⟵ Back to videos

1984 & You

Saturday
,
25
July
2009

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...

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. The events completely shook the already eroding faith of Sikhs from India system. Many were seen scrambling for explanations in the immediate geo-political context. And the trend continues. The current presentation takes a step back and analyses the event by placing it in the socio-political, religious and ideological context of the Sikh tradition that stretches well beyond contemporary history and shows a how this was not an isolated event. It tries to explore the links behind theo-political status of Akal Takhat Sahib and repeated aggression of the State on it, a visible pattern consistent throughout Sikh history.

The Sikh Research Institute recognizes its ethical responsibility to promptly correct any factual small or large errors. Please get in touch with us via email to request a correction if you have identified a mistake.

Suggest a correction →
No items found.
No items found.

In This Video

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. 

View profile ⟶

Latest Videos

Thursday
,
14
May
2026

Exploring the Feminine Voice In Bani

In this webinar, participants are invited to reflect on how the feminine voice—in its many emotions, expressions, and experiences—is woven throughout Bani.

watch now ⟶
Thursday
,
7
May
2026

Guru Gobind Singh Sahib: Life, Vision & Wisdom

Recorded in Vancouver, the dialogue features Harinder Singh — author of the book, educator, and co-founder of SikhRI — alongside author, psychiatrist, and advocate Dr. Shimi Kaur Kang.

watch now ⟶
Friday
,
24
April
2026

Why do Sikhs sit on the ground during Divan and Langar?

Across cultures and throughout history, sitting on the ground has been a natural part of daily life. However, within the Sikh tradition, the Gurus intentionally established this practice in spaces of spiritual gathering and communal sharing.

watch now ⟶

Share on Social Media

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Stay informed with our weekly updates, important events and more at SikhRI.

Thank you! Your submission has been received.
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.