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

Thursday
,
8
October
2020

How should one think of polygamy in a Sikhi framework?

Jasleen Kaur and Harinder Singh discuss polygamy and the Sikhi framework from the State of the Panth report.

watch now ⟶
Tuesday
,
6
October
2020

Why was sexuality an important topic to cover?

Jasleen Kaur talks about why we chose to talk about sexuality for the state of the Panth report.

watch now ⟶
Saturday
,
3
October
2020

Sikhi & Sexuality Webinar

Watch the entire thought provoking conversation with Harinder Singh and Jasleen Kaur as they try to understand and explain sexuality in the context of a Sikh worldview.

watch now ⟶
Monday
,
14
September
2020

Surinder Singh Jodhka's Final Thoughts - Giani Dit Singh & Caste Dynamics

Surinder Singh Jodhka is Professor of Sociology at the Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. He researches on different dimensions of social inequalities – old and new – and the processes of their reproduction.

watch now ⟶
Wednesday
,
19
August
2020

Kapur Singh vs Jodh Singh

This clip is from our webinar "Raj Karega Khalsa: The Khalsa & The Rule" which discusses the clash between Kapur Singh and Jodh Singh. 

watch now ⟶
Monday
,
10
August
2020

"Is Khalistan the same Raj we are talking about?"

Harinder Singh, “Those who are working on the Khalistan issue need to articulate the movement as to what it is...With a clear and unified understanding, the movement could offer more answers as a result.

watch now ⟶

Podcasts

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.

watch now ⟶
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.

watch now ⟶
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

watch now ⟶
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.

watch now ⟶
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.

watch now ⟶
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 ⟶

Articles

Tuesday
,
31
December
2024

Ghallugharas & Raj

This essay explores the origin of Ghallughara. Why were they orchestrated, and who enacted them? How are they intrinsically linked to the Raj?

This is some text inside of a div block.
Read more ⟶
Friday
,
15
November
2024

Gur Purab: Celebrating the 1’s Greatness of Guru Nanak Sahib

This essay attempts to answer a few questions related to Guru Nanak Sahib’s birth anniversary from primary and secondary sources, as well as the early traditions and the evolving culture to date. What does Purab mean?

This is some text inside of a div block.
Read more ⟶
Wednesday
,
21
August
2024

Caste & Race

This report aims to understand and explore caste and race within a Sikh worldview, the complexities of their intertwined developments, and the varied responses to practices and structures of casteism and racism from dominant and marginalized groups.

This is some text inside of a div block.
Read more ⟶
Tuesday
,
25
April
2023

Women & Gender in Sikhi

Women’s issues and the issues of gender as it applies to all gender identities are being grappled with globally. These issues have existed throughout history, and as time goes on, they change shape.

This is some text inside of a div block.
Read more ⟶
Wednesday
,
29
March
2023

Pain, Rulers & Love

At all times, especially amid chaos, crisis, and warfare, the ten founder Guru Sahibs — Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind Singh — reminded the seekers and the Sikhs to invoke the living remembrance of the 1 for calm and clarity.

This is some text inside of a div block.
Read more ⟶
Tuesday
,
14
March
2023

Sabad Hajare Patisahi 10 - Sabad 10: 1’s Identification  

In the tenth composition of the “Sabad Hajare Patisahi 10” (popularly Shabad Hazare Patshahi 10) series, Guru Gobind Singh Sahib declares that identifying with the attributes and existence of the 1 eliminates fear.

This is some text inside of a div block.
Read more ⟶

Presenting at Upcoming Events

Sun
,
Jun 8

June: Shahadats from 1606 to 1984

Illinois Sikh Community Center, Wheaton Gurdwara

Shahadats in Sikh History: Harinder Singh will explore martyrdoms from 1606 to 1984, delving into the causes behind them and how they are commemorated.

Learn More ⟶
Sun
,
Jun 8

Guru Granth Sahib: Making the Wisdom Accessible

Illinois Sikh Community Center, Wheaton Gurdwara

Join Harinder Singh and Prof. Mohanbir Singh Sawhney for an enriching presentation and Q&A in Chicago.

Learn More ⟶
Sat
,
Jul 12

Vanjara: From Worldly Trader to Spiritual Seeker

Khalsa School, Glen Rock Gurudwara

This presentation explores Guru Ramdas Sahib’s Vanjara, situating it within its cultural framework and lived experience. We will reflect on the composition's foundational themes and their relevance to our daily...

Learn More ⟶