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
,
20
November
2023

What does "Chardi Kala" mean?

If you want to follow the ideas in the house of Guru Nanak Sahib, then it is Nam; it is identifying with that force, identifying with that One, that produces what? Chardi Kala, which is Rising Power. You rise.

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Tuesday
,
31
October
2023

1984 Genocide: Relentless Pursuit of Justice in Indian Courts

Harinder Singh’s conversation covers a range of themes with Mr. Harvinder Singh Phoolka from Sikh, Panjabi, Indian, and International perspectives.

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Monday
,
23
October
2023

Why does it seem that only men lead Sikh prayer services?

What has happened is there are cultural influences and personal biases; the larger hegemonic culture plays a role. This is not a product of Sikh ethos when women are either not allowed or are not being empowered to take certain leadership positions.

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Monday
,
9
October
2023

What is Nam Simran?

Nam Simran holds significant importance in Sikhi, extending far beyond mere identification with the Divine. ‘Nam’ goes beyond identification, and ‘Simran’ signifies remembrance.

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Friday
,
29
September
2023

Understanding Canada-India Disharmony in the Sikh-Panjab Context

Join Harinder Singh and Jasleen Kaur as they discuss the larger context around the latest events in Canada. What is the background needed to make sense of current events? What does this mean for Sikhs globally?

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Monday
,
25
September
2023

Why do Sikhs recite the same daily prayers?

“The question really is in the spirit form: why do we recite them? Because this is how we learn to relate with IkOankar, the one divine Force, the one All-Pervasive and Creative force..."

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Podcasts

Tuesday
,
18
September
2018

Words of Faith - Sabad

Words of Faith: a new series explaining the recurring words in Guru Granth Sahib Sabad is vast. It is infinite wisdom. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xrdpd9FRRug --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-sikh-cast-sikhri/support

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Tuesday
,
23
October
2018

State of the Panth Report: Gurduara

What’s the relationship between the Gurduara governance and the local sangat worldwide? We traced Gurduara’s history throughout the ages and surveyed the opinions of 1,172 self-identified Sikhs from 22 countries.

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Wednesday
,
6
November
2019

What would Guru Nanak Sahib do in 1984?

What would Guru Nanak Sahib do in 1984? Listen to this discussion between Harinder Singh and the Sikh Cast host, Manpreet Singh.

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Friday
,
14
February
2020

Love in Sikhi

Harinder Singh talks about Valentine's Day, the concept of Love in Sikhi, Martyrdom, the Lovers of Panjab and more.

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Friday
,
27
March
2020

COVID-19, Kabul Attack & The Sikh Response – The Sikh Cast | SikhRI

Harinder Singh discusses how Sikhs need to respond to COVID-19 starting with healthcare in their own home and communities. A deadly attack on Sikhs took place in Afghanistan on 25 Mar 2020. We break down what really happened and how Sikhs can be prepared for the future.

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Friday
,
5
June
2020

1984: The Devoted & The Worldly: Harinder Singh – The Sikh Cast | SikhRI

We're taking an in-depth look at the events of Operation Blue Star in 1984 in Amritsar, Panjab. It's considered the third Ghallughara, or massacre, in Sikh history. The Indian government assaulted the sacred Golden Temple Complex and Akal Takht. In this episode, SikhRI's Senior Fellow on Research and Policy speaks to a live audience to provide clarity and context on the operation and it's legacy on the Sikh community. He answers why the attack happened, it's the historical context and why the memory is kept alive in #Remember1984.

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Articles

Thursday
,
5
January
2012

My Sovereign: Guru Gobind Singh

The Guru (perfection) dwells where the morality-ethics is beyond sins and virtues, deeds are not measured by world standards, thoughts on birth and death are not shadowed, time-movements of previous lives end,...

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Saturday
,
8
December
2012

It is the Season of Lights: Guru Nanak Purab

It was about 5:30 in the evening on Wednesday, the 28th of November, 2012. My wife, Gurpreet Kaur, collected our two kids from the Preschool Place & Kindergarten. Our evening supper ritual was hurried as we had to get our son, Jodha Singh, to his Tai-Kwon-Do class by 6:30.

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Wednesday
,
12
December
2012

Did I Light Up?

Reflections

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Thursday
,
4
July
2013

Re-born in the U.S.A.

It was July 4, 1986. PanAm’s Boeing 747 landed in New York City, connecting me to a flight the same evening to a very rainy Des Moines, Iowa. Thus, my American journey started with a glimpse of Lady Liberty and took me to the warm heartland, where I discovered both freedom and Sikhi. They remain synonymous for me to this day.

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Sunday
,
3
November
2013

The Sikh ‘Game of Thrones’

The true rulers are connected with the Truth. The earth-owners are not rulers for they suffer in other love. Is it worth praising, perishable, momentous reality? Perfection-oriented realizes and becomes the One who is eternal.” – The Fifth Sovereign, Guru Granth Sahib, p. 1088 The Akal Takhat Sahib is the Sikh world’s oldest political throne. Instituted by the Sixth Sovereign and carved by his two entrusted emissaries, “Timeless Throne” emerged as a parallel to the Delhi and Lahore Darbars. It was an implementation of Guru Nanak Sahib’s (the first Sovereign) vision to champion people’s rights over imperial rights with the sword-wisdom. It is also, by many measures, its most successful universally recognized authority.

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Saturday
,
22
February
2014

NarSinghs

The Sidak Retreat, San Antonio, Texas, USA Guru Granth Sahib is replete with references to the mythical tyrant-oppressor Harnakash and his arch-enemy and victim, his own infant son Prahlad.

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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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