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
,
12
August
2021

Sidh Gosti - Introduction

“Sidh Gosti: Learning through Dialogue” is a 5-day Sidak online course that explores the Bani of Guru Nanak Sahib. Enhance your relationship with IkOankar, engage in critical conversations about issues affecting Sikh families and the Panth, and develop opinions on non-Sikh topics supported by a Gurmat framework.

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Thursday
,
22
July
2021

The Political-Spiritual Being

Watch Harinder Singh, Manvinder Kaur and Jasleen Kaur as they try to understand Miri-Piri from a Gurmat (Guru’s Way) perspective, as inferred from Bani (wisdom), Tavarikh (history), and Rahit (lifestyle).

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Thursday
,
3
June
2021

1984 Remembrance: The Sikhs and the Indian State

Why is Remembrance necessary? Harinder Singh and Manpreet Singh talk about 1984 and parallels with human rights movements today.

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Tuesday
,
1
June
2021

Guru in Sikhi: Up Close & Personal

This Sidak event provides participants aged 18-40 a 4-hr glimpse into the 2-week Sidak summer leadership program. The prospective Sidakers will get a chance to preview learning and sharing via the curated content and the inspired facilitators.

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Tuesday
,
1
June
2021

Session 2: Connecting Through Sabad

Session 2 - Connecting Through Sabad: Diveesh Singh, Jasleen Kaur, Kiran Kaur, and Satprit Kaur share transcreating techniques with the participants to strengthen their connection with Guru through Sabad.

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Tuesday
,
1
June
2021

1984: Ghallughara and I

Harinder Singh dives into the events of June and November 1984, the myths and realities of the attacks, their importance in a Sikh context, and a vision for the future that is rooted in progress and justice.

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Podcasts

Tuesday
,
14
February
2023

Sabad Hajare Patisahi 10 - Sabad 06: Beloved Friend

In this seventh podcast, Harinder Singh and Jasleen Kaur discuss the popularly known composition uttered by Guru Gobind Singh Sahib in the forests of Machhiwara in late December.

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Tuesday
,
7
February
2023

Sabad Hajare Patisahi 10 - Sabad 05: Creator Ruler

In this sixth podcast, Harinder Singh and Jasleen Kaur explore Guru Gobind Singh Sahib’s utterances on the Creator Ruler, and his guidance of considering IkOankar as the only true Ruler.

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Tuesday
,
31
January
2023

Sabad Hajare Patisahi 10 - Sabad 04: Divine Protector

In this fifth podcast, Harinder Singh and Jasleen Kaur explore Guru Gobind Singh Sahib’s many invocations of divine names and attributes and their contexts in larger Indic systems.

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Tuesday
,
24
January
2023

Sabad Hajare Patisahi 10 - Sabad 03: Mentor Specified

In this fourth podcast, Harinder Singh and Jasleen Kaur discuss what it means to attach to the feet of the Supreme Being, the poisons we are collecting, and the remembrance we are being asked to collect instead.

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Monday
,
16
January
2023

Sabad Hajare Patisahi 10 - Sabad 02: Yoga Disrupted

In this third podcast, Harinder Singh and Jasleen Kaur explore what it means to earn union in comparison to transactional relationships with the divine. 

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Tuesday
,
10
January
2023

Sabad Hajare Patisahi 10 - Sabad 01: Renunciation Redefined

In this second podcast, Harinder Singh and Jasleen Kaur explore the context of Indic paradigms, rituals, systems, and popular understandings that the Guru addresses in his reframing of renunciation and non-attachment.

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Articles

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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Sunday
,
12
May
2019

Khalra: Khadur Sahib, The Panjab & Indian Elections

The 17th general election in India is already underway in seven phases over 38 days. Voting for 545 seats between April 11 and May 23 that will decide the next Government of India. There are 900 million registered voters, and about 70% are expected to cast their vote. 15 million are voting for the first time; 18 and over are eligible to vote. The result will be declared on 23 May 2019.

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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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Monday
,
13
July
2020

Amritsar: Harimandar, Ramdaspur, Darbar, or Golden?

Amritsar, Ramdaspur, Harimandar, and Darbar – what are these terms referring to? Are they merely historical spaces? Do we have contemporary or near-contemporary accounts of the terms or of their development? Are there any citations in Guru Granth Sahib?

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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.

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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.

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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...

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