 Press Release: August 31. 2016 |
| INTRODUCTION Date: August 31.2016 Place: Columbia Club. 121 Monument Circle. Indianapolis. IN 46204 SikhsPAC is a newly formed nonpartisan political action committee devoted to supporting Sikh and Sikh-minded candidates for local, state and national office. It is the first Sikh oriented political action committee in American politics. On August 31. SikhsPAC chairman Gurinder Singh Khalsa hosted SikhsPAC’s Inaugural Leadership Luncheon and Press Conference, an event introducing the organization to members of the media and candidates from both major parties. The group has already obtained nearly $500,000 in commitments from Indiana's Sikh community towards the 2016 general election. $5,000,000 in additional commitments are expected by the next election cycle. Selfless service to community and nation are core values of Sikh culture. SikhsPAC exists to enable that service through contributions to Sikh-minded candidates at all levels of government and support for education programing aimed at exploring Sikh's uniquely American history. About 200 members of the local Sikh community were in attendance along with gubernatorial candidates of both the parties. Eric Holcomb and John Gregg. Mayors from several communities including Joe Hogsett of Indianapolis were also in attendance. Candidates of Attorney General and Superintendent of Education from both Democrats and Republican parties of Indiana attended the event along with the party chairs of Democrats and Republican. For more information, contact Ben Skirvin at 317-922-6865. |
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What can SikhsPAC do for you? SikhsPAC is an informational resource available on numerous topics related to the Sikh community in Indiana and across the United States. SikhsPAC chairman Gurinder “Khalsa" Singh is an authority on Sikh political engagement and has previously been involved in a number of high profile efforts to address discrimination and violence against Sikhs in America. Sikh tradition respects equality of all faiths and creeds and Sikhs are often well situated to field questions regarding interfaith relations. Khalsa is a regular speaker on this subject and has addressed numerous organizations regarding interfaith efforts around the nation including the US Senate and the US Conference of Mayors. SikhsPAC's Agenda
For more information, visit our website at www.sikhsPAC.com or |
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| (Pictures above) John Gregg, Democrats candidate for governor, for Indiana state of USA and the other, Lt Governor of Indiana is Republican candidate for governor for Indiana. |
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BIO
In attendance at the inaugural SikhsPAC event, he brought together Indiana governor candidates Eric Holcomb (Republican) and John Gregg (Democrat). Also in attendance were both candidates for Indiana attorney general and superintendent of education. Indianapolis mayor Joe Hogsett also attended. “When I look ahead to the next ten years, I see India-Indiana economic development as a logical next step for the state.” said Holcomb, who spoke mostly on future business relations. "I will pass hate crime legislation in Indiana,” promised Gregg, who spoke on a variety of topics from economic development to racially motivated crimes against Sikhs in Indiana. Hogsett is not currently running for office. However, he pointed to epidemic crime and poverty issues plaguing Indianapolis and called for Sikhs to continue supporting efforts to address these issues. Khalsa was born in 1973 in a Adhoi in the Ambala district in the state of Haryana about 100 miles north of New Delhi. His parents relocated to the area after surviving an arduous and involuntary-journey out of the newly formed state of Pakistan. An estimated 14 million people were displaced during these migrations and as many as 2 million Sikhs, Hindus and Muslims were killed as a result of religious violence during this tense period. Khalsa’s family survived the relocation process and eventually obtained a small parcel of farmland in the Punjab region. His parents were small farmers who worked continuously to provide a better life for their children, working many extra hours to ensure Khalsa and his siblings would have the opportunity to receive a quality education. Khalsa moved to the United States in 1996 after writing four research papers which were presented in the conference of the US Department of Interior on geopolitics and environmental policy. This included extensive research on boundary disputes between Pakistan and India as well as environmental degradation in the Himalayas due to extensive deforestation by gross human negligence. Khalsa holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s degree in geography from the University of Punjab. He also completed an advanced business finance program at the University of California, Berkeley in 1998. Prior to moving to Indiana in 2008. Khalsa spent five years in the real estate, insurance and finance sectors in California. After purchasing his first business over a decade ago, he found a love for commercial real estate development, brokerage and investment. Since 2003, Khalsa has worked tirelessly to develop a chain of businesses throughout California, Nevada and Indiana “I’ve known him for 20 years,” said longtime friend April Alexander, "He's a natural born leader. When we first met, I was a little intimidated. I couldn’t believe how tenacious he was. He will be on the cover of Time magazine someday.” His first foray into politics followed shortly after the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001. when he organized a series of meetings with lawmakers in California to address the issue of misguided violence against the Sikh community. "The first victim of racial violence after 9-11 was a Sikh. That’s something very personal for me,” Khalsa said. “I want to see an end to this type of violence. Nobody in America should face persecution because of their faith or appearance.” he points to spiritual leaders like Mother Theresa and Martin Luther King as the inspiration behind SikhsPAC. But, there is also a personal story behind the group’s formation. In 2007. a TSA agent in Buffalo, N.Y. refused to allow Khalsa on an airplane unless he removed his turban. This was a clear violation of Sikh religious practice. Khalsa refused and took the issue before Congress, where he successfully lobbied for changes to the TSA headwear policy. Because of this effort, Sikhs are now allowed to wear their turbans through airport security. Khalsa is a regular speaker at national conferences on politics, interfaith relations and financial success. He has appeared before the US Conference of Mayors, the US Senate, the National Sikh Committee and numerous college lectures on geopolitics and religious diversity. He currently supports three scholarship funds dedicated to his father, who died in a tragic motorcycle accident. SikhsPAC is devoted to three major platforms in Indiana politics. SikhsPAC wants to see Sikh history taught in all public high schools in Indiana. SikhsPAC also wants to raise awareness of Sikh culture and identity statewide. Finally, SikhsPAC wants to address ongoing violence against Sikhs as a result of mistaken identity. Moving into the future, SikhsPAC will be working to form additional political action committees in each state and a single national PAC which will work directly with politicians in Washington D.C. The group will also be funding seminars for and providing resources to members of the Sikh community interested in learning how to run for public office. The group currently has more than $500,000 in pledges for this election cycle. Five million in additional pledges have already been made for next election cycle in four years. |
