Sikhs for a long time. I know that within this century we needed their help twice [in two world wars] and they did help us very well. As a result of their timely help, we are today able to live with honour, dignity, and independence. In the war, they fought and died for us, wearing the turbans.

—Sir Winston Churchill

IN THE WEST

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Sikhs began to emigrate to East Africa, the Far East, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. In 1907 the Khalsa Diwan Society was established in Vancouver, and four years later the first gurdwara was established in London. In 1912 the first gurdwara in the United States was founded in Stockton, California.

Since Sikhs (like Middle Eastern men) wear turbans, some in Western countries have been mistaken for Muslim or Arabic men since the September 11 attacks and the Iraq War. Several days after the 9/11 attacks Sikh Balbir Singh Sodhi was murdered by Frank Roque, who thought Sodhi was connected with al-Qaeda. CNN suggested an increase in hate crimes against Sikh men in the United States and the UK after the 9/11 attacks.

Since Sikhism has never actively sought converts, the Sikhs have remained a relatively homogeneous ethnic group. The Kundalini Yoga-based activities of Harbhajan Singh Yogi in his 3HO (Happy, Healthy, Holy) organisation claim to have inspired a moderate growth in non-Indian adherents of Sikhism. In 1998 an estimated 7,800 3HO Sikhs, known colloquially as ‘gora’ (ਗੋਰਾ) or ‘white’ Sikhs, were mainly centred around Española, New Mexico and Los Angeles, California. Sikhs and the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund overturned a 1925 Oregon law banning the wearing of turbans by teachers and government officials.

In an attempt to foster Sikh leaders in the Western world, youth initiatives by a number of organisations have begun. The Sikh Youth Alliance of North America sponsors an annual Sikh Youth Symposium, a public-speaking and debate competition held in gurdwaras throughout the U.S. and Canada.

ART & CULTURE

Sikh art and culture are nearly synonymous with that of the Punjab, and Sikhs are easily recognised by their distinctive turban (Dastar). The Punjab has been called India’s melting pot, due to the confluence of invading cultures (Greek, Mughal and Persian) from the rivers from which the region gets its name. Sikh culture is therefore a synthesis of cultures. Sikhism has forged a unique architecture, which S. S. Bhatti described as "inspired by Guru Nanak’s creative mysticism" and "is a mute harbinger of holistic humanism based on pragmatic spirituality".

During the Mughal and Afghan 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. With the rise of Ranjit Singh and the Sikh Raj in Lahore and Delhi, there was a change in the landscape of art and culture in the Punjab; Hindus and Sikhs could build decorated shrines without the fear of destruction or looting.

The 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. Sikh architecture is characterised by gilded fluted domes, cupolas, kiosks, stone lanterns, ornate balusters and square roofs. A pinnacle of Sikh style is Harmandir Sahib (also known as the Golden Temple) in Amritsar.

Sikh culture is influenced by militaristic motifs (with the Khanda the most obvious), and most Sikh artifacts - except for the relics of the Gurus - have a military theme. This theme is evident in the Sikh festivals of Hola Mohalla and Vaisakhi, which feature marching and displays of valor.

Although 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 which can be described as "political Sikh" has arisen. The art of diaspora Sikhs like Amarjeet Kaur Nandhra and Amrit and Rabindra Kaur Singh (the "Singh Twins") is influenced by their Sikhism and current affairs in the Punjab.

Bhangra and Giddha are two forms of Punjabi folk dancing which have been adapted and pioneered by Sikhs. Punjabi 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").

PAINTING

Sikh painting is a direct offshoot of the Kangra school of painting. In 1810, Ranjeet Singh (1780–1839) occupied Kangra Fort and appointed Sardar Desa Singh Majithia his governor of the Punjab hills. In 1813 the Sikh army occupied Guler State, and Raja Bhup Singh became a vassal of the Sikhs. With 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.

The Sikh school adapted Kangra painting to Sikh needs and ideals. Its main subjects are the ten Sikh gurus and stories from Guru Nanak's Janamsakhis. The tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, left a deep impression on the followers of the new faith because of his courage and sacrifices. Hunting scenes and portraits are also common in Sikh painting.

WIKIPEDIA

A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism, a monotheistic religion which originated during the 15th century in the Punjab region. The term "Sikh" has its origin in the Sanskrit words शिष्य (śiṣya; disciple, student) or शिक्ष (śikṣa; instruction). A Sikh is a disciple of a guru. According to Article I of the Sikh Rehat Maryada (the Sikh code of conduct), a Sikh is "any human being who faithfully believes in One Immortal Being; ten Gurus, from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh; Guru Granth Sahib; the teachings of the ten Gurus and the baptism bequeathed by the tenth Guru". "Sikh" properly refers to adherents of Sikhism as a religion, not an ethnic group. However, because Sikhs often share strong ethno-religious ties, many countries, such as the U.K., recognize Sikh as a designated ethnicity on their censuses. The American non-profit organization United Sikhs has fought to have Sikh included on the U.S. census as well, arguing that Sikhs "self-identify as an 'ethnic minority'" and believe "that they are more than just a religion".

Male Sikhs usually have "Singh" (Lion), and female Sikhs have "Kaur" (Princess) as their middle or last name. Sikhs who have undergone the khanḍe-kī-pahul (the Sikh initiation ceremony) may also be recognized by the five Ks: uncut hair (kesh); an iron or steel bracelet (kara); a kirpan (a sword tucked into a gatra strap); kachehra, a cotton undergarment, and kanga, a small wooden comb. Baptized male Sikhs must cover their hair with a turban, which is optional for baptized female Sikhs. The greater Punjab region is the historic homeland of the Sikhs, although significant communities exist around the world.

HISTORY

Sikh political history may be said to begin with the death of the fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjan Dev, in 1606. Guru Nanak was a religious leader and social reformer in the 15th-century Punjab. Religious practices were formalized by Guru Gobind Singh on 30 March 1699. Singh baptized five people from a variety of social backgrounds, known as the Panj Piare (the five beloved ones) to form the Khalsa, or collective body of initiated Sikhs. Sikhism has generally had amicable relations with other religions, except for the period of Mughal rule in India (1556–1707). Several Sikh gurus were killed by the Mughals for opposing their persecution of minority religious communities including Sikhs. Sikhs subsequently militarized to oppose Mughal rule. The emergence of the Sikh Confederacy under Ranjit Singh was characterized by religious tolerance and pluralism, with Christians, Muslims and Hindus in positions of power. The confederacy is considered the zenith of political Sikhism, encompassing Kashmir, Ladakh and Peshawar. Hari Singh Nalwa, the commander-in-chief of the Sikh army in the North West Frontier, expanded the confederacy to the Khyber Pass. Its secular administration implemented military, economic and governmental reforms. The months leading up to the partition of India in 1947 were marked by conflict in the Punjab between Sikhs and Muslims. This caused the religious migration of Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus from West Punjab, mirroring a similar religious migration of Punjabi Muslims from East Punjab.

The 1960s saw growing animosity between Sikhs and Hindus in India, with the Sikhs demanding the creation of a Punjab state on a linguistic basis similar to other states in India. This was promised to Sikh leader Master Tara Singh by Jawaharlal Nehru, in return for Sikh political support during negotiations for Indian independence. Although the Sikhs obtained the Punjab, they lost Hindi-speaking areas to Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan. Chandigarh was made a union territory and the capital of Haryana and Punjab on 1 November 1966.

Tensions arose again during the late 1970s, fueled by Sikh claims of discrimination and marginalisation by the Hindu-dominated Indian National Congress party and tactics adopted by the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

According to Katherine Frank, Indira Gandhi's assumption of emergency powers in 1975 resulted in the weakening of the "legitimate and impartial machinery of government", and her increasing "paranoia" about opposing political groups led her to institute a "despotic policy of playing castes, religions and political groups against each other for political advantage". Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale articulated Sikh demands for justice, and this triggered violence in the Punjab. The prime minister's 1984 defeat of Bhindranwale led to an attack on the Golden Temple in Operation Blue Star and to her assassination by her Sikh bodyguards. Gandhi's assassination resulted in an explosion of violence against Sikh communities and the killing of thousands of Sikhs throughout India. Khushwant Singh described the riots as a Sikh pogrom; he "felt like a refugee in my country. In fact, I felt like a Jew in Nazi Germany". Since 1984, relations between Sikhs and Hindus have moved toward a rapprochement aided by economic prosperity. However, a 2002 claim by the Hindu right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) that "Sikhs are Hindus" disturbed Sikh sensibilities. The Khalistan movement campaigns for justice for the victims of the violence, and for the political and economic needs of the Punjab.

In 1996, United Nations Commission on Human Rights Freedom of Religion or Belief Special Rapporteur Abdelfattah Amor (Tunisia, 1993–2004) visited India to report on religious discrimination. The following year Amor concluded, "In India it appears that the situation of the Sikhs in the religious field is satisfactory, but that difficulties are arising in the political (foreign interference, terrorism, etc.), economic (in particular with regard to sharing of water supplies) and even occupational fields. Information received from nongovernment (sic) sources indicates that discrimination does exist in certain sectors of the public administration; examples include the decline in the number of Sikhs in the police force and the military, and the absence of Sikhs in personal bodyguard units since the murder of Indira Gandhi".

Although Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks of the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, they make up 1.87 percent of the Indian population.

During the 1999 Vaisakhi, Sikhs worldwide celebrated the 300th anniversary of the creation of the Khalsa. Canada Post honoured Sikh Canadians with a commemorative stamp in conjunction with the 300th anniversary of Vaisakhi. On April 9, 1999, Indian president K.R. Narayanan issued a stamp commemorating the 300th anniversary of the Khalsa.

DEFINITION

According to Guru Granth Sahib:

One who calls himself 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, the Sikh is to bathe, and cleanse himself in the pool of nectar. Following the Instructions of the Guru, the Sikh is to chant the Name of the Lord, Har. All sins, misdeeds and negativity shall be erased. Then, at the rising of the sun, the Sikh is to sing Gurbani; whether sitting down or standing up, the Sikh is to meditate on the Lord's Name. One who meditates on my Lord, Har, with every breath and every morsel of food – 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.

Simran of the Lord's name is a recurring theme of Guru Granth Sahib, and Sukhmani Sahib were composed to allow a devotee to recite Nam throughout the day. Rising at Amrit Velā (before sunrise) is a common Sikh practice. Sikhism considers the spiritual and secular lives to be intertwined: "In the Sikh Weltanschauung ... the temporal world is part of the Infinite and partakes of its characteristics." According to Guru Nanak, living an "active, creative, and practical life" of "truthfulness, fidelity, self-control and purity" is superior to a purely contemplative life.

FIVE Ks

The five Ks (panj kakaar) are five articles of faith which all baptized Sikhs (Amritdhari Sikhs) are obliged to wear. The symbols represent the ideals of Sikhism: honesty, equality, fidelity, meditating on God and never bowing to tyranny. The five symbols are:

- Kesh: Uncut hair, usually tied and wrapped in a Dastar

- Kanga: A wooden comb, usually worn under a Dastar

- Katchera: Cotton undergarments, historically appropriate in battle due to increased mobility when compared to a dhoti. Worn by both sexes, the katchera is a symbol of chastity.

- Kara: An iron bracelet, a weapon and a symbol of eternity

- Kirpan: An iron dagger in different sizes. In the UK Sikhs can wear a small dagger, but in the Punjab they might wear a traditional curved sword from one to three feet in length.

MUSIC & INSTRUMENTS

The Sikhs have a number of musical instruments: the rebab, dilruba, taus, jori and sarinda. Playing the sarangi was encouraged in Guru Har Gobind. The rubab was first played by Bhai Mardana as he accompanied Guru Nanak on his journeys. The jori and sarinda were designed by Guru Arjan. The taus was made by Guru Hargobind, who supposedly heard a peacock singing and wanted to create an instrument mimicking its sounds (taus is the Persian word for peacock). The dilruba was made by Guru Gobind Singh at the request of his followers, who wanted a smaller instrument than the taus. After Japji Sahib, all of the shabda in the Guru Granth Sahib were composed as ragas. This type of singing is known as Gurmat Sangeet.

When they marched into battle, the Sikhs would play a Ranjit Nagara (victory drum) to boost morale. Nagaras (usually two to three feet in diameter, although some were up to five feet in diameter) are played with two sticks. The beat of the large drums, and the raising of the Nishan Sahib, meant that the singhs were on their way.

DISTRIBUTION

Numbering about 27 million worldwide, Sikhs make up 0.39 percent of the world population; approximately 83 percent live in India. About 76 percent of all Sikhs live in the north Indian State of Punjab, where they form a majority (about two-thirds) of the population. Substantial communities of Sikhs (more than 200,000) live in the Indian states or union territories of Haryana (more than 1.1 million), Rajasthan, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh Assam and Jammu and Kashmir.

Sikh migration from British India began in earnest during the second half of the 19th century, when the British completed their annexation of the Punjab. The British Raj recruited Sikhs for the Indian Civil Service (particularly the British Indian Army), which led to Sikh migration throughout India and the British Empire. During the Raj, semiskilled Sikh artisans were transported from the Punjab to British East Africa to help build railroads. Sikhs emigrated from India and Pakistan after World War II, most going to the United Kingdom but many to North America. Some Sikhs who had settled in eastern Africa were expelled by Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in 1972. Economics is a major factor in Sikh migration, and significant communities exist in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Malaysia, East Africa, Australia and Thailand.

Although 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. Moliner (2006) wrote that as a consequence of Sikh migration to the UK "becom[ing] virtually impossible since the late 1970s", migration patterns evolved to continental Europe. Italy is a rapidly growing destination for Sikh migration, with Reggio Emilia and Vicenza having significant Sikh population clusters. Italian Sikhs are generally involved in agriculture, agricultural processing, the manufacture of machine tools and horticulture.

Primarily for socio-economic reasons, Indian Sikhs have the lowest adjusted growth rate of any major religious group in India, at 16.9 percent per decade (estimated from 1991 to 2001). Johnson and Barrett (2004) estimate that the global Sikh population increases annually by 392,633 (1.7 percent per year, based on 2004 figures); this percentage includes births, deaths and conversions.

REPRESENTATION

Sikhs have been represented in Indian politics by former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh and the deputy chairman of the Indian Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is also a Sikh. Past Sikh politicians in India include former president Giani Zail Singh, Sardar Swaran Singh (India's first foreign minister), Speaker of Parliament Gurdial Singh Dhillon and former Chief Minister of Punjab Pratap Singh Kairon.

Politicians from the Sikh diaspora include the first Asian American member of the United States Congress, Dalip Singh Saund, British MPs Piara Khabra, Parmjit Dhanda and Paul Uppal, the first couple to sit together in a Commonwealth parliament (Gurmant Grewal and Nina Grewal, who requested a Canadian government apology for the Komagata Maru incident), former Canadian Shadow Social Development Minister Ruby Dhalla, Canadian Minister of State for Sport Baljit Singh Gosal and Legislative Assembly of Ontario members Vic Dhillon and Jagmeet Singh. Ujjal Dosanjh was the New Democratic Party Premier of British Columbia from July 2004 to February 2005, and was later a Liberal frontbench MP in Ottawa. In Malaysia, two Sikhs were elected MPs in the 2008 general elections: Karpal Singh (Bukit Gelugor) and his son, Gobind Singh Deo (Puchong). Two Sikhs were elected assemblymen: Jagdeep Singh Deo (Datuk Keramat) and Keshvinder Singh (Malim Nawar).

Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks in the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, while making up 1.87 percent of the Indian population. The Sikh Regiment is one of the most-decorated regiments in the army, with 73 Battle Honours, 14 Victoria Crosses, 21 first-class Indian Orders of Merit (equivalent to the Victoria Cross), 15 Theatre Honours, five COAS Unit Citations, two Param Vir Chakras, 14 Maha Vir Chakras, five Kirti Chakras, 67 Vir Chakras and 1,596 other awards. The highest-ranking general in the history of the Indian Air Force is a Punjabi Sikh, Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh. Plans by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence for a Sikh infantry regiment were scrapped in June 2007.

Historically, most Indians have been farmers and 66 percent of the Indian population are engaged in agriculture. Indian Sikhs are employed in agriculture to a lesser extent; India's 2001 census found 39 percent of the working population of the Punjab employed in this sector. The success of the 1960s Green Revolution, in which India went from "famine to plenty, from humiliation to dignity", was based in the Punjab (which became known as "the breadbasket of India"). The Punjab is the wealthiest Indian state per capita, with the average Punjabi income three times the national average. The Green Revolution centred on Indian farmers adopting more intensive and mechanised agricultural methods, aided by the electrification of the Punjab, cooperative credit, consolidation of small holdings and the existing, British Raj-developed canal system. According to Swedish political scientist Ishtiaq Ahmad, a factor in the success of the Indian green revolution was the "Sikh cultivator, often the Jat, whose courage, perseverance, spirit of enterprise and muscle prowess proved crucial". However, not all aspects of the green revolution were beneficial. Indian physicist 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.

Punjabi Sikhs are engaged in a number of professions which include science, engineering and medicine. Notable examples are nuclear scientist Piara Singh Gill (who worked on the Manhattan Project), fibre-optics pioneer Narinder Singh Kapany and physicist, science writer and broadcaster Simon Singh.

In business, the UK-based clothing retailers New Look and the Thai-based Jaspal were founded by Sikhs. India's largest pharmaceutical company, Ranbaxy Laboratories, is headed by Sikhs. UK Sikhs have the highest percentage of home ownership (82 percent) of any religious community. UK Sikhs are the second-wealthiest (after the Jewish community) religious group in the UK, with a median total household wealth of £229,000. In Singapore Kartar Singh Thakral expanded his family's trading business, Thakral Holdings, into total assets of almost $1.4 billion and is Singapore's 25th-richest person. Sikh Bob Singh Dhillon is the first Indo-Canadian billionaire. The Sikh diaspora has been most successful in North America, especially in California’s fertile Central Valley. American Sikh farmers such as Harbhajan Singh Samra and Didar Singh Bains dominate California agriculture, with Samra specialising in okra and Bains in peaches.

Sikh intellectuals, sportsmen and artists include writer Khushwant Singh, England cricketer Monty Panesar, former 400m runner Milkha Singh, Indian wrestler and actor Dara Singh, former Indian hockey team captains Ajitpal Singh and Balbir Singh Sr., former Indian cricket captain Bishen Singh Bedi, Harbhajan Singh (India's most successful off spin cricket bowler), Bollywood actress Neetu Singh, Sunny Leone, actors Parminder Nagra, Neha Dhupia, Gul Panag, Mona Singh, Namrata Singh Gujral, Archie Panjabi and director Gurinder Chadha.

Sikhs have migrated worldwide, with a variety of occupations. The Sikh Gurus preached ethnic and social harmony, and Sikhs comprise a number of ethnic groups. Those with over 1,000 members include the Ahluwalia, Arain, Arora, Bhatra, Bairagi, Bania, Basith, Bawaria, Bazigar, Bhabra, Chamar, Chhimba, Darzi, Dhobi, Gujar, Jatt, Jhinwar, Kahar, Kalal, Kamboj, Khatri, Kumhar, Labana, Lohar, Mahtam, Mazhabi, Megh, Mirasi, Mochi, Nai, Rajput, Ramgarhia, Saini, Sarera, Sikligar, Sunar, Sudh, Tarkhan and Zargar.

An order of Punjabi Sikhs, the Nihang or the Akalis, was formed during Ranjit Singh's time. Under their leader, Akali Phula Singh, they won many battles for the Sikh Confederacy during the early 19th century.

IN THE INDIAN & BRITISH ARMIES

Sikhs supported the British during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. By the beginning of World War I, Sikhs in the British Indian Army totaled over 100,000 (20 percent of the force). Until 1945 fourteen Victoria Crosses were awarded to Sikhs, a per-capita regimental record. In 2002 the names of all Sikh VC and George Cross recipients were inscribed on the monument of the Memorial Gates on Constitution Hill, next to Buckingham Palace. Chanan Singh Dhillon was instrumental in campaigning for the memorial.

During World War I, Sikh battalions fought in Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Gallipoli and France. Six battalions of the Sikh Regiment were raised during World War II, serving in the Second Battle of El Alamein, the Burma and Italian campaigns and in Iraq and receiving 27 battle honours. Around the world, Sikhs are commemorated in Commonwealth cemeteries.

In the last two world wars 83,005 turban wearing Sikh soldiers were killed and 109,045 were wounded. They all died or were wounded for the freedom of Britain and the world, and during shell fire, with no other protection but the turban, the symbol of their faith.

—General Sir Frank Messervy

British people are highly indebted and obliged to Sikhs for a long time. I know that within this century we needed their help twice [in two world wars] and they did help us very well. As a result of their timely help, we are today able to live with honour, dignity, and independence. In the war, they fought and died for us, wearing the turbans.

—Sir Winston Churchill

IN THE WEST

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Sikhs began to emigrate to East Africa, the Far East, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. In 1907 the Khalsa Diwan Society was established in Vancouver, and four years later the first gurdwara was established in London. In 1912 the first gurdwara in the United States was founded in Stockton, California.

Since Sikhs (like Middle Eastern men) wear turbans, some in Western countries have been mistaken for Muslim or Arabic men since the September 11 attacks and the Iraq War. Several days after the 9/11 attacks Sikh Balbir Singh Sodhi was murdered by Frank Roque, who thought Sodhi was connected with al-Qaeda. CNN suggested an increase in hate crimes against Sikh men in the United States and the UK after the 9/11 attacks.

Since Sikhism has never actively sought converts, the Sikhs have remained a relatively homogeneous ethnic group. The Kundalini Yoga-based activities of Harbhajan Singh Yogi in his 3HO (Happy, Healthy, Holy) organisation claim to have inspired a moderate growth in non-Indian adherents of Sikhism. In 1998 an estimated 7,800 3HO Sikhs, known colloquially as ‘gora’ (ਗੋਰਾ) or ‘white’ Sikhs, were mainly centred around Española, New Mexico and Los Angeles, California. Sikhs and the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund overturned a 1925 Oregon law banning the wearing of turbans by teachers and government officials.

In an attempt to foster Sikh leaders in the Western world, youth initiatives by a number of organisations have begun. The Sikh Youth Alliance of North America sponsors an annual Sikh Youth Symposium, a public-speaking and debate competition held in gurdwaras throughout the U.S. and Canada.

ART & CULTURE

Sikh art and culture are nearly synonymous with that of the Punjab, and Sikhs are easily recognised by their distinctive turban (Dastar). The Punjab has been called India’s melting pot, due to the confluence of invading cultures (Greek, Mughal and Persian) from the rivers from which the region gets its name. Sikh culture is therefore a synthesis of cultures. Sikhism has forged a unique architecture, which S. S. Bhatti described as "inspired by Guru Nanak’s creative mysticism" and "is a mute harbinger of holistic humanism based on pragmatic spirituality".

During the Mughal and Afghan 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. With the rise of Ranjit Singh and the Sikh Raj in Lahore and Delhi, there was a change in the landscape of art and culture in the Punjab; Hindus and Sikhs could build decorated shrines without the fear of destruction or looting.

The 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. Sikh architecture is characterised by gilded fluted domes, cupolas, kiosks, stone lanterns, ornate balusters and square roofs. A pinnacle of Sikh style is Harmandir Sahib (also known as the Golden Temple) in Amritsar.

Sikh culture is influenced by militaristic motifs (with the Khanda the most obvious), and most Sikh artifacts - except for the relics of the Gurus - have a military theme. This theme is evident in the Sikh festivals of Hola Mohalla and Vaisakhi, which feature marching and displays of valor.

Although 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 which can be described as "political Sikh" has arisen. The art of diaspora Sikhs like Amarjeet Kaur Nandhra and Amrit and Rabindra Kaur Singh (the "Singh Twins") is influenced by their Sikhism and current affairs in the Punjab.

Bhangra and Giddha are two forms of Punjabi folk dancing which have been adapted and pioneered by Sikhs. Punjabi 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").

PAINTING

Sikh painting is a direct offshoot of the Kangra school of painting. In 1810, Ranjeet Singh (1780–1839) occupied Kangra Fort and appointed Sardar Desa Singh Majithia his governor of the Punjab hills. In 1813 the Sikh army occupied Guler State, and Raja Bhup Singh became a vassal of the Sikhs. With 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.

The Sikh school adapted Kangra painting to Sikh needs and ideals. Its main subjects are the ten Sikh gurus and stories from Guru Nanak's Janamsakhis. The tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, left a deep impression on the followers of the new faith because of his courage and sacrifices. Hunting scenes and portraits are also common in Sikh painting.

WIKIPEDIA

A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism, a monotheistic religion which originated during the 15th century in the Punjab region. The term "Sikh" has its origin in the Sanskrit words शिष्य (śiṣya; disciple, student) or शिक्ष (śikṣa; instruction). A Sikh is a disciple of a guru. According to Article I of the Sikh Rehat Maryada (the Sikh code of conduct), a Sikh is "any human being who faithfully believes in One Immortal Being; ten Gurus, from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh; Guru Granth Sahib; the teachings of the ten Gurus and the baptism bequeathed by the tenth Guru". "Sikh" properly refers to adherents of Sikhism as a religion, not an ethnic group. However, because Sikhs often share strong ethno-religious ties, many countries, such as the U.K., recognize Sikh as a designated ethnicity on their censuses. The American non-profit organization United Sikhs has fought to have Sikh included on the U.S. census as well, arguing that Sikhs "self-identify as an 'ethnic minority'" and believe "that they are more than just a religion".

Male Sikhs usually have "Singh" (Lion), and female Sikhs have "Kaur" (Princess) as their middle or last name. Sikhs who have undergone the khanḍe-kī-pahul (the Sikh initiation ceremony) may also be recognized by the five Ks: uncut hair (kesh); an iron or steel bracelet (kara); a kirpan (a sword tucked into a gatra strap); kachehra, a cotton undergarment, and kanga, a small wooden comb. Baptized male Sikhs must cover their hair with a turban, which is optional for baptized female Sikhs. The greater Punjab region is the historic homeland of the Sikhs, although significant communities exist around the world.

HISTORY

Sikh political history may be said to begin with the death of the fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjan Dev, in 1606. Guru Nanak was a religious leader and social reformer in the 15th-century Punjab. Religious practices were formalized by Guru Gobind Singh on 30 March 1699. Singh baptized five people from a variety of social backgrounds, known as the Panj Piare (the five beloved ones) to form the Khalsa, or collective body of initiated Sikhs. Sikhism has generally had amicable relations with other religions, except for the period of Mughal rule in India (1556–1707). Several Sikh gurus were killed by the Mughals for opposing their persecution of minority religious communities including Sikhs. Sikhs subsequently militarized to oppose Mughal rule. The emergence of the Sikh Confederacy under Ranjit Singh was characterized by religious tolerance and pluralism, with Christians, Muslims and Hindus in positions of power. The confederacy is considered the zenith of political Sikhism, encompassing Kashmir, Ladakh and Peshawar. Hari Singh Nalwa, the commander-in-chief of the Sikh army in the North West Frontier, expanded the confederacy to the Khyber Pass. Its secular administration implemented military, economic and governmental reforms. The months leading up to the partition of India in 1947 were marked by conflict in the Punjab between Sikhs and Muslims. This caused the religious migration of Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus from West Punjab, mirroring a similar religious migration of Punjabi Muslims from East Punjab.

The 1960s saw growing animosity between Sikhs and Hindus in India, with the Sikhs demanding the creation of a Punjab state on a linguistic basis similar to other states in India. This was promised to Sikh leader Master Tara Singh by Jawaharlal Nehru, in return for Sikh political support during negotiations for Indian independence. Although the Sikhs obtained the Punjab, they lost Hindi-speaking areas to Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan. Chandigarh was made a union territory and the capital of Haryana and Punjab on 1 November 1966.

Tensions arose again during the late 1970s, fueled by Sikh claims of discrimination and marginalisation by the Hindu-dominated Indian National Congress party and tactics adopted by the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

According to Katherine Frank, Indira Gandhi's assumption of emergency powers in 1975 resulted in the weakening of the "legitimate and impartial machinery of government", and her increasing "paranoia" about opposing political groups led her to institute a "despotic policy of playing castes, religions and political groups against each other for political advantage". Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale articulated Sikh demands for justice, and this triggered violence in the Punjab. The prime minister's 1984 defeat of Bhindranwale led to an attack on the Golden Temple in Operation Blue Star and to her assassination by her Sikh bodyguards. Gandhi's assassination resulted in an explosion of violence against Sikh communities and the killing of thousands of Sikhs throughout India. Khushwant Singh described the riots as a Sikh pogrom; he "felt like a refugee in my country. In fact, I felt like a Jew in Nazi Germany". Since 1984, relations between Sikhs and Hindus have moved toward a rapprochement aided by economic prosperity. However, a 2002 claim by the Hindu right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) that "Sikhs are Hindus" disturbed Sikh sensibilities. The Khalistan movement campaigns for justice for the victims of the violence, and for the political and economic needs of the Punjab.

In 1996, United Nations Commission on Human Rights Freedom of Religion or Belief Special Rapporteur Abdelfattah Amor (Tunisia, 1993–2004) visited India to report on religious discrimination. The following year Amor concluded, "In India it appears that the situation of the Sikhs in the religious field is satisfactory, but that difficulties are arising in the political (foreign interference, terrorism, etc.), economic (in particular with regard to sharing of water supplies) and even occupational fields. Information received from nongovernment (sic) sources indicates that discrimination does exist in certain sectors of the public administration; examples include the decline in the number of Sikhs in the police force and the military, and the absence of Sikhs in personal bodyguard units since the murder of Indira Gandhi".

Although Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks of the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, they make up 1.87 percent of the Indian population.

During the 1999 Vaisakhi, Sikhs worldwide celebrated the 300th anniversary of the creation of the Khalsa. Canada Post honoured Sikh Canadians with a commemorative stamp in conjunction with the 300th anniversary of Vaisakhi. On April 9, 1999, Indian president K.R. Narayanan issued a stamp commemorating the 300th anniversary of the Khalsa.

DEFINITION

According to Guru Granth Sahib:

One who calls himself 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, the Sikh is to bathe, and cleanse himself in the pool of nectar. Following the Instructions of the Guru, the Sikh is to chant the Name of the Lord, Har. All sins, misdeeds and negativity shall be erased. Then, at the rising of the sun, the Sikh is to sing Gurbani; whether sitting down or standing up, the Sikh is to meditate on the Lord's Name. One who meditates on my Lord, Har, with every breath and every morsel of food – 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.

Simran of the Lord's name is a recurring theme of Guru Granth Sahib, and Sukhmani Sahib were composed to allow a devotee to recite Nam throughout the day. Rising at Amrit Velā (before sunrise) is a common Sikh practice. Sikhism considers the spiritual and secular lives to be intertwined: "In the Sikh Weltanschauung ... the temporal world is part of the Infinite and partakes of its characteristics." According to Guru Nanak, living an "active, creative, and practical life" of "truthfulness, fidelity, self-control and purity" is superior to a purely contemplative life.

FIVE Ks

The five Ks (panj kakaar) are five articles of faith which all baptized Sikhs (Amritdhari Sikhs) are obliged to wear. The symbols represent the ideals of Sikhism: honesty, equality, fidelity, meditating on God and never bowing to tyranny. The five symbols are:

- Kesh: Uncut hair, usually tied and wrapped in a Dastar

- Kanga: A wooden comb, usually worn under a Dastar

- Katchera: Cotton undergarments, historically appropriate in battle due to increased mobility when compared to a dhoti. Worn by both sexes, the katchera is a symbol of chastity.

- Kara: An iron bracelet, a weapon and a symbol of eternity

- Kirpan: An iron dagger in different sizes. In the UK Sikhs can wear a small dagger, but in the Punjab they might wear a traditional curved sword from one to three feet in length.

MUSIC & INSTRUMENTS

The Sikhs have a number of musical instruments: the rebab, dilruba, taus, jori and sarinda. Playing the sarangi was encouraged in Guru Har Gobind. The rubab was first played by Bhai Mardana as he accompanied Guru Nanak on his journeys. The jori and sarinda were designed by Guru Arjan. The taus was made by Guru Hargobind, who supposedly heard a peacock singing and wanted to create an instrument mimicking its sounds (taus is the Persian word for peacock). The dilruba was made by Guru Gobind Singh at the request of his followers, who wanted a smaller instrument than the taus. After Japji Sahib, all of the shabda in the Guru Granth Sahib were composed as ragas. This type of singing is known as Gurmat Sangeet.

When they marched into battle, the Sikhs would play a Ranjit Nagara (victory drum) to boost morale. Nagaras (usually two to three feet in diameter, although some were up to five feet in diameter) are played with two sticks. The beat of the large drums, and the raising of the Nishan Sahib, meant that the singhs were on their way.

DISTRIBUTION

Numbering about 27 million worldwide, Sikhs make up 0.39 percent of the world population; approximately 83 percent live in India. About 76 percent of all Sikhs live in the north Indian State of Punjab, where they form a majority (about two-thirds) of the population. Substantial communities of Sikhs (more than 200,000) live in the Indian states or union territories of Haryana (more than 1.1 million), Rajasthan, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh Assam and Jammu and Kashmir.

Sikh migration from British India began in earnest during the second half of the 19th century, when the British completed their annexation of the Punjab. The British Raj recruited Sikhs for the Indian Civil Service (particularly the British Indian Army), which led to Sikh migration throughout India and the British Empire. During the Raj, semiskilled Sikh artisans were transported from the Punjab to British East Africa to help build railroads. Sikhs emigrated from India and Pakistan after World War II, most going to the United Kingdom but many to North America. Some Sikhs who had settled in eastern Africa were expelled by Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in 1972. Economics is a major factor in Sikh migration, and significant communities exist in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Malaysia, East Africa, Australia and Thailand.

Although 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. Moliner (2006) wrote that as a consequence of Sikh migration to the UK "becom[ing] virtually impossible since the late 1970s", migration patterns evolved to continental Europe. Italy is a rapidly growing destination for Sikh migration, with Reggio Emilia and Vicenza having significant Sikh population clusters. Italian Sikhs are generally involved in agriculture, agricultural processing, the manufacture of machine tools and horticulture.

Primarily for socio-economic reasons, Indian Sikhs have the lowest adjusted growth rate of any major religious group in India, at 16.9 percent per decade (estimated from 1991 to 2001). Johnson and Barrett (2004) estimate that the global Sikh population increases annually by 392,633 (1.7 percent per year, based on 2004 figures); this percentage includes births, deaths and conversions.

REPRESENTATION

Sikhs have been represented in Indian politics by former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh and the deputy chairman of the Indian Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is also a Sikh. Past Sikh politicians in India include former president Giani Zail Singh, Sardar Swaran Singh (India's first foreign minister), Speaker of Parliament Gurdial Singh Dhillon and former Chief Minister of Punjab Pratap Singh Kairon.

Politicians from the Sikh diaspora include the first Asian American member of the United States Congress, Dalip Singh Saund, British MPs Piara Khabra, Parmjit Dhanda and Paul Uppal, the first couple to sit together in a Commonwealth parliament (Gurmant Grewal and Nina Grewal, who requested a Canadian government apology for the Komagata Maru incident), former Canadian Shadow Social Development Minister Ruby Dhalla, Canadian Minister of State for Sport Baljit Singh Gosal and Legislative Assembly of Ontario members Vic Dhillon and Jagmeet Singh. Ujjal Dosanjh was the New Democratic Party Premier of British Columbia from July 2004 to February 2005, and was later a Liberal frontbench MP in Ottawa. In Malaysia, two Sikhs were elected MPs in the 2008 general elections: Karpal Singh (Bukit Gelugor) and his son, Gobind Singh Deo (Puchong). Two Sikhs were elected assemblymen: Jagdeep Singh Deo (Datuk Keramat) and Keshvinder Singh (Malim Nawar).

Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks in the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, while making up 1.87 percent of the Indian population. The Sikh Regiment is one of the most-decorated regiments in the army, with 73 Battle Honours, 14 Victoria Crosses, 21 first-class Indian Orders of Merit (equivalent to the Victoria Cross), 15 Theatre Honours, five COAS Unit Citations, two Param Vir Chakras, 14 Maha Vir Chakras, five Kirti Chakras, 67 Vir Chakras and 1,596 other awards. The highest-ranking general in the history of the Indian Air Force is a Punjabi Sikh, Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh. Plans by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence for a Sikh infantry regiment were scrapped in June 2007.

Historically, most Indians have been farmers and 66 percent of the Indian population are engaged in agriculture. Indian Sikhs are employed in agriculture to a lesser extent; India's 2001 census found 39 percent of the working population of the Punjab employed in this sector. The success of the 1960s Green Revolution, in which India went from "famine to plenty, from humiliation to dignity", was based in the Punjab (which became known as "the breadbasket of India"). The Punjab is the wealthiest Indian state per capita, with the average Punjabi income three times the national average. The Green Revolution centred on Indian farmers adopting more intensive and mechanised agricultural methods, aided by the electrification of the Punjab, cooperative credit, consolidation of small holdings and the existing, British Raj-developed canal system. According to Swedish political scientist Ishtiaq Ahmad, a factor in the success of the Indian green revolution was the "Sikh cultivator, often the Jat, whose courage, perseverance, spirit of enterprise and muscle prowess proved crucial". However, not all aspects of the green revolution were beneficial. Indian physicist 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.

Punjabi Sikhs are engaged in a number of professions which include science, engineering and medicine. Notable examples are nuclear scientist Piara Singh Gill (who worked on the Manhattan Project), fibre-optics pioneer Narinder Singh Kapany and physicist, science writer and broadcaster Simon Singh.

In business, the UK-based clothing retailers New Look and the Thai-based Jaspal were founded by Sikhs. India's largest pharmaceutical company, Ranbaxy Laboratories, is headed by Sikhs. UK Sikhs have the highest percentage of home ownership (82 percent) of any religious community. UK Sikhs are the second-wealthiest (after the Jewish community) religious group in the UK, with a median total household wealth of £229,000. In Singapore Kartar Singh Thakral expanded his family's trading business, Thakral Holdings, into total assets of almost $1.4 billion and is Singapore's 25th-richest person. Sikh Bob Singh Dhillon is the first Indo-Canadian billionaire. The Sikh diaspora has been most successful in North America, especially in California’s fertile Central Valley. American Sikh farmers such as Harbhajan Singh Samra and Didar Singh Bains dominate California agriculture, with Samra specialising in okra and Bains in peaches.

Sikh intellectuals, sportsmen and artists include writer Khushwant Singh, England cricketer Monty Panesar, former 400m runner Milkha Singh, Indian wrestler and actor Dara Singh, former Indian hockey team captains Ajitpal Singh and Balbir Singh Sr., former Indian cricket captain Bishen Singh Bedi, Harbhajan Singh (India's most successful off spin cricket bowler), Bollywood actress Neetu Singh, Sunny Leone, actors Parminder Nagra, Neha Dhupia, Gul Panag, Mona Singh, Namrata Singh Gujral, Archie Panjabi and director Gurinder Chadha.

Sikhs have migrated worldwide, with a variety of occupations. The Sikh Gurus preached ethnic and social harmony, and Sikhs comprise a number of ethnic groups. Those with over 1,000 members include the Ahluwalia, Arain, Arora, Bhatra, Bairagi, Bania, Basith, Bawaria, Bazigar, Bhabra, Chamar, Chhimba, Darzi, Dhobi, Gujar, Jatt, Jhinwar, Kahar, Kalal, Kamboj, Khatri, Kumhar, Labana, Lohar, Mahtam, Mazhabi, Megh, Mirasi, Mochi, Nai, Rajput, Ramgarhia, Saini, Sarera, Sikligar, Sunar, Sudh, Tarkhan and Zargar.

An order of Punjabi Sikhs, the Nihang or the Akalis, was formed during Ranjit Singh's time. Under their leader, Akali Phula Singh, they won many battles for the Sikh Confederacy during the early 19th century.

IN THE INDIAN & BRITISH ARMIES

Sikhs supported the British during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. By the beginning of World War I, Sikhs in the British Indian Army totaled over 100,000 (20 percent of the force). Until 1945 fourteen Victoria Crosses were awarded to Sikhs, a per-capita regimental record. In 2002 the names of all Sikh VC and George Cross recipients were inscribed on the monument of the Memorial Gates on Constitution Hill, next to Buckingham Palace. Chanan Singh Dhillon was instrumental in campaigning for the memorial.

During World War I, Sikh battalions fought in Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Gallipoli and France. Six battalions of the Sikh Regiment were raised during World War II, serving in the Second Battle of El Alamein, the Burma and Italian campaigns and in Iraq and receiving 27 battle honours. Around the world, Sikhs are commemorated in Commonwealth cemeteries.

In the last two world wars 83,005 turban wearing Sikh soldiers were killed and 109,045 were wounded. They all died or were wounded for the freedom of Britain and the world, and during shell fire, with no other protection but the turban, the symbol of their faith.

—General Sir Frank Messervy

British people are highly indebted and obliged to Sikhs for a long time. I know that within this century we needed their help twice [in two world wars] and they did help us very well. As a result of their timely help, we are today able to live with honour, dignity, and independence. In the war, they fought and died for us, wearing the turbans.

—Sir Winston Churchill

IN THE WEST

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Sikhs began to emigrate to East Africa, the Far East, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. In 1907 the Khalsa Diwan Society was established in Vancouver, and four years later the first gurdwara was established in London. In 1912 the first gurdwara in the United States was founded in Stockton, California.

Since Sikhs (like Middle Eastern men) wear turbans, some in Western countries have been mistaken for Muslim or Arabic men since the September 11 attacks and the Iraq War. Several days after the 9/11 attacks Sikh Balbir Singh Sodhi was murdered by Frank Roque, who thought Sodhi was connected with al-Qaeda. CNN suggested an increase in hate crimes against Sikh men in the United States and the UK after the 9/11 attacks.

Since Sikhism has never actively sought converts, the Sikhs have remained a relatively homogeneous ethnic group. The Kundalini Yoga-based activities of Harbhajan Singh Yogi in his 3HO (Happy, Healthy, Holy) organisation claim to have inspired a moderate growth in non-Indian adherents of Sikhism. In 1998 an estimated 7,800 3HO Sikhs, known colloquially as ‘gora’ (ਗੋਰਾ) or ‘white’ Sikhs, were mainly centred around Española, New Mexico and Los Angeles, California. Sikhs and the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund overturned a 1925 Oregon law banning the wearing of turbans by teachers and government officials.

In an attempt to foster Sikh leaders in the Western world, youth initiatives by a number of organisations have begun. The Sikh Youth Alliance of North America sponsors an annual Sikh Youth Symposium, a public-speaking and debate competition held in gurdwaras throughout the U.S. and Canada.

ART & CULTURE

Sikh art and culture are nearly synonymous with that of the Punjab, and Sikhs are easily recognised by their distinctive turban (Dastar). The Punjab has been called India’s melting pot, due to the confluence of invading cultures (Greek, Mughal and Persian) from the rivers from which the region gets its name. Sikh culture is therefore a synthesis of cultures. Sikhism has forged a unique architecture, which S. S. Bhatti described as "inspired by Guru Nanak’s creative mysticism" and "is a mute harbinger of holistic humanism based on pragmatic spirituality".

During the Mughal and Afghan 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. With the rise of Ranjit Singh and the Sikh Raj in Lahore and Delhi, there was a change in the landscape of art and culture in the Punjab; Hindus and Sikhs could build decorated shrines without the fear of destruction or looting.

The 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. Sikh architecture is characterised by gilded fluted domes, cupolas, kiosks, stone lanterns, ornate balusters and square roofs. A pinnacle of Sikh style is Harmandir Sahib (also known as the Golden Temple) in Amritsar.

Sikh culture is influenced by militaristic motifs (with the Khanda the most obvious), and most Sikh artifacts - except for the relics of the Gurus - have a military theme. This theme is evident in the Sikh festivals of Hola Mohalla and Vaisakhi, which feature marching and displays of valor.

Although 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 which can be described as "political Sikh" has arisen. The art of diaspora Sikhs like Amarjeet Kaur Nandhra and Amrit and Rabindra Kaur Singh (the "Singh Twins") is influenced by their Sikhism and current affairs in the Punjab.

Bhangra and Giddha are two forms of Punjabi folk dancing which have been adapted and pioneered by Sikhs. Punjabi 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").

PAINTING

Sikh painting is a direct offshoot of the Kangra school of painting. In 1810, Ranjeet Singh (1780–1839) occupied Kangra Fort and appointed Sardar Desa Singh Majithia his governor of the Punjab hills. In 1813 the Sikh army occupied Guler State, and Raja Bhup Singh became a vassal of the Sikhs. With 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.

The Sikh school adapted Kangra painting to Sikh needs and ideals. Its main subjects are the ten Sikh gurus and stories from Guru Nanak's Janamsakhis. The tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, left a deep impression on the followers of the new faith because of his courage and sacrifices. Hunting scenes and portraits are also common in Sikh painting.

WIKIPEDIA

A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism, a monotheistic religion which originated during the 15th century in the Punjab region. The term "Sikh" has its origin in the Sanskrit words शिष्य (śiṣya; disciple, student) or शिक्ष (śikṣa; instruction). A Sikh is a disciple of a guru. According to Article I of the Sikh Rehat Maryada (the Sikh code of conduct), a Sikh is "any human being who faithfully believes in One Immortal Being; ten Gurus, from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh; Guru Granth Sahib; the teachings of the ten Gurus and the baptism bequeathed by the tenth Guru". "Sikh" properly refers to adherents of Sikhism as a religion, not an ethnic group. However, because Sikhs often share strong ethno-religious ties, many countries, such as the U.K., recognize Sikh as a designated ethnicity on their censuses. The American non-profit organization United Sikhs has fought to have Sikh included on the U.S. census as well, arguing that Sikhs "self-identify as an 'ethnic minority'" and believe "that they are more than just a religion".

Male Sikhs usually have "Singh" (Lion), and female Sikhs have "Kaur" (Princess) as their middle or last name. Sikhs who have undergone the khanḍe-kī-pahul (the Sikh initiation ceremony) may also be recognized by the five Ks: uncut hair (kesh); an iron or steel bracelet (kara); a kirpan (a sword tucked into a gatra strap); kachehra, a cotton undergarment, and kanga, a small wooden comb. Baptized male Sikhs must cover their hair with a turban, which is optional for baptized female Sikhs. The greater Punjab region is the historic homeland of the Sikhs, although significant communities exist around the world.

HISTORY

Sikh political history may be said to begin with the death of the fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjan Dev, in 1606. Guru Nanak was a religious leader and social reformer in the 15th-century Punjab. Religious practices were formalized by Guru Gobind Singh on 30 March 1699. Singh baptized five people from a variety of social backgrounds, known as the Panj Piare (the five beloved ones) to form the Khalsa, or collective body of initiated Sikhs. Sikhism has generally had amicable relations with other religions, except for the period of Mughal rule in India (1556–1707). Several Sikh gurus were killed by the Mughals for opposing their persecution of minority religious communities including Sikhs. Sikhs subsequently militarized to oppose Mughal rule. The emergence of the Sikh Confederacy under Ranjit Singh was characterized by religious tolerance and pluralism, with Christians, Muslims and Hindus in positions of power. The confederacy is considered the zenith of political Sikhism, encompassing Kashmir, Ladakh and Peshawar. Hari Singh Nalwa, the commander-in-chief of the Sikh army in the North West Frontier, expanded the confederacy to the Khyber Pass. Its secular administration implemented military, economic and governmental reforms. The months leading up to the partition of India in 1947 were marked by conflict in the Punjab between Sikhs and Muslims. This caused the religious migration of Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus from West Punjab, mirroring a similar religious migration of Punjabi Muslims from East Punjab.

The 1960s saw growing animosity between Sikhs and Hindus in India, with the Sikhs demanding the creation of a Punjab state on a linguistic basis similar to other states in India. This was promised to Sikh leader Master Tara Singh by Jawaharlal Nehru, in return for Sikh political support during negotiations for Indian independence. Although the Sikhs obtained the Punjab, they lost Hindi-speaking areas to Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan. Chandigarh was made a union territory and the capital of Haryana and Punjab on 1 November 1966.

Tensions arose again during the late 1970s, fueled by Sikh claims of discrimination and marginalisation by the Hindu-dominated Indian National Congress party and tactics adopted by the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

According to Katherine Frank, Indira Gandhi's assumption of emergency powers in 1975 resulted in the weakening of the "legitimate and impartial machinery of government", and her increasing "paranoia" about opposing political groups led her to institute a "despotic policy of playing castes, religions and political groups against each other for political advantage". Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale articulated Sikh demands for justice, and this triggered violence in the Punjab. The prime minister's 1984 defeat of Bhindranwale led to an attack on the Golden Temple in Operation Blue Star and to her assassination by her Sikh bodyguards. Gandhi's assassination resulted in an explosion of violence against Sikh communities and the killing of thousands of Sikhs throughout India. Khushwant Singh described the riots as a Sikh pogrom; he "felt like a refugee in my country. In fact, I felt like a Jew in Nazi Germany". Since 1984, relations between Sikhs and Hindus have moved toward a rapprochement aided by economic prosperity. However, a 2002 claim by the Hindu right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) that "Sikhs are Hindus" disturbed Sikh sensibilities. The Khalistan movement campaigns for justice for the victims of the violence, and for the political and economic needs of the Punjab.

In 1996, United Nations Commission on Human Rights Freedom of Religion or Belief Special Rapporteur Abdelfattah Amor (Tunisia, 1993–2004) visited India to report on religious discrimination. The following year Amor concluded, "In India it appears that the situation of the Sikhs in the religious field is satisfactory, but that difficulties are arising in the political (foreign interference, terrorism, etc.), economic (in particular with regard to sharing of water supplies) and even occupational fields. Information received from nongovernment (sic) sources indicates that discrimination does exist in certain sectors of the public administration; examples include the decline in the number of Sikhs in the police force and the military, and the absence of Sikhs in personal bodyguard units since the murder of Indira Gandhi".

Although Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks of the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, they make up 1.87 percent of the Indian population.

During the 1999 Vaisakhi, Sikhs worldwide celebrated the 300th anniversary of the creation of the Khalsa. Canada Post honoured Sikh Canadians with a commemorative stamp in conjunction with the 300th anniversary of Vaisakhi. On April 9, 1999, Indian president K.R. Narayanan issued a stamp commemorating the 300th anniversary of the Khalsa.

DEFINITION

According to Guru Granth Sahib:

One who calls himself 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, the Sikh is to bathe, and cleanse himself in the pool of nectar. Following the Instructions of the Guru, the Sikh is to chant the Name of the Lord, Har. All sins, misdeeds and negativity shall be erased. Then, at the rising of the sun, the Sikh is to sing Gurbani; whether sitting down or standing up, the Sikh is to meditate on the Lord's Name. One who meditates on my Lord, Har, with every breath and every morsel of food – 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.

Simran of the Lord's name is a recurring theme of Guru Granth Sahib, and Sukhmani Sahib were composed to allow a devotee to recite Nam throughout the day. Rising at Amrit Velā (before sunrise) is a common Sikh practice. Sikhism considers the spiritual and secular lives to be intertwined: "In the Sikh Weltanschauung ... the temporal world is part of the Infinite and partakes of its characteristics." According to Guru Nanak, living an "active, creative, and practical life" of "truthfulness, fidelity, self-control and purity" is superior to a purely contemplative life.

FIVE Ks

The five Ks (panj kakaar) are five articles of faith which all baptized Sikhs (Amritdhari Sikhs) are obliged to wear. The symbols represent the ideals of Sikhism: honesty, equality, fidelity, meditating on God and never bowing to tyranny. The five symbols are:

- Kesh: Uncut hair, usually tied and wrapped in a Dastar

- Kanga: A wooden comb, usually worn under a Dastar

- Katchera: Cotton undergarments, historically appropriate in battle due to increased mobility when compared to a dhoti. Worn by both sexes, the katchera is a symbol of chastity.

- Kara: An iron bracelet, a weapon and a symbol of eternity

- Kirpan: An iron dagger in different sizes. In the UK Sikhs can wear a small dagger, but in the Punjab they might wear a traditional curved sword from one to three feet in length.

MUSIC & INSTRUMENTS

The Sikhs have a number of musical instruments: the rebab, dilruba, taus, jori and sarinda. Playing the sarangi was encouraged in Guru Har Gobind. The rubab was first played by Bhai Mardana as he accompanied Guru Nanak on his journeys. The jori and sarinda were designed by Guru Arjan. The taus was made by Guru Hargobind, who supposedly heard a peacock singing and wanted to create an instrument mimicking its sounds (taus is the Persian word for peacock). The dilruba was made by Guru Gobind Singh at the request of his followers, who wanted a smaller instrument than the taus. After Japji Sahib, all of the shabda in the Guru Granth Sahib were composed as ragas. This type of singing is known as Gurmat Sangeet.

When they marched into battle, the Sikhs would play a Ranjit Nagara (victory drum) to boost morale. Nagaras (usually two to three feet in diameter, although some were up to five feet in diameter) are played with two sticks. The beat of the large drums, and the raising of the Nishan Sahib, meant that the singhs were on their way.

DISTRIBUTION

Numbering about 27 million worldwide, Sikhs make up 0.39 percent of the world population; approximately 83 percent live in India. About 76 percent of all Sikhs live in the north Indian State of Punjab, where they form a majority (about two-thirds) of the population. Substantial communities of Sikhs (more than 200,000) live in the Indian states or union territories of Haryana (more than 1.1 million), Rajasthan, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh Assam and Jammu and Kashmir.

Sikh migration from British India began in earnest during the second half of the 19th century, when the British completed their annexation of the Punjab. The British Raj recruited Sikhs for the Indian Civil Service (particularly the British Indian Army), which led to Sikh migration throughout India and the British Empire. During the Raj, semiskilled Sikh artisans were transported from the Punjab to British East Africa to help build railroads. Sikhs emigrated from India and Pakistan after World War II, most going to the United Kingdom but many to North America. Some Sikhs who had settled in eastern Africa were expelled by Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in 1972. Economics is a major factor in Sikh migration, and significant communities exist in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Malaysia, East Africa, Australia and Thailand.

Although 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. Moliner (2006) wrote that as a consequence of Sikh migration to the UK "becom[ing] virtually impossible since the late 1970s", migration patterns evolved to continental Europe. Italy is a rapidly growing destination for Sikh migration, with Reggio Emilia and Vicenza having significant Sikh population clusters. Italian Sikhs are generally involved in agriculture, agricultural processing, the manufacture of machine tools and horticulture.

Primarily for socio-economic reasons, Indian Sikhs have the lowest adjusted growth rate of any major religious group in India, at 16.9 percent per decade (estimated from 1991 to 2001). Johnson and Barrett (2004) estimate that the global Sikh population increases annually by 392,633 (1.7 percent per year, based on 2004 figures); this percentage includes births, deaths and conversions.

REPRESENTATION

Sikhs have been represented in Indian politics by former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh and the deputy chairman of the Indian Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is also a Sikh. Past Sikh politicians in India include former president Giani Zail Singh, Sardar Swaran Singh (India's first foreign minister), Speaker of Parliament Gurdial Singh Dhillon and former Chief Minister of Punjab Pratap Singh Kairon.

Politicians from the Sikh diaspora include the first Asian American member of the United States Congress, Dalip Singh Saund, British MPs Piara Khabra, Parmjit Dhanda and Paul Uppal, the first couple to sit together in a Commonwealth parliament (Gurmant Grewal and Nina Grewal, who requested a Canadian government apology for the Komagata Maru incident), former Canadian Shadow Social Development Minister Ruby Dhalla, Canadian Minister of State for Sport Baljit Singh Gosal and Legislative Assembly of Ontario members Vic Dhillon and Jagmeet Singh. Ujjal Dosanjh was the New Democratic Party Premier of British Columbia from July 2004 to February 2005, and was later a Liberal frontbench MP in Ottawa. In Malaysia, two Sikhs were elected MPs in the 2008 general elections: Karpal Singh (Bukit Gelugor) and his son, Gobind Singh Deo (Puchong). Two Sikhs were elected assemblymen: Jagdeep Singh Deo (Datuk Keramat) and Keshvinder Singh (Malim Nawar).

Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks in the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, while making up 1.87 percent of the Indian population. The Sikh Regiment is one of the most-decorated regiments in the army, with 73 Battle Honours, 14 Victoria Crosses, 21 first-class Indian Orders of Merit (equivalent to the Victoria Cross), 15 Theatre Honours, five COAS Unit Citations, two Param Vir Chakras, 14 Maha Vir Chakras, five Kirti Chakras, 67 Vir Chakras and 1,596 other awards. The highest-ranking general in the history of the Indian Air Force is a Punjabi Sikh, Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh. Plans by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence for a Sikh infantry regiment were scrapped in June 2007.

Historically, most Indians have been farmers and 66 percent of the Indian population are engaged in agriculture. Indian Sikhs are employed in agriculture to a lesser extent; India's 2001 census found 39 percent of the working population of the Punjab employed in this sector. The success of the 1960s Green Revolution, in which India went from "famine to plenty, from humiliation to dignity", was based in the Punjab (which became known as "the breadbasket of India"). The Punjab is the wealthiest Indian state per capita, with the average Punjabi income three times the national average. The Green Revolution centred on Indian farmers adopting more intensive and mechanised agricultural methods, aided by the electrification of the Punjab, cooperative credit, consolidation of small holdings and the existing, British Raj-developed canal system. According to Swedish political scientist Ishtiaq Ahmad, a factor in the success of the Indian green revolution was the "Sikh cultivator, often the Jat, whose courage, perseverance, spirit of enterprise and muscle prowess proved crucial". However, not all aspects of the green revolution were beneficial. Indian physicist 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.

Punjabi Sikhs are engaged in a number of professions which include science, engineering and medicine. Notable examples are nuclear scientist Piara Singh Gill (who worked on the Manhattan Project), fibre-optics pioneer Narinder Singh Kapany and physicist, science writer and broadcaster Simon Singh.

In business, the UK-based clothing retailers New Look and the Thai-based Jaspal were founded by Sikhs. India's largest pharmaceutical company, Ranbaxy Laboratories, is headed by Sikhs. UK Sikhs have the highest percentage of home ownership (82 percent) of any religious community. UK Sikhs are the second-wealthiest (after the Jewish community) religious group in the UK, with a median total household wealth of £229,000. In Singapore Kartar Singh Thakral expanded his family's trading business, Thakral Holdings, into total assets of almost $1.4 billion and is Singapore's 25th-richest person. Sikh Bob Singh Dhillon is the first Indo-Canadian billionaire. The Sikh diaspora has been most successful in North America, especially in California’s fertile Central Valley. American Sikh farmers such as Harbhajan Singh Samra and Didar Singh Bains dominate California agriculture, with Samra specialising in okra and Bains in peaches.

Sikh intellectuals, sportsmen and artists include writer Khushwant Singh, England cricketer Monty Panesar, former 400m runner Milkha Singh, Indian wrestler and actor Dara Singh, former Indian hockey team captains Ajitpal Singh and Balbir Singh Sr., former Indian cricket captain Bishen Singh Bedi, Harbhajan Singh (India's most successful off spin cricket bowler), Bollywood actress Neetu Singh, Sunny Leone, actors Parminder Nagra, Neha Dhupia, Gul Panag, Mona Singh, Namrata Singh Gujral, Archie Panjabi and director Gurinder Chadha.

Sikhs have migrated worldwide, with a variety of occupations. The Sikh Gurus preached ethnic and social harmony, and Sikhs comprise a number of ethnic groups. Those with over 1,000 members include the Ahluwalia, Arain, Arora, Bhatra, Bairagi, Bania, Basith, Bawaria, Bazigar, Bhabra, Chamar, Chhimba, Darzi, Dhobi, Gujar, Jatt, Jhinwar, Kahar, Kalal, Kamboj, Khatri, Kumhar, Labana, Lohar, Mahtam, Mazhabi, Megh, Mirasi, Mochi, Nai, Rajput, Ramgarhia, Saini, Sarera, Sikligar, Sunar, Sudh, Tarkhan and Zargar.

An order of Punjabi Sikhs, the Nihang or the Akalis, was formed during Ranjit Singh's time. Under their leader, Akali Phula Singh, they won many battles for the Sikh Confederacy during the early 19th century.

IN THE INDIAN & BRITISH ARMIES

Sikhs supported the British during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. By the beginning of World War I, Sikhs in the British Indian Army totaled over 100,000 (20 percent of the force). Until 1945 fourteen Victoria Crosses were awarded to Sikhs, a per-capita regimental record. In 2002 the names of all Sikh VC and George Cross recipients were inscribed on the monument of the Memorial Gates on Constitution Hill, next to Buckingham Palace. Chanan Singh Dhillon was instrumental in campaigning for the memorial.

During World War I, Sikh battalions fought in Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Gallipoli and France. Six battalions of the Sikh Regiment were raised during World War II, serving in the Second Battle of El Alamein, the Burma and Italian campaigns and in Iraq and receiving 27 battle honours. Around the world, Sikhs are commemorated in Commonwealth cemeteries.

In the last two world wars 83,005 turban wearing Sikh soldiers were killed and 109,045 were wounded. They all died or were wounded for the freedom of Britain and the world, and during shell fire, with no other protection but the turban, the symbol of their faith.

—General Sir Frank Messervy

British people are highly indebted and obliged to Sikhs for a long time. I know that within this century we needed their help twice [in two world wars] and they did help us very well. As a result of their timely help, we are today able to live with honour, dignity, and independence. In the war, they fought and died for us, wearing the turbans.

—Sir Winston Churchill

IN THE WEST

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Sikhs began to emigrate to East Africa, the Far East, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. In 1907 the Khalsa Diwan Society was established in Vancouver, and four years later the first gurdwara was established in London. In 1912 the first gurdwara in the United States was founded in Stockton, California.

Since Sikhs (like Middle Eastern men) wear turbans, some in Western countries have been mistaken for Muslim or Arabic men since the September 11 attacks and the Iraq War. Several days after the 9/11 attacks Sikh Balbir Singh Sodhi was murdered by Frank Roque, who thought Sodhi was connected with al-Qaeda. CNN suggested an increase in hate crimes against Sikh men in the United States and the UK after the 9/11 attacks.

Since Sikhism has never actively sought converts, the Sikhs have remained a relatively homogeneous ethnic group. The Kundalini Yoga-based activities of Harbhajan Singh Yogi in his 3HO (Happy, Healthy, Holy) organisation claim to have inspired a moderate growth in non-Indian adherents of Sikhism. In 1998 an estimated 7,800 3HO Sikhs, known colloquially as ‘gora’ (ਗੋਰਾ) or ‘white’ Sikhs, were mainly centred around Española, New Mexico and Los Angeles, California. Sikhs and the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund overturned a 1925 Oregon law banning the wearing of turbans by teachers and government officials.

In an attempt to foster Sikh leaders in the Western world, youth initiatives by a number of organisations have begun. The Sikh Youth Alliance of North America sponsors an annual Sikh Youth Symposium, a public-speaking and debate competition held in gurdwaras throughout the U.S. and Canada.

ART & CULTURE

Sikh art and culture are nearly synonymous with that of the Punjab, and Sikhs are easily recognised by their distinctive turban (Dastar). The Punjab has been called India’s melting pot, due to the confluence of invading cultures (Greek, Mughal and Persian) from the rivers from which the region gets its name. Sikh culture is therefore a synthesis of cultures. Sikhism has forged a unique architecture, which S. S. Bhatti described as "inspired by Guru Nanak’s creative mysticism" and "is a mute harbinger of holistic humanism based on pragmatic spirituality".

During the Mughal and Afghan 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. With the rise of Ranjit Singh and the Sikh Raj in Lahore and Delhi, there was a change in the landscape of art and culture in the Punjab; Hindus and Sikhs could build decorated shrines without the fear of destruction or looting.

The 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. Sikh architecture is characterised by gilded fluted domes, cupolas, kiosks, stone lanterns, ornate balusters and square roofs. A pinnacle of Sikh style is Harmandir Sahib (also known as the Golden Temple) in Amritsar.

Sikh culture is influenced by militaristic motifs (with the Khanda the most obvious), and most Sikh artifacts - except for the relics of the Gurus - have a military theme. This theme is evident in the Sikh festivals of Hola Mohalla and Vaisakhi, which feature marching and displays of valor.

Although 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 which can be described as "political Sikh" has arisen. The art of diaspora Sikhs like Amarjeet Kaur Nandhra and Amrit and Rabindra Kaur Singh (the "Singh Twins") is influenced by their Sikhism and current affairs in the Punjab.

Bhangra and Giddha are two forms of Punjabi folk dancing which have been adapted and pioneered by Sikhs. Punjabi 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").

PAINTING

Sikh painting is a direct offshoot of the Kangra school of painting. In 1810, Ranjeet Singh (1780–1839) occupied Kangra Fort and appointed Sardar Desa Singh Majithia his governor of the Punjab hills. In 1813 the Sikh army occupied Guler State, and Raja Bhup Singh became a vassal of the Sikhs. With 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.

The Sikh school adapted Kangra painting to Sikh needs and ideals. Its main subjects are the ten Sikh gurus and stories from Guru Nanak's Janamsakhis. The tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, left a deep impression on the followers of the new faith because of his courage and sacrifices. Hunting scenes and portraits are also common in Sikh painting.

WIKIPEDIA

A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism, a monotheistic religion which originated during the 15th century in the Punjab region. The term "Sikh" has its origin in the Sanskrit words शिष्य (śiṣya; disciple, student) or शिक्ष (śikṣa; instruction). A Sikh is a disciple of a guru. According to Article I of the Sikh Rehat Maryada (the Sikh code of conduct), a Sikh is "any human being who faithfully believes in One Immortal Being; ten Gurus, from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh; Guru Granth Sahib; the teachings of the ten Gurus and the baptism bequeathed by the tenth Guru". "Sikh" properly refers to adherents of Sikhism as a religion, not an ethnic group. However, because Sikhs often share strong ethno-religious ties, many countries, such as the U.K., recognize Sikh as a designated ethnicity on their censuses. The American non-profit organization United Sikhs has fought to have Sikh included on the U.S. census as well, arguing that Sikhs "self-identify as an 'ethnic minority'" and believe "that they are more than just a religion".

Male Sikhs usually have "Singh" (Lion), and female Sikhs have "Kaur" (Princess) as their middle or last name. Sikhs who have undergone the khanḍe-kī-pahul (the Sikh initiation ceremony) may also be recognized by the five Ks: uncut hair (kesh); an iron or steel bracelet (kara); a kirpan (a sword tucked into a gatra strap); kachehra, a cotton undergarment, and kanga, a small wooden comb. Baptized male Sikhs must cover their hair with a turban, which is optional for baptized female Sikhs. The greater Punjab region is the historic homeland of the Sikhs, although significant communities exist around the world.

HISTORY

Sikh political history may be said to begin with the death of the fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjan Dev, in 1606. Guru Nanak was a religious leader and social reformer in the 15th-century Punjab. Religious practices were formalized by Guru Gobind Singh on 30 March 1699. Singh baptized five people from a variety of social backgrounds, known as the Panj Piare (the five beloved ones) to form the Khalsa, or collective body of initiated Sikhs. Sikhism has generally had amicable relations with other religions, except for the period of Mughal rule in India (1556–1707). Several Sikh gurus were killed by the Mughals for opposing their persecution of minority religious communities including Sikhs. Sikhs subsequently militarized to oppose Mughal rule. The emergence of the Sikh Confederacy under Ranjit Singh was characterized by religious tolerance and pluralism, with Christians, Muslims and Hindus in positions of power. The confederacy is considered the zenith of political Sikhism, encompassing Kashmir, Ladakh and Peshawar. Hari Singh Nalwa, the commander-in-chief of the Sikh army in the North West Frontier, expanded the confederacy to the Khyber Pass. Its secular administration implemented military, economic and governmental reforms. The months leading up to the partition of India in 1947 were marked by conflict in the Punjab between Sikhs and Muslims. This caused the religious migration of Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus from West Punjab, mirroring a similar religious migration of Punjabi Muslims from East Punjab.

The 1960s saw growing animosity between Sikhs and Hindus in India, with the Sikhs demanding the creation of a Punjab state on a linguistic basis similar to other states in India. This was promised to Sikh leader Master Tara Singh by Jawaharlal Nehru, in return for Sikh political support during negotiations for Indian independence. Although the Sikhs obtained the Punjab, they lost Hindi-speaking areas to Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan. Chandigarh was made a union territory and the capital of Haryana and Punjab on 1 November 1966.

Tensions arose again during the late 1970s, fueled by Sikh claims of discrimination and marginalisation by the Hindu-dominated Indian National Congress party and tactics adopted by the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

According to Katherine Frank, Indira Gandhi's assumption of emergency powers in 1975 resulted in the weakening of the "legitimate and impartial machinery of government", and her increasing "paranoia" about opposing political groups led her to institute a "despotic policy of playing castes, religions and political groups against each other for political advantage". Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale articulated Sikh demands for justice, and this triggered violence in the Punjab. The prime minister's 1984 defeat of Bhindranwale led to an attack on the Golden Temple in Operation Blue Star and to her assassination by her Sikh bodyguards. Gandhi's assassination resulted in an explosion of violence against Sikh communities and the killing of thousands of Sikhs throughout India. Khushwant Singh described the riots as a Sikh pogrom; he "felt like a refugee in my country. In fact, I felt like a Jew in Nazi Germany". Since 1984, relations between Sikhs and Hindus have moved toward a rapprochement aided by economic prosperity. However, a 2002 claim by the Hindu right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) that "Sikhs are Hindus" disturbed Sikh sensibilities. The Khalistan movement campaigns for justice for the victims of the violence, and for the political and economic needs of the Punjab.

In 1996, United Nations Commission on Human Rights Freedom of Religion or Belief Special Rapporteur Abdelfattah Amor (Tunisia, 1993–2004) visited India to report on religious discrimination. The following year Amor concluded, "In India it appears that the situation of the Sikhs in the religious field is satisfactory, but that difficulties are arising in the political (foreign interference, terrorism, etc.), economic (in particular with regard to sharing of water supplies) and even occupational fields. Information received from nongovernment (sic) sources indicates that discrimination does exist in certain sectors of the public administration; examples include the decline in the number of Sikhs in the police force and the military, and the absence of Sikhs in personal bodyguard units since the murder of Indira Gandhi".

Although Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks of the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, they make up 1.87 percent of the Indian population.

During the 1999 Vaisakhi, Sikhs worldwide celebrated the 300th anniversary of the creation of the Khalsa. Canada Post honoured Sikh Canadians with a commemorative stamp in conjunction with the 300th anniversary of Vaisakhi. On April 9, 1999, Indian president K.R. Narayanan issued a stamp commemorating the 300th anniversary of the Khalsa.

DEFINITION

According to Guru Granth Sahib:

One who calls himself 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, the Sikh is to bathe, and cleanse himself in the pool of nectar. Following the Instructions of the Guru, the Sikh is to chant the Name of the Lord, Har. All sins, misdeeds and negativity shall be erased. Then, at the rising of the sun, the Sikh is to sing Gurbani; whether sitting down or standing up, the Sikh is to meditate on the Lord's Name. One who meditates on my Lord, Har, with every breath and every morsel of food – 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.

Simran of the Lord's name is a recurring theme of Guru Granth Sahib, and Sukhmani Sahib were composed to allow a devotee to recite Nam throughout the day. Rising at Amrit Velā (before sunrise) is a common Sikh practice. Sikhism considers the spiritual and secular lives to be intertwined: "In the Sikh Weltanschauung ... the temporal world is part of the Infinite and partakes of its characteristics." According to Guru Nanak, living an "active, creative, and practical life" of "truthfulness, fidelity, self-control and purity" is superior to a purely contemplative life.

FIVE Ks

The five Ks (panj kakaar) are five articles of faith which all baptized Sikhs (Amritdhari Sikhs) are obliged to wear. The symbols represent the ideals of Sikhism: honesty, equality, fidelity, meditating on God and never bowing to tyranny. The five symbols are:

- Kesh: Uncut hair, usually tied and wrapped in a Dastar

- Kanga: A wooden comb, usually worn under a Dastar

- Katchera: Cotton undergarments, historically appropriate in battle due to increased mobility when compared to a dhoti. Worn by both sexes, the katchera is a symbol of chastity.

- Kara: An iron bracelet, a weapon and a symbol of eternity

- Kirpan: An iron dagger in different sizes. In the UK Sikhs can wear a small dagger, but in the Punjab they might wear a traditional curved sword from one to three feet in length.

MUSIC & INSTRUMENTS

The Sikhs have a number of musical instruments: the rebab, dilruba, taus, jori and sarinda. Playing the sarangi was encouraged in Guru Har Gobind. The rubab was first played by Bhai Mardana as he accompanied Guru Nanak on his journeys. The jori and sarinda were designed by Guru Arjan. The taus was made by Guru Hargobind, who supposedly heard a peacock singing and wanted to create an instrument mimicking its sounds (taus is the Persian word for peacock). The dilruba was made by Guru Gobind Singh at the request of his followers, who wanted a smaller instrument than the taus. After Japji Sahib, all of the shabda in the Guru Granth Sahib were composed as ragas. This type of singing is known as Gurmat Sangeet.

When they marched into battle, the Sikhs would play a Ranjit Nagara (victory drum) to boost morale. Nagaras (usually two to three feet in diameter, although some were up to five feet in diameter) are played with two sticks. The beat of the large drums, and the raising of the Nishan Sahib, meant that the singhs were on their way.

DISTRIBUTION

Numbering about 27 million worldwide, Sikhs make up 0.39 percent of the world population; approximately 83 percent live in India. About 76 percent of all Sikhs live in the north Indian State of Punjab, where they form a majority (about two-thirds) of the population. Substantial communities of Sikhs (more than 200,000) live in the Indian states or union territories of Haryana (more than 1.1 million), Rajasthan, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh Assam and Jammu and Kashmir.

Sikh migration from British India began in earnest during the second half of the 19th century, when the British completed their annexation of the Punjab. The British Raj recruited Sikhs for the Indian Civil Service (particularly the British Indian Army), which led to Sikh migration throughout India and the British Empire. During the Raj, semiskilled Sikh artisans were transported from the Punjab to British East Africa to help build railroads. Sikhs emigrated from India and Pakistan after World War II, most going to the United Kingdom but many to North America. Some Sikhs who had settled in eastern Africa were expelled by Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in 1972. Economics is a major factor in Sikh migration, and significant communities exist in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Malaysia, East Africa, Australia and Thailand.

Although 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. Moliner (2006) wrote that as a consequence of Sikh migration to the UK "becom[ing] virtually impossible since the late 1970s", migration patterns evolved to continental Europe. Italy is a rapidly growing destination for Sikh migration, with Reggio Emilia and Vicenza having significant Sikh population clusters. Italian Sikhs are generally involved in agriculture, agricultural processing, the manufacture of machine tools and horticulture.

Primarily for socio-economic reasons, Indian Sikhs have the lowest adjusted growth rate of any major religious group in India, at 16.9 percent per decade (estimated from 1991 to 2001). Johnson and Barrett (2004) estimate that the global Sikh population increases annually by 392,633 (1.7 percent per year, based on 2004 figures); this percentage includes births, deaths and conversions.

REPRESENTATION

Sikhs have been represented in Indian politics by former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh and the deputy chairman of the Indian Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is also a Sikh. Past Sikh politicians in India include former president Giani Zail Singh, Sardar Swaran Singh (India's first foreign minister), Speaker of Parliament Gurdial Singh Dhillon and former Chief Minister of Punjab Pratap Singh Kairon.

Politicians from the Sikh diaspora include the first Asian American member of the United States Congress, Dalip Singh Saund, British MPs Piara Khabra, Parmjit Dhanda and Paul Uppal, the first couple to sit together in a Commonwealth parliament (Gurmant Grewal and Nina Grewal, who requested a Canadian government apology for the Komagata Maru incident), former Canadian Shadow Social Development Minister Ruby Dhalla, Canadian Minister of State for Sport Baljit Singh Gosal and Legislative Assembly of Ontario members Vic Dhillon and Jagmeet Singh. Ujjal Dosanjh was the New Democratic Party Premier of British Columbia from July 2004 to February 2005, and was later a Liberal frontbench MP in Ottawa. In Malaysia, two Sikhs were elected MPs in the 2008 general elections: Karpal Singh (Bukit Gelugor) and his son, Gobind Singh Deo (Puchong). Two Sikhs were elected assemblymen: Jagdeep Singh Deo (Datuk Keramat) and Keshvinder Singh (Malim Nawar).

Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks in the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, while making up 1.87 percent of the Indian population. The Sikh Regiment is one of the most-decorated regiments in the army, with 73 Battle Honours, 14 Victoria Crosses, 21 first-class Indian Orders of Merit (equivalent to the Victoria Cross), 15 Theatre Honours, five COAS Unit Citations, two Param Vir Chakras, 14 Maha Vir Chakras, five Kirti Chakras, 67 Vir Chakras and 1,596 other awards. The highest-ranking general in the history of the Indian Air Force is a Punjabi Sikh, Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh. Plans by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence for a Sikh infantry regiment were scrapped in June 2007.

Historically, most Indians have been farmers and 66 percent of the Indian population are engaged in agriculture. Indian Sikhs are employed in agriculture to a lesser extent; India's 2001 census found 39 percent of the working population of the Punjab employed in this sector. The success of the 1960s Green Revolution, in which India went from "famine to plenty, from humiliation to dignity", was based in the Punjab (which became known as "the breadbasket of India"). The Punjab is the wealthiest Indian state per capita, with the average Punjabi income three times the national average. The Green Revolution centred on Indian farmers adopting more intensive and mechanised agricultural methods, aided by the electrification of the Punjab, cooperative credit, consolidation of small holdings and the existing, British Raj-developed canal system. According to Swedish political scientist Ishtiaq Ahmad, a factor in the success of the Indian green revolution was the "Sikh cultivator, often the Jat, whose courage, perseverance, spirit of enterprise and muscle prowess proved crucial". However, not all aspects of the green revolution were beneficial. Indian physicist 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.

Punjabi Sikhs are engaged in a number of professions which include science, engineering and medicine. Notable examples are nuclear scientist Piara Singh Gill (who worked on the Manhattan Project), fibre-optics pioneer Narinder Singh Kapany and physicist, science writer and broadcaster Simon Singh.

In business, the UK-based clothing retailers New Look and the Thai-based Jaspal were founded by Sikhs. India's largest pharmaceutical company, Ranbaxy Laboratories, is headed by Sikhs. UK Sikhs have the highest percentage of home ownership (82 percent) of any religious community. UK Sikhs are the second-wealthiest (after the Jewish community) religious group in the UK, with a median total household wealth of £229,000. In Singapore Kartar Singh Thakral expanded his family's trading business, Thakral Holdings, into total assets of almost $1.4 billion and is Singapore's 25th-richest person. Sikh Bob Singh Dhillon is the first Indo-Canadian billionaire. The Sikh diaspora has been most successful in North America, especially in California’s fertile Central Valley. American Sikh farmers such as Harbhajan Singh Samra and Didar Singh Bains dominate California agriculture, with Samra specialising in okra and Bains in peaches.

Sikh intellectuals, sportsmen and artists include writer Khushwant Singh, England cricketer Monty Panesar, former 400m runner Milkha Singh, Indian wrestler and actor Dara Singh, former Indian hockey team captains Ajitpal Singh and Balbir Singh Sr., former Indian cricket captain Bishen Singh Bedi, Harbhajan Singh (India's most successful off spin cricket bowler), Bollywood actress Neetu Singh, Sunny Leone, actors Parminder Nagra, Neha Dhupia, Gul Panag, Mona Singh, Namrata Singh Gujral, Archie Panjabi and director Gurinder Chadha.

Sikhs have migrated worldwide, with a variety of occupations. The Sikh Gurus preached ethnic and social harmony, and Sikhs comprise a number of ethnic groups. Those with over 1,000 members include the Ahluwalia, Arain, Arora, Bhatra, Bairagi, Bania, Basith, Bawaria, Bazigar, Bhabra, Chamar, Chhimba, Darzi, Dhobi, Gujar, Jatt, Jhinwar, Kahar, Kalal, Kamboj, Khatri, Kumhar, Labana, Lohar, Mahtam, Mazhabi, Megh, Mirasi, Mochi, Nai, Rajput, Ramgarhia, Saini, Sarera, Sikligar, Sunar, Sudh, Tarkhan and Zargar.

An order of Punjabi Sikhs, the Nihang or the Akalis, was formed during Ranjit Singh's time. Under their leader, Akali Phula Singh, they won many battles for the Sikh Confederacy during the early 19th century.

IN THE INDIAN & BRITISH ARMIES

Sikhs supported the British during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. By the beginning of World War I, Sikhs in the British Indian Army totaled over 100,000 (20 percent of the force). Until 1945 fourteen Victoria Crosses were awarded to Sikhs, a per-capita regimental record. In 2002 the names of all Sikh VC and George Cross recipients were inscribed on the monument of the Memorial Gates on Constitution Hill, next to Buckingham Palace. Chanan Singh Dhillon was instrumental in campaigning for the memorial.

During World War I, Sikh battalions fought in Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Gallipoli and France. Six battalions of the Sikh Regiment were raised during World War II, serving in the Second Battle of El Alamein, the Burma and Italian campaigns and in Iraq and receiving 27 battle honours. Around the world, Sikhs are commemorated in Commonwealth cemeteries.

In the last two world wars 83,005 turban wearing Sikh soldiers were killed and 109,045 were wounded. They all died or were wounded for the freedom of Britain and the world, and during shell fire, with no other protection but the turban, the symbol of their faith.

—General Sir Frank Messervy

British people are highly indebted and obliged to Sikhs for a long time. I know that within this century we needed their help twice [in two world wars] and they did help us very well. As a result of their timely help, we are today able to live with honour, dignity, and independence. In the war, they fought and died for us, wearing the turbans.

—Sir Winston Churchill

IN THE WEST

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Sikhs began to emigrate to East Africa, the Far East, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. In 1907 the Khalsa Diwan Society was established in Vancouver, and four years later the first gurdwara was established in London. In 1912 the first gurdwara in the United States was founded in Stockton, California.

Since Sikhs (like Middle Eastern men) wear turbans, some in Western countries have been mistaken for Muslim or Arabic men since the September 11 attacks and the Iraq War. Several days after the 9/11 attacks Sikh Balbir Singh Sodhi was murdered by Frank Roque, who thought Sodhi was connected with al-Qaeda. CNN suggested an increase in hate crimes against Sikh men in the United States and the UK after the 9/11 attacks.

Since Sikhism has never actively sought converts, the Sikhs have remained a relatively homogeneous ethnic group. The Kundalini Yoga-based activities of Harbhajan Singh Yogi in his 3HO (Happy, Healthy, Holy) organisation claim to have inspired a moderate growth in non-Indian adherents of Sikhism. In 1998 an estimated 7,800 3HO Sikhs, known colloquially as ‘gora’ (ਗੋਰਾ) or ‘white’ Sikhs, were mainly centred around Española, New Mexico and Los Angeles, California. Sikhs and the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund overturned a 1925 Oregon law banning the wearing of turbans by teachers and government officials.

In an attempt to foster Sikh leaders in the Western world, youth initiatives by a number of organisations have begun. The Sikh Youth Alliance of North America sponsors an annual Sikh Youth Symposium, a public-speaking and debate competition held in gurdwaras throughout the U.S. and Canada.

ART & CULTURE

Sikh art and culture are nearly synonymous with that of the Punjab, and Sikhs are easily recognised by their distinctive turban (Dastar). The Punjab has been called India’s melting pot, due to the confluence of invading cultures (Greek, Mughal and Persian) from the rivers from which the region gets its name. Sikh culture is therefore a synthesis of cultures. Sikhism has forged a unique architecture, which S. S. Bhatti described as "inspired by Guru Nanak’s creative mysticism" and "is a mute harbinger of holistic humanism based on pragmatic spirituality".

During the Mughal and Afghan 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. With the rise of Ranjit Singh and the Sikh Raj in Lahore and Delhi, there was a change in the landscape of art and culture in the Punjab; Hindus and Sikhs could build decorated shrines without the fear of destruction or looting.

The 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. Sikh architecture is characterised by gilded fluted domes, cupolas, kiosks, stone lanterns, ornate balusters and square roofs. A pinnacle of Sikh style is Harmandir Sahib (also known as the Golden Temple) in Amritsar.

Sikh culture is influenced by militaristic motifs (with the Khanda the most obvious), and most Sikh artifacts - except for the relics of the Gurus - have a military theme. This theme is evident in the Sikh festivals of Hola Mohalla and Vaisakhi, which feature marching and displays of valor.

Although 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 which can be described as "political Sikh" has arisen. The art of diaspora Sikhs like Amarjeet Kaur Nandhra and Amrit and Rabindra Kaur Singh (the "Singh Twins") is influenced by their Sikhism and current affairs in the Punjab.

Bhangra and Giddha are two forms of Punjabi folk dancing which have been adapted and pioneered by Sikhs. Punjabi 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").

PAINTING

Sikh painting is a direct offshoot of the Kangra school of painting. In 1810, Ranjeet Singh (1780–1839) occupied Kangra Fort and appointed Sardar Desa Singh Majithia his governor of the Punjab hills. In 1813 the Sikh army occupied Guler State, and Raja Bhup Singh became a vassal of the Sikhs. With 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.

The Sikh school adapted Kangra painting to Sikh needs and ideals. Its main subjects are the ten Sikh gurus and stories from Guru Nanak's Janamsakhis. The tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, left a deep impression on the followers of the new faith because of his courage and sacrifices. Hunting scenes and portraits are also common in Sikh painting.

WIKIPEDIA

The Hyderabad Metro is a rapid transit system, serving the city of Hyderabad, Telangana, India. It is in Secant Operational model. It is being implemented entirely on public-private partnership (PPP) basis, with the state government holding a minority equity stake. A 30 km stretch from Miyapur to Nagole, having 24 stations was inaugurated on 28 November 2017 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. No other rapid transit metro service in India opened for public operations on such a long stretch of 30 km. As of October 2018, it is the second longest operational metro network in India after the Delhi Metro, after a 16 km stretch between Ameerpet-LB Nagar Metro route was opened on 24 September 2018. It is estimated to cost ₹18,800 crore (US$2.6 billion). As of October 2018, about 200,000 people use the Metro per day. Trains are now crowded during the morning and evening hours, when employees travel to and from work. A ladies only coach was introduced on all the trains from 7 May 2018.

HISTORY

To respond the rising public transport needs and mitigate escalating vehicular traffic in the twin-cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad, the State Government and the South Central Railway jointly launched the Multi Modal Transport System (MMTS) in [August] 2003. The increase in population of Hyderabad made MMTS alone insufficient for public transport, which led to Union Ministry of Urban Development giving the nod for the Hyderabad Metro Rail Project and directed the DMRC to conduct a survey on the project.[ this project was seen necessary in view that the population of Hyderabad was forecasted to reach 13.6 million by the year 2021. According to the initial plan, the metro was to be connected with the already existing MMTS to provide commuters with alternate modes of transport. Simultaneously, the proposals for taking up the construction of MMTS Phase-II were also taken forward.

On March 26, 2018, Telangana Govt announced that it would set up a SPV "Hyderabad Airport Metro Limited (HAML)", jointly promoted by HMRL and HMDA, to extend the Blue line from Raidurg to Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Shamshabad.

INITIAL BIDDING

The bidding process was completed by July 2008 and awarded to Maytas which failed to achieve financial closure for the project as per schedule By March 2009. In July 2009, the State Government cancelled the contract and called for fresh bids for the project.

RE-BIDDING

In the July-2010 rebidding process, Larsen & Toubro (L&T) emerged as the lowest bidder for the ₹121.32 billion (US$1.7 billion) project. L&T came forward to take up the work for about ₹14.58 billion (US$200 million) as viability gap funding as against the sanctioned ₹48.53 billion (US$680 million).

MASCOT

The mascot of Hyderabad Metro Rail is Niz. It was derived from the word Nizam, who ruled the princely state of Hyderabad.

AWARDS AND NOMINATIONS

HMR project was showcased as one of the top 100 strategic global infrastructure projects at the Global Infrastructure Leadership Forum held in New York during February–March 2013.

L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad Limited (LTMRHL) has been conferred the SAP ACE Award 2015 in the 'Strategic HR and Talent Management category.

In 2018, Rasoolpura, Paradise and Prakash Nagar metro stations were awarded Indian Green Building Council’s (IGBC) Green MRTS Platinum Award.

CONSTRUCTION HISTORY

Groundbreaking (Bhoomi Puja) for the project was conducted on 26 April 2012 the concessionaire started the pillar erection on the same day for Stage-I and on 6 June 2012 for Stage-II. The work for Corridor 2 has been delayed due to traders in Koti and Sultan Bazar demanding realignment of the route to safeguard traders and old age heritage markets. If the recent bill proposed in Parliament which allows construction within a 100 metre radius of heritage structures and sites of historical or archaeological importance is passed, Metro might receive a chance as it helps to connect the Old city with IT corridor.

The construction of the entire 71.16 km has been split into 6 stages with the first stage originally scheduled to be completed by March 2015.

In November 2013, L&T Hyderabad Metro started laying of rails on the metro viaduct between Nagole and Mettuguda, a stretch of 8 km.

The first highly sophisticated train of the Hyderabad Metro Rail (HMR) came from Korea during the third week of May 2014. Stringent trial runs commenced from June 2014 till February 2015. The trial runs started on the Miyapur to Sanjeeva Reddy Nagar stretch in October 2015.

CMRS inspection for Stage-II (Miyapur and S.R.Nagar Section) was done on 9, 10 August 2016. Three interchanges are planned at Mahatma Gandhi Bus Terminus, Parade Grounds and Ameerpet.

The steel bridge of the HMR was successfully placed over the Oliphant bridge in August 2017.

In November 2017, Commissioner of Railway Safety (CMRS) granted safety approval for 12 km stretch from Miyapur to SR Nagar, 10 km stretch from SR Nagar to Mettuguda and 8 km stretch from Nagole to Mettuguda.

Ameerpet-LB Nagar Metro stretch is open for commercial operations from 24 September 2018.

CONSTRUCTION PHASES

The construction work was undertaken in two phases. There are six stages of completion in Phase I

PHASE I

The Phase I of the project includes 3 lines covering a distance of around 72 km. The metro rail stretches between Nagole and Secunderabad 11 km originally scheduled to be operational by December 2015, is now partially operational since 29 November 2017. The entire 72 km 57-station first phase is due to be completed by December 2019 with Hitec City - Raidurg line and MGBS - Falaknuma line is scheduled to be completed by December 2019.

Line 1 - Red Line - Miyapur – L B Nagar - 29.2 km

Line 2 - Green Line - JBS - Falaknuma 15 km

Line 3 - Blue Line - Nagole – Raidurg - 28 km

PHASE II

The Government is planning second phase of metro rail extending further. The construction of Phase II will be taken up solely by the state government, instead of public private partnership (PPP) mode in Phase I. Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) was entrusted to give a detailed project report (DPR) for Phase II. Metro Rail Phase II expansion plan is for about 60 km, which includes providing link to Shamshabad RGI Airport.

LINES

Since the first version of the plans, the three corridors mostly remained the same, but minor changes were introduced. These include the lack of stop at Lalaguda, or a stop at Lakdikapul instead of Secretariat. Also, the lines have been marked with several different combination of color. Ameerpet- LB Nagar metro stretch opened on 24 September 2018. HiTec City to Raidurg, 1.5-kilometre stretch on Corridor Three - Nagole to Raidurg, is scheduled to be completed in November 2019, as it involves construction of 49 pillars and the Raidurg terminal station. Efforts are being made to complete the 8.5-km stretch from Ameerpet to HiTec City by December 2018.

RECEPTION

The Metro has opened to overwhelming response, with over 200,000 people using it on Day 1. On the first Sunday of operations, the Metro was used by 240,000 people.. As of September 2018, the daily ridership was about 2,00,000.

Trains are initially being operated at a frequency of 3.5 minutes in very peak hours and every 6.5 minutes in peak hours (between Miyapur-Ameerpet) and 6.5 minutes in peak hours (between Ameerpet-Nagole),, though maximum achievable frequency is every 90 seconds. Similarly, three-car trains are being used currently, though it is planned to use six-car trains in the future.

In December 2017, Hyderabad Metro Rail launched its mobile app, TSavaari. Hyderabad Metro timings are available on T-Savari app. Ola Cabs and Uber tied up its services with app.

COST

The initial official estimated cost of the 72 km long Metro project stood at ₹14,132 crore (US$2.0 billion). The Central Government decided to bear 10% of it, while L&T was to bear the remaining 90% of the cost. The construction work which was supposed to commence on 3 March 2011 commenced in 2012. In March 2012, the cost of the project was revised upwards to ₹15,957 crore (US$2.2 billion). This has been further revised upwards to ₹18,800 crore (US$2.6 billion) (as of November 2017).

INFRASTRUCTURE

The 71.3 km standard-gauge network will feature ballastless track throughout and will be electrified at 25kV ac 50 Hz. An operations control centre and depot are constructed at Uppal. At some places, a flyover, underpass and metro has been constructed at the same place, as part of Strategic road development plan (SRDP).

CBTC TECHNOLOGY

At the end of 2012, L&T Metro Rail awarded Thales a Rs 7.4bn ($US 134m) contract to provide CBTC and integrated telecommunications and supervision systems on all three lines. Thales will supply its SelTrac CBTC technology, and trains will initially run in automatic train operation mode with minimum headways of 90 seconds, although the system will support eventual migration to unattended train operation (UTO).

ROLLING STOCK

On 12 September 2012, Larsen and Toubro Metro Rail Hyderabad Ltd (LTMRHL) announced that it has awarded tender for supply of rolling stock to Hyundai Rotem. The ₹18 billion (US$250 million) tender is for 57 trains consisting of 171 cars which will be delivered in phases at least 9 months before the commencement of each stage. On 2 October 2013, LTMRHL unveiled its train car for Hyderabad Metro. A model coach which is half the size of the actual coach, was on public display at Necklace Road on the banks of Hussain Sagar in the heart of Hyderabad. The trains will be 3.2m wide and 4m high. There will be 4 doors on each side of each coach.

On 10 April 2014, the first metro train for HMR rolled out of Hyundai Rotem factory at Changwon in South Korea and reached Hyderabad in May 2014. On 31 December 2014, Hyderabad Metro Rail successfully conducted a training run in Automatic Train Operation (ATO) mode for the first time between Nagole and Mettuguda.

TICKETING

The L&T Hyderabad project will have an automated ticketing system with features such as contactless smart card based ticketing, slim automatic gates, payment by cash and credit/debit card, passenger operated ticket vending machine and provision of common ticketing system. It will also have a provision of NFC-based technology to enable usage of mobile phones as fare media and high performance machine to avoid long queues. Samsung Data Systems India, a subsidiary of South Korean firm Samsung, has been awarded the automatic fare collection system package for the L&T metro rail project. The package involves design, manufacture, supply, installation, testing and commissioning of the system.

Official ticket prices were announced on 25 November 2017. The base fare is ₹10 for up to 2 km and going to slap 10 with ₹60 for more than 26 km.

STATIONS

Hyderabad metro will have 64 stations in phase I. They will be provided with amenities such as escalators and elevators to reach the stations, announcement boards, electronic display systems among others for passengers. Commercial will also be provided on stations. Hyderabad metro stations will also have service roads underneath them to provide last mile connectivity by allowing other public transportation systems use it for dropping/picking passengers right in front of the stations and ensure uninterrupted traffic. Currently the service lane works are currently on at Nagole and Uppal stations. The signboards of Hyderabad Metro are displayed in Telugu, English, Hindi and Urdu at metro stations.

Otis Elevator Company of United States won the contract to supply and maintain 670 elevators.

In May 2018, L&T Metro Rail announced that it had signed a contract with Powergrid Corporation of India to install electric vehicle charging facilities at all metro stations beginning with Miyapur and Dr. B R Ambedkar Balanagar stations. L&THMRL has setup free wifi access units for commuters at Miyapur, Ameerpet and Nagole metro stations, in association with ACT Fibernet, as part of a pilot project.

WIKIPEDIA

A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism, a monotheistic religion which originated during the 15th century in the Punjab region. The term "Sikh" has its origin in the Sanskrit words शिष्य (śiṣya; disciple, student) or शिक्ष (śikṣa; instruction). A Sikh is a disciple of a guru. According to Article I of the Sikh Rehat Maryada (the Sikh code of conduct), a Sikh is "any human being who faithfully believes in One Immortal Being; ten Gurus, from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh; Guru Granth Sahib; the teachings of the ten Gurus and the baptism bequeathed by the tenth Guru". "Sikh" properly refers to adherents of Sikhism as a religion, not an ethnic group. However, because Sikhs often share strong ethno-religious ties, many countries, such as the U.K., recognize Sikh as a designated ethnicity on their censuses. The American non-profit organization United Sikhs has fought to have Sikh included on the U.S. census as well, arguing that Sikhs "self-identify as an 'ethnic minority'" and believe "that they are more than just a religion".

Male Sikhs usually have "Singh" (Lion), and female Sikhs have "Kaur" (Princess) as their middle or last name. Sikhs who have undergone the khanḍe-kī-pahul (the Sikh initiation ceremony) may also be recognized by the five Ks: uncut hair (kesh); an iron or steel bracelet (kara); a kirpan (a sword tucked into a gatra strap); kachehra, a cotton undergarment, and kanga, a small wooden comb. Baptized male Sikhs must cover their hair with a turban, which is optional for baptized female Sikhs. The greater Punjab region is the historic homeland of the Sikhs, although significant communities exist around the world.

HISTORY

Sikh political history may be said to begin with the death of the fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjan Dev, in 1606. Guru Nanak was a religious leader and social reformer in the 15th-century Punjab. Religious practices were formalized by Guru Gobind Singh on 30 March 1699. Singh baptized five people from a variety of social backgrounds, known as the Panj Piare (the five beloved ones) to form the Khalsa, or collective body of initiated Sikhs. Sikhism has generally had amicable relations with other religions, except for the period of Mughal rule in India (1556–1707). Several Sikh gurus were killed by the Mughals for opposing their persecution of minority religious communities including Sikhs. Sikhs subsequently militarized to oppose Mughal rule. The emergence of the Sikh Confederacy under Ranjit Singh was characterized by religious tolerance and pluralism, with Christians, Muslims and Hindus in positions of power. The confederacy is considered the zenith of political Sikhism, encompassing Kashmir, Ladakh and Peshawar. Hari Singh Nalwa, the commander-in-chief of the Sikh army in the North West Frontier, expanded the confederacy to the Khyber Pass. Its secular administration implemented military, economic and governmental reforms. The months leading up to the partition of India in 1947 were marked by conflict in the Punjab between Sikhs and Muslims. This caused the religious migration of Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus from West Punjab, mirroring a similar religious migration of Punjabi Muslims from East Punjab.

The 1960s saw growing animosity between Sikhs and Hindus in India, with the Sikhs demanding the creation of a Punjab state on a linguistic basis similar to other states in India. This was promised to Sikh leader Master Tara Singh by Jawaharlal Nehru, in return for Sikh political support during negotiations for Indian independence. Although the Sikhs obtained the Punjab, they lost Hindi-speaking areas to Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan. Chandigarh was made a union territory and the capital of Haryana and Punjab on 1 November 1966.

Tensions arose again during the late 1970s, fueled by Sikh claims of discrimination and marginalisation by the Hindu-dominated Indian National Congress party and tactics adopted by the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

According to Katherine Frank, Indira Gandhi's assumption of emergency powers in 1975 resulted in the weakening of the "legitimate and impartial machinery of government", and her increasing "paranoia" about opposing political groups led her to institute a "despotic policy of playing castes, religions and political groups against each other for political advantage". Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale articulated Sikh demands for justice, and this triggered violence in the Punjab. The prime minister's 1984 defeat of Bhindranwale led to an attack on the Golden Temple in Operation Blue Star and to her assassination by her Sikh bodyguards. Gandhi's assassination resulted in an explosion of violence against Sikh communities and the killing of thousands of Sikhs throughout India. Khushwant Singh described the riots as a Sikh pogrom; he "felt like a refugee in my country. In fact, I felt like a Jew in Nazi Germany". Since 1984, relations between Sikhs and Hindus have moved toward a rapprochement aided by economic prosperity. However, a 2002 claim by the Hindu right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) that "Sikhs are Hindus" disturbed Sikh sensibilities. The Khalistan movement campaigns for justice for the victims of the violence, and for the political and economic needs of the Punjab.

In 1996, United Nations Commission on Human Rights Freedom of Religion or Belief Special Rapporteur Abdelfattah Amor (Tunisia, 1993–2004) visited India to report on religious discrimination. The following year Amor concluded, "In India it appears that the situation of the Sikhs in the religious field is satisfactory, but that difficulties are arising in the political (foreign interference, terrorism, etc.), economic (in particular with regard to sharing of water supplies) and even occupational fields. Information received from nongovernment (sic) sources indicates that discrimination does exist in certain sectors of the public administration; examples include the decline in the number of Sikhs in the police force and the military, and the absence of Sikhs in personal bodyguard units since the murder of Indira Gandhi".

Although Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks of the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, they make up 1.87 percent of the Indian population.

During the 1999 Vaisakhi, Sikhs worldwide celebrated the 300th anniversary of the creation of the Khalsa. Canada Post honoured Sikh Canadians with a commemorative stamp in conjunction with the 300th anniversary of Vaisakhi. On April 9, 1999, Indian president K.R. Narayanan issued a stamp commemorating the 300th anniversary of the Khalsa.

DEFINITION

According to Guru Granth Sahib:

One who calls himself 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, the Sikh is to bathe, and cleanse himself in the pool of nectar. Following the Instructions of the Guru, the Sikh is to chant the Name of the Lord, Har. All sins, misdeeds and negativity shall be erased. Then, at the rising of the sun, the Sikh is to sing Gurbani; whether sitting down or standing up, the Sikh is to meditate on the Lord's Name. One who meditates on my Lord, Har, with every breath and every morsel of food – 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.

Simran of the Lord's name is a recurring theme of Guru Granth Sahib, and Sukhmani Sahib were composed to allow a devotee to recite Nam throughout the day. Rising at Amrit Velā (before sunrise) is a common Sikh practice. Sikhism considers the spiritual and secular lives to be intertwined: "In the Sikh Weltanschauung ... the temporal world is part of the Infinite and partakes of its characteristics." According to Guru Nanak, living an "active, creative, and practical life" of "truthfulness, fidelity, self-control and purity" is superior to a purely contemplative life.

FIVE Ks

The five Ks (panj kakaar) are five articles of faith which all baptized Sikhs (Amritdhari Sikhs) are obliged to wear. The symbols represent the ideals of Sikhism: honesty, equality, fidelity, meditating on God and never bowing to tyranny. The five symbols are:

- Kesh: Uncut hair, usually tied and wrapped in a Dastar

- Kanga: A wooden comb, usually worn under a Dastar

- Katchera: Cotton undergarments, historically appropriate in battle due to increased mobility when compared to a dhoti. Worn by both sexes, the katchera is a symbol of chastity.

- Kara: An iron bracelet, a weapon and a symbol of eternity

- Kirpan: An iron dagger in different sizes. In the UK Sikhs can wear a small dagger, but in the Punjab they might wear a traditional curved sword from one to three feet in length.

MUSIC & INSTRUMENTS

The Sikhs have a number of musical instruments: the rebab, dilruba, taus, jori and sarinda. Playing the sarangi was encouraged in Guru Har Gobind. The rubab was first played by Bhai Mardana as he accompanied Guru Nanak on his journeys. The jori and sarinda were designed by Guru Arjan. The taus was made by Guru Hargobind, who supposedly heard a peacock singing and wanted to create an instrument mimicking its sounds (taus is the Persian word for peacock). The dilruba was made by Guru Gobind Singh at the request of his followers, who wanted a smaller instrument than the taus. After Japji Sahib, all of the shabda in the Guru Granth Sahib were composed as ragas. This type of singing is known as Gurmat Sangeet.

When they marched into battle, the Sikhs would play a Ranjit Nagara (victory drum) to boost morale. Nagaras (usually two to three feet in diameter, although some were up to five feet in diameter) are played with two sticks. The beat of the large drums, and the raising of the Nishan Sahib, meant that the singhs were on their way.

DISTRIBUTION

Numbering about 27 million worldwide, Sikhs make up 0.39 percent of the world population; approximately 83 percent live in India. About 76 percent of all Sikhs live in the north Indian State of Punjab, where they form a majority (about two-thirds) of the population. Substantial communities of Sikhs (more than 200,000) live in the Indian states or union territories of Haryana (more than 1.1 million), Rajasthan, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh Assam and Jammu and Kashmir.

Sikh migration from British India began in earnest during the second half of the 19th century, when the British completed their annexation of the Punjab. The British Raj recruited Sikhs for the Indian Civil Service (particularly the British Indian Army), which led to Sikh migration throughout India and the British Empire. During the Raj, semiskilled Sikh artisans were transported from the Punjab to British East Africa to help build railroads. Sikhs emigrated from India and Pakistan after World War II, most going to the United Kingdom but many to North America. Some Sikhs who had settled in eastern Africa were expelled by Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in 1972. Economics is a major factor in Sikh migration, and significant communities exist in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Malaysia, East Africa, Australia and Thailand.

Although 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. Moliner (2006) wrote that as a consequence of Sikh migration to the UK "becom[ing] virtually impossible since the late 1970s", migration patterns evolved to continental Europe. Italy is a rapidly growing destination for Sikh migration, with Reggio Emilia and Vicenza having significant Sikh population clusters. Italian Sikhs are generally involved in agriculture, agricultural processing, the manufacture of machine tools and horticulture.

Primarily for socio-economic reasons, Indian Sikhs have the lowest adjusted growth rate of any major religious group in India, at 16.9 percent per decade (estimated from 1991 to 2001). Johnson and Barrett (2004) estimate that the global Sikh population increases annually by 392,633 (1.7 percent per year, based on 2004 figures); this percentage includes births, deaths and conversions.

REPRESENTATION

Sikhs have been represented in Indian politics by former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh and the deputy chairman of the Indian Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is also a Sikh. Past Sikh politicians in India include former president Giani Zail Singh, Sardar Swaran Singh (India's first foreign minister), Speaker of Parliament Gurdial Singh Dhillon and former Chief Minister of Punjab Pratap Singh Kairon.

Politicians from the Sikh diaspora include the first Asian American member of the United States Congress, Dalip Singh Saund, British MPs Piara Khabra, Parmjit Dhanda and Paul Uppal, the first couple to sit together in a Commonwealth parliament (Gurmant Grewal and Nina Grewal, who requested a Canadian government apology for the Komagata Maru incident), former Canadian Shadow Social Development Minister Ruby Dhalla, Canadian Minister of State for Sport Baljit Singh Gosal and Legislative Assembly of Ontario members Vic Dhillon and Jagmeet Singh. Ujjal Dosanjh was the New Democratic Party Premier of British Columbia from July 2004 to February 2005, and was later a Liberal frontbench MP in Ottawa. In Malaysia, two Sikhs were elected MPs in the 2008 general elections: Karpal Singh (Bukit Gelugor) and his son, Gobind Singh Deo (Puchong). Two Sikhs were elected assemblymen: Jagdeep Singh Deo (Datuk Keramat) and Keshvinder Singh (Malim Nawar).

Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks in the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, while making up 1.87 percent of the Indian population. The Sikh Regiment is one of the most-decorated regiments in the army, with 73 Battle Honours, 14 Victoria Crosses, 21 first-class Indian Orders of Merit (equivalent to the Victoria Cross), 15 Theatre Honours, five COAS Unit Citations, two Param Vir Chakras, 14 Maha Vir Chakras, five Kirti Chakras, 67 Vir Chakras and 1,596 other awards. The highest-ranking general in the history of the Indian Air Force is a Punjabi Sikh, Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh. Plans by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence for a Sikh infantry regiment were scrapped in June 2007.

Historically, most Indians have been farmers and 66 percent of the Indian population are engaged in agriculture. Indian Sikhs are employed in agriculture to a lesser extent; India's 2001 census found 39 percent of the working population of the Punjab employed in this sector. The success of the 1960s Green Revolution, in which India went from "famine to plenty, from humiliation to dignity", was based in the Punjab (which became known as "the breadbasket of India"). The Punjab is the wealthiest Indian state per capita, with the average Punjabi income three times the national average. The Green Revolution centred on Indian farmers adopting more intensive and mechanised agricultural methods, aided by the electrification of the Punjab, cooperative credit, consolidation of small holdings and the existing, British Raj-developed canal system. According to Swedish political scientist Ishtiaq Ahmad, a factor in the success of the Indian green revolution was the "Sikh cultivator, often the Jat, whose courage, perseverance, spirit of enterprise and muscle prowess proved crucial". However, not all aspects of the green revolution were beneficial. Indian physicist 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.

Punjabi Sikhs are engaged in a number of professions which include science, engineering and medicine. Notable examples are nuclear scientist Piara Singh Gill (who worked on the Manhattan Project), fibre-optics pioneer Narinder Singh Kapany and physicist, science writer and broadcaster Simon Singh.

In business, the UK-based clothing retailers New Look and the Thai-based Jaspal were founded by Sikhs. India's largest pharmaceutical company, Ranbaxy Laboratories, is headed by Sikhs. UK Sikhs have the highest percentage of home ownership (82 percent) of any religious community. UK Sikhs are the second-wealthiest (after the Jewish community) religious group in the UK, with a median total household wealth of £229,000. In Singapore Kartar Singh Thakral expanded his family's trading business, Thakral Holdings, into total assets of almost $1.4 billion and is Singapore's 25th-richest person. Sikh Bob Singh Dhillon is the first Indo-Canadian billionaire. The Sikh diaspora has been most successful in North America, especially in California’s fertile Central Valley. American Sikh farmers such as Harbhajan Singh Samra and Didar Singh Bains dominate California agriculture, with Samra specialising in okra and Bains in peaches.

Sikh intellectuals, sportsmen and artists include writer Khushwant Singh, England cricketer Monty Panesar, former 400m runner Milkha Singh, Indian wrestler and actor Dara Singh, former Indian hockey team captains Ajitpal Singh and Balbir Singh Sr., former Indian cricket captain Bishen Singh Bedi, Harbhajan Singh (India's most successful off spin cricket bowler), Bollywood actress Neetu Singh, Sunny Leone, actors Parminder Nagra, Neha Dhupia, Gul Panag, Mona Singh, Namrata Singh Gujral, Archie Panjabi and director Gurinder Chadha.

Sikhs have migrated worldwide, with a variety of occupations. The Sikh Gurus preached ethnic and social harmony, and Sikhs comprise a number of ethnic groups. Those with over 1,000 members include the Ahluwalia, Arain, Arora, Bhatra, Bairagi, Bania, Basith, Bawaria, Bazigar, Bhabra, Chamar, Chhimba, Darzi, Dhobi, Gujar, Jatt, Jhinwar, Kahar, Kalal, Kamboj, Khatri, Kumhar, Labana, Lohar, Mahtam, Mazhabi, Megh, Mirasi, Mochi, Nai, Rajput, Ramgarhia, Saini, Sarera, Sikligar, Sunar, Sudh, Tarkhan and Zargar.

An order of Punjabi Sikhs, the Nihang or the Akalis, was formed during Ranjit Singh's time. Under their leader, Akali Phula Singh, they won many battles for the Sikh Confederacy during the early 19th century.

IN THE INDIAN & BRITISH ARMIES

Sikhs supported the British during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. By the beginning of World War I, Sikhs in the British Indian Army totaled over 100,000 (20 percent of the force). Until 1945 fourteen Victoria Crosses were awarded to Sikhs, a per-capita regimental record. In 2002 the names of all Sikh VC and George Cross recipients were inscribed on the monument of the Memorial Gates on Constitution Hill, next to Buckingham Palace. Chanan Singh Dhillon was instrumental in campaigning for the memorial.

During World War I, Sikh battalions fought in Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Gallipoli and France. Six battalions of the Sikh Regiment were raised during World War II, serving in the Second Battle of El Alamein, the Burma and Italian campaigns and in Iraq and receiving 27 battle honours. Around the world, Sikhs are commemorated in Commonwealth cemeteries.

In the last two world wars 83,005 turban wearing Sikh soldiers were killed and 109,045 were wounded. They all died or were wounded for the freedom of Britain and the world, and during shell fire, with no other protection but the turban, the symbol of their faith.

—General Sir Frank Messervy

British people are highly indebted and obliged to Sikhs for a long time. I know that within this century we needed their help twice [in two world wars] and they did help us very well. As a result of their timely help, we are today able to live with honour, dignity, and independence. In the war, they fought and died for us, wearing the turbans.

—Sir Winston Churchill

IN THE WEST

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Sikhs began to emigrate to East Africa, the Far East, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. In 1907 the Khalsa Diwan Society was established in Vancouver, and four years later the first gurdwara was established in London. In 1912 the first gurdwara in the United States was founded in Stockton, California.

Since Sikhs (like Middle Eastern men) wear turbans, some in Western countries have been mistaken for Muslim or Arabic men since the September 11 attacks and the Iraq War. Several days after the 9/11 attacks Sikh Balbir Singh Sodhi was murdered by Frank Roque, who thought Sodhi was connected with al-Qaeda. CNN suggested an increase in hate crimes against Sikh men in the United States and the UK after the 9/11 attacks.

Since Sikhism has never actively sought converts, the Sikhs have remained a relatively homogeneous ethnic group. The Kundalini Yoga-based activities of Harbhajan Singh Yogi in his 3HO (Happy, Healthy, Holy) organisation claim to have inspired a moderate growth in non-Indian adherents of Sikhism. In 1998 an estimated 7,800 3HO Sikhs, known colloquially as ‘gora’ (ਗੋਰਾ) or ‘white’ Sikhs, were mainly centred around Española, New Mexico and Los Angeles, California. Sikhs and the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund overturned a 1925 Oregon law banning the wearing of turbans by teachers and government officials.

In an attempt to foster Sikh leaders in the Western world, youth initiatives by a number of organisations have begun. The Sikh Youth Alliance of North America sponsors an annual Sikh Youth Symposium, a public-speaking and debate competition held in gurdwaras throughout the U.S. and Canada.

ART & CULTURE

Sikh art and culture are nearly synonymous with that of the Punjab, and Sikhs are easily recognised by their distinctive turban (Dastar). The Punjab has been called India’s melting pot, due to the confluence of invading cultures (Greek, Mughal and Persian) from the rivers from which the region gets its name. Sikh culture is therefore a synthesis of cultures. Sikhism has forged a unique architecture, which S. S. Bhatti described as "inspired by Guru Nanak’s creative mysticism" and "is a mute harbinger of holistic humanism based on pragmatic spirituality".

During the Mughal and Afghan 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. With the rise of Ranjit Singh and the Sikh Raj in Lahore and Delhi, there was a change in the landscape of art and culture in the Punjab; Hindus and Sikhs could build decorated shrines without the fear of destruction or looting.

The 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. Sikh architecture is characterised by gilded fluted domes, cupolas, kiosks, stone lanterns, ornate balusters and square roofs. A pinnacle of Sikh style is Harmandir Sahib (also known as the Golden Temple) in Amritsar.

Sikh culture is influenced by militaristic motifs (with the Khanda the most obvious), and most Sikh artifacts - except for the relics of the Gurus - have a military theme. This theme is evident in the Sikh festivals of Hola Mohalla and Vaisakhi, which feature marching and displays of valor.

Although 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 which can be described as "political Sikh" has arisen. The art of diaspora Sikhs like Amarjeet Kaur Nandhra and Amrit and Rabindra Kaur Singh (the "Singh Twins") is influenced by their Sikhism and current affairs in the Punjab.

Bhangra and Giddha are two forms of Punjabi folk dancing which have been adapted and pioneered by Sikhs. Punjabi 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").

PAINTING

Sikh painting is a direct offshoot of the Kangra school of painting. In 1810, Ranjeet Singh (1780–1839) occupied Kangra Fort and appointed Sardar Desa Singh Majithia his governor of the Punjab hills. In 1813 the Sikh army occupied Guler State, and Raja Bhup Singh became a vassal of the Sikhs. With 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.

The Sikh school adapted Kangra painting to Sikh needs and ideals. Its main subjects are the ten Sikh gurus and stories from Guru Nanak's Janamsakhis. The tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, left a deep impression on the followers of the new faith because of his courage and sacrifices. Hunting scenes and portraits are also common in Sikh painting.

WIKIPEDIA

A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism, a monotheistic religion which originated during the 15th century in the Punjab region. The term "Sikh" has its origin in the Sanskrit words शिष्य (śiṣya; disciple, student) or शिक्ष (śikṣa; instruction). A Sikh is a disciple of a guru. According to Article I of the Sikh Rehat Maryada (the Sikh code of conduct), a Sikh is "any human being who faithfully believes in One Immortal Being; ten Gurus, from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh; Guru Granth Sahib; the teachings of the ten Gurus and the baptism bequeathed by the tenth Guru". "Sikh" properly refers to adherents of Sikhism as a religion, not an ethnic group. However, because Sikhs often share strong ethno-religious ties, many countries, such as the U.K., recognize Sikh as a designated ethnicity on their censuses. The American non-profit organization United Sikhs has fought to have Sikh included on the U.S. census as well, arguing that Sikhs "self-identify as an 'ethnic minority'" and believe "that they are more than just a religion".

Male Sikhs usually have "Singh" (Lion), and female Sikhs have "Kaur" (Princess) as their middle or last name. Sikhs who have undergone the khanḍe-kī-pahul (the Sikh initiation ceremony) may also be recognized by the five Ks: uncut hair (kesh); an iron or steel bracelet (kara); a kirpan (a sword tucked into a gatra strap); kachehra, a cotton undergarment, and kanga, a small wooden comb. Baptized male Sikhs must cover their hair with a turban, which is optional for baptized female Sikhs. The greater Punjab region is the historic homeland of the Sikhs, although significant communities exist around the world.

HISTORY

Sikh political history may be said to begin with the death of the fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjan Dev, in 1606. Guru Nanak was a religious leader and social reformer in the 15th-century Punjab. Religious practices were formalized by Guru Gobind Singh on 30 March 1699. Singh baptized five people from a variety of social backgrounds, known as the Panj Piare (the five beloved ones) to form the Khalsa, or collective body of initiated Sikhs. Sikhism has generally had amicable relations with other religions, except for the period of Mughal rule in India (1556–1707). Several Sikh gurus were killed by the Mughals for opposing their persecution of minority religious communities including Sikhs. Sikhs subsequently militarized to oppose Mughal rule. The emergence of the Sikh Confederacy under Ranjit Singh was characterized by religious tolerance and pluralism, with Christians, Muslims and Hindus in positions of power. The confederacy is considered the zenith of political Sikhism, encompassing Kashmir, Ladakh and Peshawar. Hari Singh Nalwa, the commander-in-chief of the Sikh army in the North West Frontier, expanded the confederacy to the Khyber Pass. Its secular administration implemented military, economic and governmental reforms. The months leading up to the partition of India in 1947 were marked by conflict in the Punjab between Sikhs and Muslims. This caused the religious migration of Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus from West Punjab, mirroring a similar religious migration of Punjabi Muslims from East Punjab.

The 1960s saw growing animosity between Sikhs and Hindus in India, with the Sikhs demanding the creation of a Punjab state on a linguistic basis similar to other states in India. This was promised to Sikh leader Master Tara Singh by Jawaharlal Nehru, in return for Sikh political support during negotiations for Indian independence. Although the Sikhs obtained the Punjab, they lost Hindi-speaking areas to Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan. Chandigarh was made a union territory and the capital of Haryana and Punjab on 1 November 1966.

Tensions arose again during the late 1970s, fueled by Sikh claims of discrimination and marginalisation by the Hindu-dominated Indian National Congress party and tactics adopted by the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

According to Katherine Frank, Indira Gandhi's assumption of emergency powers in 1975 resulted in the weakening of the "legitimate and impartial machinery of government", and her increasing "paranoia" about opposing political groups led her to institute a "despotic policy of playing castes, religions and political groups against each other for political advantage". Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale articulated Sikh demands for justice, and this triggered violence in the Punjab. The prime minister's 1984 defeat of Bhindranwale led to an attack on the Golden Temple in Operation Blue Star and to her assassination by her Sikh bodyguards. Gandhi's assassination resulted in an explosion of violence against Sikh communities and the killing of thousands of Sikhs throughout India. Khushwant Singh described the riots as a Sikh pogrom; he "felt like a refugee in my country. In fact, I felt like a Jew in Nazi Germany". Since 1984, relations between Sikhs and Hindus have moved toward a rapprochement aided by economic prosperity. However, a 2002 claim by the Hindu right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) that "Sikhs are Hindus" disturbed Sikh sensibilities. The Khalistan movement campaigns for justice for the victims of the violence, and for the political and economic needs of the Punjab.

In 1996, United Nations Commission on Human Rights Freedom of Religion or Belief Special Rapporteur Abdelfattah Amor (Tunisia, 1993–2004) visited India to report on religious discrimination. The following year Amor concluded, "In India it appears that the situation of the Sikhs in the religious field is satisfactory, but that difficulties are arising in the political (foreign interference, terrorism, etc.), economic (in particular with regard to sharing of water supplies) and even occupational fields. Information received from nongovernment (sic) sources indicates that discrimination does exist in certain sectors of the public administration; examples include the decline in the number of Sikhs in the police force and the military, and the absence of Sikhs in personal bodyguard units since the murder of Indira Gandhi".

Although Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks of the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, they make up 1.87 percent of the Indian population.

During the 1999 Vaisakhi, Sikhs worldwide celebrated the 300th anniversary of the creation of the Khalsa. Canada Post honoured Sikh Canadians with a commemorative stamp in conjunction with the 300th anniversary of Vaisakhi. On April 9, 1999, Indian president K.R. Narayanan issued a stamp commemorating the 300th anniversary of the Khalsa.

DEFINITION

According to Guru Granth Sahib:

One who calls himself 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, the Sikh is to bathe, and cleanse himself in the pool of nectar. Following the Instructions of the Guru, the Sikh is to chant the Name of the Lord, Har. All sins, misdeeds and negativity shall be erased. Then, at the rising of the sun, the Sikh is to sing Gurbani; whether sitting down or standing up, the Sikh is to meditate on the Lord's Name. One who meditates on my Lord, Har, with every breath and every morsel of food – 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.

Simran of the Lord's name is a recurring theme of Guru Granth Sahib, and Sukhmani Sahib were composed to allow a devotee to recite Nam throughout the day. Rising at Amrit Velā (before sunrise) is a common Sikh practice. Sikhism considers the spiritual and secular lives to be intertwined: "In the Sikh Weltanschauung ... the temporal world is part of the Infinite and partakes of its characteristics." According to Guru Nanak, living an "active, creative, and practical life" of "truthfulness, fidelity, self-control and purity" is superior to a purely contemplative life.

FIVE Ks

The five Ks (panj kakaar) are five articles of faith which all baptized Sikhs (Amritdhari Sikhs) are obliged to wear. The symbols represent the ideals of Sikhism: honesty, equality, fidelity, meditating on God and never bowing to tyranny. The five symbols are:

- Kesh: Uncut hair, usually tied and wrapped in a Dastar

- Kanga: A wooden comb, usually worn under a Dastar

- Katchera: Cotton undergarments, historically appropriate in battle due to increased mobility when compared to a dhoti. Worn by both sexes, the katchera is a symbol of chastity.

- Kara: An iron bracelet, a weapon and a symbol of eternity

- Kirpan: An iron dagger in different sizes. In the UK Sikhs can wear a small dagger, but in the Punjab they might wear a traditional curved sword from one to three feet in length.

MUSIC & INSTRUMENTS

The Sikhs have a number of musical instruments: the rebab, dilruba, taus, jori and sarinda. Playing the sarangi was encouraged in Guru Har Gobind. The rubab was first played by Bhai Mardana as he accompanied Guru Nanak on his journeys. The jori and sarinda were designed by Guru Arjan. The taus was made by Guru Hargobind, who supposedly heard a peacock singing and wanted to create an instrument mimicking its sounds (taus is the Persian word for peacock). The dilruba was made by Guru Gobind Singh at the request of his followers, who wanted a smaller instrument than the taus. After Japji Sahib, all of the shabda in the Guru Granth Sahib were composed as ragas. This type of singing is known as Gurmat Sangeet.

When they marched into battle, the Sikhs would play a Ranjit Nagara (victory drum) to boost morale. Nagaras (usually two to three feet in diameter, although some were up to five feet in diameter) are played with two sticks. The beat of the large drums, and the raising of the Nishan Sahib, meant that the singhs were on their way.

DISTRIBUTION

Numbering about 27 million worldwide, Sikhs make up 0.39 percent of the world population; approximately 83 percent live in India. About 76 percent of all Sikhs live in the north Indian State of Punjab, where they form a majority (about two-thirds) of the population. Substantial communities of Sikhs (more than 200,000) live in the Indian states or union territories of Haryana (more than 1.1 million), Rajasthan, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh Assam and Jammu and Kashmir.

Sikh migration from British India began in earnest during the second half of the 19th century, when the British completed their annexation of the Punjab. The British Raj recruited Sikhs for the Indian Civil Service (particularly the British Indian Army), which led to Sikh migration throughout India and the British Empire. During the Raj, semiskilled Sikh artisans were transported from the Punjab to British East Africa to help build railroads. Sikhs emigrated from India and Pakistan after World War II, most going to the United Kingdom but many to North America. Some Sikhs who had settled in eastern Africa were expelled by Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in 1972. Economics is a major factor in Sikh migration, and significant communities exist in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Malaysia, East Africa, Australia and Thailand.

Although 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. Moliner (2006) wrote that as a consequence of Sikh migration to the UK "becom[ing] virtually impossible since the late 1970s", migration patterns evolved to continental Europe. Italy is a rapidly growing destination for Sikh migration, with Reggio Emilia and Vicenza having significant Sikh population clusters. Italian Sikhs are generally involved in agriculture, agricultural processing, the manufacture of machine tools and horticulture.

Primarily for socio-economic reasons, Indian Sikhs have the lowest adjusted growth rate of any major religious group in India, at 16.9 percent per decade (estimated from 1991 to 2001). Johnson and Barrett (2004) estimate that the global Sikh population increases annually by 392,633 (1.7 percent per year, based on 2004 figures); this percentage includes births, deaths and conversions.

REPRESENTATION

Sikhs have been represented in Indian politics by former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh and the deputy chairman of the Indian Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is also a Sikh. Past Sikh politicians in India include former president Giani Zail Singh, Sardar Swaran Singh (India's first foreign minister), Speaker of Parliament Gurdial Singh Dhillon and former Chief Minister of Punjab Pratap Singh Kairon.

Politicians from the Sikh diaspora include the first Asian American member of the United States Congress, Dalip Singh Saund, British MPs Piara Khabra, Parmjit Dhanda and Paul Uppal, the first couple to sit together in a Commonwealth parliament (Gurmant Grewal and Nina Grewal, who requested a Canadian government apology for the Komagata Maru incident), former Canadian Shadow Social Development Minister Ruby Dhalla, Canadian Minister of State for Sport Baljit Singh Gosal and Legislative Assembly of Ontario members Vic Dhillon and Jagmeet Singh. Ujjal Dosanjh was the New Democratic Party Premier of British Columbia from July 2004 to February 2005, and was later a Liberal frontbench MP in Ottawa. In Malaysia, two Sikhs were elected MPs in the 2008 general elections: Karpal Singh (Bukit Gelugor) and his son, Gobind Singh Deo (Puchong). Two Sikhs were elected assemblymen: Jagdeep Singh Deo (Datuk Keramat) and Keshvinder Singh (Malim Nawar).

Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks in the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, while making up 1.87 percent of the Indian population. The Sikh Regiment is one of the most-decorated regiments in the army, with 73 Battle Honours, 14 Victoria Crosses, 21 first-class Indian Orders of Merit (equivalent to the Victoria Cross), 15 Theatre Honours, five COAS Unit Citations, two Param Vir Chakras, 14 Maha Vir Chakras, five Kirti Chakras, 67 Vir Chakras and 1,596 other awards. The highest-ranking general in the history of the Indian Air Force is a Punjabi Sikh, Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh. Plans by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence for a Sikh infantry regiment were scrapped in June 2007.

Historically, most Indians have been farmers and 66 percent of the Indian population are engaged in agriculture. Indian Sikhs are employed in agriculture to a lesser extent; India's 2001 census found 39 percent of the working population of the Punjab employed in this sector. The success of the 1960s Green Revolution, in which India went from "famine to plenty, from humiliation to dignity", was based in the Punjab (which became known as "the breadbasket of India"). The Punjab is the wealthiest Indian state per capita, with the average Punjabi income three times the national average. The Green Revolution centred on Indian farmers adopting more intensive and mechanised agricultural methods, aided by the electrification of the Punjab, cooperative credit, consolidation of small holdings and the existing, British Raj-developed canal system. According to Swedish political scientist Ishtiaq Ahmad, a factor in the success of the Indian green revolution was the "Sikh cultivator, often the Jat, whose courage, perseverance, spirit of enterprise and muscle prowess proved crucial". However, not all aspects of the green revolution were beneficial. Indian physicist 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.

Punjabi Sikhs are engaged in a number of professions which include science, engineering and medicine. Notable examples are nuclear scientist Piara Singh Gill (who worked on the Manhattan Project), fibre-optics pioneer Narinder Singh Kapany and physicist, science writer and broadcaster Simon Singh.

In business, the UK-based clothing retailers New Look and the Thai-based Jaspal were founded by Sikhs. India's largest pharmaceutical company, Ranbaxy Laboratories, is headed by Sikhs. UK Sikhs have the highest percentage of home ownership (82 percent) of any religious community. UK Sikhs are the second-wealthiest (after the Jewish community) religious group in the UK, with a median total household wealth of £229,000. In Singapore Kartar Singh Thakral expanded his family's trading business, Thakral Holdings, into total assets of almost $1.4 billion and is Singapore's 25th-richest person. Sikh Bob Singh Dhillon is the first Indo-Canadian billionaire. The Sikh diaspora has been most successful in North America, especially in California’s fertile Central Valley. American Sikh farmers such as Harbhajan Singh Samra and Didar Singh Bains dominate California agriculture, with Samra specialising in okra and Bains in peaches.

Sikh intellectuals, sportsmen and artists include writer Khushwant Singh, England cricketer Monty Panesar, former 400m runner Milkha Singh, Indian wrestler and actor Dara Singh, former Indian hockey team captains Ajitpal Singh and Balbir Singh Sr., former Indian cricket captain Bishen Singh Bedi, Harbhajan Singh (India's most successful off spin cricket bowler), Bollywood actress Neetu Singh, Sunny Leone, actors Parminder Nagra, Neha Dhupia, Gul Panag, Mona Singh, Namrata Singh Gujral, Archie Panjabi and director Gurinder Chadha.

Sikhs have migrated worldwide, with a variety of occupations. The Sikh Gurus preached ethnic and social harmony, and Sikhs comprise a number of ethnic groups. Those with over 1,000 members include the Ahluwalia, Arain, Arora, Bhatra, Bairagi, Bania, Basith, Bawaria, Bazigar, Bhabra, Chamar, Chhimba, Darzi, Dhobi, Gujar, Jatt, Jhinwar, Kahar, Kalal, Kamboj, Khatri, Kumhar, Labana, Lohar, Mahtam, Mazhabi, Megh, Mirasi, Mochi, Nai, Rajput, Ramgarhia, Saini, Sarera, Sikligar, Sunar, Sudh, Tarkhan and Zargar.

An order of Punjabi Sikhs, the Nihang or the Akalis, was formed during Ranjit Singh's time. Under their leader, Akali Phula Singh, they won many battles for the Sikh Confederacy during the early 19th century.

IN THE INDIAN & BRITISH ARMIES

Sikhs supported the British during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. By the beginning of World War I, Sikhs in the British Indian Army totaled over 100,000 (20 percent of the force). Until 1945 fourteen Victoria Crosses were awarded to Sikhs, a per-capita regimental record. In 2002 the names of all Sikh VC and George Cross recipients were inscribed on the monument of the Memorial Gates on Constitution Hill, next to Buckingham Palace. Chanan Singh Dhillon was instrumental in campaigning for the memorial.

During World War I, Sikh battalions fought in Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Gallipoli and France. Six battalions of the Sikh Regiment were raised during World War II, serving in the Second Battle of El Alamein, the Burma and Italian campaigns and in Iraq and receiving 27 battle honours. Around the world, Sikhs are commemorated in Commonwealth cemeteries.

In the last two world wars 83,005 turban wearing Sikh soldiers were killed and 109,045 were wounded. They all died or were wounded for the freedom of Britain and the world, and during shell fire, with no other protection but the turban, the symbol of their faith.

—General Sir Frank Messervy

British people are highly indebted and obliged to Sikhs for a long time. I know that within this century we needed their help twice [in two world wars] and they did help us very well. As a result of their timely help, we are today able to live with honour, dignity, and independence. In the war, they fought and died for us, wearing the turbans.

—Sir Winston Churchill

IN THE WEST

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Sikhs began to emigrate to East Africa, the Far East, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. In 1907 the Khalsa Diwan Society was established in Vancouver, and four years later the first gurdwara was established in London. In 1912 the first gurdwara in the United States was founded in Stockton, California.

Since Sikhs (like Middle Eastern men) wear turbans, some in Western countries have been mistaken for Muslim or Arabic men since the September 11 attacks and the Iraq War. Several days after the 9/11 attacks Sikh Balbir Singh Sodhi was murdered by Frank Roque, who thought Sodhi was connected with al-Qaeda. CNN suggested an increase in hate crimes against Sikh men in the United States and the UK after the 9/11 attacks.

Since Sikhism has never actively sought converts, the Sikhs have remained a relatively homogeneous ethnic group. The Kundalini Yoga-based activities of Harbhajan Singh Yogi in his 3HO (Happy, Healthy, Holy) organisation claim to have inspired a moderate growth in non-Indian adherents of Sikhism. In 1998 an estimated 7,800 3HO Sikhs, known colloquially as ‘gora’ (ਗੋਰਾ) or ‘white’ Sikhs, were mainly centred around Española, New Mexico and Los Angeles, California. Sikhs and the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund overturned a 1925 Oregon law banning the wearing of turbans by teachers and government officials.

In an attempt to foster Sikh leaders in the Western world, youth initiatives by a number of organisations have begun. The Sikh Youth Alliance of North America sponsors an annual Sikh Youth Symposium, a public-speaking and debate competition held in gurdwaras throughout the U.S. and Canada.

ART & CULTURE

Sikh art and culture are nearly synonymous with that of the Punjab, and Sikhs are easily recognised by their distinctive turban (Dastar). The Punjab has been called India’s melting pot, due to the confluence of invading cultures (Greek, Mughal and Persian) from the rivers from which the region gets its name. Sikh culture is therefore a synthesis of cultures. Sikhism has forged a unique architecture, which S. S. Bhatti described as "inspired by Guru Nanak’s creative mysticism" and "is a mute harbinger of holistic humanism based on pragmatic spirituality".

During the Mughal and Afghan 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. With the rise of Ranjit Singh and the Sikh Raj in Lahore and Delhi, there was a change in the landscape of art and culture in the Punjab; Hindus and Sikhs could build decorated shrines without the fear of destruction or looting.

The 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. Sikh architecture is characterised by gilded fluted domes, cupolas, kiosks, stone lanterns, ornate balusters and square roofs. A pinnacle of Sikh style is Harmandir Sahib (also known as the Golden Temple) in Amritsar.

Sikh culture is influenced by militaristic motifs (with the Khanda the most obvious), and most Sikh artifacts - except for the relics of the Gurus - have a military theme. This theme is evident in the Sikh festivals of Hola Mohalla and Vaisakhi, which feature marching and displays of valor.

Although 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 which can be described as "political Sikh" has arisen. The art of diaspora Sikhs like Amarjeet Kaur Nandhra and Amrit and Rabindra Kaur Singh (the "Singh Twins") is influenced by their Sikhism and current affairs in the Punjab.

Bhangra and Giddha are two forms of Punjabi folk dancing which have been adapted and pioneered by Sikhs. Punjabi 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").

PAINTING

Sikh painting is a direct offshoot of the Kangra school of painting. In 1810, Ranjeet Singh (1780–1839) occupied Kangra Fort and appointed Sardar Desa Singh Majithia his governor of the Punjab hills. In 1813 the Sikh army occupied Guler State, and Raja Bhup Singh became a vassal of the Sikhs. With 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.

The Sikh school adapted Kangra painting to Sikh needs and ideals. Its main subjects are the ten Sikh gurus and stories from Guru Nanak's Janamsakhis. The tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, left a deep impression on the followers of the new faith because of his courage and sacrifices. Hunting scenes and portraits are also common in Sikh painting.

WIKIPEDIA

A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism, a monotheistic religion which originated during the 15th century in the Punjab region. The term "Sikh" has its origin in the Sanskrit words शिष्य (śiṣya; disciple, student) or शिक्ष (śikṣa; instruction). A Sikh is a disciple of a guru. According to Article I of the Sikh Rehat Maryada (the Sikh code of conduct), a Sikh is "any human being who faithfully believes in One Immortal Being; ten Gurus, from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh; Guru Granth Sahib; the teachings of the ten Gurus and the baptism bequeathed by the tenth Guru". "Sikh" properly refers to adherents of Sikhism as a religion, not an ethnic group. However, because Sikhs often share strong ethno-religious ties, many countries, such as the U.K., recognize Sikh as a designated ethnicity on their censuses. The American non-profit organization United Sikhs has fought to have Sikh included on the U.S. census as well, arguing that Sikhs "self-identify as an 'ethnic minority'" and believe "that they are more than just a religion".

Male Sikhs usually have "Singh" (Lion), and female Sikhs have "Kaur" (Princess) as their middle or last name. Sikhs who have undergone the khanḍe-kī-pahul (the Sikh initiation ceremony) may also be recognized by the five Ks: uncut hair (kesh); an iron or steel bracelet (kara); a kirpan (a sword tucked into a gatra strap); kachehra, a cotton undergarment, and kanga, a small wooden comb. Baptized male Sikhs must cover their hair with a turban, which is optional for baptized female Sikhs. The greater Punjab region is the historic homeland of the Sikhs, although significant communities exist around the world.

HISTORY

Sikh political history may be said to begin with the death of the fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjan Dev, in 1606. Guru Nanak was a religious leader and social reformer in the 15th-century Punjab. Religious practices were formalized by Guru Gobind Singh on 30 March 1699. Singh baptized five people from a variety of social backgrounds, known as the Panj Piare (the five beloved ones) to form the Khalsa, or collective body of initiated Sikhs. Sikhism has generally had amicable relations with other religions, except for the period of Mughal rule in India (1556–1707). Several Sikh gurus were killed by the Mughals for opposing their persecution of minority religious communities including Sikhs. Sikhs subsequently militarized to oppose Mughal rule. The emergence of the Sikh Confederacy under Ranjit Singh was characterized by religious tolerance and pluralism, with Christians, Muslims and Hindus in positions of power. The confederacy is considered the zenith of political Sikhism, encompassing Kashmir, Ladakh and Peshawar. Hari Singh Nalwa, the commander-in-chief of the Sikh army in the North West Frontier, expanded the confederacy to the Khyber Pass. Its secular administration implemented military, economic and governmental reforms. The months leading up to the partition of India in 1947 were marked by conflict in the Punjab between Sikhs and Muslims. This caused the religious migration of Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus from West Punjab, mirroring a similar religious migration of Punjabi Muslims from East Punjab.

The 1960s saw growing animosity between Sikhs and Hindus in India, with the Sikhs demanding the creation of a Punjab state on a linguistic basis similar to other states in India. This was promised to Sikh leader Master Tara Singh by Jawaharlal Nehru, in return for Sikh political support during negotiations for Indian independence. Although the Sikhs obtained the Punjab, they lost Hindi-speaking areas to Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan. Chandigarh was made a union territory and the capital of Haryana and Punjab on 1 November 1966.

Tensions arose again during the late 1970s, fueled by Sikh claims of discrimination and marginalisation by the Hindu-dominated Indian National Congress party and tactics adopted by the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

According to Katherine Frank, Indira Gandhi's assumption of emergency powers in 1975 resulted in the weakening of the "legitimate and impartial machinery of government", and her increasing "paranoia" about opposing political groups led her to institute a "despotic policy of playing castes, religions and political groups against each other for political advantage". Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale articulated Sikh demands for justice, and this triggered violence in the Punjab. The prime minister's 1984 defeat of Bhindranwale led to an attack on the Golden Temple in Operation Blue Star and to her assassination by her Sikh bodyguards. Gandhi's assassination resulted in an explosion of violence against Sikh communities and the killing of thousands of Sikhs throughout India. Khushwant Singh described the riots as a Sikh pogrom; he "felt like a refugee in my country. In fact, I felt like a Jew in Nazi Germany". Since 1984, relations between Sikhs and Hindus have moved toward a rapprochement aided by economic prosperity. However, a 2002 claim by the Hindu right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) that "Sikhs are Hindus" disturbed Sikh sensibilities. The Khalistan movement campaigns for justice for the victims of the violence, and for the political and economic needs of the Punjab.

In 1996, United Nations Commission on Human Rights Freedom of Religion or Belief Special Rapporteur Abdelfattah Amor (Tunisia, 1993–2004) visited India to report on religious discrimination. The following year Amor concluded, "In India it appears that the situation of the Sikhs in the religious field is satisfactory, but that difficulties are arising in the political (foreign interference, terrorism, etc.), economic (in particular with regard to sharing of water supplies) and even occupational fields. Information received from nongovernment (sic) sources indicates that discrimination does exist in certain sectors of the public administration; examples include the decline in the number of Sikhs in the police force and the military, and the absence of Sikhs in personal bodyguard units since the murder of Indira Gandhi".

Although Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks of the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, they make up 1.87 percent of the Indian population.

During the 1999 Vaisakhi, Sikhs worldwide celebrated the 300th anniversary of the creation of the Khalsa. Canada Post honoured Sikh Canadians with a commemorative stamp in conjunction with the 300th anniversary of Vaisakhi. On April 9, 1999, Indian president K.R. Narayanan issued a stamp commemorating the 300th anniversary of the Khalsa.

DEFINITION

According to Guru Granth Sahib:

One who calls himself 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, the Sikh is to bathe, and cleanse himself in the pool of nectar. Following the Instructions of the Guru, the Sikh is to chant the Name of the Lord, Har. All sins, misdeeds and negativity shall be erased. Then, at the rising of the sun, the Sikh is to sing Gurbani; whether sitting down or standing up, the Sikh is to meditate on the Lord's Name. One who meditates on my Lord, Har, with every breath and every morsel of food – 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.

Simran of the Lord's name is a recurring theme of Guru Granth Sahib, and Sukhmani Sahib were composed to allow a devotee to recite Nam throughout the day. Rising at Amrit Velā (before sunrise) is a common Sikh practice. Sikhism considers the spiritual and secular lives to be intertwined: "In the Sikh Weltanschauung ... the temporal world is part of the Infinite and partakes of its characteristics." According to Guru Nanak, living an "active, creative, and practical life" of "truthfulness, fidelity, self-control and purity" is superior to a purely contemplative life.

FIVE Ks

The five Ks (panj kakaar) are five articles of faith which all baptized Sikhs (Amritdhari Sikhs) are obliged to wear. The symbols represent the ideals of Sikhism: honesty, equality, fidelity, meditating on God and never bowing to tyranny. The five symbols are:

- Kesh: Uncut hair, usually tied and wrapped in a Dastar

- Kanga: A wooden comb, usually worn under a Dastar

- Katchera: Cotton undergarments, historically appropriate in battle due to increased mobility when compared to a dhoti. Worn by both sexes, the katchera is a symbol of chastity.

- Kara: An iron bracelet, a weapon and a symbol of eternity

- Kirpan: An iron dagger in different sizes. In the UK Sikhs can wear a small dagger, but in the Punjab they might wear a traditional curved sword from one to three feet in length.

MUSIC & INSTRUMENTS

The Sikhs have a number of musical instruments: the rebab, dilruba, taus, jori and sarinda. Playing the sarangi was encouraged in Guru Har Gobind. The rubab was first played by Bhai Mardana as he accompanied Guru Nanak on his journeys. The jori and sarinda were designed by Guru Arjan. The taus was made by Guru Hargobind, who supposedly heard a peacock singing and wanted to create an instrument mimicking its sounds (taus is the Persian word for peacock). The dilruba was made by Guru Gobind Singh at the request of his followers, who wanted a smaller instrument than the taus. After Japji Sahib, all of the shabda in the Guru Granth Sahib were composed as ragas. This type of singing is known as Gurmat Sangeet.

When they marched into battle, the Sikhs would play a Ranjit Nagara (victory drum) to boost morale. Nagaras (usually two to three feet in diameter, although some were up to five feet in diameter) are played with two sticks. The beat of the large drums, and the raising of the Nishan Sahib, meant that the singhs were on their way.

DISTRIBUTION

Numbering about 27 million worldwide, Sikhs make up 0.39 percent of the world population; approximately 83 percent live in India. About 76 percent of all Sikhs live in the north Indian State of Punjab, where they form a majority (about two-thirds) of the population. Substantial communities of Sikhs (more than 200,000) live in the Indian states or union territories of Haryana (more than 1.1 million), Rajasthan, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh Assam and Jammu and Kashmir.

Sikh migration from British India began in earnest during the second half of the 19th century, when the British completed their annexation of the Punjab. The British Raj recruited Sikhs for the Indian Civil Service (particularly the British Indian Army), which led to Sikh migration throughout India and the British Empire. During the Raj, semiskilled Sikh artisans were transported from the Punjab to British East Africa to help build railroads. Sikhs emigrated from India and Pakistan after World War II, most going to the United Kingdom but many to North America. Some Sikhs who had settled in eastern Africa were expelled by Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in 1972. Economics is a major factor in Sikh migration, and significant communities exist in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Malaysia, East Africa, Australia and Thailand.

Although 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. Moliner (2006) wrote that as a consequence of Sikh migration to the UK "becom[ing] virtually impossible since the late 1970s", migration patterns evolved to continental Europe. Italy is a rapidly growing destination for Sikh migration, with Reggio Emilia and Vicenza having significant Sikh population clusters. Italian Sikhs are generally involved in agriculture, agricultural processing, the manufacture of machine tools and horticulture.

Primarily for socio-economic reasons, Indian Sikhs have the lowest adjusted growth rate of any major religious group in India, at 16.9 percent per decade (estimated from 1991 to 2001). Johnson and Barrett (2004) estimate that the global Sikh population increases annually by 392,633 (1.7 percent per year, based on 2004 figures); this percentage includes births, deaths and conversions.

REPRESENTATION

Sikhs have been represented in Indian politics by former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh and the deputy chairman of the Indian Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is also a Sikh. Past Sikh politicians in India include former president Giani Zail Singh, Sardar Swaran Singh (India's first foreign minister), Speaker of Parliament Gurdial Singh Dhillon and former Chief Minister of Punjab Pratap Singh Kairon.

Politicians from the Sikh diaspora include the first Asian American member of the United States Congress, Dalip Singh Saund, British MPs Piara Khabra, Parmjit Dhanda and Paul Uppal, the first couple to sit together in a Commonwealth parliament (Gurmant Grewal and Nina Grewal, who requested a Canadian government apology for the Komagata Maru incident), former Canadian Shadow Social Development Minister Ruby Dhalla, Canadian Minister of State for Sport Baljit Singh Gosal and Legislative Assembly of Ontario members Vic Dhillon and Jagmeet Singh. Ujjal Dosanjh was the New Democratic Party Premier of British Columbia from July 2004 to February 2005, and was later a Liberal frontbench MP in Ottawa. In Malaysia, two Sikhs were elected MPs in the 2008 general elections: Karpal Singh (Bukit Gelugor) and his son, Gobind Singh Deo (Puchong). Two Sikhs were elected assemblymen: Jagdeep Singh Deo (Datuk Keramat) and Keshvinder Singh (Malim Nawar).

Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks in the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, while making up 1.87 percent of the Indian population. The Sikh Regiment is one of the most-decorated regiments in the army, with 73 Battle Honours, 14 Victoria Crosses, 21 first-class Indian Orders of Merit (equivalent to the Victoria Cross), 15 Theatre Honours, five COAS Unit Citations, two Param Vir Chakras, 14 Maha Vir Chakras, five Kirti Chakras, 67 Vir Chakras and 1,596 other awards. The highest-ranking general in the history of the Indian Air Force is a Punjabi Sikh, Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh. Plans by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence for a Sikh infantry regiment were scrapped in June 2007.

Historically, most Indians have been farmers and 66 percent of the Indian population are engaged in agriculture. Indian Sikhs are employed in agriculture to a lesser extent; India's 2001 census found 39 percent of the working population of the Punjab employed in this sector. The success of the 1960s Green Revolution, in which India went from "famine to plenty, from humiliation to dignity", was based in the Punjab (which became known as "the breadbasket of India"). The Punjab is the wealthiest Indian state per capita, with the average Punjabi income three times the national average. The Green Revolution centred on Indian farmers adopting more intensive and mechanised agricultural methods, aided by the electrification of the Punjab, cooperative credit, consolidation of small holdings and the existing, British Raj-developed canal system. According to Swedish political scientist Ishtiaq Ahmad, a factor in the success of the Indian green revolution was the "Sikh cultivator, often the Jat, whose courage, perseverance, spirit of enterprise and muscle prowess proved crucial". However, not all aspects of the green revolution were beneficial. Indian physicist 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.

Punjabi Sikhs are engaged in a number of professions which include science, engineering and medicine. Notable examples are nuclear scientist Piara Singh Gill (who worked on the Manhattan Project), fibre-optics pioneer Narinder Singh Kapany and physicist, science writer and broadcaster Simon Singh.

In business, the UK-based clothing retailers New Look and the Thai-based Jaspal were founded by Sikhs. India's largest pharmaceutical company, Ranbaxy Laboratories, is headed by Sikhs. UK Sikhs have the highest percentage of home ownership (82 percent) of any religious community. UK Sikhs are the second-wealthiest (after the Jewish community) religious group in the UK, with a median total household wealth of £229,000. In Singapore Kartar Singh Thakral expanded his family's trading business, Thakral Holdings, into total assets of almost $1.4 billion and is Singapore's 25th-richest person. Sikh Bob Singh Dhillon is the first Indo-Canadian billionaire. The Sikh diaspora has been most successful in North America, especially in California’s fertile Central Valley. American Sikh farmers such as Harbhajan Singh Samra and Didar Singh Bains dominate California agriculture, with Samra specialising in okra and Bains in peaches.

Sikh intellectuals, sportsmen and artists include writer Khushwant Singh, England cricketer Monty Panesar, former 400m runner Milkha Singh, Indian wrestler and actor Dara Singh, former Indian hockey team captains Ajitpal Singh and Balbir Singh Sr., former Indian cricket captain Bishen Singh Bedi, Harbhajan Singh (India's most successful off spin cricket bowler), Bollywood actress Neetu Singh, Sunny Leone, actors Parminder Nagra, Neha Dhupia, Gul Panag, Mona Singh, Namrata Singh Gujral, Archie Panjabi and director Gurinder Chadha.

Sikhs have migrated worldwide, with a variety of occupations. The Sikh Gurus preached ethnic and social harmony, and Sikhs comprise a number of ethnic groups. Those with over 1,000 members include the Ahluwalia, Arain, Arora, Bhatra, Bairagi, Bania, Basith, Bawaria, Bazigar, Bhabra, Chamar, Chhimba, Darzi, Dhobi, Gujar, Jatt, Jhinwar, Kahar, Kalal, Kamboj, Khatri, Kumhar, Labana, Lohar, Mahtam, Mazhabi, Megh, Mirasi, Mochi, Nai, Rajput, Ramgarhia, Saini, Sarera, Sikligar, Sunar, Sudh, Tarkhan and Zargar.

An order of Punjabi Sikhs, the Nihang or the Akalis, was formed during Ranjit Singh's time. Under their leader, Akali Phula Singh, they won many battles for the Sikh Confederacy during the early 19th century.

IN THE INDIAN & BRITISH ARMIES

Sikhs supported the British during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. By the beginning of World War I, Sikhs in the British Indian Army totaled over 100,000 (20 percent of the force). Until 1945 fourteen Victoria Crosses were awarded to Sikhs, a per-capita regimental record. In 2002 the names of all Sikh VC and George Cross recipients were inscribed on the monument of the Memorial Gates on Constitution Hill, next to Buckingham Palace. Chanan Singh Dhillon was instrumental in campaigning for the memorial.

During World War I, Sikh battalions fought in Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Gallipoli and France. Six battalions of the Sikh Regiment were raised during World War II, serving in the Second Battle of El Alamein, the Burma and Italian campaigns and in Iraq and receiving 27 battle honours. Around the world, Sikhs are commemorated in Commonwealth cemeteries.

In the last two world wars 83,005 turban wearing Sikh soldiers were killed and 109,045 were wounded. They all died or were wounded for the freedom of Britain and the world, and during shell fire, with no other protection but the turban, the symbol of their faith.

—General Sir Frank Messervy

British people are highly indebted and obliged to Sikhs for a long time. I know that within this century we needed their help twice [in two world wars] and they did help us very well. As a result of their timely help, we are today able to live with honour, dignity, and independence. In the war, they fought and died for us, wearing the turbans.

—Sir Winston Churchill

IN THE WEST

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Sikhs began to emigrate to East Africa, the Far East, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. In 1907 the Khalsa Diwan Society was established in Vancouver, and four years later the first gurdwara was established in London. In 1912 the first gurdwara in the United States was founded in Stockton, California.

Since Sikhs (like Middle Eastern men) wear turbans, some in Western countries have been mistaken for Muslim or Arabic men since the September 11 attacks and the Iraq War. Several days after the 9/11 attacks Sikh Balbir Singh Sodhi was murdered by Frank Roque, who thought Sodhi was connected with al-Qaeda. CNN suggested an increase in hate crimes against Sikh men in the United States and the UK after the 9/11 attacks.

Since Sikhism has never actively sought converts, the Sikhs have remained a relatively homogeneous ethnic group. The Kundalini Yoga-based activities of Harbhajan Singh Yogi in his 3HO (Happy, Healthy, Holy) organisation claim to have inspired a moderate growth in non-Indian adherents of Sikhism. In 1998 an estimated 7,800 3HO Sikhs, known colloquially as ‘gora’ (ਗੋਰਾ) or ‘white’ Sikhs, were mainly centred around Española, New Mexico and Los Angeles, California. Sikhs and the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund overturned a 1925 Oregon law banning the wearing of turbans by teachers and government officials.

In an attempt to foster Sikh leaders in the Western world, youth initiatives by a number of organisations have begun. The Sikh Youth Alliance of North America sponsors an annual Sikh Youth Symposium, a public-speaking and debate competition held in gurdwaras throughout the U.S. and Canada.

ART & CULTURE

Sikh art and culture are nearly synonymous with that of the Punjab, and Sikhs are easily recognised by their distinctive turban (Dastar). The Punjab has been called India’s melting pot, due to the confluence of invading cultures (Greek, Mughal and Persian) from the rivers from which the region gets its name. Sikh culture is therefore a synthesis of cultures. Sikhism has forged a unique architecture, which S. S. Bhatti described as "inspired by Guru Nanak’s creative mysticism" and "is a mute harbinger of holistic humanism based on pragmatic spirituality".

During the Mughal and Afghan 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. With the rise of Ranjit Singh and the Sikh Raj in Lahore and Delhi, there was a change in the landscape of art and culture in the Punjab; Hindus and Sikhs could build decorated shrines without the fear of destruction or looting.

The 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. Sikh architecture is characterised by gilded fluted domes, cupolas, kiosks, stone lanterns, ornate balusters and square roofs. A pinnacle of Sikh style is Harmandir Sahib (also known as the Golden Temple) in Amritsar.

Sikh culture is influenced by militaristic motifs (with the Khanda the most obvious), and most Sikh artifacts - except for the relics of the Gurus - have a military theme. This theme is evident in the Sikh festivals of Hola Mohalla and Vaisakhi, which feature marching and displays of valor.

Although 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 which can be described as "political Sikh" has arisen. The art of diaspora Sikhs like Amarjeet Kaur Nandhra and Amrit and Rabindra Kaur Singh (the "Singh Twins") is influenced by their Sikhism and current affairs in the Punjab.

Bhangra and Giddha are two forms of Punjabi folk dancing which have been adapted and pioneered by Sikhs. Punjabi 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").

PAINTING

Sikh painting is a direct offshoot of the Kangra school of painting. In 1810, Ranjeet Singh (1780–1839) occupied Kangra Fort and appointed Sardar Desa Singh Majithia his governor of the Punjab hills. In 1813 the Sikh army occupied Guler State, and Raja Bhup Singh became a vassal of the Sikhs. With 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.

The Sikh school adapted Kangra painting to Sikh needs and ideals. Its main subjects are the ten Sikh gurus and stories from Guru Nanak's Janamsakhis. The tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, left a deep impression on the followers of the new faith because of his courage and sacrifices. Hunting scenes and portraits are also common in Sikh painting.

WIKIPEDIA

A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism, a monotheistic religion which originated during the 15th century in the Punjab region. The term "Sikh" has its origin in the Sanskrit words शिष्य (śiṣya; disciple, student) or शिक्ष (śikṣa; instruction). A Sikh is a disciple of a guru. According to Article I of the Sikh Rehat Maryada (the Sikh code of conduct), a Sikh is "any human being who faithfully believes in One Immortal Being; ten Gurus, from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh; Guru Granth Sahib; the teachings of the ten Gurus and the baptism bequeathed by the tenth Guru". "Sikh" properly refers to adherents of Sikhism as a religion, not an ethnic group. However, because Sikhs often share strong ethno-religious ties, many countries, such as the U.K., recognize Sikh as a designated ethnicity on their censuses. The American non-profit organization United Sikhs has fought to have Sikh included on the U.S. census as well, arguing that Sikhs "self-identify as an 'ethnic minority'" and believe "that they are more than just a religion".

Male Sikhs usually have "Singh" (Lion), and female Sikhs have "Kaur" (Princess) as their middle or last name. Sikhs who have undergone the khanḍe-kī-pahul (the Sikh initiation ceremony) may also be recognized by the five Ks: uncut hair (kesh); an iron or steel bracelet (kara); a kirpan (a sword tucked into a gatra strap); kachehra, a cotton undergarment, and kanga, a small wooden comb. Baptized male Sikhs must cover their hair with a turban, which is optional for baptized female Sikhs. The greater Punjab region is the historic homeland of the Sikhs, although significant communities exist around the world.

HISTORY

Sikh political history may be said to begin with the death of the fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjan Dev, in 1606. Guru Nanak was a religious leader and social reformer in the 15th-century Punjab. Religious practices were formalized by Guru Gobind Singh on 30 March 1699. Singh baptized five people from a variety of social backgrounds, known as the Panj Piare (the five beloved ones) to form the Khalsa, or collective body of initiated Sikhs. Sikhism has generally had amicable relations with other religions, except for the period of Mughal rule in India (1556–1707). Several Sikh gurus were killed by the Mughals for opposing their persecution of minority religious communities including Sikhs. Sikhs subsequently militarized to oppose Mughal rule. The emergence of the Sikh Confederacy under Ranjit Singh was characterized by religious tolerance and pluralism, with Christians, Muslims and Hindus in positions of power. The confederacy is considered the zenith of political Sikhism, encompassing Kashmir, Ladakh and Peshawar. Hari Singh Nalwa, the commander-in-chief of the Sikh army in the North West Frontier, expanded the confederacy to the Khyber Pass. Its secular administration implemented military, economic and governmental reforms. The months leading up to the partition of India in 1947 were marked by conflict in the Punjab between Sikhs and Muslims. This caused the religious migration of Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus from West Punjab, mirroring a similar religious migration of Punjabi Muslims from East Punjab.

The 1960s saw growing animosity between Sikhs and Hindus in India, with the Sikhs demanding the creation of a Punjab state on a linguistic basis similar to other states in India. This was promised to Sikh leader Master Tara Singh by Jawaharlal Nehru, in return for Sikh political support during negotiations for Indian independence. Although the Sikhs obtained the Punjab, they lost Hindi-speaking areas to Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan. Chandigarh was made a union territory and the capital of Haryana and Punjab on 1 November 1966.

Tensions arose again during the late 1970s, fueled by Sikh claims of discrimination and marginalisation by the Hindu-dominated Indian National Congress party and tactics adopted by the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

According to Katherine Frank, Indira Gandhi's assumption of emergency powers in 1975 resulted in the weakening of the "legitimate and impartial machinery of government", and her increasing "paranoia" about opposing political groups led her to institute a "despotic policy of playing castes, religions and political groups against each other for political advantage". Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale articulated Sikh demands for justice, and this triggered violence in the Punjab. The prime minister's 1984 defeat of Bhindranwale led to an attack on the Golden Temple in Operation Blue Star and to her assassination by her Sikh bodyguards. Gandhi's assassination resulted in an explosion of violence against Sikh communities and the killing of thousands of Sikhs throughout India. Khushwant Singh described the riots as a Sikh pogrom; he "felt like a refugee in my country. In fact, I felt like a Jew in Nazi Germany". Since 1984, relations between Sikhs and Hindus have moved toward a rapprochement aided by economic prosperity. However, a 2002 claim by the Hindu right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) that "Sikhs are Hindus" disturbed Sikh sensibilities. The Khalistan movement campaigns for justice for the victims of the violence, and for the political and economic needs of the Punjab.

In 1996, United Nations Commission on Human Rights Freedom of Religion or Belief Special Rapporteur Abdelfattah Amor (Tunisia, 1993–2004) visited India to report on religious discrimination. The following year Amor concluded, "In India it appears that the situation of the Sikhs in the religious field is satisfactory, but that difficulties are arising in the political (foreign interference, terrorism, etc.), economic (in particular with regard to sharing of water supplies) and even occupational fields. Information received from nongovernment (sic) sources indicates that discrimination does exist in certain sectors of the public administration; examples include the decline in the number of Sikhs in the police force and the military, and the absence of Sikhs in personal bodyguard units since the murder of Indira Gandhi".

Although Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks of the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, they make up 1.87 percent of the Indian population.

During the 1999 Vaisakhi, Sikhs worldwide celebrated the 300th anniversary of the creation of the Khalsa. Canada Post honoured Sikh Canadians with a commemorative stamp in conjunction with the 300th anniversary of Vaisakhi. On April 9, 1999, Indian president K.R. Narayanan issued a stamp commemorating the 300th anniversary of the Khalsa.

DEFINITION

According to Guru Granth Sahib:

One who calls himself 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, the Sikh is to bathe, and cleanse himself in the pool of nectar. Following the Instructions of the Guru, the Sikh is to chant the Name of the Lord, Har. All sins, misdeeds and negativity shall be erased. Then, at the rising of the sun, the Sikh is to sing Gurbani; whether sitting down or standing up, the Sikh is to meditate on the Lord's Name. One who meditates on my Lord, Har, with every breath and every morsel of food – 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.

Simran of the Lord's name is a recurring theme of Guru Granth Sahib, and Sukhmani Sahib were composed to allow a devotee to recite Nam throughout the day. Rising at Amrit Velā (before sunrise) is a common Sikh practice. Sikhism considers the spiritual and secular lives to be intertwined: "In the Sikh Weltanschauung ... the temporal world is part of the Infinite and partakes of its characteristics." According to Guru Nanak, living an "active, creative, and practical life" of "truthfulness, fidelity, self-control and purity" is superior to a purely contemplative life.

FIVE Ks

The five Ks (panj kakaar) are five articles of faith which all baptized Sikhs (Amritdhari Sikhs) are obliged to wear. The symbols represent the ideals of Sikhism: honesty, equality, fidelity, meditating on God and never bowing to tyranny. The five symbols are:

- Kesh: Uncut hair, usually tied and wrapped in a Dastar

- Kanga: A wooden comb, usually worn under a Dastar

- Katchera: Cotton undergarments, historically appropriate in battle due to increased mobility when compared to a dhoti. Worn by both sexes, the katchera is a symbol of chastity.

- Kara: An iron bracelet, a weapon and a symbol of eternity

- Kirpan: An iron dagger in different sizes. In the UK Sikhs can wear a small dagger, but in the Punjab they might wear a traditional curved sword from one to three feet in length.

MUSIC & INSTRUMENTS

The Sikhs have a number of musical instruments: the rebab, dilruba, taus, jori and sarinda. Playing the sarangi was encouraged in Guru Har Gobind. The rubab was first played by Bhai Mardana as he accompanied Guru Nanak on his journeys. The jori and sarinda were designed by Guru Arjan. The taus was made by Guru Hargobind, who supposedly heard a peacock singing and wanted to create an instrument mimicking its sounds (taus is the Persian word for peacock). The dilruba was made by Guru Gobind Singh at the request of his followers, who wanted a smaller instrument than the taus. After Japji Sahib, all of the shabda in the Guru Granth Sahib were composed as ragas. This type of singing is known as Gurmat Sangeet.

When they marched into battle, the Sikhs would play a Ranjit Nagara (victory drum) to boost morale. Nagaras (usually two to three feet in diameter, although some were up to five feet in diameter) are played with two sticks. The beat of the large drums, and the raising of the Nishan Sahib, meant that the singhs were on their way.

DISTRIBUTION

Numbering about 27 million worldwide, Sikhs make up 0.39 percent of the world population; approximately 83 percent live in India. About 76 percent of all Sikhs live in the north Indian State of Punjab, where they form a majority (about two-thirds) of the population. Substantial communities of Sikhs (more than 200,000) live in the Indian states or union territories of Haryana (more than 1.1 million), Rajasthan, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh Assam and Jammu and Kashmir.

Sikh migration from British India began in earnest during the second half of the 19th century, when the British completed their annexation of the Punjab. The British Raj recruited Sikhs for the Indian Civil Service (particularly the British Indian Army), which led to Sikh migration throughout India and the British Empire. During the Raj, semiskilled Sikh artisans were transported from the Punjab to British East Africa to help build railroads. Sikhs emigrated from India and Pakistan after World War II, most going to the United Kingdom but many to North America. Some Sikhs who had settled in eastern Africa were expelled by Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in 1972. Economics is a major factor in Sikh migration, and significant communities exist in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Malaysia, East Africa, Australia and Thailand.

Although 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. Moliner (2006) wrote that as a consequence of Sikh migration to the UK "becom[ing] virtually impossible since the late 1970s", migration patterns evolved to continental Europe. Italy is a rapidly growing destination for Sikh migration, with Reggio Emilia and Vicenza having significant Sikh population clusters. Italian Sikhs are generally involved in agriculture, agricultural processing, the manufacture of machine tools and horticulture.

Primarily for socio-economic reasons, Indian Sikhs have the lowest adjusted growth rate of any major religious group in India, at 16.9 percent per decade (estimated from 1991 to 2001). Johnson and Barrett (2004) estimate that the global Sikh population increases annually by 392,633 (1.7 percent per year, based on 2004 figures); this percentage includes births, deaths and conversions.

REPRESENTATION

Sikhs have been represented in Indian politics by former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh and the deputy chairman of the Indian Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is also a Sikh. Past Sikh politicians in India include former president Giani Zail Singh, Sardar Swaran Singh (India's first foreign minister), Speaker of Parliament Gurdial Singh Dhillon and former Chief Minister of Punjab Pratap Singh Kairon.

Politicians from the Sikh diaspora include the first Asian American member of the United States Congress, Dalip Singh Saund, British MPs Piara Khabra, Parmjit Dhanda and Paul Uppal, the first couple to sit together in a Commonwealth parliament (Gurmant Grewal and Nina Grewal, who requested a Canadian government apology for the Komagata Maru incident), former Canadian Shadow Social Development Minister Ruby Dhalla, Canadian Minister of State for Sport Baljit Singh Gosal and Legislative Assembly of Ontario members Vic Dhillon and Jagmeet Singh. Ujjal Dosanjh was the New Democratic Party Premier of British Columbia from July 2004 to February 2005, and was later a Liberal frontbench MP in Ottawa. In Malaysia, two Sikhs were elected MPs in the 2008 general elections: Karpal Singh (Bukit Gelugor) and his son, Gobind Singh Deo (Puchong). Two Sikhs were elected assemblymen: Jagdeep Singh Deo (Datuk Keramat) and Keshvinder Singh (Malim Nawar).

Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks in the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, while making up 1.87 percent of the Indian population. The Sikh Regiment is one of the most-decorated regiments in the army, with 73 Battle Honours, 14 Victoria Crosses, 21 first-class Indian Orders of Merit (equivalent to the Victoria Cross), 15 Theatre Honours, five COAS Unit Citations, two Param Vir Chakras, 14 Maha Vir Chakras, five Kirti Chakras, 67 Vir Chakras and 1,596 other awards. The highest-ranking general in the history of the Indian Air Force is a Punjabi Sikh, Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh. Plans by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence for a Sikh infantry regiment were scrapped in June 2007.

Historically, most Indians have been farmers and 66 percent of the Indian population are engaged in agriculture. Indian Sikhs are employed in agriculture to a lesser extent; India's 2001 census found 39 percent of the working population of the Punjab employed in this sector. The success of the 1960s Green Revolution, in which India went from "famine to plenty, from humiliation to dignity", was based in the Punjab (which became known as "the breadbasket of India"). The Punjab is the wealthiest Indian state per capita, with the average Punjabi income three times the national average. The Green Revolution centred on Indian farmers adopting more intensive and mechanised agricultural methods, aided by the electrification of the Punjab, cooperative credit, consolidation of small holdings and the existing, British Raj-developed canal system. According to Swedish political scientist Ishtiaq Ahmad, a factor in the success of the Indian green revolution was the "Sikh cultivator, often the Jat, whose courage, perseverance, spirit of enterprise and muscle prowess proved crucial". However, not all aspects of the green revolution were beneficial. Indian physicist 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.

Punjabi Sikhs are engaged in a number of professions which include science, engineering and medicine. Notable examples are nuclear scientist Piara Singh Gill (who worked on the Manhattan Project), fibre-optics pioneer Narinder Singh Kapany and physicist, science writer and broadcaster Simon Singh.

In business, the UK-based clothing retailers New Look and the Thai-based Jaspal were founded by Sikhs. India's largest pharmaceutical company, Ranbaxy Laboratories, is headed by Sikhs. UK Sikhs have the highest percentage of home ownership (82 percent) of any religious community. UK Sikhs are the second-wealthiest (after the Jewish community) religious group in the UK, with a median total household wealth of £229,000. In Singapore Kartar Singh Thakral expanded his family's trading business, Thakral Holdings, into total assets of almost $1.4 billion and is Singapore's 25th-richest person. Sikh Bob Singh Dhillon is the first Indo-Canadian billionaire. The Sikh diaspora has been most successful in North America, especially in California’s fertile Central Valley. American Sikh farmers such as Harbhajan Singh Samra and Didar Singh Bains dominate California agriculture, with Samra specialising in okra and Bains in peaches.

Sikh intellectuals, sportsmen and artists include writer Khushwant Singh, England cricketer Monty Panesar, former 400m runner Milkha Singh, Indian wrestler and actor Dara Singh, former Indian hockey team captains Ajitpal Singh and Balbir Singh Sr., former Indian cricket captain Bishen Singh Bedi, Harbhajan Singh (India's most successful off spin cricket bowler), Bollywood actress Neetu Singh, Sunny Leone, actors Parminder Nagra, Neha Dhupia, Gul Panag, Mona Singh, Namrata Singh Gujral, Archie Panjabi and director Gurinder Chadha.

Sikhs have migrated worldwide, with a variety of occupations. The Sikh Gurus preached ethnic and social harmony, and Sikhs comprise a number of ethnic groups. Those with over 1,000 members include the Ahluwalia, Arain, Arora, Bhatra, Bairagi, Bania, Basith, Bawaria, Bazigar, Bhabra, Chamar, Chhimba, Darzi, Dhobi, Gujar, Jatt, Jhinwar, Kahar, Kalal, Kamboj, Khatri, Kumhar, Labana, Lohar, Mahtam, Mazhabi, Megh, Mirasi, Mochi, Nai, Rajput, Ramgarhia, Saini, Sarera, Sikligar, Sunar, Sudh, Tarkhan and Zargar.

An order of Punjabi Sikhs, the Nihang or the Akalis, was formed during Ranjit Singh's time. Under their leader, Akali Phula Singh, they won many battles for the Sikh Confederacy during the early 19th century.

IN THE INDIAN & BRITISH ARMIES

Sikhs supported the British during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. By the beginning of World War I, Sikhs in the British Indian Army totaled over 100,000 (20 percent of the force). Until 1945 fourteen Victoria Crosses were awarded to Sikhs, a per-capita regimental record. In 2002 the names of all Sikh VC and George Cross recipients were inscribed on the monument of the Memorial Gates on Constitution Hill, next to Buckingham Palace. Chanan Singh Dhillon was instrumental in campaigning for the memorial.

During World War I, Sikh battalions fought in Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Gallipoli and France. Six battalions of the Sikh Regiment were raised during World War II, serving in the Second Battle of El Alamein, the Burma and Italian campaigns and in Iraq and receiving 27 battle honours. Around the world, Sikhs are commemorated in Commonwealth cemeteries.

In the last two world wars 83,005 turban wearing Sikh soldiers were killed and 109,045 were wounded. They all died or were wounded for the freedom of Britain and the world, and during shell fire, with no other protection but the turban, the symbol of their faith.

—General Sir Frank Messervy

British people are highly indebted and obliged to Sikhs for a long time. I know that within this century we needed their help twice [in two world wars] and they did help us very well. As a result of their timely help, we are today able to live with honour, dignity, and independence. In the war, they fought and died for us, wearing the turbans.

—Sir Winston Churchill

IN THE WEST

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Sikhs began to emigrate to East Africa, the Far East, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. In 1907 the Khalsa Diwan Society was established in Vancouver, and four years later the first gurdwara was established in London. In 1912 the first gurdwara in the United States was founded in Stockton, California.

Since Sikhs (like Middle Eastern men) wear turbans, some in Western countries have been mistaken for Muslim or Arabic men since the September 11 attacks and the Iraq War. Several days after the 9/11 attacks Sikh Balbir Singh Sodhi was murdered by Frank Roque, who thought Sodhi was connected with al-Qaeda. CNN suggested an increase in hate crimes against Sikh men in the United States and the UK after the 9/11 attacks.

Since Sikhism has never actively sought converts, the Sikhs have remained a relatively homogeneous ethnic group. The Kundalini Yoga-based activities of Harbhajan Singh Yogi in his 3HO (Happy, Healthy, Holy) organisation claim to have inspired a moderate growth in non-Indian adherents of Sikhism. In 1998 an estimated 7,800 3HO Sikhs, known colloquially as ‘gora’ (ਗੋਰਾ) or ‘white’ Sikhs, were mainly centred around Española, New Mexico and Los Angeles, California. Sikhs and the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund overturned a 1925 Oregon law banning the wearing of turbans by teachers and government officials.

In an attempt to foster Sikh leaders in the Western world, youth initiatives by a number of organisations have begun. The Sikh Youth Alliance of North America sponsors an annual Sikh Youth Symposium, a public-speaking and debate competition held in gurdwaras throughout the U.S. and Canada.

ART & CULTURE

Sikh art and culture are nearly synonymous with that of the Punjab, and Sikhs are easily recognised by their distinctive turban (Dastar). The Punjab has been called India’s melting pot, due to the confluence of invading cultures (Greek, Mughal and Persian) from the rivers from which the region gets its name. Sikh culture is therefore a synthesis of cultures. Sikhism has forged a unique architecture, which S. S. Bhatti described as "inspired by Guru Nanak’s creative mysticism" and "is a mute harbinger of holistic humanism based on pragmatic spirituality".

During the Mughal and Afghan 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. With the rise of Ranjit Singh and the Sikh Raj in Lahore and Delhi, there was a change in the landscape of art and culture in the Punjab; Hindus and Sikhs could build decorated shrines without the fear of destruction or looting.

The 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. Sikh architecture is characterised by gilded fluted domes, cupolas, kiosks, stone lanterns, ornate balusters and square roofs. A pinnacle of Sikh style is Harmandir Sahib (also known as the Golden Temple) in Amritsar.

Sikh culture is influenced by militaristic motifs (with the Khanda the most obvious), and most Sikh artifacts - except for the relics of the Gurus - have a military theme. This theme is evident in the Sikh festivals of Hola Mohalla and Vaisakhi, which feature marching and displays of valor.

Although 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 which can be described as "political Sikh" has arisen. The art of diaspora Sikhs like Amarjeet Kaur Nandhra and Amrit and Rabindra Kaur Singh (the "Singh Twins") is influenced by their Sikhism and current affairs in the Punjab.

Bhangra and Giddha are two forms of Punjabi folk dancing which have been adapted and pioneered by Sikhs. Punjabi 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").

PAINTING

Sikh painting is a direct offshoot of the Kangra school of painting. In 1810, Ranjeet Singh (1780–1839) occupied Kangra Fort and appointed Sardar Desa Singh Majithia his governor of the Punjab hills. In 1813 the Sikh army occupied Guler State, and Raja Bhup Singh became a vassal of the Sikhs. With 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.

The Sikh school adapted Kangra painting to Sikh needs and ideals. Its main subjects are the ten Sikh gurus and stories from Guru Nanak's Janamsakhis. The tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, left a deep impression on the followers of the new faith because of his courage and sacrifices. Hunting scenes and portraits are also common in Sikh painting.

WIKIPEDIA

A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism, a monotheistic religion which originated during the 15th century in the Punjab region. The term "Sikh" has its origin in the Sanskrit words शिष्य (śiṣya; disciple, student) or शिक्ष (śikṣa; instruction). A Sikh is a disciple of a guru. According to Article I of the Sikh Rehat Maryada (the Sikh code of conduct), a Sikh is "any human being who faithfully believes in One Immortal Being; ten Gurus, from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh; Guru Granth Sahib; the teachings of the ten Gurus and the baptism bequeathed by the tenth Guru". "Sikh" properly refers to adherents of Sikhism as a religion, not an ethnic group. However, because Sikhs often share strong ethno-religious ties, many countries, such as the U.K., recognize Sikh as a designated ethnicity on their censuses. The American non-profit organization United Sikhs has fought to have Sikh included on the U.S. census as well, arguing that Sikhs "self-identify as an 'ethnic minority'" and believe "that they are more than just a religion".

Male Sikhs usually have "Singh" (Lion), and female Sikhs have "Kaur" (Princess) as their middle or last name. Sikhs who have undergone the khanḍe-kī-pahul (the Sikh initiation ceremony) may also be recognized by the five Ks: uncut hair (kesh); an iron or steel bracelet (kara); a kirpan (a sword tucked into a gatra strap); kachehra, a cotton undergarment, and kanga, a small wooden comb. Baptized male Sikhs must cover their hair with a turban, which is optional for baptized female Sikhs. The greater Punjab region is the historic homeland of the Sikhs, although significant communities exist around the world.

HISTORY

Sikh political history may be said to begin with the death of the fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjan Dev, in 1606. Guru Nanak was a religious leader and social reformer in the 15th-century Punjab. Religious practices were formalized by Guru Gobind Singh on 30 March 1699. Singh baptized five people from a variety of social backgrounds, known as the Panj Piare (the five beloved ones) to form the Khalsa, or collective body of initiated Sikhs. Sikhism has generally had amicable relations with other religions, except for the period of Mughal rule in India (1556–1707). Several Sikh gurus were killed by the Mughals for opposing their persecution of minority religious communities including Sikhs. Sikhs subsequently militarized to oppose Mughal rule. The emergence of the Sikh Confederacy under Ranjit Singh was characterized by religious tolerance and pluralism, with Christians, Muslims and Hindus in positions of power. The confederacy is considered the zenith of political Sikhism, encompassing Kashmir, Ladakh and Peshawar. Hari Singh Nalwa, the commander-in-chief of the Sikh army in the North West Frontier, expanded the confederacy to the Khyber Pass. Its secular administration implemented military, economic and governmental reforms. The months leading up to the partition of India in 1947 were marked by conflict in the Punjab between Sikhs and Muslims. This caused the religious migration of Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus from West Punjab, mirroring a similar religious migration of Punjabi Muslims from East Punjab.

The 1960s saw growing animosity between Sikhs and Hindus in India, with the Sikhs demanding the creation of a Punjab state on a linguistic basis similar to other states in India. This was promised to Sikh leader Master Tara Singh by Jawaharlal Nehru, in return for Sikh political support during negotiations for Indian independence. Although the Sikhs obtained the Punjab, they lost Hindi-speaking areas to Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan. Chandigarh was made a union territory and the capital of Haryana and Punjab on 1 November 1966.

Tensions arose again during the late 1970s, fueled by Sikh claims of discrimination and marginalisation by the Hindu-dominated Indian National Congress party and tactics adopted by the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

According to Katherine Frank, Indira Gandhi's assumption of emergency powers in 1975 resulted in the weakening of the "legitimate and impartial machinery of government", and her increasing "paranoia" about opposing political groups led her to institute a "despotic policy of playing castes, religions and political groups against each other for political advantage". Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale articulated Sikh demands for justice, and this triggered violence in the Punjab. The prime minister's 1984 defeat of Bhindranwale led to an attack on the Golden Temple in Operation Blue Star and to her assassination by her Sikh bodyguards. Gandhi's assassination resulted in an explosion of violence against Sikh communities and the killing of thousands of Sikhs throughout India. Khushwant Singh described the riots as a Sikh pogrom; he "felt like a refugee in my country. In fact, I felt like a Jew in Nazi Germany". Since 1984, relations between Sikhs and Hindus have moved toward a rapprochement aided by economic prosperity. However, a 2002 claim by the Hindu right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) that "Sikhs are Hindus" disturbed Sikh sensibilities. The Khalistan movement campaigns for justice for the victims of the violence, and for the political and economic needs of the Punjab.

In 1996, United Nations Commission on Human Rights Freedom of Religion or Belief Special Rapporteur Abdelfattah Amor (Tunisia, 1993–2004) visited India to report on religious discrimination. The following year Amor concluded, "In India it appears that the situation of the Sikhs in the religious field is satisfactory, but that difficulties are arising in the political (foreign interference, terrorism, etc.), economic (in particular with regard to sharing of water supplies) and even occupational fields. Information received from nongovernment (sic) sources indicates that discrimination does exist in certain sectors of the public administration; examples include the decline in the number of Sikhs in the police force and the military, and the absence of Sikhs in personal bodyguard units since the murder of Indira Gandhi".

Although Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks of the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, they make up 1.87 percent of the Indian population.

During the 1999 Vaisakhi, Sikhs worldwide celebrated the 300th anniversary of the creation of the Khalsa. Canada Post honoured Sikh Canadians with a commemorative stamp in conjunction with the 300th anniversary of Vaisakhi. On April 9, 1999, Indian president K.R. Narayanan issued a stamp commemorating the 300th anniversary of the Khalsa.

DEFINITION

According to Guru Granth Sahib:

One who calls himself 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, the Sikh is to bathe, and cleanse himself in the pool of nectar. Following the Instructions of the Guru, the Sikh is to chant the Name of the Lord, Har. All sins, misdeeds and negativity shall be erased. Then, at the rising of the sun, the Sikh is to sing Gurbani; whether sitting down or standing up, the Sikh is to meditate on the Lord's Name. One who meditates on my Lord, Har, with every breath and every morsel of food – 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.

Simran of the Lord's name is a recurring theme of Guru Granth Sahib, and Sukhmani Sahib were composed to allow a devotee to recite Nam throughout the day. Rising at Amrit Velā (before sunrise) is a common Sikh practice. Sikhism considers the spiritual and secular lives to be intertwined: "In the Sikh Weltanschauung ... the temporal world is part of the Infinite and partakes of its characteristics." According to Guru Nanak, living an "active, creative, and practical life" of "truthfulness, fidelity, self-control and purity" is superior to a purely contemplative life.

FIVE Ks

The five Ks (panj kakaar) are five articles of faith which all baptized Sikhs (Amritdhari Sikhs) are obliged to wear. The symbols represent the ideals of Sikhism: honesty, equality, fidelity, meditating on God and never bowing to tyranny. The five symbols are:

- Kesh: Uncut hair, usually tied and wrapped in a Dastar

- Kanga: A wooden comb, usually worn under a Dastar

- Katchera: Cotton undergarments, historically appropriate in battle due to increased mobility when compared to a dhoti. Worn by both sexes, the katchera is a symbol of chastity.

- Kara: An iron bracelet, a weapon and a symbol of eternity

- Kirpan: An iron dagger in different sizes. In the UK Sikhs can wear a small dagger, but in the Punjab they might wear a traditional curved sword from one to three feet in length.

MUSIC & INSTRUMENTS

The Sikhs have a number of musical instruments: the rebab, dilruba, taus, jori and sarinda. Playing the sarangi was encouraged in Guru Har Gobind. The rubab was first played by Bhai Mardana as he accompanied Guru Nanak on his journeys. The jori and sarinda were designed by Guru Arjan. The taus was made by Guru Hargobind, who supposedly heard a peacock singing and wanted to create an instrument mimicking its sounds (taus is the Persian word for peacock). The dilruba was made by Guru Gobind Singh at the request of his followers, who wanted a smaller instrument than the taus. After Japji Sahib, all of the shabda in the Guru Granth Sahib were composed as ragas. This type of singing is known as Gurmat Sangeet.

When they marched into battle, the Sikhs would play a Ranjit Nagara (victory drum) to boost morale. Nagaras (usually two to three feet in diameter, although some were up to five feet in diameter) are played with two sticks. The beat of the large drums, and the raising of the Nishan Sahib, meant that the singhs were on their way.

DISTRIBUTION

Numbering about 27 million worldwide, Sikhs make up 0.39 percent of the world population; approximately 83 percent live in India. About 76 percent of all Sikhs live in the north Indian State of Punjab, where they form a majority (about two-thirds) of the population. Substantial communities of Sikhs (more than 200,000) live in the Indian states or union territories of Haryana (more than 1.1 million), Rajasthan, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh Assam and Jammu and Kashmir.

Sikh migration from British India began in earnest during the second half of the 19th century, when the British completed their annexation of the Punjab. The British Raj recruited Sikhs for the Indian Civil Service (particularly the British Indian Army), which led to Sikh migration throughout India and the British Empire. During the Raj, semiskilled Sikh artisans were transported from the Punjab to British East Africa to help build railroads. Sikhs emigrated from India and Pakistan after World War II, most going to the United Kingdom but many to North America. Some Sikhs who had settled in eastern Africa were expelled by Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in 1972. Economics is a major factor in Sikh migration, and significant communities exist in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Malaysia, East Africa, Australia and Thailand.

Although 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. Moliner (2006) wrote that as a consequence of Sikh migration to the UK "becom[ing] virtually impossible since the late 1970s", migration patterns evolved to continental Europe. Italy is a rapidly growing destination for Sikh migration, with Reggio Emilia and Vicenza having significant Sikh population clusters. Italian Sikhs are generally involved in agriculture, agricultural processing, the manufacture of machine tools and horticulture.

Primarily for socio-economic reasons, Indian Sikhs have the lowest adjusted growth rate of any major religious group in India, at 16.9 percent per decade (estimated from 1991 to 2001). Johnson and Barrett (2004) estimate that the global Sikh population increases annually by 392,633 (1.7 percent per year, based on 2004 figures); this percentage includes births, deaths and conversions.

REPRESENTATION

Sikhs have been represented in Indian politics by former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh and the deputy chairman of the Indian Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is also a Sikh. Past Sikh politicians in India include former president Giani Zail Singh, Sardar Swaran Singh (India's first foreign minister), Speaker of Parliament Gurdial Singh Dhillon and former Chief Minister of Punjab Pratap Singh Kairon.

Politicians from the Sikh diaspora include the first Asian American member of the United States Congress, Dalip Singh Saund, British MPs Piara Khabra, Parmjit Dhanda and Paul Uppal, the first couple to sit together in a Commonwealth parliament (Gurmant Grewal and Nina Grewal, who requested a Canadian government apology for the Komagata Maru incident), former Canadian Shadow Social Development Minister Ruby Dhalla, Canadian Minister of State for Sport Baljit Singh Gosal and Legislative Assembly of Ontario members Vic Dhillon and Jagmeet Singh. Ujjal Dosanjh was the New Democratic Party Premier of British Columbia from July 2004 to February 2005, and was later a Liberal frontbench MP in Ottawa. In Malaysia, two Sikhs were elected MPs in the 2008 general elections: Karpal Singh (Bukit Gelugor) and his son, Gobind Singh Deo (Puchong). Two Sikhs were elected assemblymen: Jagdeep Singh Deo (Datuk Keramat) and Keshvinder Singh (Malim Nawar).

Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks in the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, while making up 1.87 percent of the Indian population. The Sikh Regiment is one of the most-decorated regiments in the army, with 73 Battle Honours, 14 Victoria Crosses, 21 first-class Indian Orders of Merit (equivalent to the Victoria Cross), 15 Theatre Honours, five COAS Unit Citations, two Param Vir Chakras, 14 Maha Vir Chakras, five Kirti Chakras, 67 Vir Chakras and 1,596 other awards. The highest-ranking general in the history of the Indian Air Force is a Punjabi Sikh, Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh. Plans by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence for a Sikh infantry regiment were scrapped in June 2007.

Historically, most Indians have been farmers and 66 percent of the Indian population are engaged in agriculture. Indian Sikhs are employed in agriculture to a lesser extent; India's 2001 census found 39 percent of the working population of the Punjab employed in this sector. The success of the 1960s Green Revolution, in which India went from "famine to plenty, from humiliation to dignity", was based in the Punjab (which became known as "the breadbasket of India"). The Punjab is the wealthiest Indian state per capita, with the average Punjabi income three times the national average. The Green Revolution centred on Indian farmers adopting more intensive and mechanised agricultural methods, aided by the electrification of the Punjab, cooperative credit, consolidation of small holdings and the existing, British Raj-developed canal system. According to Swedish political scientist Ishtiaq Ahmad, a factor in the success of the Indian green revolution was the "Sikh cultivator, often the Jat, whose courage, perseverance, spirit of enterprise and muscle prowess proved crucial". However, not all aspects of the green revolution were beneficial. Indian physicist 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.

Punjabi Sikhs are engaged in a number of professions which include science, engineering and medicine. Notable examples are nuclear scientist Piara Singh Gill (who worked on the Manhattan Project), fibre-optics pioneer Narinder Singh Kapany and physicist, science writer and broadcaster Simon Singh.

In business, the UK-based clothing retailers New Look and the Thai-based Jaspal were founded by Sikhs. India's largest pharmaceutical company, Ranbaxy Laboratories, is headed by Sikhs. UK Sikhs have the highest percentage of home ownership (82 percent) of any religious community. UK Sikhs are the second-wealthiest (after the Jewish community) religious group in the UK, with a median total household wealth of £229,000. In Singapore Kartar Singh Thakral expanded his family's trading business, Thakral Holdings, into total assets of almost $1.4 billion and is Singapore's 25th-richest person. Sikh Bob Singh Dhillon is the first Indo-Canadian billionaire. The Sikh diaspora has been most successful in North America, especially in California’s fertile Central Valley. American Sikh farmers such as Harbhajan Singh Samra and Didar Singh Bains dominate California agriculture, with Samra specialising in okra and Bains in peaches.

Sikh intellectuals, sportsmen and artists include writer Khushwant Singh, England cricketer Monty Panesar, former 400m runner Milkha Singh, Indian wrestler and actor Dara Singh, former Indian hockey team captains Ajitpal Singh and Balbir Singh Sr., former Indian cricket captain Bishen Singh Bedi, Harbhajan Singh (India's most successful off spin cricket bowler), Bollywood actress Neetu Singh, Sunny Leone, actors Parminder Nagra, Neha Dhupia, Gul Panag, Mona Singh, Namrata Singh Gujral, Archie Panjabi and director Gurinder Chadha.

Sikhs have migrated worldwide, with a variety of occupations. The Sikh Gurus preached ethnic and social harmony, and Sikhs comprise a number of ethnic groups. Those with over 1,000 members include the Ahluwalia, Arain, Arora, Bhatra, Bairagi, Bania, Basith, Bawaria, Bazigar, Bhabra, Chamar, Chhimba, Darzi, Dhobi, Gujar, Jatt, Jhinwar, Kahar, Kalal, Kamboj, Khatri, Kumhar, Labana, Lohar, Mahtam, Mazhabi, Megh, Mirasi, Mochi, Nai, Rajput, Ramgarhia, Saini, Sarera, Sikligar, Sunar, Sudh, Tarkhan and Zargar.

An order of Punjabi Sikhs, the Nihang or the Akalis, was formed during Ranjit Singh's time. Under their leader, Akali Phula Singh, they won many battles for the Sikh Confederacy during the early 19th century.

IN THE INDIAN & BRITISH ARMIES

Sikhs supported the British during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. By the beginning of World War I, Sikhs in the British Indian Army totaled over 100,000 (20 percent of the force). Until 1945 fourteen Victoria Crosses were awarded to Sikhs, a per-capita regimental record. In 2002 the names of all Sikh VC and George Cross recipients were inscribed on the monument of the Memorial Gates on Constitution Hill, next to Buckingham Palace. Chanan Singh Dhillon was instrumental in campaigning for the memorial.

During World War I, Sikh battalions fought in Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Gallipoli and France. Six battalions of the Sikh Regiment were raised during World War II, serving in the Second Battle of El Alamein, the Burma and Italian campaigns and in Iraq and receiving 27 battle honours. Around the world, Sikhs are commemorated in Commonwealth cemeteries.

In the last two world wars 83,005 turban wearing Sikh soldiers were killed and 109,045 were wounded. They all died or were wounded for the freedom of Britain and the world, and during shell fire, with no other protection but the turban, the symbol of their faith.

—General Sir Frank Messervy

British people are highly indebted and obliged to Sikhs for a long time. I know that within this century we needed their help twice [in two world wars] and they did help us very well. As a result of their timely help, we are today able to live with honour, dignity, and independence. In the war, they fought and died for us, wearing the turbans.

—Sir Winston Churchill

IN THE WEST

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Sikhs began to emigrate to East Africa, the Far East, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. In 1907 the Khalsa Diwan Society was established in Vancouver, and four years later the first gurdwara was established in London. In 1912 the first gurdwara in the United States was founded in Stockton, California.

Since Sikhs (like Middle Eastern men) wear turbans, some in Western countries have been mistaken for Muslim or Arabic men since the September 11 attacks and the Iraq War. Several days after the 9/11 attacks Sikh Balbir Singh Sodhi was murdered by Frank Roque, who thought Sodhi was connected with al-Qaeda. CNN suggested an increase in hate crimes against Sikh men in the United States and the UK after the 9/11 attacks.

Since Sikhism has never actively sought converts, the Sikhs have remained a relatively homogeneous ethnic group. The Kundalini Yoga-based activities of Harbhajan Singh Yogi in his 3HO (Happy, Healthy, Holy) organisation claim to have inspired a moderate growth in non-Indian adherents of Sikhism. In 1998 an estimated 7,800 3HO Sikhs, known colloquially as ‘gora’ (ਗੋਰਾ) or ‘white’ Sikhs, were mainly centred around Española, New Mexico and Los Angeles, California. Sikhs and the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund overturned a 1925 Oregon law banning the wearing of turbans by teachers and government officials.

In an attempt to foster Sikh leaders in the Western world, youth initiatives by a number of organisations have begun. The Sikh Youth Alliance of North America sponsors an annual Sikh Youth Symposium, a public-speaking and debate competition held in gurdwaras throughout the U.S. and Canada.

ART & CULTURE

Sikh art and culture are nearly synonymous with that of the Punjab, and Sikhs are easily recognised by their distinctive turban (Dastar). The Punjab has been called India’s melting pot, due to the confluence of invading cultures (Greek, Mughal and Persian) from the rivers from which the region gets its name. Sikh culture is therefore a synthesis of cultures. Sikhism has forged a unique architecture, which S. S. Bhatti described as "inspired by Guru Nanak’s creative mysticism" and "is a mute harbinger of holistic humanism based on pragmatic spirituality".

During the Mughal and Afghan 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. With the rise of Ranjit Singh and the Sikh Raj in Lahore and Delhi, there was a change in the landscape of art and culture in the Punjab; Hindus and Sikhs could build decorated shrines without the fear of destruction or looting.

The 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. Sikh architecture is characterised by gilded fluted domes, cupolas, kiosks, stone lanterns, ornate balusters and square roofs. A pinnacle of Sikh style is Harmandir Sahib (also known as the Golden Temple) in Amritsar.

Sikh culture is influenced by militaristic motifs (with the Khanda the most obvious), and most Sikh artifacts - except for the relics of the Gurus - have a military theme. This theme is evident in the Sikh festivals of Hola Mohalla and Vaisakhi, which feature marching and displays of valor.

Although 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 which can be described as "political Sikh" has arisen. The art of diaspora Sikhs like Amarjeet Kaur Nandhra and Amrit and Rabindra Kaur Singh (the "Singh Twins") is influenced by their Sikhism and current affairs in the Punjab.

Bhangra and Giddha are two forms of Punjabi folk dancing which have been adapted and pioneered by Sikhs. Punjabi 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").

PAINTING

Sikh painting is a direct offshoot of the Kangra school of painting. In 1810, Ranjeet Singh (1780–1839) occupied Kangra Fort and appointed Sardar Desa Singh Majithia his governor of the Punjab hills. In 1813 the Sikh army occupied Guler State, and Raja Bhup Singh became a vassal of the Sikhs. With 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.

The Sikh school adapted Kangra painting to Sikh needs and ideals. Its main subjects are the ten Sikh gurus and stories from Guru Nanak's Janamsakhis. The tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, left a deep impression on the followers of the new faith because of his courage and sacrifices. Hunting scenes and portraits are also common in Sikh painting.

WIKIPEDIA

A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism, a monotheistic religion which originated during the 15th century in the Punjab region. The term "Sikh" has its origin in the Sanskrit words शिष्य (śiṣya; disciple, student) or शिक्ष (śikṣa; instruction). A Sikh is a disciple of a guru. According to Article I of the Sikh Rehat Maryada (the Sikh code of conduct), a Sikh is "any human being who faithfully believes in One Immortal Being; ten Gurus, from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh; Guru Granth Sahib; the teachings of the ten Gurus and the baptism bequeathed by the tenth Guru". "Sikh" properly refers to adherents of Sikhism as a religion, not an ethnic group. However, because Sikhs often share strong ethno-religious ties, many countries, such as the U.K., recognize Sikh as a designated ethnicity on their censuses. The American non-profit organization United Sikhs has fought to have Sikh included on the U.S. census as well, arguing that Sikhs "self-identify as an 'ethnic minority'" and believe "that they are more than just a religion".

Male Sikhs usually have "Singh" (Lion), and female Sikhs have "Kaur" (Princess) as their middle or last name. Sikhs who have undergone the khanḍe-kī-pahul (the Sikh initiation ceremony) may also be recognized by the five Ks: uncut hair (kesh); an iron or steel bracelet (kara); a kirpan (a sword tucked into a gatra strap); kachehra, a cotton undergarment, and kanga, a small wooden comb. Baptized male Sikhs must cover their hair with a turban, which is optional for baptized female Sikhs. The greater Punjab region is the historic homeland of the Sikhs, although significant communities exist around the world.

HISTORY

Sikh political history may be said to begin with the death of the fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjan Dev, in 1606. Guru Nanak was a religious leader and social reformer in the 15th-century Punjab. Religious practices were formalized by Guru Gobind Singh on 30 March 1699. Singh baptized five people from a variety of social backgrounds, known as the Panj Piare (the five beloved ones) to form the Khalsa, or collective body of initiated Sikhs. Sikhism has generally had amicable relations with other religions, except for the period of Mughal rule in India (1556–1707). Several Sikh gurus were killed by the Mughals for opposing their persecution of minority religious communities including Sikhs. Sikhs subsequently militarized to oppose Mughal rule. The emergence of the Sikh Confederacy under Ranjit Singh was characterized by religious tolerance and pluralism, with Christians, Muslims and Hindus in positions of power. The confederacy is considered the zenith of political Sikhism, encompassing Kashmir, Ladakh and Peshawar. Hari Singh Nalwa, the commander-in-chief of the Sikh army in the North West Frontier, expanded the confederacy to the Khyber Pass. Its secular administration implemented military, economic and governmental reforms. The months leading up to the partition of India in 1947 were marked by conflict in the Punjab between Sikhs and Muslims. This caused the religious migration of Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus from West Punjab, mirroring a similar religious migration of Punjabi Muslims from East Punjab.

The 1960s saw growing animosity between Sikhs and Hindus in India, with the Sikhs demanding the creation of a Punjab state on a linguistic basis similar to other states in India. This was promised to Sikh leader Master Tara Singh by Jawaharlal Nehru, in return for Sikh political support during negotiations for Indian independence. Although the Sikhs obtained the Punjab, they lost Hindi-speaking areas to Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan. Chandigarh was made a union territory and the capital of Haryana and Punjab on 1 November 1966.

Tensions arose again during the late 1970s, fueled by Sikh claims of discrimination and marginalisation by the Hindu-dominated Indian National Congress party and tactics adopted by the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

According to Katherine Frank, Indira Gandhi's assumption of emergency powers in 1975 resulted in the weakening of the "legitimate and impartial machinery of government", and her increasing "paranoia" about opposing political groups led her to institute a "despotic policy of playing castes, religions and political groups against each other for political advantage". Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale articulated Sikh demands for justice, and this triggered violence in the Punjab. The prime minister's 1984 defeat of Bhindranwale led to an attack on the Golden Temple in Operation Blue Star and to her assassination by her Sikh bodyguards. Gandhi's assassination resulted in an explosion of violence against Sikh communities and the killing of thousands of Sikhs throughout India. Khushwant Singh described the riots as a Sikh pogrom; he "felt like a refugee in my country. In fact, I felt like a Jew in Nazi Germany". Since 1984, relations between Sikhs and Hindus have moved toward a rapprochement aided by economic prosperity. However, a 2002 claim by the Hindu right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) that "Sikhs are Hindus" disturbed Sikh sensibilities. The Khalistan movement campaigns for justice for the victims of the violence, and for the political and economic needs of the Punjab.

In 1996, United Nations Commission on Human Rights Freedom of Religion or Belief Special Rapporteur Abdelfattah Amor (Tunisia, 1993–2004) visited India to report on religious discrimination. The following year Amor concluded, "In India it appears that the situation of the Sikhs in the religious field is satisfactory, but that difficulties are arising in the political (foreign interference, terrorism, etc.), economic (in particular with regard to sharing of water supplies) and even occupational fields. Information received from nongovernment (sic) sources indicates that discrimination does exist in certain sectors of the public administration; examples include the decline in the number of Sikhs in the police force and the military, and the absence of Sikhs in personal bodyguard units since the murder of Indira Gandhi".

Although Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks of the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, they make up 1.87 percent of the Indian population.

During the 1999 Vaisakhi, Sikhs worldwide celebrated the 300th anniversary of the creation of the Khalsa. Canada Post honoured Sikh Canadians with a commemorative stamp in conjunction with the 300th anniversary of Vaisakhi. On April 9, 1999, Indian president K.R. Narayanan issued a stamp commemorating the 300th anniversary of the Khalsa.

DEFINITION

According to Guru Granth Sahib:

One who calls himself 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, the Sikh is to bathe, and cleanse himself in the pool of nectar. Following the Instructions of the Guru, the Sikh is to chant the Name of the Lord, Har. All sins, misdeeds and negativity shall be erased. Then, at the rising of the sun, the Sikh is to sing Gurbani; whether sitting down or standing up, the Sikh is to meditate on the Lord's Name. One who meditates on my Lord, Har, with every breath and every morsel of food – 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.

Simran of the Lord's name is a recurring theme of Guru Granth Sahib, and Sukhmani Sahib were composed to allow a devotee to recite Nam throughout the day. Rising at Amrit Velā (before sunrise) is a common Sikh practice. Sikhism considers the spiritual and secular lives to be intertwined: "In the Sikh Weltanschauung ... the temporal world is part of the Infinite and partakes of its characteristics." According to Guru Nanak, living an "active, creative, and practical life" of "truthfulness, fidelity, self-control and purity" is superior to a purely contemplative life.

FIVE Ks

The five Ks (panj kakaar) are five articles of faith which all baptized Sikhs (Amritdhari Sikhs) are obliged to wear. The symbols represent the ideals of Sikhism: honesty, equality, fidelity, meditating on God and never bowing to tyranny. The five symbols are:

- Kesh: Uncut hair, usually tied and wrapped in a Dastar

- Kanga: A wooden comb, usually worn under a Dastar

- Katchera: Cotton undergarments, historically appropriate in battle due to increased mobility when compared to a dhoti. Worn by both sexes, the katchera is a symbol of chastity.

- Kara: An iron bracelet, a weapon and a symbol of eternity

- Kirpan: An iron dagger in different sizes. In the UK Sikhs can wear a small dagger, but in the Punjab they might wear a traditional curved sword from one to three feet in length.

MUSIC & INSTRUMENTS

The Sikhs have a number of musical instruments: the rebab, dilruba, taus, jori and sarinda. Playing the sarangi was encouraged in Guru Har Gobind. The rubab was first played by Bhai Mardana as he accompanied Guru Nanak on his journeys. The jori and sarinda were designed by Guru Arjan. The taus was made by Guru Hargobind, who supposedly heard a peacock singing and wanted to create an instrument mimicking its sounds (taus is the Persian word for peacock). The dilruba was made by Guru Gobind Singh at the request of his followers, who wanted a smaller instrument than the taus. After Japji Sahib, all of the shabda in the Guru Granth Sahib were composed as ragas. This type of singing is known as Gurmat Sangeet.

When they marched into battle, the Sikhs would play a Ranjit Nagara (victory drum) to boost morale. Nagaras (usually two to three feet in diameter, although some were up to five feet in diameter) are played with two sticks. The beat of the large drums, and the raising of the Nishan Sahib, meant that the singhs were on their way.

DISTRIBUTION

Numbering about 27 million worldwide, Sikhs make up 0.39 percent of the world population; approximately 83 percent live in India. About 76 percent of all Sikhs live in the north Indian State of Punjab, where they form a majority (about two-thirds) of the population. Substantial communities of Sikhs (more than 200,000) live in the Indian states or union territories of Haryana (more than 1.1 million), Rajasthan, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh Assam and Jammu and Kashmir.

Sikh migration from British India began in earnest during the second half of the 19th century, when the British completed their annexation of the Punjab. The British Raj recruited Sikhs for the Indian Civil Service (particularly the British Indian Army), which led to Sikh migration throughout India and the British Empire. During the Raj, semiskilled Sikh artisans were transported from the Punjab to British East Africa to help build railroads. Sikhs emigrated from India and Pakistan after World War II, most going to the United Kingdom but many to North America. Some Sikhs who had settled in eastern Africa were expelled by Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in 1972. Economics is a major factor in Sikh migration, and significant communities exist in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Malaysia, East Africa, Australia and Thailand.

Although 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. Moliner (2006) wrote that as a consequence of Sikh migration to the UK "becom[ing] virtually impossible since the late 1970s", migration patterns evolved to continental Europe. Italy is a rapidly growing destination for Sikh migration, with Reggio Emilia and Vicenza having significant Sikh population clusters. Italian Sikhs are generally involved in agriculture, agricultural processing, the manufacture of machine tools and horticulture.

Primarily for socio-economic reasons, Indian Sikhs have the lowest adjusted growth rate of any major religious group in India, at 16.9 percent per decade (estimated from 1991 to 2001). Johnson and Barrett (2004) estimate that the global Sikh population increases annually by 392,633 (1.7 percent per year, based on 2004 figures); this percentage includes births, deaths and conversions.

REPRESENTATION

Sikhs have been represented in Indian politics by former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh and the deputy chairman of the Indian Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is also a Sikh. Past Sikh politicians in India include former president Giani Zail Singh, Sardar Swaran Singh (India's first foreign minister), Speaker of Parliament Gurdial Singh Dhillon and former Chief Minister of Punjab Pratap Singh Kairon.

Politicians from the Sikh diaspora include the first Asian American member of the United States Congress, Dalip Singh Saund, British MPs Piara Khabra, Parmjit Dhanda and Paul Uppal, the first couple to sit together in a Commonwealth parliament (Gurmant Grewal and Nina Grewal, who requested a Canadian government apology for the Komagata Maru incident), former Canadian Shadow Social Development Minister Ruby Dhalla, Canadian Minister of State for Sport Baljit Singh Gosal and Legislative Assembly of Ontario members Vic Dhillon and Jagmeet Singh. Ujjal Dosanjh was the New Democratic Party Premier of British Columbia from July 2004 to February 2005, and was later a Liberal frontbench MP in Ottawa. In Malaysia, two Sikhs were elected MPs in the 2008 general elections: Karpal Singh (Bukit Gelugor) and his son, Gobind Singh Deo (Puchong). Two Sikhs were elected assemblymen: Jagdeep Singh Deo (Datuk Keramat) and Keshvinder Singh (Malim Nawar).

Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks in the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, while making up 1.87 percent of the Indian population. The Sikh Regiment is one of the most-decorated regiments in the army, with 73 Battle Honours, 14 Victoria Crosses, 21 first-class Indian Orders of Merit (equivalent to the Victoria Cross), 15 Theatre Honours, five COAS Unit Citations, two Param Vir Chakras, 14 Maha Vir Chakras, five Kirti Chakras, 67 Vir Chakras and 1,596 other awards. The highest-ranking general in the history of the Indian Air Force is a Punjabi Sikh, Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh. Plans by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence for a Sikh infantry regiment were scrapped in June 2007.

Historically, most Indians have been farmers and 66 percent of the Indian population are engaged in agriculture. Indian Sikhs are employed in agriculture to a lesser extent; India's 2001 census found 39 percent of the working population of the Punjab employed in this sector. The success of the 1960s Green Revolution, in which India went from "famine to plenty, from humiliation to dignity", was based in the Punjab (which became known as "the breadbasket of India"). The Punjab is the wealthiest Indian state per capita, with the average Punjabi income three times the national average. The Green Revolution centred on Indian farmers adopting more intensive and mechanised agricultural methods, aided by the electrification of the Punjab, cooperative credit, consolidation of small holdings and the existing, British Raj-developed canal system. According to Swedish political scientist Ishtiaq Ahmad, a factor in the success of the Indian green revolution was the "Sikh cultivator, often the Jat, whose courage, perseverance, spirit of enterprise and muscle prowess proved crucial". However, not all aspects of the green revolution were beneficial. Indian physicist 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.

Punjabi Sikhs are engaged in a number of professions which include science, engineering and medicine. Notable examples are nuclear scientist Piara Singh Gill (who worked on the Manhattan Project), fibre-optics pioneer Narinder Singh Kapany and physicist, science writer and broadcaster Simon Singh.

In business, the UK-based clothing retailers New Look and the Thai-based Jaspal were founded by Sikhs. India's largest pharmaceutical company, Ranbaxy Laboratories, is headed by Sikhs. UK Sikhs have the highest percentage of home ownership (82 percent) of any religious community. UK Sikhs are the second-wealthiest (after the Jewish community) religious group in the UK, with a median total household wealth of £229,000. In Singapore Kartar Singh Thakral expanded his family's trading business, Thakral Holdings, into total assets of almost $1.4 billion and is Singapore's 25th-richest person. Sikh Bob Singh Dhillon is the first Indo-Canadian billionaire. The Sikh diaspora has been most successful in North America, especially in California’s fertile Central Valley. American Sikh farmers such as Harbhajan Singh Samra and Didar Singh Bains dominate California agriculture, with Samra specialising in okra and Bains in peaches.

Sikh intellectuals, sportsmen and artists include writer Khushwant Singh, England cricketer Monty Panesar, former 400m runner Milkha Singh, Indian wrestler and actor Dara Singh, former Indian hockey team captains Ajitpal Singh and Balbir Singh Sr., former Indian cricket captain Bishen Singh Bedi, Harbhajan Singh (India's most successful off spin cricket bowler), Bollywood actress Neetu Singh, Sunny Leone, actors Parminder Nagra, Neha Dhupia, Gul Panag, Mona Singh, Namrata Singh Gujral, Archie Panjabi and director Gurinder Chadha.

Sikhs have migrated worldwide, with a variety of occupations. The Sikh Gurus preached ethnic and social harmony, and Sikhs comprise a number of ethnic groups. Those with over 1,000 members include the Ahluwalia, Arain, Arora, Bhatra, Bairagi, Bania, Basith, Bawaria, Bazigar, Bhabra, Chamar, Chhimba, Darzi, Dhobi, Gujar, Jatt, Jhinwar, Kahar, Kalal, Kamboj, Khatri, Kumhar, Labana, Lohar, Mahtam, Mazhabi, Megh, Mirasi, Mochi, Nai, Rajput, Ramgarhia, Saini, Sarera, Sikligar, Sunar, Sudh, Tarkhan and Zargar.

An order of Punjabi Sikhs, the Nihang or the Akalis, was formed during Ranjit Singh's time. Under their leader, Akali Phula Singh, they won many battles for the Sikh Confederacy during the early 19th century.

IN THE INDIAN & BRITISH ARMIES

Sikhs supported the British during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. By the beginning of World War I, Sikhs in the British Indian Army totaled over 100,000 (20 percent of the force). Until 1945 fourteen Victoria Crosses were awarded to Sikhs, a per-capita regimental record. In 2002 the names of all Sikh VC and George Cross recipients were inscribed on the monument of the Memorial Gates on Constitution Hill, next to Buckingham Palace. Chanan Singh Dhillon was instrumental in campaigning for the memorial.

During World War I, Sikh battalions fought in Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Gallipoli and France. Six battalions of the Sikh Regiment were raised during World War II, serving in the Second Battle of El Alamein, the Burma and Italian campaigns and in Iraq and receiving 27 battle honours. Around the world, Sikhs are commemorated in Commonwealth cemeteries.

In the last two world wars 83,005 turban wearing Sikh soldiers were killed and 109,045 were wounded. They all died or were wounded for the freedom of Britain and the world, and during shell fire, with no other protection but the turban, the symbol of their faith.

—General Sir Frank Messervy

British people are highly indebted and obliged to Sikhs for a long time. I know that within this century we needed their help twice [in two world wars] and they did help us very well. As a result of their timely help, we are today able to live with honour, dignity, and independence. In the war, they fought and died for us, wearing the turbans.

—Sir Winston Churchill

IN THE WEST

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Sikhs began to emigrate to East Africa, the Far East, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. In 1907 the Khalsa Diwan Society was established in Vancouver, and four years later the first gurdwara was established in London. In 1912 the first gurdwara in the United States was founded in Stockton, California.

Since Sikhs (like Middle Eastern men) wear turbans, some in Western countries have been mistaken for Muslim or Arabic men since the September 11 attacks and the Iraq War. Several days after the 9/11 attacks Sikh Balbir Singh Sodhi was murdered by Frank Roque, who thought Sodhi was connected with al-Qaeda. CNN suggested an increase in hate crimes against Sikh men in the United States and the UK after the 9/11 attacks.

Since Sikhism has never actively sought converts, the Sikhs have remained a relatively homogeneous ethnic group. The Kundalini Yoga-based activities of Harbhajan Singh Yogi in his 3HO (Happy, Healthy, Holy) organisation claim to have inspired a moderate growth in non-Indian adherents of Sikhism. In 1998 an estimated 7,800 3HO Sikhs, known colloquially as ‘gora’ (ਗੋਰਾ) or ‘white’ Sikhs, were mainly centred around Española, New Mexico and Los Angeles, California. Sikhs and the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund overturned a 1925 Oregon law banning the wearing of turbans by teachers and government officials.

In an attempt to foster Sikh leaders in the Western world, youth initiatives by a number of organisations have begun. The Sikh Youth Alliance of North America sponsors an annual Sikh Youth Symposium, a public-speaking and debate competition held in gurdwaras throughout the U.S. and Canada.

ART & CULTURE

Sikh art and culture are nearly synonymous with that of the Punjab, and Sikhs are easily recognised by their distinctive turban (Dastar). The Punjab has been called India’s melting pot, due to the confluence of invading cultures (Greek, Mughal and Persian) from the rivers from which the region gets its name. Sikh culture is therefore a synthesis of cultures. Sikhism has forged a unique architecture, which S. S. Bhatti described as "inspired by Guru Nanak’s creative mysticism" and "is a mute harbinger of holistic humanism based on pragmatic spirituality".

During the Mughal and Afghan 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. With the rise of Ranjit Singh and the Sikh Raj in Lahore and Delhi, there was a change in the landscape of art and culture in the Punjab; Hindus and Sikhs could build decorated shrines without the fear of destruction or looting.

The 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. Sikh architecture is characterised by gilded fluted domes, cupolas, kiosks, stone lanterns, ornate balusters and square roofs. A pinnacle of Sikh style is Harmandir Sahib (also known as the Golden Temple) in Amritsar.

Sikh culture is influenced by militaristic motifs (with the Khanda the most obvious), and most Sikh artifacts - except for the relics of the Gurus - have a military theme. This theme is evident in the Sikh festivals of Hola Mohalla and Vaisakhi, which feature marching and displays of valor.

Although 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 which can be described as "political Sikh" has arisen. The art of diaspora Sikhs like Amarjeet Kaur Nandhra and Amrit and Rabindra Kaur Singh (the "Singh Twins") is influenced by their Sikhism and current affairs in the Punjab.

Bhangra and Giddha are two forms of Punjabi folk dancing which have been adapted and pioneered by Sikhs. Punjabi 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").

PAINTING

Sikh painting is a direct offshoot of the Kangra school of painting. In 1810, Ranjeet Singh (1780–1839) occupied Kangra Fort and appointed Sardar Desa Singh Majithia his governor of the Punjab hills. In 1813 the Sikh army occupied Guler State, and Raja Bhup Singh became a vassal of the Sikhs. With 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.

The Sikh school adapted Kangra painting to Sikh needs and ideals. Its main subjects are the ten Sikh gurus and stories from Guru Nanak's Janamsakhis. The tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, left a deep impression on the followers of the new faith because of his courage and sacrifices. Hunting scenes and portraits are also common in Sikh painting.

WIKIPEDIA

A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism, a monotheistic religion which originated during the 15th century in the Punjab region. The term "Sikh" has its origin in the Sanskrit words शिष्य (śiṣya; disciple, student) or शिक्ष (śikṣa; instruction). A Sikh is a disciple of a guru. According to Article I of the Sikh Rehat Maryada (the Sikh code of conduct), a Sikh is "any human being who faithfully believes in One Immortal Being; ten Gurus, from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh; Guru Granth Sahib; the teachings of the ten Gurus and the baptism bequeathed by the tenth Guru". "Sikh" properly refers to adherents of Sikhism as a religion, not an ethnic group. However, because Sikhs often share strong ethno-religious ties, many countries, such as the U.K., recognize Sikh as a designated ethnicity on their censuses. The American non-profit organization United Sikhs has fought to have Sikh included on the U.S. census as well, arguing that Sikhs "self-identify as an 'ethnic minority'" and believe "that they are more than just a religion".

Male Sikhs usually have "Singh" (Lion), and female Sikhs have "Kaur" (Princess) as their middle or last name. Sikhs who have undergone the khanḍe-kī-pahul (the Sikh initiation ceremony) may also be recognized by the five Ks: uncut hair (kesh); an iron or steel bracelet (kara); a kirpan (a sword tucked into a gatra strap); kachehra, a cotton undergarment, and kanga, a small wooden comb. Baptized male Sikhs must cover their hair with a turban, which is optional for baptized female Sikhs. The greater Punjab region is the historic homeland of the Sikhs, although significant communities exist around the world.

HISTORY

Sikh political history may be said to begin with the death of the fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjan Dev, in 1606. Guru Nanak was a religious leader and social reformer in the 15th-century Punjab. Religious practices were formalized by Guru Gobind Singh on 30 March 1699. Singh baptized five people from a variety of social backgrounds, known as the Panj Piare (the five beloved ones) to form the Khalsa, or collective body of initiated Sikhs. Sikhism has generally had amicable relations with other religions, except for the period of Mughal rule in India (1556–1707). Several Sikh gurus were killed by the Mughals for opposing their persecution of minority religious communities including Sikhs. Sikhs subsequently militarized to oppose Mughal rule. The emergence of the Sikh Confederacy under Ranjit Singh was characterized by religious tolerance and pluralism, with Christians, Muslims and Hindus in positions of power. The confederacy is considered the zenith of political Sikhism, encompassing Kashmir, Ladakh and Peshawar. Hari Singh Nalwa, the commander-in-chief of the Sikh army in the North West Frontier, expanded the confederacy to the Khyber Pass. Its secular administration implemented military, economic and governmental reforms. The months leading up to the partition of India in 1947 were marked by conflict in the Punjab between Sikhs and Muslims. This caused the religious migration of Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus from West Punjab, mirroring a similar religious migration of Punjabi Muslims from East Punjab.

The 1960s saw growing animosity between Sikhs and Hindus in India, with the Sikhs demanding the creation of a Punjab state on a linguistic basis similar to other states in India. This was promised to Sikh leader Master Tara Singh by Jawaharlal Nehru, in return for Sikh political support during negotiations for Indian independence. Although the Sikhs obtained the Punjab, they lost Hindi-speaking areas to Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan. Chandigarh was made a union territory and the capital of Haryana and Punjab on 1 November 1966.

Tensions arose again during the late 1970s, fueled by Sikh claims of discrimination and marginalisation by the Hindu-dominated Indian National Congress party and tactics adopted by the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

According to Katherine Frank, Indira Gandhi's assumption of emergency powers in 1975 resulted in the weakening of the "legitimate and impartial machinery of government", and her increasing "paranoia" about opposing political groups led her to institute a "despotic policy of playing castes, religions and political groups against each other for political advantage". Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale articulated Sikh demands for justice, and this triggered violence in the Punjab. The prime minister's 1984 defeat of Bhindranwale led to an attack on the Golden Temple in Operation Blue Star and to her assassination by her Sikh bodyguards. Gandhi's assassination resulted in an explosion of violence against Sikh communities and the killing of thousands of Sikhs throughout India. Khushwant Singh described the riots as a Sikh pogrom; he "felt like a refugee in my country. In fact, I felt like a Jew in Nazi Germany". Since 1984, relations between Sikhs and Hindus have moved toward a rapprochement aided by economic prosperity. However, a 2002 claim by the Hindu right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) that "Sikhs are Hindus" disturbed Sikh sensibilities. The Khalistan movement campaigns for justice for the victims of the violence, and for the political and economic needs of the Punjab.

In 1996, United Nations Commission on Human Rights Freedom of Religion or Belief Special Rapporteur Abdelfattah Amor (Tunisia, 1993–2004) visited India to report on religious discrimination. The following year Amor concluded, "In India it appears that the situation of the Sikhs in the religious field is satisfactory, but that difficulties are arising in the political (foreign interference, terrorism, etc.), economic (in particular with regard to sharing of water supplies) and even occupational fields. Information received from nongovernment (sic) sources indicates that discrimination does exist in certain sectors of the public administration; examples include the decline in the number of Sikhs in the police force and the military, and the absence of Sikhs in personal bodyguard units since the murder of Indira Gandhi".

Although Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks of the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, they make up 1.87 percent of the Indian population.

During the 1999 Vaisakhi, Sikhs worldwide celebrated the 300th anniversary of the creation of the Khalsa. Canada Post honoured Sikh Canadians with a commemorative stamp in conjunction with the 300th anniversary of Vaisakhi. On April 9, 1999, Indian president K.R. Narayanan issued a stamp commemorating the 300th anniversary of the Khalsa.

DEFINITION

According to Guru Granth Sahib:

One who calls himself 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, the Sikh is to bathe, and cleanse himself in the pool of nectar. Following the Instructions of the Guru, the Sikh is to chant the Name of the Lord, Har. All sins, misdeeds and negativity shall be erased. Then, at the rising of the sun, the Sikh is to sing Gurbani; whether sitting down or standing up, the Sikh is to meditate on the Lord's Name. One who meditates on my Lord, Har, with every breath and every morsel of food – 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.

Simran of the Lord's name is a recurring theme of Guru Granth Sahib, and Sukhmani Sahib were composed to allow a devotee to recite Nam throughout the day. Rising at Amrit Velā (before sunrise) is a common Sikh practice. Sikhism considers the spiritual and secular lives to be intertwined: "In the Sikh Weltanschauung ... the temporal world is part of the Infinite and partakes of its characteristics." According to Guru Nanak, living an "active, creative, and practical life" of "truthfulness, fidelity, self-control and purity" is superior to a purely contemplative life.

FIVE Ks

The five Ks (panj kakaar) are five articles of faith which all baptized Sikhs (Amritdhari Sikhs) are obliged to wear. The symbols represent the ideals of Sikhism: honesty, equality, fidelity, meditating on God and never bowing to tyranny. The five symbols are:

- Kesh: Uncut hair, usually tied and wrapped in a Dastar

- Kanga: A wooden comb, usually worn under a Dastar

- Katchera: Cotton undergarments, historically appropriate in battle due to increased mobility when compared to a dhoti. Worn by both sexes, the katchera is a symbol of chastity.

- Kara: An iron bracelet, a weapon and a symbol of eternity

- Kirpan: An iron dagger in different sizes. In the UK Sikhs can wear a small dagger, but in the Punjab they might wear a traditional curved sword from one to three feet in length.

MUSIC & INSTRUMENTS

The Sikhs have a number of musical instruments: the rebab, dilruba, taus, jori and sarinda. Playing the sarangi was encouraged in Guru Har Gobind. The rubab was first played by Bhai Mardana as he accompanied Guru Nanak on his journeys. The jori and sarinda were designed by Guru Arjan. The taus was made by Guru Hargobind, who supposedly heard a peacock singing and wanted to create an instrument mimicking its sounds (taus is the Persian word for peacock). The dilruba was made by Guru Gobind Singh at the request of his followers, who wanted a smaller instrument than the taus. After Japji Sahib, all of the shabda in the Guru Granth Sahib were composed as ragas. This type of singing is known as Gurmat Sangeet.

When they marched into battle, the Sikhs would play a Ranjit Nagara (victory drum) to boost morale. Nagaras (usually two to three feet in diameter, although some were up to five feet in diameter) are played with two sticks. The beat of the large drums, and the raising of the Nishan Sahib, meant that the singhs were on their way.

DISTRIBUTION

Numbering about 27 million worldwide, Sikhs make up 0.39 percent of the world population; approximately 83 percent live in India. About 76 percent of all Sikhs live in the north Indian State of Punjab, where they form a majority (about two-thirds) of the population. Substantial communities of Sikhs (more than 200,000) live in the Indian states or union territories of Haryana (more than 1.1 million), Rajasthan, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh Assam and Jammu and Kashmir.

Sikh migration from British India began in earnest during the second half of the 19th century, when the British completed their annexation of the Punjab. The British Raj recruited Sikhs for the Indian Civil Service (particularly the British Indian Army), which led to Sikh migration throughout India and the British Empire. During the Raj, semiskilled Sikh artisans were transported from the Punjab to British East Africa to help build railroads. Sikhs emigrated from India and Pakistan after World War II, most going to the United Kingdom but many to North America. Some Sikhs who had settled in eastern Africa were expelled by Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in 1972. Economics is a major factor in Sikh migration, and significant communities exist in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Malaysia, East Africa, Australia and Thailand.

Although 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. Moliner (2006) wrote that as a consequence of Sikh migration to the UK "becom[ing] virtually impossible since the late 1970s", migration patterns evolved to continental Europe. Italy is a rapidly growing destination for Sikh migration, with Reggio Emilia and Vicenza having significant Sikh population clusters. Italian Sikhs are generally involved in agriculture, agricultural processing, the manufacture of machine tools and horticulture.

Primarily for socio-economic reasons, Indian Sikhs have the lowest adjusted growth rate of any major religious group in India, at 16.9 percent per decade (estimated from 1991 to 2001). Johnson and Barrett (2004) estimate that the global Sikh population increases annually by 392,633 (1.7 percent per year, based on 2004 figures); this percentage includes births, deaths and conversions.

REPRESENTATION

Sikhs have been represented in Indian politics by former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh and the deputy chairman of the Indian Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is also a Sikh. Past Sikh politicians in India include former president Giani Zail Singh, Sardar Swaran Singh (India's first foreign minister), Speaker of Parliament Gurdial Singh Dhillon and former Chief Minister of Punjab Pratap Singh Kairon.

Politicians from the Sikh diaspora include the first Asian American member of the United States Congress, Dalip Singh Saund, British MPs Piara Khabra, Parmjit Dhanda and Paul Uppal, the first couple to sit together in a Commonwealth parliament (Gurmant Grewal and Nina Grewal, who requested a Canadian government apology for the Komagata Maru incident), former Canadian Shadow Social Development Minister Ruby Dhalla, Canadian Minister of State for Sport Baljit Singh Gosal and Legislative Assembly of Ontario members Vic Dhillon and Jagmeet Singh. Ujjal Dosanjh was the New Democratic Party Premier of British Columbia from July 2004 to February 2005, and was later a Liberal frontbench MP in Ottawa. In Malaysia, two Sikhs were elected MPs in the 2008 general elections: Karpal Singh (Bukit Gelugor) and his son, Gobind Singh Deo (Puchong). Two Sikhs were elected assemblymen: Jagdeep Singh Deo (Datuk Keramat) and Keshvinder Singh (Malim Nawar).

Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks in the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, while making up 1.87 percent of the Indian population. The Sikh Regiment is one of the most-decorated regiments in the army, with 73 Battle Honours, 14 Victoria Crosses, 21 first-class Indian Orders of Merit (equivalent to the Victoria Cross), 15 Theatre Honours, five COAS Unit Citations, two Param Vir Chakras, 14 Maha Vir Chakras, five Kirti Chakras, 67 Vir Chakras and 1,596 other awards. The highest-ranking general in the history of the Indian Air Force is a Punjabi Sikh, Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh. Plans by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence for a Sikh infantry regiment were scrapped in June 2007.

Historically, most Indians have been farmers and 66 percent of the Indian population are engaged in agriculture. Indian Sikhs are employed in agriculture to a lesser extent; India's 2001 census found 39 percent of the working population of the Punjab employed in this sector. The success of the 1960s Green Revolution, in which India went from "famine to plenty, from humiliation to dignity", was based in the Punjab (which became known as "the breadbasket of India"). The Punjab is the wealthiest Indian state per capita, with the average Punjabi income three times the national average. The Green Revolution centred on Indian farmers adopting more intensive and mechanised agricultural methods, aided by the electrification of the Punjab, cooperative credit, consolidation of small holdings and the existing, British Raj-developed canal system. According to Swedish political scientist Ishtiaq Ahmad, a factor in the success of the Indian green revolution was the "Sikh cultivator, often the Jat, whose courage, perseverance, spirit of enterprise and muscle prowess proved crucial". However, not all aspects of the green revolution were beneficial. Indian physicist 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.

Punjabi Sikhs are engaged in a number of professions which include science, engineering and medicine. Notable examples are nuclear scientist Piara Singh Gill (who worked on the Manhattan Project), fibre-optics pioneer Narinder Singh Kapany and physicist, science writer and broadcaster Simon Singh.

In business, the UK-based clothing retailers New Look and the Thai-based Jaspal were founded by Sikhs. India's largest pharmaceutical company, Ranbaxy Laboratories, is headed by Sikhs. UK Sikhs have the highest percentage of home ownership (82 percent) of any religious community. UK Sikhs are the second-wealthiest (after the Jewish community) religious group in the UK, with a median total household wealth of £229,000. In Singapore Kartar Singh Thakral expanded his family's trading business, Thakral Holdings, into total assets of almost $1.4 billion and is Singapore's 25th-richest person. Sikh Bob Singh Dhillon is the first Indo-Canadian billionaire. The Sikh diaspora has been most successful in North America, especially in California’s fertile Central Valley. American Sikh farmers such as Harbhajan Singh Samra and Didar Singh Bains dominate California agriculture, with Samra specialising in okra and Bains in peaches.

Sikh intellectuals, sportsmen and artists include writer Khushwant Singh, England cricketer Monty Panesar, former 400m runner Milkha Singh, Indian wrestler and actor Dara Singh, former Indian hockey team captains Ajitpal Singh and Balbir Singh Sr., former Indian cricket captain Bishen Singh Bedi, Harbhajan Singh (India's most successful off spin cricket bowler), Bollywood actress Neetu Singh, Sunny Leone, actors Parminder Nagra, Neha Dhupia, Gul Panag, Mona Singh, Namrata Singh Gujral, Archie Panjabi and director Gurinder Chadha.

Sikhs have migrated worldwide, with a variety of occupations. The Sikh Gurus preached ethnic and social harmony, and Sikhs comprise a number of ethnic groups. Those with over 1,000 members include the Ahluwalia, Arain, Arora, Bhatra, Bairagi, Bania, Basith, Bawaria, Bazigar, Bhabra, Chamar, Chhimba, Darzi, Dhobi, Gujar, Jatt, Jhinwar, Kahar, Kalal, Kamboj, Khatri, Kumhar, Labana, Lohar, Mahtam, Mazhabi, Megh, Mirasi, Mochi, Nai, Rajput, Ramgarhia, Saini, Sarera, Sikligar, Sunar, Sudh, Tarkhan and Zargar.

An order of Punjabi Sikhs, the Nihang or the Akalis, was formed during Ranjit Singh's time. Under their leader, Akali Phula Singh, they won many battles for the Sikh Confederacy during the early 19th century.

IN THE INDIAN & BRITISH ARMIES

Sikhs supported the British during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. By the beginning of World War I, Sikhs in the British Indian Army totaled over 100,000 (20 percent of the force). Until 1945 fourteen Victoria Crosses were awarded to Sikhs, a per-capita regimental record. In 2002 the names of all Sikh VC and George Cross recipients were inscribed on the monument of the Memorial Gates on Constitution Hill, next to Buckingham Palace. Chanan Singh Dhillon was instrumental in campaigning for the memorial.

During World War I, Sikh battalions fought in Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Gallipoli and France. Six battalions of the Sikh Regiment were raised during World War II, serving in the Second Battle of El Alamein, the Burma and Italian campaigns and in Iraq and receiving 27 battle honours. Around the world, Sikhs are commemorated in Commonwealth cemeteries.

In the last two world wars 83,005 turban wearing Sikh soldiers were killed and 109,045 were wounded. They all died or were wounded for the freedom of Britain and the world, and during shell fire, with no other protection but the turban, the symbol of their faith.

—General Sir Frank Messervy

British people are highly indebted and obliged to Sikhs for a long time. I know that within this century we needed their help twice [in two world wars] and they did help us very well. As a result of their timely help, we are today able to live with honour, dignity, and independence. In the war, they fought and died for us, wearing the turbans.

—Sir Winston Churchill

IN THE WEST

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Sikhs began to emigrate to East Africa, the Far East, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. In 1907 the Khalsa Diwan Society was established in Vancouver, and four years later the first gurdwara was established in London. In 1912 the first gurdwara in the United States was founded in Stockton, California.

Since Sikhs (like Middle Eastern men) wear turbans, some in Western countries have been mistaken for Muslim or Arabic men since the September 11 attacks and the Iraq War. Several days after the 9/11 attacks Sikh Balbir Singh Sodhi was murdered by Frank Roque, who thought Sodhi was connected with al-Qaeda. CNN suggested an increase in hate crimes against Sikh men in the United States and the UK after the 9/11 attacks.

Since Sikhism has never actively sought converts, the Sikhs have remained a relatively homogeneous ethnic group. The Kundalini Yoga-based activities of Harbhajan Singh Yogi in his 3HO (Happy, Healthy, Holy) organisation claim to have inspired a moderate growth in non-Indian adherents of Sikhism. In 1998 an estimated 7,800 3HO Sikhs, known colloquially as ‘gora’ (ਗੋਰਾ) or ‘white’ Sikhs, were mainly centred around Española, New Mexico and Los Angeles, California. Sikhs and the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund overturned a 1925 Oregon law banning the wearing of turbans by teachers and government officials.

In an attempt to foster Sikh leaders in the Western world, youth initiatives by a number of organisations have begun. The Sikh Youth Alliance of North America sponsors an annual Sikh Youth Symposium, a public-speaking and debate competition held in gurdwaras throughout the U.S. and Canada.

ART & CULTURE

Sikh art and culture are nearly synonymous with that of the Punjab, and Sikhs are easily recognised by their distinctive turban (Dastar). The Punjab has been called India’s melting pot, due to the confluence of invading cultures (Greek, Mughal and Persian) from the rivers from which the region gets its name. Sikh culture is therefore a synthesis of cultures. Sikhism has forged a unique architecture, which S. S. Bhatti described as "inspired by Guru Nanak’s creative mysticism" and "is a mute harbinger of holistic humanism based on pragmatic spirituality".

During the Mughal and Afghan 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. With the rise of Ranjit Singh and the Sikh Raj in Lahore and Delhi, there was a change in the landscape of art and culture in the Punjab; Hindus and Sikhs could build decorated shrines without the fear of destruction or looting.

The 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. Sikh architecture is characterised by gilded fluted domes, cupolas, kiosks, stone lanterns, ornate balusters and square roofs. A pinnacle of Sikh style is Harmandir Sahib (also known as the Golden Temple) in Amritsar.

Sikh culture is influenced by militaristic motifs (with the Khanda the most obvious), and most Sikh artifacts - except for the relics of the Gurus - have a military theme. This theme is evident in the Sikh festivals of Hola Mohalla and Vaisakhi, which feature marching and displays of valor.

Although 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 which can be described as "political Sikh" has arisen. The art of diaspora Sikhs like Amarjeet Kaur Nandhra and Amrit and Rabindra Kaur Singh (the "Singh Twins") is influenced by their Sikhism and current affairs in the Punjab.

Bhangra and Giddha are two forms of Punjabi folk dancing which have been adapted and pioneered by Sikhs. Punjabi 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").

PAINTING

Sikh painting is a direct offshoot of the Kangra school of painting. In 1810, Ranjeet Singh (1780–1839) occupied Kangra Fort and appointed Sardar Desa Singh Majithia his governor of the Punjab hills. In 1813 the Sikh army occupied Guler State, and Raja Bhup Singh became a vassal of the Sikhs. With 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.

The Sikh school adapted Kangra painting to Sikh needs and ideals. Its main subjects are the ten Sikh gurus and stories from Guru Nanak's Janamsakhis. The tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, left a deep impression on the followers of the new faith because of his courage and sacrifices. Hunting scenes and portraits are also common in Sikh painting.

WIKIPEDIA

A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism, a monotheistic religion which originated during the 15th century in the Punjab region. The term "Sikh" has its origin in the Sanskrit words शिष्य (śiṣya; disciple, student) or शिक्ष (śikṣa; instruction). A Sikh is a disciple of a guru. According to Article I of the Sikh Rehat Maryada (the Sikh code of conduct), a Sikh is "any human being who faithfully believes in One Immortal Being; ten Gurus, from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh; Guru Granth Sahib; the teachings of the ten Gurus and the baptism bequeathed by the tenth Guru". "Sikh" properly refers to adherents of Sikhism as a religion, not an ethnic group. However, because Sikhs often share strong ethno-religious ties, many countries, such as the U.K., recognize Sikh as a designated ethnicity on their censuses. The American non-profit organization United Sikhs has fought to have Sikh included on the U.S. census as well, arguing that Sikhs "self-identify as an 'ethnic minority'" and believe "that they are more than just a religion".

Male Sikhs usually have "Singh" (Lion), and female Sikhs have "Kaur" (Princess) as their middle or last name. Sikhs who have undergone the khanḍe-kī-pahul (the Sikh initiation ceremony) may also be recognized by the five Ks: uncut hair (kesh); an iron or steel bracelet (kara); a kirpan (a sword tucked into a gatra strap); kachehra, a cotton undergarment, and kanga, a small wooden comb. Baptized male Sikhs must cover their hair with a turban, which is optional for baptized female Sikhs. The greater Punjab region is the historic homeland of the Sikhs, although significant communities exist around the world.

HISTORY

Sikh political history may be said to begin with the death of the fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjan Dev, in 1606. Guru Nanak was a religious leader and social reformer in the 15th-century Punjab. Religious practices were formalized by Guru Gobind Singh on 30 March 1699. Singh baptized five people from a variety of social backgrounds, known as the Panj Piare (the five beloved ones) to form the Khalsa, or collective body of initiated Sikhs. Sikhism has generally had amicable relations with other religions, except for the period of Mughal rule in India (1556–1707). Several Sikh gurus were killed by the Mughals for opposing their persecution of minority religious communities including Sikhs. Sikhs subsequently militarized to oppose Mughal rule. The emergence of the Sikh Confederacy under Ranjit Singh was characterized by religious tolerance and pluralism, with Christians, Muslims and Hindus in positions of power. The confederacy is considered the zenith of political Sikhism, encompassing Kashmir, Ladakh and Peshawar. Hari Singh Nalwa, the commander-in-chief of the Sikh army in the North West Frontier, expanded the confederacy to the Khyber Pass. Its secular administration implemented military, economic and governmental reforms. The months leading up to the partition of India in 1947 were marked by conflict in the Punjab between Sikhs and Muslims. This caused the religious migration of Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus from West Punjab, mirroring a similar religious migration of Punjabi Muslims from East Punjab.

The 1960s saw growing animosity between Sikhs and Hindus in India, with the Sikhs demanding the creation of a Punjab state on a linguistic basis similar to other states in India. This was promised to Sikh leader Master Tara Singh by Jawaharlal Nehru, in return for Sikh political support during negotiations for Indian independence. Although the Sikhs obtained the Punjab, they lost Hindi-speaking areas to Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan. Chandigarh was made a union territory and the capital of Haryana and Punjab on 1 November 1966.

Tensions arose again during the late 1970s, fueled by Sikh claims of discrimination and marginalisation by the Hindu-dominated Indian National Congress party and tactics adopted by the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

According to Katherine Frank, Indira Gandhi's assumption of emergency powers in 1975 resulted in the weakening of the "legitimate and impartial machinery of government", and her increasing "paranoia" about opposing political groups led her to institute a "despotic policy of playing castes, religions and political groups against each other for political advantage". Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale articulated Sikh demands for justice, and this triggered violence in the Punjab. The prime minister's 1984 defeat of Bhindranwale led to an attack on the Golden Temple in Operation Blue Star and to her assassination by her Sikh bodyguards. Gandhi's assassination resulted in an explosion of violence against Sikh communities and the killing of thousands of Sikhs throughout India. Khushwant Singh described the riots as a Sikh pogrom; he "felt like a refugee in my country. In fact, I felt like a Jew in Nazi Germany". Since 1984, relations between Sikhs and Hindus have moved toward a rapprochement aided by economic prosperity. However, a 2002 claim by the Hindu right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) that "Sikhs are Hindus" disturbed Sikh sensibilities. The Khalistan movement campaigns for justice for the victims of the violence, and for the political and economic needs of the Punjab.

In 1996, United Nations Commission on Human Rights Freedom of Religion or Belief Special Rapporteur Abdelfattah Amor (Tunisia, 1993–2004) visited India to report on religious discrimination. The following year Amor concluded, "In India it appears that the situation of the Sikhs in the religious field is satisfactory, but that difficulties are arising in the political (foreign interference, terrorism, etc.), economic (in particular with regard to sharing of water supplies) and even occupational fields. Information received from nongovernment (sic) sources indicates that discrimination does exist in certain sectors of the public administration; examples include the decline in the number of Sikhs in the police force and the military, and the absence of Sikhs in personal bodyguard units since the murder of Indira Gandhi".

Although Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks of the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, they make up 1.87 percent of the Indian population.

During the 1999 Vaisakhi, Sikhs worldwide celebrated the 300th anniversary of the creation of the Khalsa. Canada Post honoured Sikh Canadians with a commemorative stamp in conjunction with the 300th anniversary of Vaisakhi. On April 9, 1999, Indian president K.R. Narayanan issued a stamp commemorating the 300th anniversary of the Khalsa.

DEFINITION

According to Guru Granth Sahib:

One who calls himself 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, the Sikh is to bathe, and cleanse himself in the pool of nectar. Following the Instructions of the Guru, the Sikh is to chant the Name of the Lord, Har. All sins, misdeeds and negativity shall be erased. Then, at the rising of the sun, the Sikh is to sing Gurbani; whether sitting down or standing up, the Sikh is to meditate on the Lord's Name. One who meditates on my Lord, Har, with every breath and every morsel of food – 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.

Simran of the Lord's name is a recurring theme of Guru Granth Sahib, and Sukhmani Sahib were composed to allow a devotee to recite Nam throughout the day. Rising at Amrit Velā (before sunrise) is a common Sikh practice. Sikhism considers the spiritual and secular lives to be intertwined: "In the Sikh Weltanschauung ... the temporal world is part of the Infinite and partakes of its characteristics." According to Guru Nanak, living an "active, creative, and practical life" of "truthfulness, fidelity, self-control and purity" is superior to a purely contemplative life.

FIVE Ks

The five Ks (panj kakaar) are five articles of faith which all baptized Sikhs (Amritdhari Sikhs) are obliged to wear. The symbols represent the ideals of Sikhism: honesty, equality, fidelity, meditating on God and never bowing to tyranny. The five symbols are:

- Kesh: Uncut hair, usually tied and wrapped in a Dastar

- Kanga: A wooden comb, usually worn under a Dastar

- Katchera: Cotton undergarments, historically appropriate in battle due to increased mobility when compared to a dhoti. Worn by both sexes, the katchera is a symbol of chastity.

- Kara: An iron bracelet, a weapon and a symbol of eternity

- Kirpan: An iron dagger in different sizes. In the UK Sikhs can wear a small dagger, but in the Punjab they might wear a traditional curved sword from one to three feet in length.

MUSIC & INSTRUMENTS

The Sikhs have a number of musical instruments: the rebab, dilruba, taus, jori and sarinda. Playing the sarangi was encouraged in Guru Har Gobind. The rubab was first played by Bhai Mardana as he accompanied Guru Nanak on his journeys. The jori and sarinda were designed by Guru Arjan. The taus was made by Guru Hargobind, who supposedly heard a peacock singing and wanted to create an instrument mimicking its sounds (taus is the Persian word for peacock). The dilruba was made by Guru Gobind Singh at the request of his followers, who wanted a smaller instrument than the taus. After Japji Sahib, all of the shabda in the Guru Granth Sahib were composed as ragas. This type of singing is known as Gurmat Sangeet.

When they marched into battle, the Sikhs would play a Ranjit Nagara (victory drum) to boost morale. Nagaras (usually two to three feet in diameter, although some were up to five feet in diameter) are played with two sticks. The beat of the large drums, and the raising of the Nishan Sahib, meant that the singhs were on their way.

DISTRIBUTION

Numbering about 27 million worldwide, Sikhs make up 0.39 percent of the world population; approximately 83 percent live in India. About 76 percent of all Sikhs live in the north Indian State of Punjab, where they form a majority (about two-thirds) of the population. Substantial communities of Sikhs (more than 200,000) live in the Indian states or union territories of Haryana (more than 1.1 million), Rajasthan, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh Assam and Jammu and Kashmir.

Sikh migration from British India began in earnest during the second half of the 19th century, when the British completed their annexation of the Punjab. The British Raj recruited Sikhs for the Indian Civil Service (particularly the British Indian Army), which led to Sikh migration throughout India and the British Empire. During the Raj, semiskilled Sikh artisans were transported from the Punjab to British East Africa to help build railroads. Sikhs emigrated from India and Pakistan after World War II, most going to the United Kingdom but many to North America. Some Sikhs who had settled in eastern Africa were expelled by Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in 1972. Economics is a major factor in Sikh migration, and significant communities exist in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Malaysia, East Africa, Australia and Thailand.

Although 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. Moliner (2006) wrote that as a consequence of Sikh migration to the UK "becom[ing] virtually impossible since the late 1970s", migration patterns evolved to continental Europe. Italy is a rapidly growing destination for Sikh migration, with Reggio Emilia and Vicenza having significant Sikh population clusters. Italian Sikhs are generally involved in agriculture, agricultural processing, the manufacture of machine tools and horticulture.

Primarily for socio-economic reasons, Indian Sikhs have the lowest adjusted growth rate of any major religious group in India, at 16.9 percent per decade (estimated from 1991 to 2001). Johnson and Barrett (2004) estimate that the global Sikh population increases annually by 392,633 (1.7 percent per year, based on 2004 figures); this percentage includes births, deaths and conversions.

REPRESENTATION

Sikhs have been represented in Indian politics by former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh and the deputy chairman of the Indian Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is also a Sikh. Past Sikh politicians in India include former president Giani Zail Singh, Sardar Swaran Singh (India's first foreign minister), Speaker of Parliament Gurdial Singh Dhillon and former Chief Minister of Punjab Pratap Singh Kairon.

Politicians from the Sikh diaspora include the first Asian American member of the United States Congress, Dalip Singh Saund, British MPs Piara Khabra, Parmjit Dhanda and Paul Uppal, the first couple to sit together in a Commonwealth parliament (Gurmant Grewal and Nina Grewal, who requested a Canadian government apology for the Komagata Maru incident), former Canadian Shadow Social Development Minister Ruby Dhalla, Canadian Minister of State for Sport Baljit Singh Gosal and Legislative Assembly of Ontario members Vic Dhillon and Jagmeet Singh. Ujjal Dosanjh was the New Democratic Party Premier of British Columbia from July 2004 to February 2005, and was later a Liberal frontbench MP in Ottawa. In Malaysia, two Sikhs were elected MPs in the 2008 general elections: Karpal Singh (Bukit Gelugor) and his son, Gobind Singh Deo (Puchong). Two Sikhs were elected assemblymen: Jagdeep Singh Deo (Datuk Keramat) and Keshvinder Singh (Malim Nawar).

Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks in the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, while making up 1.87 percent of the Indian population. The Sikh Regiment is one of the most-decorated regiments in the army, with 73 Battle Honours, 14 Victoria Crosses, 21 first-class Indian Orders of Merit (equivalent to the Victoria Cross), 15 Theatre Honours, five COAS Unit Citations, two Param Vir Chakras, 14 Maha Vir Chakras, five Kirti Chakras, 67 Vir Chakras and 1,596 other awards. The highest-ranking general in the history of the Indian Air Force is a Punjabi Sikh, Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh. Plans by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence for a Sikh infantry regiment were scrapped in June 2007.

Historically, most Indians have been farmers and 66 percent of the Indian population are engaged in agriculture. Indian Sikhs are employed in agriculture to a lesser extent; India's 2001 census found 39 percent of the working population of the Punjab employed in this sector. The success of the 1960s Green Revolution, in which India went from "famine to plenty, from humiliation to dignity", was based in the Punjab (which became known as "the breadbasket of India"). The Punjab is the wealthiest Indian state per capita, with the average Punjabi income three times the national average. The Green Revolution centred on Indian farmers adopting more intensive and mechanised agricultural methods, aided by the electrification of the Punjab, cooperative credit, consolidation of small holdings and the existing, British Raj-developed canal system. According to Swedish political scientist Ishtiaq Ahmad, a factor in the success of the Indian green revolution was the "Sikh cultivator, often the Jat, whose courage, perseverance, spirit of enterprise and muscle prowess proved crucial". However, not all aspects of the green revolution were beneficial. Indian physicist 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.

Punjabi Sikhs are engaged in a number of professions which include science, engineering and medicine. Notable examples are nuclear scientist Piara Singh Gill (who worked on the Manhattan Project), fibre-optics pioneer Narinder Singh Kapany and physicist, science writer and broadcaster Simon Singh.

In business, the UK-based clothing retailers New Look and the Thai-based Jaspal were founded by Sikhs. India's largest pharmaceutical company, Ranbaxy Laboratories, is headed by Sikhs. UK Sikhs have the highest percentage of home ownership (82 percent) of any religious community. UK Sikhs are the second-wealthiest (after the Jewish community) religious group in the UK, with a median total household wealth of £229,000. In Singapore Kartar Singh Thakral expanded his family's trading business, Thakral Holdings, into total assets of almost $1.4 billion and is Singapore's 25th-richest person. Sikh Bob Singh Dhillon is the first Indo-Canadian billionaire. The Sikh diaspora has been most successful in North America, especially in California’s fertile Central Valley. American Sikh farmers such as Harbhajan Singh Samra and Didar Singh Bains dominate California agriculture, with Samra specialising in okra and Bains in peaches.

Sikh intellectuals, sportsmen and artists include writer Khushwant Singh, England cricketer Monty Panesar, former 400m runner Milkha Singh, Indian wrestler and actor Dara Singh, former Indian hockey team captains Ajitpal Singh and Balbir Singh Sr., former Indian cricket captain Bishen Singh Bedi, Harbhajan Singh (India's most successful off spin cricket bowler), Bollywood actress Neetu Singh, Sunny Leone, actors Parminder Nagra, Neha Dhupia, Gul Panag, Mona Singh, Namrata Singh Gujral, Archie Panjabi and director Gurinder Chadha.

Sikhs have migrated worldwide, with a variety of occupations. The Sikh Gurus preached ethnic and social harmony, and Sikhs comprise a number of ethnic groups. Those with over 1,000 members include the Ahluwalia, Arain, Arora, Bhatra, Bairagi, Bania, Basith, Bawaria, Bazigar, Bhabra, Chamar, Chhimba, Darzi, Dhobi, Gujar, Jatt, Jhinwar, Kahar, Kalal, Kamboj, Khatri, Kumhar, Labana, Lohar, Mahtam, Mazhabi, Megh, Mirasi, Mochi, Nai, Rajput, Ramgarhia, Saini, Sarera, Sikligar, Sunar, Sudh, Tarkhan and Zargar.

An order of Punjabi Sikhs, the Nihang or the Akalis, was formed during Ranjit Singh's time. Under their leader, Akali Phula Singh, they won many battles for the Sikh Confederacy during the early 19th century.

IN THE INDIAN & BRITISH ARMIES

Sikhs supported the British during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. By the beginning of World War I, Sikhs in the British Indian Army totaled over 100,000 (20 percent of the force). Until 1945 fourteen Victoria Crosses were awarded to Sikhs, a per-capita regimental record. In 2002 the names of all Sikh VC and George Cross recipients were inscribed on the monument of the Memorial Gates on Constitution Hill, next to Buckingham Palace. Chanan Singh Dhillon was instrumental in campaigning for the memorial.

During World War I, Sikh battalions fought in Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Gallipoli and France. Six battalions of the Sikh Regiment were raised during World War II, serving in the Second Battle of El Alamein, the Burma and Italian campaigns and in Iraq and receiving 27 battle honours. Around the world, Sikhs are commemorated in Commonwealth cemeteries.

In the last two world wars 83,005 turban wearing Sikh soldiers were killed and 109,045 were wounded. They all died or were wounded for the freedom of Britain and the world, and during shell fire, with no other protection but the turban, the symbol of their faith.

—General Sir Frank Messervy

British people are highly indebted and obliged to Sikhs for a long time. I know that within this century we needed their help twice [in two world wars] and they did help us very well. As a result of their timely help, we are today able to live with honour, dignity, and independence. In the war, they fought and died for us, wearing the turbans.

—Sir Winston Churchill

IN THE WEST

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Sikhs began to emigrate to East Africa, the Far East, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. In 1907 the Khalsa Diwan Society was established in Vancouver, and four years later the first gurdwara was established in London. In 1912 the first gurdwara in the United States was founded in Stockton, California.

Since Sikhs (like Middle Eastern men) wear turbans, some in Western countries have been mistaken for Muslim or Arabic men since the September 11 attacks and the Iraq War. Several days after the 9/11 attacks Sikh Balbir Singh Sodhi was murdered by Frank Roque, who thought Sodhi was connected with al-Qaeda. CNN suggested an increase in hate crimes against Sikh men in the United States and the UK after the 9/11 attacks.

Since Sikhism has never actively sought converts, the Sikhs have remained a relatively homogeneous ethnic group. The Kundalini Yoga-based activities of Harbhajan Singh Yogi in his 3HO (Happy, Healthy, Holy) organisation claim to have inspired a moderate growth in non-Indian adherents of Sikhism. In 1998 an estimated 7,800 3HO Sikhs, known colloquially as ‘gora’ (ਗੋਰਾ) or ‘white’ Sikhs, were mainly centred around Española, New Mexico and Los Angeles, California. Sikhs and the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund overturned a 1925 Oregon law banning the wearing of turbans by teachers and government officials.

In an attempt to foster Sikh leaders in the Western world, youth initiatives by a number of organisations have begun. The Sikh Youth Alliance of North America sponsors an annual Sikh Youth Symposium, a public-speaking and debate competition held in gurdwaras throughout the U.S. and Canada.

ART & CULTURE

Sikh art and culture are nearly synonymous with that of the Punjab, and Sikhs are easily recognised by their distinctive turban (Dastar). The Punjab has been called India’s melting pot, due to the confluence of invading cultures (Greek, Mughal and Persian) from the rivers from which the region gets its name. Sikh culture is therefore a synthesis of cultures. Sikhism has forged a unique architecture, which S. S. Bhatti described as "inspired by Guru Nanak’s creative mysticism" and "is a mute harbinger of holistic humanism based on pragmatic spirituality".

During the Mughal and Afghan 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. With the rise of Ranjit Singh and the Sikh Raj in Lahore and Delhi, there was a change in the landscape of art and culture in the Punjab; Hindus and Sikhs could build decorated shrines without the fear of destruction or looting.

The 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. Sikh architecture is characterised by gilded fluted domes, cupolas, kiosks, stone lanterns, ornate balusters and square roofs. A pinnacle of Sikh style is Harmandir Sahib (also known as the Golden Temple) in Amritsar.

Sikh culture is influenced by militaristic motifs (with the Khanda the most obvious), and most Sikh artifacts - except for the relics of the Gurus - have a military theme. This theme is evident in the Sikh festivals of Hola Mohalla and Vaisakhi, which feature marching and displays of valor.

Although 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 which can be described as "political Sikh" has arisen. The art of diaspora Sikhs like Amarjeet Kaur Nandhra and Amrit and Rabindra Kaur Singh (the "Singh Twins") is influenced by their Sikhism and current affairs in the Punjab.

Bhangra and Giddha are two forms of Punjabi folk dancing which have been adapted and pioneered by Sikhs. Punjabi 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").

PAINTING

Sikh painting is a direct offshoot of the Kangra school of painting. In 1810, Ranjeet Singh (1780–1839) occupied Kangra Fort and appointed Sardar Desa Singh Majithia his governor of the Punjab hills. In 1813 the Sikh army occupied Guler State, and Raja Bhup Singh became a vassal of the Sikhs. With 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.

The Sikh school adapted Kangra painting to Sikh needs and ideals. Its main subjects are the ten Sikh gurus and stories from Guru Nanak's Janamsakhis. The tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, left a deep impression on the followers of the new faith because of his courage and sacrifices. Hunting scenes and portraits are also common in Sikh painting.

WIKIPEDIA

A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism, a monotheistic religion which originated during the 15th century in the Punjab region. The term "Sikh" has its origin in the Sanskrit words शिष्य (śiṣya; disciple, student) or शिक्ष (śikṣa; instruction). A Sikh is a disciple of a guru. According to Article I of the Sikh Rehat Maryada (the Sikh code of conduct), a Sikh is "any human being who faithfully believes in One Immortal Being; ten Gurus, from Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh; Guru Granth Sahib; the teachings of the ten Gurus and the baptism bequeathed by the tenth Guru". "Sikh" properly refers to adherents of Sikhism as a religion, not an ethnic group. However, because Sikhs often share strong ethno-religious ties, many countries, such as the U.K., recognize Sikh as a designated ethnicity on their censuses. The American non-profit organization United Sikhs has fought to have Sikh included on the U.S. census as well, arguing that Sikhs "self-identify as an 'ethnic minority'" and believe "that they are more than just a religion".

Male Sikhs usually have "Singh" (Lion), and female Sikhs have "Kaur" (Princess) as their middle or last name. Sikhs who have undergone the khanḍe-kī-pahul (the Sikh initiation ceremony) may also be recognized by the five Ks: uncut hair (kesh); an iron or steel bracelet (kara); a kirpan (a sword tucked into a gatra strap); kachehra, a cotton undergarment, and kanga, a small wooden comb. Baptized male Sikhs must cover their hair with a turban, which is optional for baptized female Sikhs. The greater Punjab region is the historic homeland of the Sikhs, although significant communities exist around the world.

HISTORY

Sikh political history may be said to begin with the death of the fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjan Dev, in 1606. Guru Nanak was a religious leader and social reformer in the 15th-century Punjab. Religious practices were formalized by Guru Gobind Singh on 30 March 1699. Singh baptized five people from a variety of social backgrounds, known as the Panj Piare (the five beloved ones) to form the Khalsa, or collective body of initiated Sikhs. Sikhism has generally had amicable relations with other religions, except for the period of Mughal rule in India (1556–1707). Several Sikh gurus were killed by the Mughals for opposing their persecution of minority religious communities including Sikhs. Sikhs subsequently militarized to oppose Mughal rule. The emergence of the Sikh Confederacy under Ranjit Singh was characterized by religious tolerance and pluralism, with Christians, Muslims and Hindus in positions of power. The confederacy is considered the zenith of political Sikhism, encompassing Kashmir, Ladakh and Peshawar. Hari Singh Nalwa, the commander-in-chief of the Sikh army in the North West Frontier, expanded the confederacy to the Khyber Pass. Its secular administration implemented military, economic and governmental reforms. The months leading up to the partition of India in 1947 were marked by conflict in the Punjab between Sikhs and Muslims. This caused the religious migration of Punjabi Sikhs and Hindus from West Punjab, mirroring a similar religious migration of Punjabi Muslims from East Punjab.

The 1960s saw growing animosity between Sikhs and Hindus in India, with the Sikhs demanding the creation of a Punjab state on a linguistic basis similar to other states in India. This was promised to Sikh leader Master Tara Singh by Jawaharlal Nehru, in return for Sikh political support during negotiations for Indian independence. Although the Sikhs obtained the Punjab, they lost Hindi-speaking areas to Himachal Pradesh, Haryana and Rajasthan. Chandigarh was made a union territory and the capital of Haryana and Punjab on 1 November 1966.

Tensions arose again during the late 1970s, fueled by Sikh claims of discrimination and marginalisation by the Hindu-dominated Indian National Congress party and tactics adopted by the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

According to Katherine Frank, Indira Gandhi's assumption of emergency powers in 1975 resulted in the weakening of the "legitimate and impartial machinery of government", and her increasing "paranoia" about opposing political groups led her to institute a "despotic policy of playing castes, religions and political groups against each other for political advantage". Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale articulated Sikh demands for justice, and this triggered violence in the Punjab. The prime minister's 1984 defeat of Bhindranwale led to an attack on the Golden Temple in Operation Blue Star and to her assassination by her Sikh bodyguards. Gandhi's assassination resulted in an explosion of violence against Sikh communities and the killing of thousands of Sikhs throughout India. Khushwant Singh described the riots as a Sikh pogrom; he "felt like a refugee in my country. In fact, I felt like a Jew in Nazi Germany". Since 1984, relations between Sikhs and Hindus have moved toward a rapprochement aided by economic prosperity. However, a 2002 claim by the Hindu right-wing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) that "Sikhs are Hindus" disturbed Sikh sensibilities. The Khalistan movement campaigns for justice for the victims of the violence, and for the political and economic needs of the Punjab.

In 1996, United Nations Commission on Human Rights Freedom of Religion or Belief Special Rapporteur Abdelfattah Amor (Tunisia, 1993–2004) visited India to report on religious discrimination. The following year Amor concluded, "In India it appears that the situation of the Sikhs in the religious field is satisfactory, but that difficulties are arising in the political (foreign interference, terrorism, etc.), economic (in particular with regard to sharing of water supplies) and even occupational fields. Information received from nongovernment (sic) sources indicates that discrimination does exist in certain sectors of the public administration; examples include the decline in the number of Sikhs in the police force and the military, and the absence of Sikhs in personal bodyguard units since the murder of Indira Gandhi".

Although Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks of the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, they make up 1.87 percent of the Indian population.

During the 1999 Vaisakhi, Sikhs worldwide celebrated the 300th anniversary of the creation of the Khalsa. Canada Post honoured Sikh Canadians with a commemorative stamp in conjunction with the 300th anniversary of Vaisakhi. On April 9, 1999, Indian president K.R. Narayanan issued a stamp commemorating the 300th anniversary of the Khalsa.

DEFINITION

According to Guru Granth Sahib:

One who calls himself 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, the Sikh is to bathe, and cleanse himself in the pool of nectar. Following the Instructions of the Guru, the Sikh is to chant the Name of the Lord, Har. All sins, misdeeds and negativity shall be erased. Then, at the rising of the sun, the Sikh is to sing Gurbani; whether sitting down or standing up, the Sikh is to meditate on the Lord's Name. One who meditates on my Lord, Har, with every breath and every morsel of food – 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.

Simran of the Lord's name is a recurring theme of Guru Granth Sahib, and Sukhmani Sahib were composed to allow a devotee to recite Nam throughout the day. Rising at Amrit Velā (before sunrise) is a common Sikh practice. Sikhism considers the spiritual and secular lives to be intertwined: "In the Sikh Weltanschauung ... the temporal world is part of the Infinite and partakes of its characteristics." According to Guru Nanak, living an "active, creative, and practical life" of "truthfulness, fidelity, self-control and purity" is superior to a purely contemplative life.

FIVE Ks

The five Ks (panj kakaar) are five articles of faith which all baptized Sikhs (Amritdhari Sikhs) are obliged to wear. The symbols represent the ideals of Sikhism: honesty, equality, fidelity, meditating on God and never bowing to tyranny. The five symbols are:

- Kesh: Uncut hair, usually tied and wrapped in a Dastar

- Kanga: A wooden comb, usually worn under a Dastar

- Katchera: Cotton undergarments, historically appropriate in battle due to increased mobility when compared to a dhoti. Worn by both sexes, the katchera is a symbol of chastity.

- Kara: An iron bracelet, a weapon and a symbol of eternity

- Kirpan: An iron dagger in different sizes. In the UK Sikhs can wear a small dagger, but in the Punjab they might wear a traditional curved sword from one to three feet in length.

MUSIC & INSTRUMENTS

The Sikhs have a number of musical instruments: the rebab, dilruba, taus, jori and sarinda. Playing the sarangi was encouraged in Guru Har Gobind. The rubab was first played by Bhai Mardana as he accompanied Guru Nanak on his journeys. The jori and sarinda were designed by Guru Arjan. The taus was made by Guru Hargobind, who supposedly heard a peacock singing and wanted to create an instrument mimicking its sounds (taus is the Persian word for peacock). The dilruba was made by Guru Gobind Singh at the request of his followers, who wanted a smaller instrument than the taus. After Japji Sahib, all of the shabda in the Guru Granth Sahib were composed as ragas. This type of singing is known as Gurmat Sangeet.

When they marched into battle, the Sikhs would play a Ranjit Nagara (victory drum) to boost morale. Nagaras (usually two to three feet in diameter, although some were up to five feet in diameter) are played with two sticks. The beat of the large drums, and the raising of the Nishan Sahib, meant that the singhs were on their way.

DISTRIBUTION

Numbering about 27 million worldwide, Sikhs make up 0.39 percent of the world population; approximately 83 percent live in India. About 76 percent of all Sikhs live in the north Indian State of Punjab, where they form a majority (about two-thirds) of the population. Substantial communities of Sikhs (more than 200,000) live in the Indian states or union territories of Haryana (more than 1.1 million), Rajasthan, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh Assam and Jammu and Kashmir.

Sikh migration from British India began in earnest during the second half of the 19th century, when the British completed their annexation of the Punjab. The British Raj recruited Sikhs for the Indian Civil Service (particularly the British Indian Army), which led to Sikh migration throughout India and the British Empire. During the Raj, semiskilled Sikh artisans were transported from the Punjab to British East Africa to help build railroads. Sikhs emigrated from India and Pakistan after World War II, most going to the United Kingdom but many to North America. Some Sikhs who had settled in eastern Africa were expelled by Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in 1972. Economics is a major factor in Sikh migration, and significant communities exist in the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Malaysia, East Africa, Australia and Thailand.

Although 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. Moliner (2006) wrote that as a consequence of Sikh migration to the UK "becom[ing] virtually impossible since the late 1970s", migration patterns evolved to continental Europe. Italy is a rapidly growing destination for Sikh migration, with Reggio Emilia and Vicenza having significant Sikh population clusters. Italian Sikhs are generally involved in agriculture, agricultural processing, the manufacture of machine tools and horticulture.

Primarily for socio-economic reasons, Indian Sikhs have the lowest adjusted growth rate of any major religious group in India, at 16.9 percent per decade (estimated from 1991 to 2001). Johnson and Barrett (2004) estimate that the global Sikh population increases annually by 392,633 (1.7 percent per year, based on 2004 figures); this percentage includes births, deaths and conversions.

REPRESENTATION

Sikhs have been represented in Indian politics by former Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh and the deputy chairman of the Indian Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is also a Sikh. Past Sikh politicians in India include former president Giani Zail Singh, Sardar Swaran Singh (India's first foreign minister), Speaker of Parliament Gurdial Singh Dhillon and former Chief Minister of Punjab Pratap Singh Kairon.

Politicians from the Sikh diaspora include the first Asian American member of the United States Congress, Dalip Singh Saund, British MPs Piara Khabra, Parmjit Dhanda and Paul Uppal, the first couple to sit together in a Commonwealth parliament (Gurmant Grewal and Nina Grewal, who requested a Canadian government apology for the Komagata Maru incident), former Canadian Shadow Social Development Minister Ruby Dhalla, Canadian Minister of State for Sport Baljit Singh Gosal and Legislative Assembly of Ontario members Vic Dhillon and Jagmeet Singh. Ujjal Dosanjh was the New Democratic Party Premier of British Columbia from July 2004 to February 2005, and was later a Liberal frontbench MP in Ottawa. In Malaysia, two Sikhs were elected MPs in the 2008 general elections: Karpal Singh (Bukit Gelugor) and his son, Gobind Singh Deo (Puchong). Two Sikhs were elected assemblymen: Jagdeep Singh Deo (Datuk Keramat) and Keshvinder Singh (Malim Nawar).

Sikhs comprise 10 to 15 percent of all ranks in the Indian Army and 20 percent of its officers, while making up 1.87 percent of the Indian population. The Sikh Regiment is one of the most-decorated regiments in the army, with 73 Battle Honours, 14 Victoria Crosses, 21 first-class Indian Orders of Merit (equivalent to the Victoria Cross), 15 Theatre Honours, five COAS Unit Citations, two Param Vir Chakras, 14 Maha Vir Chakras, five Kirti Chakras, 67 Vir Chakras and 1,596 other awards. The highest-ranking general in the history of the Indian Air Force is a Punjabi Sikh, Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh. Plans by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence for a Sikh infantry regiment were scrapped in June 2007.

Historically, most Indians have been farmers and 66 percent of the Indian population are engaged in agriculture. Indian Sikhs are employed in agriculture to a lesser extent; India's 2001 census found 39 percent of the working population of the Punjab employed in this sector. The success of the 1960s Green Revolution, in which India went from "famine to plenty, from humiliation to dignity", was based in the Punjab (which became known as "the breadbasket of India"). The Punjab is the wealthiest Indian state per capita, with the average Punjabi income three times the national average. The Green Revolution centred on Indian farmers adopting more intensive and mechanised agricultural methods, aided by the electrification of the Punjab, cooperative credit, consolidation of small holdings and the existing, British Raj-developed canal system. According to Swedish political scientist Ishtiaq Ahmad, a factor in the success of the Indian green revolution was the "Sikh cultivator, often the Jat, whose courage, perseverance, spirit of enterprise and muscle prowess proved crucial". However, not all aspects of the green revolution were beneficial. Indian physicist 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.

Punjabi Sikhs are engaged in a number of professions which include science, engineering and medicine. Notable examples are nuclear scientist Piara Singh Gill (who worked on the Manhattan Project), fibre-optics pioneer Narinder Singh Kapany and physicist, science writer and broadcaster Simon Singh.

In business, the UK-based clothing retailers New Look and the Thai-based Jaspal were founded by Sikhs. India's largest pharmaceutical company, Ranbaxy Laboratories, is headed by Sikhs. UK Sikhs have the highest percentage of home ownership (82 percent) of any religious community. UK Sikhs are the second-wealthiest (after the Jewish community) religious group in the UK, with a median total household wealth of £229,000. In Singapore Kartar Singh Thakral expanded his family's trading business, Thakral Holdings, into total assets of almost $1.4 billion and is Singapore's 25th-richest person. Sikh Bob Singh Dhillon is the first Indo-Canadian billionaire. The Sikh diaspora has been most successful in North America, especially in California’s fertile Central Valley. American Sikh farmers such as Harbhajan Singh Samra and Didar Singh Bains dominate California agriculture, with Samra specialising in okra and Bains in peaches.

Sikh intellectuals, sportsmen and artists include writer Khushwant Singh, England cricketer Monty Panesar, former 400m runner Milkha Singh, Indian wrestler and actor Dara Singh, former Indian hockey team captains Ajitpal Singh and Balbir Singh Sr., former Indian cricket captain Bishen Singh Bedi, Harbhajan Singh (India's most successful off spin cricket bowler), Bollywood actress Neetu Singh, Sunny Leone, actors Parminder Nagra, Neha Dhupia, Gul Panag, Mona Singh, Namrata Singh Gujral, Archie Panjabi and director Gurinder Chadha.

Sikhs have migrated worldwide, with a variety of occupations. The Sikh Gurus preached ethnic and social harmony, and Sikhs comprise a number of ethnic groups. Those with over 1,000 members include the Ahluwalia, Arain, Arora, Bhatra, Bairagi, Bania, Basith, Bawaria, Bazigar, Bhabra, Chamar, Chhimba, Darzi, Dhobi, Gujar, Jatt, Jhinwar, Kahar, Kalal, Kamboj, Khatri, Kumhar, Labana, Lohar, Mahtam, Mazhabi, Megh, Mirasi, Mochi, Nai, Rajput, Ramgarhia, Saini, Sarera, Sikligar, Sunar, Sudh, Tarkhan and Zargar.

An order of Punjabi Sikhs, the Nihang or the Akalis, was formed during Ranjit Singh's time. Under their leader, Akali Phula Singh, they won many battles for the Sikh Confederacy during the early 19th century.

IN THE INDIAN & BRITISH ARMIES

Sikhs supported the British during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. By the beginning of World War I, Sikhs in the British Indian Army totaled over 100,000 (20 percent of the force). Until 1945 fourteen Victoria Crosses were awarded to Sikhs, a per-capita regimental record. In 2002 the names of all Sikh VC and George Cross recipients were inscribed on the monument of the Memorial Gates on Constitution Hill, next to Buckingham Palace. Chanan Singh Dhillon was instrumental in campaigning for the memorial.

During World War I, Sikh battalions fought in Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Gallipoli and France. Six battalions of the Sikh Regiment were raised during World War II, serving in the Second Battle of El Alamein, the Burma and Italian campaigns and in Iraq and receiving 27 battle honours. Around the world, Sikhs are commemorated in Commonwealth cemeteries.

In the last two world wars 83,005 turban wearing Sikh soldiers were killed and 109,045 were wounded. They all died or were wounded for the freedom of Britain and the world, and during shell fire, with no other protection but the turban, the symbol of their faith.

—General Sir Frank Messervy

British people are highly indebted and obliged to Sikhs for a long time. I know that within this century we needed their help twice [in two world wars] and they did help us very well. As a result of their timely help, we are today able to live with honour, dignity, and independence. In the war, they fought and died for us, wearing the turbans.

—Sir Winston Churchill

IN THE WEST

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Sikhs began to emigrate to East Africa, the Far East, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. In 1907 the Khalsa Diwan Society was established in Vancouver, and four years later the first gurdwara was established in London. In 1912 the first gurdwara in the United States was founded in Stockton, California.

Since Sikhs (like Middle Eastern men) wear turbans, some in Western countries have been mistaken for Muslim or Arabic men since the September 11 attacks and the Iraq War. Several days after the 9/11 attacks Sikh Balbir Singh Sodhi was murdered by Frank Roque, who thought Sodhi was connected with al-Qaeda. CNN suggested an increase in hate crimes against Sikh men in the United States and the UK after the 9/11 attacks.

Since Sikhism has never actively sought converts, the Sikhs have remained a relatively homogeneous ethnic group. The Kundalini Yoga-based activities of Harbhajan Singh Yogi in his 3HO (Happy, Healthy, Holy) organisation claim to have inspired a moderate growth in non-Indian adherents of Sikhism. In 1998 an estimated 7,800 3HO Sikhs, known colloquially as ‘gora’ (ਗੋਰਾ) or ‘white’ Sikhs, were mainly centred around Española, New Mexico and Los Angeles, California. Sikhs and the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund overturned a 1925 Oregon law banning the wearing of turbans by teachers and government officials.

In an attempt to foster Sikh leaders in the Western world, youth initiatives by a number of organisations have begun. The Sikh Youth Alliance of North America sponsors an annual Sikh Youth Symposium, a public-speaking and debate competition held in gurdwaras throughout the U.S. and Canada.

ART & CULTURE

Sikh art and culture are nearly synonymous with that of the Punjab, and Sikhs are easily recognised by their distinctive turban (Dastar). The Punjab has been called India’s melting pot, due to the confluence of invading cultures (Greek, Mughal and Persian) from the rivers from which the region gets its name. Sikh culture is therefore a synthesis of cultures. Sikhism has forged a unique architecture, which S. S. Bhatti described as "inspired by Guru Nanak’s creative mysticism" and "is a mute harbinger of holistic humanism based on pragmatic spirituality".

During the Mughal and Afghan 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. With the rise of Ranjit Singh and the Sikh Raj in Lahore and Delhi, there was a change in the landscape of art and culture in the Punjab; Hindus and Sikhs could build decorated shrines without the fear of destruction or looting.

The 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. Sikh architecture is characterised by gilded fluted domes, cupolas, kiosks, stone lanterns, ornate balusters and square roofs. A pinnacle of Sikh style is Harmandir Sahib (also known as the Golden Temple) in Amritsar.

Sikh culture is influenced by militaristic motifs (with the Khanda the most obvious), and most Sikh artifacts - except for the relics of the Gurus - have a military theme. This theme is evident in the Sikh festivals of Hola Mohalla and Vaisakhi, which feature marching and displays of valor.

Although 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 which can be described as "political Sikh" has arisen. The art of diaspora Sikhs like Amarjeet Kaur Nandhra and Amrit and Rabindra Kaur Singh (the "Singh Twins") is influenced by their Sikhism and current affairs in the Punjab.

Bhangra and Giddha are two forms of Punjabi folk dancing which have been adapted and pioneered by Sikhs. Punjabi 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").

PAINTING

Sikh painting is a direct offshoot of the Kangra school of painting. In 1810, Ranjeet Singh (1780–1839) occupied Kangra Fort and appointed Sardar Desa Singh Majithia his governor of the Punjab hills. In 1813 the Sikh army occupied Guler State, and Raja Bhup Singh became a vassal of the Sikhs. With 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.

The Sikh school adapted Kangra painting to Sikh needs and ideals. Its main subjects are the ten Sikh gurus and stories from Guru Nanak's Janamsakhis. The tenth Guru, Gobind Singh, left a deep impression on the followers of the new faith because of his courage and sacrifices. Hunting scenes and portraits are also common in Sikh painting.

WIKIPEDIA

The Hyderabad Metro is a rapid transit system, serving the city of Hyderabad, Telangana, India. It is in Secant Operational model. It is being implemented entirely on public-private partnership (PPP) basis, with the state government holding a minority equity stake. A 30 km stretch from Miyapur to Nagole, having 24 stations was inaugurated on 28 November 2017 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. No other rapid transit metro service in India opened for public operations on such a long stretch of 30 km. As of October 2018, it is the second longest operational metro network in India after the Delhi Metro, after a 16 km stretch between Ameerpet-LB Nagar Metro route was opened on 24 September 2018. It is estimated to cost ₹18,800 crore (US$2.6 billion). As of October 2018, about 200,000 people use the Metro per day. Trains are now crowded during the morning and evening hours, when employees travel to and from work. A ladies only coach was introduced on all the trains from 7 May 2018.

HISTORY

To respond the rising public transport needs and mitigate escalating vehicular traffic in the twin-cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad, the State Government and the South Central Railway jointly launched the Multi Modal Transport System (MMTS) in [August] 2003. The increase in population of Hyderabad made MMTS alone insufficient for public transport, which led to Union Ministry of Urban Development giving the nod for the Hyderabad Metro Rail Project and directed the DMRC to conduct a survey on the project.[ this project was seen necessary in view that the population of Hyderabad was forecasted to reach 13.6 million by the year 2021. According to the initial plan, the metro was to be connected with the already existing MMTS to provide commuters with alternate modes of transport. Simultaneously, the proposals for taking up the construction of MMTS Phase-II were also taken forward.

On March 26, 2018, Telangana Govt announced that it would set up a SPV "Hyderabad Airport Metro Limited (HAML)", jointly promoted by HMRL and HMDA, to extend the Blue line from Raidurg to Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Shamshabad.

INITIAL BIDDING

The bidding process was completed by July 2008 and awarded to Maytas which failed to achieve financial closure for the project as per schedule By March 2009. In July 2009, the State Government cancelled the contract and called for fresh bids for the project.

RE-BIDDING

In the July-2010 rebidding process, Larsen & Toubro (L&T) emerged as the lowest bidder for the ₹121.32 billion (US$1.7 billion) project. L&T came forward to take up the work for about ₹14.58 billion (US$200 million) as viability gap funding as against the sanctioned ₹48.53 billion (US$680 million).

MASCOT

The mascot of Hyderabad Metro Rail is Niz. It was derived from the word Nizam, who ruled the princely state of Hyderabad.

AWARDS AND NOMINATIONS

HMR project was showcased as one of the top 100 strategic global infrastructure projects at the Global Infrastructure Leadership Forum held in New York during February–March 2013.

L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad Limited (LTMRHL) has been conferred the SAP ACE Award 2015 in the 'Strategic HR and Talent Management category.

In 2018, Rasoolpura, Paradise and Prakash Nagar metro stations were awarded Indian Green Building Council’s (IGBC) Green MRTS Platinum Award.

CONSTRUCTION HISTORY

Groundbreaking (Bhoomi Puja) for the project was conducted on 26 April 2012 the concessionaire started the pillar erection on the same day for Stage-I and on 6 June 2012 for Stage-II. The work for Corridor 2 has been delayed due to traders in Koti and Sultan Bazar demanding realignment of the route to safeguard traders and old age heritage markets. If the recent bill proposed in Parliament which allows construction within a 100 metre radius of heritage structures and sites of historical or archaeological importance is passed, Metro might receive a chance as it helps to connect the Old city with IT corridor.

The construction of the entire 71.16 km has been split into 6 stages with the first stage originally scheduled to be completed by March 2015.

In November 2013, L&T Hyderabad Metro started laying of rails on the metro viaduct between Nagole and Mettuguda, a stretch of 8 km.

The first highly sophisticated train of the Hyderabad Metro Rail (HMR) came from Korea during the third week of May 2014. Stringent trial runs commenced from June 2014 till February 2015. The trial runs started on the Miyapur to Sanjeeva Reddy Nagar stretch in October 2015.

CMRS inspection for Stage-II (Miyapur and S.R.Nagar Section) was done on 9, 10 August 2016. Three interchanges are planned at Mahatma Gandhi Bus Terminus, Parade Grounds and Ameerpet.

The steel bridge of the HMR was successfully placed over the Oliphant bridge in August 2017.

In November 2017, Commissioner of Railway Safety (CMRS) granted safety approval for 12 km stretch from Miyapur to SR Nagar, 10 km stretch from SR Nagar to Mettuguda and 8 km stretch from Nagole to Mettuguda.

Ameerpet-LB Nagar Metro stretch is open for commercial operations from 24 September 2018.

CONSTRUCTION PHASES

The construction work was undertaken in two phases. There are six stages of completion in Phase I

PHASE I

The Phase I of the project includes 3 lines covering a distance of around 72 km. The metro rail stretches between Nagole and Secunderabad 11 km originally scheduled to be operational by December 2015, is now partially operational since 29 November 2017. The entire 72 km 57-station first phase is due to be completed by December 2019 with Hitec City - Raidurg line and MGBS - Falaknuma line is scheduled to be completed by December 2019.

Line 1 - Red Line - Miyapur – L B Nagar - 29.2 km

Line 2 - Green Line - JBS - Falaknuma 15 km

Line 3 - Blue Line - Nagole – Raidurg - 28 km

PHASE II

The Government is planning second phase of metro rail extending further. The construction of Phase II will be taken up solely by the state government, instead of public private partnership (PPP) mode in Phase I. Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) was entrusted to give a detailed project report (DPR) for Phase II. Metro Rail Phase II expansion plan is for about 60 km, which includes providing link to Shamshabad RGI Airport.

LINES

Since the first version of the plans, the three corridors mostly remained the same, but minor changes were introduced. These include the lack of stop at Lalaguda, or a stop at Lakdikapul instead of Secretariat. Also, the lines have been marked with several different combination of color. Ameerpet- LB Nagar metro stretch opened on 24 September 2018. HiTec City to Raidurg, 1.5-kilometre stretch on Corridor Three - Nagole to Raidurg, is scheduled to be completed in November 2019, as it involves construction of 49 pillars and the Raidurg terminal station. Efforts are being made to complete the 8.5-km stretch from Ameerpet to HiTec City by December 2018.

RECEPTION

The Metro has opened to overwhelming response, with over 200,000 people using it on Day 1. On the first Sunday of operations, the Metro was used by 240,000 people.. As of September 2018, the daily ridership was about 2,00,000.

Trains are initially being operated at a frequency of 3.5 minutes in very peak hours and every 6.5 minutes in peak hours (between Miyapur-Ameerpet) and 6.5 minutes in peak hours (between Ameerpet-Nagole),, though maximum achievable frequency is every 90 seconds. Similarly, three-car trains are being used currently, though it is planned to use six-car trains in the future.

In December 2017, Hyderabad Metro Rail launched its mobile app, TSavaari. Hyderabad Metro timings are available on T-Savari app. Ola Cabs and Uber tied up its services with app.

COST

The initial official estimated cost of the 72 km long Metro project stood at ₹14,132 crore (US$2.0 billion). The Central Government decided to bear 10% of it, while L&T was to bear the remaining 90% of the cost. The construction work which was supposed to commence on 3 March 2011 commenced in 2012. In March 2012, the cost of the project was revised upwards to ₹15,957 crore (US$2.2 billion). This has been further revised upwards to ₹18,800 crore (US$2.6 billion) (as of November 2017).

INFRASTRUCTURE

The 71.3 km standard-gauge network will feature ballastless track throughout and will be electrified at 25kV ac 50 Hz. An operations control centre and depot are constructed at Uppal. At some places, a flyover, underpass and metro has been constructed at the same place, as part of Strategic road development plan (SRDP).

CBTC TECHNOLOGY

At the end of 2012, L&T Metro Rail awarded Thales a Rs 7.4bn ($US 134m) contract to provide CBTC and integrated telecommunications and supervision systems on all three lines. Thales will supply its SelTrac CBTC technology, and trains will initially run in automatic train operation mode with minimum headways of 90 seconds, although the system will support eventual migration to unattended train operation (UTO).

ROLLING STOCK

On 12 September 2012, Larsen and Toubro Metro Rail Hyderabad Ltd (LTMRHL) announced that it has awarded tender for supply of rolling stock to Hyundai Rotem. The ₹18 billion (US$250 million) tender is for 57 trains consisting of 171 cars which will be delivered in phases at least 9 months before the commencement of each stage. On 2 October 2013, LTMRHL unveiled its train car for Hyderabad Metro. A model coach which is half the size of the actual coach, was on public display at Necklace Road on the banks of Hussain Sagar in the heart of Hyderabad. The trains will be 3.2m wide and 4m high. There will be 4 doors on each side of each coach.

On 10 April 2014, the first metro train for HMR rolled out of Hyundai Rotem factory at Changwon in South Korea and reached Hyderabad in May 2014. On 31 December 2014, Hyderabad Metro Rail successfully conducted a training run in Automatic Train Operation (ATO) mode for the first time between Nagole and Mettuguda.

TICKETING

The L&T Hyderabad project will have an automated ticketing system with features such as contactless smart card based ticketing, slim automatic gates, payment by cash and credit/debit card, passenger operated ticket vending machine and provision of common ticketing system. It will also have a provision of NFC-based technology to enable usage of mobile phones as fare media and high performance machine to avoid long queues. Samsung Data Systems India, a subsidiary of South Korean firm Samsung, has been awarded the automatic fare collection system package for the L&T metro rail project. The package involves design, manufacture, supply, installation, testing and commissioning of the system.

Official ticket prices were announced on 25 November 2017. The base fare is ₹10 for up to 2 km and going to slap 10 with ₹60 for more than 26 km.

STATIONS

Hyderabad metro will have 64 stations in phase I. They will be provided with amenities such as escalators and elevators to reach the stations, announcement boards, electronic display systems among others for passengers. Commercial will also be provided on stations. Hyderabad metro stations will also have service roads underneath them to provide last mile connectivity by allowing other public transportation systems use it for dropping/picking passengers right in front of the stations and ensure uninterrupted traffic. Currently the service lane works are currently on at Nagole and Uppal stations. The signboards of Hyderabad Metro are displayed in Telugu, English, Hindi and Urdu at metro stations.

Otis Elevator Company of United States won the contract to supply and maintain 670 elevators.

In May 2018, L&T Metro Rail announced that it had signed a contract with Powergrid Corporation of India to install electric vehicle charging facilities at all metro stations beginning with Miyapur and Dr. B R Ambedkar Balanagar stations. L&THMRL has setup free wifi access units for commuters at Miyapur, Ameerpet and Nagole metro stations, in association with ACT Fibernet, as part of a pilot project.

WIKIPEDIA