Jan 20, 2011: 
On Tuesday January 18th 2011, Sikhs participated and blessed the opening of a number of government bodies.
In New York City, SS Satkirin Kaur Khalsa was invited to do an Ardas as an invocation to bless the opening of the New York City Council monthly meeting at NYC City Hall, representing Sikh Dharma New York.
Tuesday afternoon, January 18th, the New Mexico Sikh Community hosted its 17th annual New Mexico Legislative Luncheon to thank and honor the dedicated public servants of New Mexico for their hard work and service.
The tradition of the Annual Luncheon began in 1995 through the inspiration of Siri Singh Sahib Bhai Sahib Harbhajan Singh Khalsa Yogiji, also known as Yogi Bhajan, who hosted it every year until his passing in 2004. Senator Udall saluted the late Siri Singh Sahib as a friend as he spoke to more than 100 luncheon attendees enjoying a great meal at Nirendra Singh Klotky's India Palace Restaurant, a short distance from the Legislature's venue. Guests included United States Senator from New Mexico Tom Udall, NM Attorney General Gary King, state Cabinet Secretaries: Health - Dr. Catherine Torres, Transportation -Alvin Dominguez, and Transportation - Ed Burckle, State Land Commissioner Ray Powell, Santa Fe Mayor David Coss, Santa Fe County Commissioners Jason Marks, Danny Mayfield, and Theresa Becenti-Aguilar, former US Congressman to New Mexico and US Secretary of the Interior Manuel Lujan, former Governor Jerry Apodaca, and many dignitaries of the NM Judiciary, and state, county, and city governments.
Siri Sikdar Sahiba of Sikh Dharma Worldwide, Sardarni Guru Amrit Kaur Khalsa and MSS Daya Singh Khalsa, President of Akal Security, were included in rostrum introductions by Lieutenant Governor John Sanchez at the Legislative Opening at the Round House prior to newly elected Governor Susana Martinez's State of the State address to a joint session of the House and Senate launching the state Legislature's Annual Session earlier in the afternoon.
The Governor's Prayer Breakfast was held early Thursday morning at the Santa Fe Convention Center. Sikh Community representatives in attendance were Siri Sikdar Sahiba Ji, MSS Daya Singh & SS Sat Nirmal Kaur Khalsa, MSS Hari Jiwan Singh & SS Satbachan Kaur Khalsa, SS Mukta Kaur Khalsa, Siri Hari Kaur Khalsa, SS SatSundri Kaur Khalsa, Siri Atma Singh Khalsa, all from the NM Sikh Community, and Dr. Guru Karam Kaur of Spain.
Siri Singh Sahib Ji traveled to the West in the late 1960's, sharing the teachings of Kundalini Yoga and helping to establish the practice of Sikh Dharma throughout the Western Hemisphere. He eventually settled in northern New Mexico's city of Espanola, which became the world-wide headquarters for the 3HO Foundation and Sikh Dharma. He befriended Governors and public officials of the state over his 35 years there, as well as many public officials in the national capitol of Washington, DC. Local Highway 106 near his home, in Espanola, was renamed in his honor, Yogi Bhajan Highway, by then Governor Richardson in 2005, and he was honored by a Joint resolution of the US Congress, only bestowed previously upon Mother Theresa, Martin Luther King, and Pope John Paul II, for his life and work, in the same year.
Photos (starting from top to bottom):
* SS Satjirin Kaur Khalsa giving the invocation at the NYC City Council Session;
* New Mexico Attorney General Gary King, former US Congressman to New Mexico and US Secretary of the Interior Manuel Lujan, Santa Fe County Commissioner Jason Marks and others enjoy lunch with SS Satbachan Kaur Khalsa and SS Dr. Shanti Shanti Kaur Khalsa, director of the Guru Ram Das Center for Medicine & Humanology, at the Sikh Community 17th Annual Legislative Opening Luncheon;
* Siri Sikdar Sahiba of Sikh Dharma Worldwide, Sardarni Guru Amrit Kaur Khalsa and MSS Daya Singh Khalsa, President of Akal Security, were included in rostrum at the New Mexico Legislative Opening during new Governor Susana Martinez's State of the State address.
* Siri Singh Sahib Bhai Sahib Harbhajan Singh Khalsa Yogiji