Harinder Singh

Senior Fellow, Research & Policy

Harinder Singh is the Senior Fellow at the Sikh Research Institute. He holds a BS in Aerospace Engineering from Wichita State University, an MS in Engineering Management from the University of Kansas, and an MPhil from Punjab University in the linguistics of the Guru Granth Sahib. 

He co-founded the Sikh Research Institute and the Panjab Digital Library, envisioned the Kaur and Singh Academy, and organized the Free Akal Takht campaign.

He appears on radio and television programs and speaks at universities, parliaments, museums, conferences, and civic institutions. He has authored several books and numerous articles integrating the political and the spiritual. He consults on curriculums, exhibitions, and films and is featured in many documentaries on the Sikhs, the Panjab, and South Asian matters.

His current focus is on developing critical thinking for Sikh institutions via the State of the Panth report series and developing open-source decoding of Guru Granth Sahib in contemporary Panjabi and English for a global audience.

He has served on the National Conference on Community and Justice boards, The Fellowship of Activists to Embrace Humanity, The Nanakshahi Trust, among others. He looks for culturally-specific things to experience and a light roast pour-over coffee to sip during travels, reads and binge-watches to stay in touch with what the world is up to, and listens to sabads, poetry, Hir, jazz, and political rap.

Harinder Singh resides with his family in the United States.

Videos

Monday
,
2
June
2014

Mape-Niana: Parenting in Sikhi

On May 3, 2014, a seminar, 'Empowering Sikhi', was held to help educate and inspire youth and adults about different aspects of Sikhi and their lives. SikhRI members Harinder Singh and Kulvir Singh visited Gurdwara Mill Woods in Edmonton, AB, Canada, to conduct this seminar. This video is from the third session of the day. 

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Saturday
,
3
May
2014

Vaisakhi: Panjabi Festival to Sikh Ideals

On May 3, 2014, a seminar, 'Empowering Sikhi', was held to help educate and inspire youth and adults about different aspects of Sikhi and their lives.

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Wednesday
,
24
July
2013

Anti Sikh Programs in India

Two major events took place in India, during 1984 in quick succession within a span of 5 month. The Indian Army attacked Akal Takhat Sahib in June, and an anti-Sikh genocidal campaign was undertaken by the ruling political party with the active support of majority community masses and the State machinery in November same year. The events completely shook the already eroding faith of Sikhs from India system. Many were seen scrambling for explanations in the immediate geo-political context. And the trend continues. The current presentation takes a step back and analyses the event by placing it in the socio-political, religious and ideological context of the Sikh tradition that stretches well beyond contemporary history and shows a how this was not an isolated event. It tries to explore the links behind theo-political status of Akal Takhat Sahib and repeated aggression of the State on it, a visible pattern consistent throughout Sikh history.

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Saturday
,
6
July
2013

Will Spring Come?

Harinder Singh speaks about spring and Hola Mohalla at Bridgewater Gurdwara.

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Sunday
,
30
June
2013

Guru Nanak Sahib Prakash Day

Harinder Singh speaks at the Garden State Sikh Association for Guru Nanak's Gurpurab on the topic "How to Feel Guru Nanak."

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Podcasts

Thursday
,
5
August
2021

The Political-Spiritual Being

Listen as Harinder Singh and Jasleen Kaur explore Miri-Piri from a Gurmat (Guru’s Way) perspective, as inferred from Bani (wisdom), Tavarikh (history), and Rahit (lifestyle). Event moderated by Manvinder Kaur.

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Thursday
,
10
June
2021

1984 Remembrance: The Sikhs and the Indian State

Join Harinder Singh and Manpreet Singh as they discuss 1984 and explore its parallels with human rights movements today. 

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Friday
,
21
May
2021

Sikhs, Statecraft & Civil Society

This conversation touches upon lessons and guidance to the Sikh community on how to pursue advocacy, long-term strategies, and building coalitions via both positive and not so positive case studies from the Afghan-Sikh crisis to the Farmers movement.

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Monday
,
26
April
2021

Sultan-ul-Duniya Wal-Akhirat: The Sovereign of the World and the Hereafter - Harinder Singh & Jasjit Singh | The Sikh Cast | SikhRI

Harinder Singh speaks about the Sikh historical narratives that live in the psyche of the Guru Khalsa Panth, the flag-bearers of the Sikh collective.

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Saturday
,
20
February
2021

Nankana Sahib Massacre

Harinder Singh and Manpreet Singh talk about what happened 100 years ago at Nankana Sahib.

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Friday
,
18
December
2020

#FarmerProtests

Harinder Singh and Manpreet Singh talk about the current farmer protests happening in India and it's impact on the Sikh Diaspora. They talk about langar, Diljit, Modi, social media, what to expect next and much more!    

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Articles

Friday
,
14
January
2022

Dan: Sikhi, Nonprofits & Giving

As the world becomes more interconnected, we understand how some have an abundance of monetary wealth, and others do not, and the more we understand the various needs unaddressed in our backyards and abroad.

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Monday
,
22
November
2021

Sultan-ul Duniya Wal-Akhirat: Guru Teghbahadar Sahib

What is the Guru’s grandeur? Why was the Guru martyred? How did the two contemporary texts document the Guru’s narrative?

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Wednesday
,
21
July
2021

Miri-Piri: The Spiritual-Political Sikh Doctrine

Miri comes from Perso-Arabic “Amir” or “Emir” and signals political power. Piri comes from the Perso-Arabic “Pir” and signals spiritual power. Miri-Piri encapsulates the Political-Spiritual doctrine in Sikhi, rooted in both the worldly and the timeless...

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Sunday
,
14
March
2021

Nanakshahi: Calendar & ‘Era of Nanak the Sovereign’

For the Sikhs globally, 1 Cet 553 is the Nanakshahi new year’s day. Cet or Chet is the month. 553 is the Nanakshahi year. Do you know about Nanakshahi?

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Wednesday
,
10
February
2021

Baj: The Hawk and The Sikhs

This essay locates and contextualizes the hawk in foundational Sikh texts, history, and lifestyle. It also connects how Baj in Khalsa tradition affects the Sikh psyche when the people see it.

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Presenting at Upcoming Events

Sun
,
Jan 12

Guru Nanak's Medicine for Life

Deakin University, Building LC

Join Harinder Singh as he discusses Guru Nanak Dev Ji's Medicine For Life.

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