MRITSAR - Feb 9, 2016: A high school Sikh student in the US has taken an initiative to document the incidents of bullying of Sikh American children. What's more, based on his life experience he has also suggested some solutions, which could benefit others in the community.
Chairperson of American Sikh Council (ASC) Gulbarg Singh told TOI on Monday that 18-year-old Karavneer Singh, a high school senior at Eastern High School in New Jersy, has come out with a comprehensive book titled 'Bullying of Sikh American Children- Through the eyes of a Sikh American High School student'.
According to reports, a survey in the US in 2014 had found that two third of Sikh children wearing a turban are bullied and often called 'Bin Laden' and couple of video's recorded by victims himself had gone viral on net in the recent past.
He said that the book by Karanveer detailed the background about Sikh religion, the turban and the history of Sikhs in America.
"Sikh-American youth are largely unrepresented and do not seem to have a voice on the national stage or in the media, especially when it comes to bullying," NBC News reported Karanveer as saying, and adding, "I wanted to help in any way I could to alleviate this pain and suffering which children from my faith go through on a daily basis".
"The young author has done an extraordinary job through detailed survey to find the current status of bullying among children in the Sikh American community. He then interviewed several mental health professionals to get practical solutions in order to mitigate bullying," he said.
Gulbarg said that the chronicler not only brought out some rarely discussed topics but also suggested many solutions based on his own personal experiences which could help not just his peers from within the faith community but for all children who were bullied every day in schools across our country.
Meanwhile hailing the efforts of young Sikh boy in taking up the issues of racial attacks on turban wearing Sikhs in the US, Akal Takht jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh said that the community should stand united under the aegis of Akal Takht to initiate worldwide programmes informing about distinct identity of Sikhs, significance of turban in Sikhs' life and how it was different from that worn by Muslims.