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On The ISC Front
We, who attend the ISC office daily, find ourselves tackling more and more problems and issues relating to the uplift of Sikh Society. We are happy to be receiving more and more members who are ready to offer suggestions and also join in to help. This is indeed very encouraging and invigorating.
The progress and forward movement of the members of our Sikh society in the homeland i.e., the Punjab, is our top priority. Supporting our community in the rest of the world is our next priority. Luckily Sikhs abroad are a truly progressive and vigorous society of whom we are more than proud. Where they need our services we shall step forward to render help and assistance. Our top priority remains the uplift of our rural population which, unfortunately, does not enjoy the benefits accruing to our urban society.
On The Education Front
A visit recently by a team of educationists led by Dr Pannu from Sangrur District was an eye opener. The visiting team was keen to establish relations with us so that we jointly uplift and improve the rural education in their areas. Our discussion led us to the subject of scholarships for minorities that the Central Government is so generously offering to the Sikh Community in particular. Lo and behold! They had no knowledge of it and their students had never applied for any of these scholarships. The big lesson is that the ISC team needs to reach all corners of our province to ensure that all our needy rural children apply for and are allotted these scholarships. The members must help us in spreading this message to their districts. Col J S Multani is always willing to help with all information in this regard. E mail us or contact him on his Mobile No 09878116879.
New Coaching Centre
One more Coaching Centre has been established by us at Dosanjh, Talwandi (MOGA) in Guru Nanak Senior Secondary School. This Centre starts with Coaching but the very vigorous Managing Committee headed by Dr. Kuldip Singh Gill plans to start also vocational courses for students who do not wish to go to university. These courses will be employment oriented. A model of this was shown by us to their team at Mohali under our patronage and help. Col Amarjit Singh Ratan heads the Guru Nanak VBT Polytechnic at C-4, Focal Point, Indl. Area, Mohali. Some of the useful ‘one-year-courses’, he conducts include AC Refrigeration, Electrician, Diesel and Petrol Mechanic for boys and Tailoring, Dress Design, and Beauty Care for girls besides many others. These are truly employment oriented and successful students are readily employed by big and small firms.
Guru Nanak Higher Secondary school students indicated their interest to join the Services. We then arranged for a visit by Col Manmohan Singh who is an expert in conducting preparatory Courses for entry to the NDA, and IMA. The visit was successful and Col Manmohan Singh really motivated the class XII students to prepare in earnest. He left a self- explanatory CD containing the detailed syllabus with the school and also offered them vacancies on the next week’s Course organized by him at Jallandher. This was highly appreciated by all.
Turban Issue
We have been frequently reading of instances where Sikhs travelling abroad have been subjected to unreasonable security checks such as removal of even the turban. The ISC HQ has taken up this issue in the past with our Government but the result was not at all satisfactory. Our reasoning in this issue is, that with modern gadgets available in all advanced countries of Europe, USA, and Canada, there is no necessity for the Sikhs to undergo security checks by removing the turban. The recent case in Milan, where S. Amritinder Singh (Coach to ace golfer Jeev Milkha Singh) was insulted twice with in a week, is a case in point. This was done a second time in spite of apology rendered by the Italian Ambassador to India. We, along with IOSS and Kendri Sri Guru Singh Sabha held a press conference and submitted strong petitions to the PM and the president of India by meeting the Advisor and the Governor respectively. We are happy to note that our Foreign Minister took this up seriously during his recent visit to Italy. The Italian Govt. has issued a notification to its security Agencies not to harass Sikhs.
SGPC Elections
In the last meeting of the Executive Committee we decided that, while supporting worthy candidates, the ISC would not dabble in politics by offering an official platform to any particular candidate. We would, however, support such candidates in every way other than directly canvassing in the field.
Stop Press
We have just received good news from our Guru Nanak Coaching Centre at Mukandpur. Three of our students who sat for the Punjab Engineering Colleges Competitive examination have all qualified with good positions. We hope to hear more good news as we contact other students.
Conclusion
Owing to the generous contribution by ISC, IOSS and other devoted Sikh Sangat, we have been able to advance Rupees Seventeen Lakhs for our permanent accommodation. In addition to this, we have opened one more Coaching Centre in Punjab’s Moga Distt. I am sure those who have yet to donate Daswand will now do so to help us expand into all backward rural areas for an Educational uplift.
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