Jan-March 2006 - Institute of Sikh Studies

ISC : THE VOICE OF THE PANTH5ISC : THE VOICE OF THE PANTH *KHARAK SINGHThe Conclave organised by the Institute of Sikh Studies (IOSS),is a historic event, for it seeks to set up an international organisationwhich will have a profound influence on the course of history, andwill determine to a large extent the future of the Sikh Panth. The ideawas mooted a few years ago, and was unanimously endorsed in theannual IOSS seminar of 2003. Since then, support has come fromseveral quarters, particularly from the youth, women and numerousorganisations engaged in missionary and educational activities. Leadersof political parties have not opposed it. In fact, the late SardarGurcharan Singh Tohra, Panth Rattan, had announced his support inthe 2003 seminar. We are confident that the SGPC, DSGMC, theSAD and other political outfits will also extend their patronage.We have thus reached a stage where it is no longer necessary todiscuss the need for an apex body of the Sikhs. Sikhs have passedthrough a phase of dispersal during the last half century. It wastriggered by the unfortunate Partition of India in 1947, when over 5million Sikhs were forced to leave their hearths and homes in areasthat now form Pakistan, to unknown destinations in the newly-createdIndian Union. Pressures continued, so that a sizeable Sikh populationleft India for better fortunes abroad. As a result, we have a visibleSikh presence in over 100 countries of the world with concentrationsin UK, USA, Canada, the Middle East and South East Asian countriesand Australia. While this development is not unwelcome, it must beunderstood that it would tantamount to a complete disintegration of* Inaugural address delivered by Dr Kharak Singh, Editor, Abstracts of SikhStudies, on 12th-13th November, 2005 (29-30 Katak, 537 Nanakshahi) in theInternational Conclave on International Sikh Confederation at Chandigarh.