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

Thursday
,
22
June
2023

Guru Nanak Sahib: The Revolutionary - Shifting Paradigms

Inni Kaur explores the paradigm shift of Guru Nanak’s vision and revolution through secondary sources and historical examples.

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Wednesday
,
21
June
2023

Guru Nanak Sahib: The Revolutionary - Introduction

Enhance your relationship with IkOankar through Guru Nanak Sahib: The Revolutionary, a virtual Sidak event featuring presentations that focus on Guru Nanak Sahib’s vision and revolutionary impact.

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Monday
,
14
February
2022

Love, Devotion & I

Join us for a raw and awe-inspiring conversation between Dr. Jaswant Singh and Inni Kaur as they share their wonderings about love and devotion in this live webinar.

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Tuesday
,
21
December
2021

A December Poem: Sikhi's Fragrance

Mahakavi Santok Singh gives us a glimpse into Love. A woman’s deep-seated love for Guru Gobind Singh Sahib. 

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Sunday
,
22
August
2021

Screens, Pandemic, & Children

A conversation with Dr. Shimi Kaur Kang to learn how to treat screens like food: consume healthy tech, limit junk tech, and eliminate toxins.

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Friday
,
20
August
2021

Session 4 - Rahit: Eternal Lifestyle Questions & Answers

Inderpreet Singh and Inni Kaur explore Rahit-lifestyle through the Bani of Sidh Gosti. What are eternal questions? Why are we still struggling to understand them?

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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

Friday
,
24
October
2014

Chenab’s Story

River Chenab is one of the five rivers of Panjab, now straddling two countries: India and Pakistan. Its journey starts in the Himalayas and it flows through Kashmir and into the plains of Punjab. It is an integral part of Punjabi literature and folklore, known as the River of Romance: many of the timeless love epics of Punjab, including that of Sohni and Mahiwal, revolve this river.

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Wednesday
,
31
December
2014

Gratitude

Rise in love and experience the Vastness.

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Monday
,
27
April
2015

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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Friday
,
1
May
2015

Inni Kaur at the Pentagon’s Second Vaisakhi Event

The following remarks were delivered by Inni Kaur, Chair Sikh Research institute, at the Pentagon’s second Vaisakhi event to commemorate the Sikh faith on May 1, 2015. Hosted by the Office of the Pentagon Chaplain, the program was organized by Major Kalsi, Captain Rattan, Corporal Lamba, and the Sikh Coalition.

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Tuesday
,
7
July
2015

A Bath And A Cleansing

Like a trusted friend, it arrives in my inbox every morning. Do I open it immediately? Sadly not … But at some point of the day, I do open it. Honestly! Cross my heart! And a-a-hh! It’s pure nourishment … truly consciousness raising. Today’s ‘word’ from AWAT (“A Word A Thought“) is: “pooraa naavan” – two words, actually: complete bath, perfect bath.

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Thursday
,
13
August
2015

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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Presenting at Upcoming Events

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