Inni Kaur

Creative Director

Inni Kaur is Creative Director at the Sikh Research Institute (SikhRI). She has served SikhRI in several capacities since 2010, including Chair of the Board, and most recently as CEO. 

She is a frequent speaker at community and interfaith events, the U.S. Office of the Pentagon Chaplin, and several universities. She is a passionate author, poet, and artist. Her published works include Journey with the Gurus, a children’s book series inspired by the life and teachings of Guru Nanak Sahib, Sakhi-Time with Nani ji, Thank-You Vahiguru, Daddy’s Turban, and The Story of Us.

She is passionately involved in transcreating Sabad (Infinite-Wisdom) and the writings of Bhai Vir Singh.

To Inni, every single day is a celebration. Her writing is inspired by that same outlook on life, as well as Sikh thought. While she writes anytime the spirit moves her, she thoroughly enjoys watching the clouds pass her, taking long mindful walks to appreciate nature’s innate beauty, and painting abstract artwork.

Inni Kaur resides with her family in the United States.

Videos

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
,
6
April
2021

Countdown to Vaisakhi 2021: Inni Kaur

Inni Kaur, Creative Director at Sikh Research Institute (SikhRI) shares her reflection on Vaisakhi.

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Wednesday
,
31
March
2021

Guru Teghbahadar Sahib Voices: O Mind! Transcend

Guru Teghbahadar Sahib: The Benevolent Warrior. Inni Kaur talks about how transcendence lies not in the wishful disappearance of opposition from without but in the resolution within to disregard and rise above it. How do we rise from the fragmented universe of our fears?

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Sunday
,
28
March
2021

Guru Teghbahadar Sahib: The Benevolent Warrior

Watch the entire conference as SikhRI celebrated the 400th Parkash Purab of Guru Teghbahadar Sahib!

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Saturday
,
6
March
2021

Collecting HERstory: Narratives that Shape our Futures

Watch the entire conversation that took place on International Women’s Day as Inni Kaur, Shauna Singh Baldwin, and Dr. Geetanjali Singh Chanda share the multi-faceted journeys that women have taken.

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Podcasts

Friday
,
29
October
2021

Episode 12: The Second Nanak

Vahiguru created everything, and Vahiguru is all around us. Thank you all for joining us throughout this glowing journey we’ve all had with one another. It has been a pleasure sharing the sakhis of Guru Nanak Sahib.

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Friday
,
1
October
2021

Episode 11: When Guru Nanak Met Guru Angad

The sakhi of how Guru Angad Sahib and Guru ji met is momentous. Their paths crossed at the perfect time. Guru Angad Sahib was Bhai Lehna ji at that time. Guru ji’s wisdom was something that Bhai Lehna ji was absolutely missing in his life.

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Thursday
,
23
September
2021

Screens, Pandemic & Children | The Sikh Cast

A conversation with Dr. Shimi Kaur Kang to learn how to treat screens like food: consume healthy tech, limit junk tech, and eliminate toxins. Between video games, scrolling on phones, socializing on Zoom, and online learning, children spend far more time on screens than before the pandemic. It has been an unprecedented moment in history where children have spent more time indoors than outdoors. Psychologists are alerting parents and educators that there will be periods of epic withdrawal once schools, activities, and social life return to normal.

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Friday
,
17
September
2021

Ghazal Thirty-Six, Divan-i-Goya | Bhai Nand Lal

Introducing Paigham-i-Goya: Expression of Love, new translations of a selection of ghazals from Bhai Nand Lal “Goya.” Today’s podcast begins with a recitation of Bhai Nand Lal’s ghazal in Persian, followed by a new English transcreation, the result of a unique collaboration between Dr. Fatima Fayyaz and Dr. Nadhra Khan of Lahore University of Management Sciences, Damanpreet Singh, writer, and graduate student, and Inni Kaur of SikhRI, followed by a discussion between Daman and Inni about the beauty of the ghazal and the transcreation process. Follow Damanpreet and Inni as they discuss their learnings and challenges while engaging with the words of Bhai Nand Lal. The unique and symbolic meanings that these ghazals reveal are a treat for those who yearn to get a glimpse into the court of Guru Gobind Singh Sahib. Author: Bhai Nand Lal “Goya” Collection: Divan-i-Goya Transcreators: Fatima Fayyaz, Inni Kaur, Nadhra Khan, and Damanpreet Singh Persian Narrator: Gholamhossein Sajadi English Narrator: Ryan Gillis Persian ز فیض مقدمت ای آبروی فصل بهار جهان چو باغِ ارم پُر شد است از گلزار تبسّمِ تو جهان را حیات می بخشد قرارِ دیدهٔ صاحب دلانِ پر اسرار بغیرِ عشق خدا هیچ عشق قایم نیست بغیرِ عاشقِ مولا همه فنا پندار به هر طرف که نگاه می کنی روان بخشی نگاه توست که در هر طرف بود جاندار خدا که در همه حال است حاضر‌ و ناظر کجا ست دیده که بیند به هر طرف دیدار بغیرِ عارفِ مولا کسی نجات نیافت اجل زمین و زمان را گرفته در منقار همیشه زنده بود بندهٔ خدا گویا که غیر بندگیش نیست در جهان آثار English Translation O pride of spring, with the grace of Your arrival, The world, just like the garden of paradise, abounds with flowers. Your smile graces the world with life, It is the ointment that soothes the eyes of men whose hearts can discern divine secrets. No love can last unless graced by Divine love, All shall be annihilated other than the one in love with the Divine. Everywhere You look, You grace life, It is Your gaze that bestows life in every direction. The Divine is always present and watchful, Where is the eye that can witness these manifestations in every direction? It is only the Divine’s mystic who attains liberation, As time and space are held in the beak of fate. Goyā: The Divine’s slave becomes immortal, As other than this bondage, nothing in the world has permanence.

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Thursday
,
12
August
2021

Episode 10: Keeping Promises

Do you know about Bhumi? The rich landlord from Dhaka, India? Well, if you don’t know of him, hit the play button. This is a sakhi you’re not going to want to miss. There’s a reason why Bhumi was so rich.

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Friday
,
30
July
2021

Ghazal Thirty, Divan-i-Goya | Bhai Nand Lal

Introducing Paigham-i-Goya: Expression of Love, new translations of a selection of ghazals from Bhai Nand Lal “Goya.” Today’s podcast begins with a recitation of Bhai Nand Lal’s ghazal in Persian, followed by a new English transcreation, the result of a unique collaboration between Dr. Fatima Fayyaz and Dr. Nadhra Khan of Lahore University of Management Sciences, Damanpreet Singh, writer, and graduate student, and Inni Kaur of SikhRI, followed by a discussion between Daman and Inni about the beauty of the ghazal and the transcreation process. Follow Damanpreet and Inni as they discuss their learnings and challenges while engaging with the words of Bhai Nand Lal. The unique and symbolic meanings that these ghazals reveal are a treat for those who yearn to get a glimpse into the court of Guru Gobind Singh Sahib. Author: Bhai Nand Lal “Goya” Collection: Divan-i-Goya Transcreators: Fatima Fayyaz, Inni Kaur, Nadhra Khan, and Damanpreet Singh Persian Narrator: Gholamhossein Sajadi English Narrator: Ryan Gillis Persian کسی به حالِ‌ غریبان بی نوا نرسد از آنکه هیچ بدان کوی دلربا نرسد هزار خلد برین را به نیم جو نخرند!‌ رسیده ایم به جایی که بادشاه نرسد طبیبِ عشق چنین گفته است می گویند به حالِ‌ درد غریبان به جز خدا نرسد برای روشنی چشمِ‌ دل اگر خواهی! به خاکِ درگه او هیچ توتیا نرسد به یادِ دوست توان عمر را بسر بردن که در برابرِ آن هیچ کیمیا نرسد تمامِ دولتِ گیتی فدای خاکِ درش که تا فداش نگردد کسی به جا نرسد فدای خاکِ درش می شود از آن گویا که هر که خاک نگردد به مدعا نرسد English Translation No one looks after the state of the helpless wanderers, As no one ever reaches the Beloved’s lane. A thousand heavens are not worth half a grain of barley, As where we are is far beyond the reach of monarchs. The one who is called the physician of love is known to have said, That no one but God can heal the pain of these wanderers. If you want to light up the heart’s eye, The finest kohl is no match to the dust of His threshold. It’s worth spending one’s life remembering the Beloved, As there is no alchemy equivalent to that. All the world’s wealth can be given up for the dust of His door, As unless one surrenders to Him, no one reaches anywhere. Goya surrenders to the dust of His door, As the destination cannot be reached unless one turns into dust.

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Articles

Tuesday
,
29
December
2015

Inder and I

A voice from the past enters and shares a narrative of longing, pain, and healing.

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Thursday
,
14
January
2016

Tresses & I

Embark on a poignant journey with the author as she reflects on her evolving relationship with her hair, exploring the nuanced layers of Sikh identity, love for Sabad, and the profound impact of choices made during the tumultuous times of 1984.

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Tuesday
,
16
February
2016

The Clay Pot & I

There is no greater poverty than selling one’s heart for respectability, wealth, caste, or fame.

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Thursday
,
3
March
2016

Today’s Hukam, Darbar Sahib, Amritsar

Sabad is Infinite; we are very finite. This is our understanding at the moment, which was different yesterday and may evolve tomorrow, as we deepen our relationship with the Sabad.

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Monday
,
14
March
2016

The Sage Warrior

Leaders are not leaders merely because they fight. Rather, leaders are leaders because they don’t have to fight.

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Wednesday
,
13
April
2016

The Month of Vaisakh (April 13 - May 13)

A life without fragrance is a wasted life. An awakening in nature is taking place. Where are you?

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Presenting at Upcoming Events

Inni Kaur
 is not presenting at any upcoming events as of yet. Explore our upcoming events.