Delegates from UK for promotion of Sikhism

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, February 16

Dr Opinderjit Kaur Takhar, Director, The University of Wolverhampton, Centre for Sikh and Panjabi Studies and Course Leader in Religious Studies in the School of Humanities, is on a visit to Punjab to meet members and chairman of the SGPC to encourage Interfaith dialogue.

An internationally-recognised researcher in Sikhism, she said; “Britain has one of the largest Sikh population and a bulk of that is concentrated in a region called the west Midlands. University of Wolverhampton, located right in the centre of this region, has started the Centre of Sikh and Panjabi Studies.”

Prof Geoff Layer, Vice-Chancellor of the university, said: “It’s truly a first of its kind project that the university has undertaken. It will complete its first year in March, and we already have five doctoral students. My vision for this centre is to make it into a significant research centre of international repute, as well as making inroads into the local Sikh and non-Sikh population and encouraging interfaith dialogue.”

“ I also see this project helping strengthen Anglo-Sikh and Anglo-Indian relations,” he added.

He said: His own personal interaction with the local Sikh community in Wolverhampton has significantly changed, for the better, after the opening of the Centre.”

Prof Geoff Layer and Dr Opinderjit Kaur, the Director of the Centre, said: They have already held meetings with the SGPC president Gobind Singh Longowal and academicians and Vice-Chancellors of various universities.”

“As the presence of Sikhs all over the face of the globe grows, there are new challenges on the horizon, such as informing the world about Sikh identity and grappling with the age-old question of what is the definition of a Sikh,” they added.

There are multiple chairs across North American universities, where research is being carried out on Sikhism and Opinderjit feels there is significant scholarship to look up to, such as the work of Prof Gurinder Maan at the University of California or Harjot Oberoi, whose path-breaking work ‘Construction of Religious Boundaries’ among many others is a good indication of the growing academic interest in the field of Sikh studies.

“We are starting with translating all traditional scriptures. Although there have been translations done earlier by different scholars, we feel that the gist of the ‘Gurbani’ needs to be interpreted and it requires a much more comprehensive translation, rather than just a literal one, “ said Dr Opinderjit, who herself holds a PhD in Sikh Studies and is the brain behind the idea of the Centre for Sikh and Panjabi Studies.