Sidak Alumni

Abinash Kaur is an MD/PhD student seeking the meaning of her name. From camps to SSAs to leadership workshops, she enjoys engaging in seva that educates, uplifts, and liberates Sikh youth. She is also Co-editor of Kaurs Reimagine, a to-be-released anthology of Sikh women. Currently, Abinash is developing a community outreach project to improve healthcare literacy in the NYC Sikh community. She finds relaxation with her dilruba and by watching the hues of the sunset.

Amanpreet grew up in NY; his parents are Sikh and Punjabi. Along with his brother, the three are powerful influences in Amanpreet’s life. Inspired by them, he took his education seriously throughout his childhood. Eventually, he went to Harvard and became interested in the tech industry. Amanpreet was attracted by the potential to leverage entrepreneurship as a mechanism for personal and societal benefit. Since then, he has continued to aspire and work towards building his own company in a way that is consistent with the values of Sikhi.

Anupreet Kaur Bal is a Secondary Vice Principal in Surrey, British Columbia. She has a passion for helping children and youth develop into lifelong learners. Whether it’s in a Math or Sikhi classroom, Anu strives to create an environment that encourages curiosity, wonder, and love for everything that children are surrounded by in their worlds. Anu holds a B.Sc. in Mathematics and Kinesiology, a B.Ed. in Secondary Mathematics and a Master’s Degree in Mathematics Education from Simon Fraser University. She is a Sidak Alumni of 2014 and has been involved with SikhRI since 2007.

Deep Singh currently works as freelance graphic designer & marketing consultant, aiming to help small-to-mid sized businesses grow & develop their branding. Prior to this tenure, Deep worked at ZTE for over 7 years, wearing different marketing hats within the organization. Afterwards, he served at SikhRI as Community Manager. He enjoys traveling, being outdoors & serving others whenever he can, especially dogs. Deep completed his MBA from UT Dallas in 2011 & Bachelors in Business Administration in 2009 from UT Dallas as well.

Deep Singh left a comfortable job in finance to pursue his goal of being a leader within the Quantum Computing and Artificial Intelligence community. As part of fulfilling this dream, he is currently doing a PhD at the University of Oxford as part of a job within Quantum Computing and Artificial Intelligence at the National Physical Laboratory. Deep enjoys expressing himself creatively. Over the last few years this has been primarily through producing music. It has allowed him to build new friendships with other artists and collaborate with people he used to admire and create more art for his community.

Diveesh Singh is currently working in the Bay Area as a Software Engineer. His hobbies outside of work include dancing (mostly KPop or Bhangra), baking, learning new languages (currently learning Korean), and figuring out the meaning of life; still haven't figured out that last one. Diveesh is a Sidak alumni of 2017, 2018 and a TA and facilitator since 2019

Divpreet is a graduate student studying Public Health Policy at the University of Maryland while working as a Care Coordinator Specialist at one of Baltimore's leading hospitals. She is curious about the impact of population-level health policies on individual attitudes and belief systems and the steps of the transformation itself. She is replenished by vichar with sangat, simran via painting or writing poetry, and sometimes even the loving effort of trans-interpreting daily hukamnamai.

Gagan Kaur is a Human Resource professional by day and a community development enthusiast by night. Gagan is inspired by IkOankar, believing that there is One Unifying source that connects us all. Gagan aims to engage with initiatives that support individuals and/or communities to recognize their Divine Jot and thus their Divine potential. Supporting initiatives that allow for self-healing and accepting individual and community Truths is a passion for Gagan.

Guntaas Kaur is a born and bred Vancouverite. In 2005, she received a BA with Honours in Political Science & International Relations from Carleton Univeristy, Ottawa. In 2011, she completed a Masters in Peace & Conflict studies from the University of Bradford, UK, where she explored the on-going need for formal conflict resolution in Punjab today post-1984. Also in 2011, Guntaas became the first Sikh-Canadian to participate in a 6-week intensive Minority Rights Fellowship Program at the UN High Commission for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Geneva, Switzerland. In 2015, Guntaas graduated from Law School at the University of Exeter and was called to the Bar in British Columbia in 2019. While her law practice focuses primarily on family and criminal law, she is passionate about human rights, international law & conflict, gender issues, world religions & strengthening interpersonal dialogue – particularly between Canada's Sikh & Indigenous populations. Guntaas is a Sidak Alum from 2014, a former Advisory Council Member with SikhRI and is the World Sikh Organization of Canada's Vice-President for BC.

I currently work in the mental health sector as a registered psychologist and teacher. I have been working in this sector for over 15 years, primarily in youth mental health.

Herveen Kaur is currently a senior undergraduate student at The Ohio State University. She is studying public health with an environmental health specialization. Herveen aims to engage in research and work that study societal health disparities and promote health equity. She is also very passionate about climate change and sustainability and hopes to continue volunteering in settings that advocate for environmental protection. Herveen is currently applying to Master's in Public Health programs to study epidemiology. She grew up in central New Jersey and furthered my interest in Sikhi through Kaur and Singh Academy. Herveen graduated high school in 2017 and attended Sidak in the summer of 2018. The experience enabled her to evaluate how the principles of Sikhi can integrate in her life as she pursues her academic, social and professional goals. The following year, Herveen reestablished the Sikh Student Association at Ohio State with the goal to maintain a safe space for both Sikhs and non-Sikhs to learn about Sikh ideologies and engage in community service, informational events and interfaith and intercultural dialogue.

Izhaarbir Singh Bains is a practicing CPA in Spring, TX, specialized in tax accounting. He has a Masters in Languages and Cultures of Asia from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where he successfully defended his thesis on "Love and Desire in Sikhism: Analysis of Textual Traditions, Ethics and Feminist Perspectives." He originally completed his B.A. in Philosophy. When his PhD department at U.W. Madison closed, he changed his career and obtained a B.B.A. in Accounting.

Japjyot Singh (he/they) currently works in the field of addressing gender-based violence. Amidst this work, they are constantly learning the ways in which Gurmat can and should be incorporated in ensuring an anti-oppression, equitable, loving, and justice-based approach for community growth and healing. They hope to learn from the Sangat in how to best enact and practice the Guru’s vision.

Jasdeep Kaur is currently a student at the University of British Columbia and is pursuing a double major in History and Sociology. She is hoping to achieve a career as an educator. Jasdeep grew up in Williams Lake (Central BC) and moved to the Lower Mainland in her teens. Jasdeep is currently a part of the UBC Sikh Students’ Associations Presidential team and is a founding member for Sikh Heritage Month BC. Jasdeep has also worked with the World Sikh Organization for over 5 years and has played many roles. Jasdeep also holds training, and certification is ACCT training. She has also been actively planning and developing youth programs for camps for over 5 years. She is also skilled in Dilruba - having dedicated her time for the past 11 years – and Sitar which she taught herself.

Dr. Jaspreet Bal is a Professor and Program Coordinator in the Child and Youth Care program at Humber College in Toronto. A community organizer and educator, her practice involves radical youth work with underserved populations across North America. Bal serves on the Board of Directors of the Sikh Feminist Research Institute and National Board for the World Sikh Orgnaization. She is also on the advisory board of the Sikh Research Institute.

Jaspreet teaches kids to apply Gurmat principles to their lives while also updating communal institutions to tackle the realities of today. He is currently working toward law school and recently graduated from his undergrad from the University of Washington with a degree in politics, Philosophy and Economics.

I was born and raised in a small town in Florida. I have one brother who is also a Sidak alumni. My goals in life are to remain grounded with the Source while living and serving my community.

Kiran Kaur was raised in the San Francisco Bay Area and attended American University in Washington, DC. She graduated in May 2020 with a degree in International Relations focused on Race and Identity and currently works in the US Senate as a staffer for Senator Feinstein (D-CA). Besides this, Kiran is an artist and seeks to find ways to engage creativity and advocacy as she shapes her future career.

First 25 years of life in Chandigarh. Bachelors in Engineering. Next 5 years in California. Masters in Engineering. Worked in Banking sector in the Bay Area. Got involved in local California sangat. Married to beautiful soul I met at a California Sikh camp. Attended Sidak 2013 in San Antonio. In-laws involved with SikhRI since inception. Since 2013 living in Burnaby, Canada. IT consultant by profession. Sports-lover. Interests in World politics. On journey towards healthy living. More podcasts and readings since pandemic.

Narvir is a Sky-trained filmmaker with over ten years of experience in video production. He efficiently produces, shoots, and edits bold and fresh films. Working as a digital content manager, a freelance videographer and data wrangler, Narvir’s video portfolio includes documentaries, music videos, and broadcast productions. He uses his voice as paint and his cameras as the paintbrush as an artist. Narvir debuted as a slam poet at the Greenway Court Theatre in Los Angeles and has been a UK National Slam Finalist twice. His debut solo exhibition was held at the British Film Institute, Southbank called ‘From Partition to Southall’ and directed an immersive theatre production called ’Snapshots of Punjab.’ He collaborates with his partner Jagdish, who sings, and my brother Deep, on production.

I'm a young Sikh professional currently based in Florida. I completed my Bachelor's degree in Psychology in 2013 and my Doctorate in Dental Medicine in 2017 at the University of Florida. I have worked as a general dentist for a few years and will complete an orthodontics residency program in 2022. I'm an easy-going person who is also ambitious and excited about opportunities to better myself and to help those around me. I have worked with SALDEF, Sikh Coalition, National Sikh Campaign, my local gurdwara, and dental school organizations to provide services and care to underserved people.

Preetinder is a District Behaviour Analyst in Surrey School District, British Columbia, and is a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA). She has over 16 years of experience providing behavioral and consultative services to children and youth with autism and developmental disabilities in home, school, and community settings. She is currently a Ph.D. Candidate in Developmental Psychology and Education, Early Learning cohort, at the University of Toronto (OISE) and holds the appointment of Adjunct Professor in the Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education at the University of British Columbia.

Raviinder Singh is a physician who has created two practices: pain management and anesthesiology. He lives in St. Petersburg, FL, with his wife and daughter. He is interested in community engagement and empowerment and has a strong interest in entrepreneurship. Sidak was a transformational experience that laid a foundation for his relationship with Sikhi.

Roop Singh is a Climate Risk Adviser at the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre. She supports disaster managers to access, interpret and use climate risk information for decision-making before and after extreme weather events. Roop also supports the Climate Centre’s urban portfolio focusing on heat risk, and leads the Centre’s engagement on extreme event attribution. She has extensive experience as a knowledge broker between climate science and adaptation (practitioner and policy) communities, including facilitating dialogues on climate issues worldwide in countries such as India, Ethiopia, and Kenya. In the last five years at the Climate Centre, she has written publications including “A 1.5°C warmer world: A guide for policy-makers and practitioners” and the “Heatwave Guide for Cities” in order to translate science and for practical applications. Roop also created and hosts the 'Can't Take the Heat' podcast on how people can adapt to climate issues. She has a master's degree in Climate and Society from Columbia University and a BSc. in Atmospheric Science from Cornell University.

Born and raised in Vancouver. Degree from McGill in Montreal. Currently live in Toronto with my wife, two children, and dog.

Satprit Kaur is a high school science teacher from the Seattle area. She earned a bachelor’s degree in biology, with minors in marine biology and education, learning, and society from the University of Washington. She also earned her Masters-in-Teaching from UW with endorsements in Biology, General Science, and ELL (teaching English Language Learners). She enjoys teaching because it is a blend of science and social justice, and she feels incredibly fortunate to have a challenging yet enjoyable job. She is grateful to work with teenagers because they help her feel grounded and humble and make her laugh every day. Satprit enjoys watching TV, reading books, and listening to kirtan outside of work.

Shamsher Singh is the co-founder of the National Sikh Youth Federation (NSYF) and an influential Sikh activist, his work centres on Sikh being and Khalistan. Shamsher Singh works to build solidarity with racialized communities and to create space for Sikh expression centering on Sikh sovereignty and Sikh resistance, pushing back against the erasure of Khalistan and its martyrs. Shamsher Singh currently works for the newly established Khalistan Centre, which is dedicated to supporting and cultivating Gurmat-driven leadership to further the struggle for Khalistan.

Simran Jeet Singh is a writer, teacher, scholar, and activist. He is a Soros Equality Fellow with the Open Society Foundation, a Racial Equity Media Fellow with the Interfaith Youth Core, and a Senior Fellow for the Sikh Coalition. He also hosts two shows: a video web series titled Anti-Racism as a Spiritual Practice and Spirited, an interview-based podcast that explores diverse perspectives on faith and justice.

Simran Kaur is an Information Systems major with a minor in Business Administration. She is currently in the accelerated masters program and will graduate with her Bachelors and Masters in Information Systems Management in 2023. Outside of class, she is the President for the coming year for the Women in Business Club at CMU, where they hold professional development, gender equity, and networking events with influential members of the CMU community, alumni, and companies for CMU students. Simran is also a tutor for Pittsburgh Public Schools and a Khalsa School Teacher for Boli and Virsa.

Sonny Singh is a musician and social justice educator based in Brooklyn, NY. His music is a reminder that hope, love, and devotion are crucial to our struggles and our collective survival. Sonny has brought his fiery trumpet playing and vocals to audiences worldwide for the last decade as an original member of the Brooklyn Bhangra outfit Red Baraat. Sonny is finishing his debut solo album, entitled Chardi Kala, the Sikh concept of eternal revolutionary optimism. His first single, Mitar Pyare Nu, premiered on NPR’s All Songs Considered and Rolling Stone India. 

Tejpal is an undergraduate at Carnegie Mellon University studying CS & AI, and he is deeply passionate about providing universal accessibility of STEM education. Tejpal has started several initiatives to propel this cause within the Bay Area and hopes to utilize his education for scaling these efforts after college.

Vineet Kaur is a Behavioural Neuroscientist and Dietitian. She loves to explore how individual systems interact to form global patterns, therefore, adapting her understanding of cognitive theories to explore spiritual elements of faith and wonder. As a board member of Sikh Heritage Manitoba, a facilitator for Sikh Research Institute (SikhRI), and a member of Bhai Kahan Singh Nabha Foundation, Vineet hopes to engage in Guru-centered leadership, community initiatives, and introspection.

Wahenoor Singh is a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) student at PCOM Georgia. He received his BS in Biology from the University of Georgia in 2019. Data and service drive Wahenoor. While at UGA, he served in numerous research roles as a fellow, worked as a Resident Assistant, and served as an Advisory Board Member to the Student Health Advisory Committee & Division of Student Affairs. After Sidak, Wahenoor helped found and establish the UGA Sikh Student Association. He attended Sidak in 2016 & 2019. Sikhi & Panjab both remain the pillars of his inspiration.

Born in India, Yashpreet has been living in China for nine years. She is working as a Data Analyst/Project Manager at Kate & Kimi in Shanghai. As a Sikh, learning from life has always been at Yashpreet’s core. Time and time again, she has experienced situations that left her in awe and gratitude and filled with praise for the Divine, Sovereign, and Friend. Yashpreet strives to live every day through conscious learning and wisdom. She writes about her life experiences in China on her blog: www.sikhgirlinchina.com. Yashpreet’s deepest passions and interests lie in understanding how the mind works and building emotional resilience to lead this precious life with joy and happiness. Her other interests include reading, writing, Kirtan, and learning languages.