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

Tuesday
,
3
December
2024

Sikhi & History: Bhai Vir Singh's Perspectives

Join Harinder Singh at Bhai Vir Singh Sahitya Sadan, Delhi, as he explores Bhai Vir Singh's unique framing of Sikh history on 25 September 2024.

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Monday
,
2
December
2024

The Eternal Spirit of Giving

Join Harinder Singh as he delves into The Eternal Spirit of Giving, exploring timeless wisdom from the Guru Granth Sahib. This talk invites reflection on the essence of giving—not just as a responsibility but as a journey towards grace and connection.

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Thursday
,
14
November
2024

Key Challenges & Advice for the Sikh Community’s Future

As individual achievements within the Sikh community continue to rise, a new challenge emerges: prosperity often brings caution, with people becoming more reluctant to take risks when there’s more at stake.

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Wednesday
,
13
November
2024

Diaspora's Role in Justice for 1984 & Speaking on Panjab's Future

What role should the Sikh diaspora play in seeking justice for 1984 and discussing sovereignty and Khalistan, especially from a place of relative safety?

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Tuesday
,
12
November
2024

Youth Activism & Misrepresentation: Sikhs, Sovereignty, and Media Narratives

Violence in modern forms, like drone warfare, has become normalized, making it difficult for communities visibly associated with arms—such as Sikhs—to be understood within their cultural and historical context.

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Monday
,
11
November
2024

Navigating Identity, Justice, and Safety: A Message to Sikh Youth

In recent years, Sikh youth in the diaspora have taken up advocacy, challenging narratives and seeking justice despite fears of backlash. How can they navigate the tension between family commitments, safety, and the drive for community empowerment?

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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

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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