Sim to join EcoSikh’s fund-raising dinner in Washington

Tribune News Service

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Amritsar, June 20

The NBA’s first player of Indian and Sikh descent, Gursimran “Sim” Singh Bhullar, will be joining US-based environmental group EcoSikh’s fund raising celebrations in Washington DC on June 21.

EcoSikh is a six-year-old Sikh organisation, which is working on environmental issues facing Punjab and the world, with a particular focus on combating climate change on behalf of the Sikhs. Bhullar, who exploded on the national sports scene as the first NBA basketball player of Indian origin, traces his roots to Punjab, where his parents are originally from. Canada-born Bhullar decided to pursue a career in basketball after years of playing the sport in school, and watching his idol Vince Carter of the Toronto Raptors. His efforts paid off, and in 2014 he joined the Sacramento Kings for that year’s NBA Summer League and later signed with the team.

Sim Bhullar, while releasing his video urging people to join the EcoSikh benefit dinner event, said, “I am glad to align myself with this cause. Punjab, Canada, USA and other parts of the world are facing many environmental challenges and I will like to send a message that it is the young people who are going to face problems in the future. We don’t want to inherit an Earth, which is unlivable, unsafe for children and future generations. So my message is — get involved and do something.”

EcoSikh president, Dr Rajwant Singh, said, “Bhullar joins EcoSikh in an effort to help the earth at a time when environment issues are at the forefront of the American and Indian psyche. Punjab and other parts of the world, including California, is facing severe environmental issues like groundwater depletion, saturation of land with chemicals, fertilisers and water becoming totally unsafe for drinking. EcoSikh has raised awareness about such issues in the past. Truly, there is no better spokesperson to raise awareness about environmental problems in South Asia and North America than Bhullar, whose celebrity straddles both Indian and Western culture. His message will surely go unmissed.”

EcoSikh’s benefit dinner is an annual fundraising event that engages the Sikh community to commit to support environmental preservation and combating climate change. Most recently, EcoSikh has been focused on Amritsar. Under EcoAmritsar initiative, a major drive has been launched to engage residents and stakeholders of the city to join a movement to work on the critical issues of pollution, water shortage, energy and green cover depletion facing the sacred city.