Inspiration  |
| "The Khalsa is a newcomer, fresh from the eternity into the world. The eyes of the Khalsa glow with the vision of the Invisible... When he or she runs, it is in trance. On the bed of thorns, he lies on roses. Outside is immaterial; it is the aim of life that matters... The Khalsa looks at the world from a supreme height, blessing all, helping all, loving all, with his beautiful looks from the inner self of all life." |
| - Professor Puran Singh |
Saanjh Awards Scholarships to Four California Students
Saanjh Sikh Scholarship has announced its 2010 Saanjh Scholars and awarded scholarships to four California high school students entering institutions of higher education. The 2010 scholarship recipients are Amandeep Kaur, Harmanpreet Kaur, Harsimratpal Kaur, and Kamalpreet Sahota.
Amongst over 30 applicants, these 4 students were selected on the merit of their academic and extracurricular achievements as well as their commitment to seva, Sikhi, and personal growth and goals. Kamalpreet Sahota, a first year student at University of California – Davis, said “I am honored to be one of the recipients… I promise I will not disappoint the community’s faith in my success and ambition.”
The Saanjh Sikh Scholarships are one of the projects that came out of Saanjh-The Bay Area Sikh Retreat in August 2009. The project’s mission is to work with parents, students, and community members to encourage higher education for California Sikh students by providing need and merit-based scholarships to selected students entering their initial years of undergraduate studies. Awarding the scholarships to enterprising California Sikh students is a good way to support higher education in our community in an effort to create more human and social capital to address the issues impacting the Sikh Quam.The four Saanjh Sikh Scholarships are named after contemporary Sikh activists. More information about them and the amount of each scholarship can be found below.
Sardarni Balbir Kaur was only 22 years old when she and her 3 year old son were martyred in the first Jatha of the Jaito agitation, an organized and peaceful resistance to the hegemony of the British in 1924. ***Awarded to 1 high school senior entering a 4-year university in Fall 2010. ($2,000 Scholarship)
Sardar Kartar Singh Sarabha an alumni of UC Berkeley, was a leading Sikh-Indian revolutionary during India’s bid for independence. He supported his education at Berkeley by picking fruit in orchards, and during his time in California, became the editor of the Ghadar newspaper and a leading Ghadarite.. ***Awarded to 1 high school senior entering a 4-year university in Fall 2010. ($2,000 Scholarship)
Sardarni Kishan Kaur was an undercover spy and nurse during the Jaito resistance. Disguised as a lady of the Hindu trading association, she collected intelligence about government’s plans and preparations for the Jaito jathas. She was later arrested, prosecuted, and sentenced to 4 years of rigorous imprisonment for nursing the wounded in the Jaito massacres. ***Awarded to 1 high school senior entering a community college in Fall 2010. ($1,000 Scholarship)
Sardar Ditt Singh was an eminent member of the Singh Sabha movement, was a powerful speaker and writer. He helped found Khalsa College, authoring many of the first textbooks, and served as the editor of Khalsa Akhbar. He penned over 40 books and pamphlets on Sikh theology and current issues and was a powerful comparative religious debater. ***Awarded to 1 community college student transferring to a 4-year university in Fall 2010. ($1,000 Scholarship) - Source: The Langar Hall
The Saanjh Sikh retreat is held annually in the San Francisco Bay Area, where college students and young professionals come together to learn and discuss Sikhi and contemporary Sikh issues. This year’s retreat will be from October 7-10, in Santa Cruz, CA. During last year’s Saanjh retreat, a group of 10 university students joined hands in hopes of using education as a means of uplifting the community. The Saanjh Sikh Scholarship focuses on providing scholarships to underprivileged, high achieving students pursuing higher education in California.
Amritpan Kaur, a current student at UC Berkeley and one of the Saanjh Scholarship Sevadars said, “Our applicant pool indicates a clear and desperate need for educational funding support and scholarships for the California Sikh community. It took a lot of effort for the Saanjh Scholarship team to gather donations to make this project feasible but it was well worth the effort.”
The Saanjh Sikh Scholarship committee thanks all supporters and donors who helped make this initiative a success. $6,000 of scholarship money is being awarded this year. The hope is that, with the community’s continuing support, Saanjh Sikh Scholarship will be able to lay a strong foundation for the next generation and inspire students to excel in their studies and give back to the community upon graduation. As Professor Puran Singh says: “The Khalsa looks at the world from a supreme height, blessing all, helping all, loving all, with [the Khalsa’s] beautiful looks from the inner self of all life."
The sevadaars are now planning for next year’s scholarships. All donations are tax deductible. Please go to www.saanjh.org for more details.
Saanjh Scholarship Sevadars
[email protected]
(909) 257 - SIKH