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
October
2025

What is the Sikh stance on idol worship?

Idol worship is practiced in many traditions around the world. In Sikhi, however, the Divine is infinite and cannot be confined to any shape or form.

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Monday
,
6
October
2025

Is the Amrit Ceremony essential for Sikhs?

In the Sikh tradition, the Amrit Ceremony is the initiation into the Khalsa, a path of full declaration to the Divine and service to humanity.

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Monday
,
29
September
2025

What is the purpose of the Gurduara?

A Gurduara is a Sikh place of both worship and learning, originally called Dharamsal, serving as a sanctuary rooted in principles of equality and care.

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Monday
,
15
September
2025

Why did most of the Gurus establish new cities?

The vision was far more about action. Guru Nanak saw that while many kings, sovereigns, and emperors spoke of equality, respect and dignity, their policies didn’t reflect those principles.

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Friday
,
12
September
2025

Witness to Truth & Martyrdom

Join Harinder Singh and Jasleen Kaur as they reflect on the life and legacy of Jaswant Singh Khalra, popular narratives around him, and the lesser-known facts about his work.

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Monday
,
1
September
2025

What role does free will play in Sikhi?

In Sikhi, free will exists within a larger Divine framework. Imagine a picture frame: you choose what to place inside but cannot change the frame itself. You don’t get to change cosmic laws or physical laws.

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Podcasts

Tuesday
,
21
November
2023

What does "Chardi Kala" mean?

Delve into the profound essence of "Chardi Kala" in this enlightening podcast episode. Discover how embracing Nam and forging a connection with a potent force converge to bring forth the manifestation of Chardi Kala—Rising Power.

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Friday
,
10
November
2023

1984 Genocide: Relentless Pursuit of Justice in Indian Courts

It has been 39 years since the 1984 Sikh Genocide orchestrated by the Indian government. Why is the legal course of action still necessary? What outcomes have been achieved so far, and what else is being pursued?

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Tuesday
,
24
October
2023

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

In Sikhi (commonly known as Sikhism), women's fundamental equality exists in both private and public spheres and within personal and corporate relationships. Women possess the freedom to lead in any capacity without predefined roles.

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Tuesday
,
10
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
,
6
October
2023

Understanding Canada-India Disharmony in the Sikh-Panjab Context

Listen as Harinder Singh and Jasleen Kaur discuss the larger context around the latest events in Canada. 

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Tuesday
,
26
September
2023

Why do Sikhs recite the same daily prayers?

“…it really has nothing to do with whether it is less or more. It has everything to do with that these are the aspirations of the community. When we come together as a community, we do a minimum of these recitations.

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Articles

Monday
,
25
February
2019

Wake Up

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Tuesday
,
16
April
2019

What happened at Kartarpur Sahib?

I have a morning ritual: I drop my daughter to her school, turn on NPR (National Public Radio in America), and listen to it for about 7 minutes, return home, to make sure that my son catches his school bus.

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Tuesday
,
7
May
2019

The Khalsa Raj – Banda, Battles & Body Politic

The Khalsa Raj – Banda, Battles & Body Politic. The journey of Baba Banda Singh Bahudar from getting hand selected by Guru Gobind Singh Ji to establishing the Empire- told by Harinder Singh

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Saturday
,
28
March
2020

Sikh-Afghans

In 1521, Guru Nanak Sahib witnessed the terrible suffering of people at Saidpur (Eminabad), The Panjab. The Guru documents who to question while accepting the Command of the Creative and Pervasive 1Force:

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Monday
,
30
March
2020

Guru Harikrishan Sahib: Benevolent Wisdom-Child

An attempt to locate the Eighth Sovereign in the line of ten founder Gurus in Sikhi. Guru Nanak Sahib’s 1Force-1Ness paradigm continued in Nanak VIII’s political-spiritual realm as depicted in the Sikh writings.

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Monday
,
15
June
2020

Raj Karega Khalsa: The Khalsa & The Rule

Raj Karega Khalsa – what does this really mean? Why has it been part of so many controversies? In order to answer this, we must know its origin. Who wrote it? When was it written? What’s the context of it?

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Presenting at Upcoming Events

Sat
,
Nov 22

Wisdom, Courage & Sovereignty - Fundraiser

Grand Taj Banquet Hall

Experience an afternoon of inspiring stories, meaningful conversation, and a collective vision for a brighter future. Together, let’s build a lasting impact.

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