January 09, 2015: In a world racked by hate a Somerset village and the UK Sikh community have become a beacon of hope.
When Burrowbridge was inundated by floods, Ravinder Singh and his British-based charity Khalsa Aid came to the rescue, and now Burrowbridge is to consider twinning with Mr Singh's home village in India.
The proposition will be on the agenda when the parish council meets in the village's Coronation Hall next Tuesday.
Mr Singh, known as Ravi, has been given a 'Sikh of the Year' award in the Punjab, and Burrowbridge pub landlord Jim Winkworth, his new friend, has been made an honorary Sikh. Mr Singh and an army of fellow Sikhs arrived at Burrowbridge last February, when record-breaking floods had turned the Somerset Levels into an inland sea.
Mr Singh, of Slough, is chief executive officer of Khalsa Aid, which he founded 15 years ago on Sikh principles of selflessness and universal love. It has provided assistance to victims of disasters and wars around the world.
Before setting off for Burrowbridge Mr Singh contacted Mr Winkworth, at the King Alfred inn, to check what the village needed. Mr Winkworth asked for hand sanitisers. Over the following days members of Khalsa Aid distributed bottled water, food, warm clothing and antiseptic fluid. They also helped people move furniture and fill sandbags.
"These are our countrymen, who are in dire need," was Mr Singh's simple explanation for their actions and the villagers took the helpers to their hearts.
Mr Winkworth nominated Mr Singh to be a guest on ITV's Surprise Surprise last month, and tricked his friend into attending the show. Days later the pair flew to India to visit Mr Singh's birth village, of Mundian Jattan in the Punjab, and the Golden Temple, the main place of pilgrimage for Sikhs.
While there Mr Singh was named 'Sikh of the Year' at the Media Punjab TV Fateh Academy Sikh Awards, for safeguarding human rights and reaching out to those afflicted by natural and politically motivated catastrophes. Mr Winkworth was made an honorary Sikh.
"I was very honoured," said Mr Winkworth yesterday. "Ravi is such a good fellow. We went and spent some time in his home village. It was quite an eye-opener. There was great poverty, and open sewers. I'm hoping that Burrowbridge will twin with Ravi's village, and we can raise money to help them."
Sikhs worldwide have taken to social networking website Facebook to express approval at the announcement of Mr Singh's award. Surjit Sekhon wrote: "Sow a single seed of goodness and reap a harvest. Well done lads."
Mr Singh has previously written: "The journey for myself and Jim Winkworth began during the floods relief in Somerset earlier this year and has now taken Jim to the most beautiful and spiritual place in the Sikh world. In a world full of hate the UK Sikh community and Somerset community have become a beacon of hope and friendship."