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

Saturday
,
3
May
2014

Vaisakhi: Panjabi Festival to Sikh Ideals

On May 3, 2014, a seminar, 'Empowering Sikhi', was held to help educate and inspire youth and adults about different aspects of Sikhi and their lives....

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Wednesday
,
24
July
2013

Anti Sikh Programs in India

Two major events took place in India, during 1984 in quick succession within a span of 5 month. The Indian Army attacked Akal Takhat Sahib in June, and an anti-Sikh genocidal campaign was undertaken by the ruling political party with the active support of majority community masses and the State machinery in November same year. T...

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Saturday
,
6
July
2013

Will Spring Come?

Harinder Singh speaks about spring and Hola Mohalla at Bridgewater Gurdwara....

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Sunday
,
30
June
2013

Guru Nanak Sahib Prakash Day

Harinder Singh speaks at the Garden State Sikh Association for Guru Nanak's Gurpurab on the topic "How to Feel Guru Nanak."...

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Sunday
,
30
June
2013

Guru Granth - Guru Panth

Harinder Singh of SIkh Research Institute speaking in Melbourne on Guru Granth-Guru Panth....

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Podcasts

Saturday
,
31
May
2025

The Question That Went Viral

Join Gurpartap Singh, Harinder Singh, and Jasleen Kaur as they discuss Gurpartap’s reflections on his interaction with Gandhi. How can we understand the context Gurpartap centered in his questions? How does Gurpartap feel about Gandhi’s response?...

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Friday
,
6
December
2024

Sikhi & History: Bhai Vir Singh's Perspectives

Harinder Singh explores Bhai Vir Singh's unique framing of Sikh history at Bhai Vir Singh Sahitya Sadan, Delhi....

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Wednesday
,
12
June
2024

Sant Jarnail Singh: The Man, the Myth, the Truth

Listen as Santbir Singh delves into an in-depth conversation with Harinder Singh about Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, a pivotal figure in 20th-century Sikh history....

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Thursday
,
23
May
2024

1984 Path of the Warrior Saints

Harinder Singh, Senior Fellow of Research and Policy at the Sikh Research Institute, delves deeper into the themes of Genocide Remembrance, Condemnation, and Prevention....

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Thursday
,
2
May
2024

1984 Path of the Warrior Saints

Join Harinder Singh and Mo Dhaliwal as they delve into the profound experiences of the Third Ghallughara (large-scale massacre) in India in 1984 and beyond....

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Wednesday
,
24
April
2024

Exploring the Sikh Genocide

The discussion aims to shed light on the systematic campaign of violence perpetrated by the Indian State against the Sikh community, which led to thousands of disappearances and extrajudicial killings....

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Articles

Saturday
,
30
April
2011

Introspection: Preparing For Canada's May 2 Federal Election

Sikh-Canadians are now 2% of the Canadian population and shining. At least 15 candidates from all three major parties - Conservative, Liberal, and New Democratic Party (NDP) - of Sikh and/or Punjabi descent are on the ballots....

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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......

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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 pol...

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Presenting at Upcoming Events

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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Fri
,
Jul 18

Rediscovering Sikh Literature: Unearthed Wisdom

KPU Surrey; Cedar Conference Centre

Join Harinder Singh as we refamiliarize ourselves with historical texts, including primary and secondary texts that shape our understanding of Sikh thought and tradition.

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Sun
,
Jul 20

Sidak 2025

Khalsa Centre

Sidak is a transformative educational experience designed for young Sikh adults aged 18 to 39. It brings together seekers from all over the world to learn, grow, and lead with purpose.

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