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
,
26
August
2019

#nanakshahi550 - Do you want to join Guru Nanak Sahib's revolution?

Harinder Singh responds to the question of why one would want to join Guru Nanak's revolution. This video series attempts to shatter the prevailing image of Guru Nanak Sahib as a peaceful saint.

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Tuesday
,
18
September
2018

Sabad is Infinite Wisdom – Words of Faith

Sabad is vast. It is infinite wisdom. 

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Tuesday
,
11
September
2018

What is a Guru? – Words of Faith

Is Guru perfection? Words of Faith: a new series explaining the recurring words in Guru Granth Sahib. Don't forget to Like, Share and Comment!!! Learn More: http://www.sikhri.org/

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Tuesday
,
4
September
2018

Nam is the Culture of Sikhs – Words of Faith

Words of Faith: a new series explaining the recurring words in Guru Granth Sahib.

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Tuesday
,
28
August
2018

Facts about "HAR" – Words of Faith

Did you know that "Har" is the most used word in Guru Granth Sahib. Words of Faith: a new series explaining the recurring words in Guru Granth Sahib. Don't forget to Like, Share and Comment!!! Learn More: http://www.sikhri.org/

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Monday
,
27
August
2018

Ik Oankar Explained – Words of Faith

IkOankar (1Force, The One, Divine, Creator) is Guru Nanak Sahib’s offering to humanity, and the opening of the Guru Granth Sahib. 

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Podcasts

Tuesday
,
9
June
2020

A Black Lives Matter Conversation — The Sikh Cast | SikhRI

The Sikh Cast is taking a close look at the Black Lives Matter Movement (BLM). The United States is in a moment of turmoil following the death of Minnesota resident George Floyd, leading to an outpouring of protests across the country. Manpreet Singh holds a spirited conversation with special guests Corey Winchester, Harinder Singh, SikhRI’s Senior Fellow on Research and Policy and, Asha Marie Kaur SikhRI’s Researcher on what the BLM movement means in education, policy and much more. Corey Winchester is a public educator in Evanston, Illinois with an MEd in Cultural and Educational Policy Studies. You can watch his TED talk on education and identity here: https://bit.ly/2MLToE8

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Friday
,
12
June
2020

Black Lives Matter & Sikhi: Harinder Singh – The Sikh Cast | SikhRI

The Sikh Cast Host has a one on one dialogue with Harinder Singh on how the Guru would deal with the Black Lives Matter Movement. They ask how can Sikhs around the world go beyond the protest and how do we explore it from the Sikhi lens.

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Tuesday
,
30
June
2020

Raj Karega Khalsa: The Khalsa & The Rule (ft. Harinder Singh) - The Sikh Cast | SikhRI

This episode of The Sikh Cast is from a live webinar recorded on June 29th, 2020. It features Senior Fellow Harinder Singh and The Sikh Cast host Manpreet Jassal, together they discuss the controversial sikh motto "Raj Karega Khalsa." They get into its usage from the 1700's to a modern context, discussing the how and the what of its meaning.

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Friday
,
21
August
2020

The Sikhs and The Panjab

73 years ago, two nation-states were carved by the British mapmaking: Hindustan and Pakistan. The historical Sikh Homeland in The Panjab was divided by the Radcliffe line. In now truncated Indian Panjab, a proportion of the Sikhs led many campaigns to fight for economic, political, state, human, and religious rights. What’s next to secure the Sikh aspirations and the Panjab’s autonomy?

watch now ⟶
,

The Sikhs and The Panjab

73 years ago, two nation-states were carved by the British mapmaking: Hindustan and Pakistan. The historical Sikh Homeland in The Panjab was divided by the Radcliffe line. In now truncated Indian Panjab, a proportion of the Sikhs led many campaigns to fight for economic, political, state, human, and religious rights. What’s next to secure the Sikh aspirations and the Panjab’s autonomy?

watch now ⟶
,

Miri-Piri: The Political and Spiritual Paradigm

The principle of Miri-Piri is often encapsulated with the two crossed swords in today's Sikh consciousness, one representing the political spirit of the Sikhs and the other representing the spiritual.

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Articles

Wednesday
,
24
August
2011

Faith as an Engine of Criminal Justice Reform

With all attention currently on the debt ceiling in the US, the faith community is calling on leadership to save money through addressing the wasteful costs of incarcerating 2.3 million Americans.

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Monday
,
9
November
2020

Allama Iqbal and The Sikhs

Understanding Dr. Iqbal’s perspectives on Guru Nanak Sahib and the Khalsa, his interactions with Sirdar Kapur Singh and his favorite compositions from the Guru Granth Sahib.

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Monday
,
29
May
2017

Guru Arjan Sahib: The Sovereign-Martyr

Guru Arjan Sahib was martyred as per the orders of Emperor Jahangir on 30 May 1606.

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Friday
,
16
June
2017

June 1984 Ghallughara

The June 1984 army action on the Golden Temple complex – Sri Harimandar Sahib and Akal Takht Sahib – was a tipping point in the Sikh and Indian history 33 years ago.

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Wednesday
,
9
September
2020

Sikhi & Sexuality

Sexuality is a confusing and often avoided topic. It is generally relegated to being a "private" matter, and therefore not openly discussed or engaged with, even within close circles and small communities.

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Thursday
,
7
November
2019

Sikhi & Abortion

Abortion as defined by the the Oxford dictionary is a “deliberate termination of a human pregnancy, most often performed during the first 28 weeks of pregnancy.” Abortions have long been performed and long been the subject of considerable debate.

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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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