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Corruption & Discrimination: Sikh Institutions Under Colonial Rule

Gurdwara Reform Movement: Part 1

Monday

,

13

July

2026

Gurdwara Reform Movement

How did Sikh institutions come under the control of hereditary mahants during British rule? What conditions gave rise to one of the most significant reform movements in Sikh history?‍

How did Sikh institutions come under the control of hereditary mahants during British rule? What conditions gave rise to one of the most significant reform movements in Sikh history?‍
‍

In Part 1 of this four-part course, Santbir Singh examines the state of Sikh institutions under colonial rule, exploring how British policies reshaped Gurduara governance. This session discusses corruption at historic Gurduaras, caste- and gender-based discrimination, the role of the Singh Sabha movement, and the growing demand for accountable Panthic stewardship.

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Aftermath of the Massacre: Beginnings of the Reform Movement

In This Video

Santbir Singh

Research Associate

Santbir Singh is a Research Associate with SikhRI. He is currently doing his Ph.D. in Sociology at York University. His graduate research focuses on Sikh activism and the inherent relationship between Sikhi and anarchism explored through historical and contemporary Sikh movements, such as the Kisān Morcha (Farmer’s Protests) of 2020-2021.

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