10
www.asianexpress.co.uk
Local
October 2013 - 3rd Edition
Remem By Ashley Grint
ashley@asianexpress.co.uk
A group of Sikhs from Leeds are hoping to raise awareness of a special poppy appeal in build up to this year’s Remembrance Day. The poppy is the national symbol used to commemorate the efforts of all the soldiers who died in battle during the First and Second World Wars. Since 1922, the paper replicates have been created for the public to purchase and raise money for the Royal British Legion and now the fundraising campaign has been expanded. Wooden stakes, with poppies attached, have been used in the past to place in the ground, and the latest initiative involves stakes in a range of designs, created to commemorate different religions. A wooden cross (Christianity),
Symbolic poppies for every religion
crescent (Islam), star (Judaism) and Sikh Khanda are all available for purchase from the Royal British Legion and offer different faiths the chance to pay respect to fallen soldiers from their respected religions. Leeds-resident, Byara Singh has brought hundreds of the Sikh Khanda poppies to the Yorkshire city with collections taking place at local Gurdwaras. More than 83,000 Sikhs were killed in the First and Second World
Wars, whilst over 100,000 were injured in battle as they stood alongside British troops. Mr Singh explained how important the campaign was in recognising the significant contribution of the Sikh community in the two wars. He said: “Sikhs were involved a lot in the First World War and thousands upon thousands died in battle. “This campaign helps bring attention to their contribution and allows us all to pay respect to
different communities whose war efforts were very substantial.” This will be the third year that the Sikh Khandas are available and their prominence is growing every year. The idea for the Sikh Khanda Poppy Project came from a Derbybased teacher who, after a visit to the National Memorial Arboretum noticed that there were special poppy holders to commemorate other religions but not one for the Sikh community. This led Kalwinder Singh Dhindsa,
and his cousin Jaz Rai, to design the Sikh Khanda holder which is now produced in the thousands by the Royal British Legion’s poppy factory. Mr Dhindsa spoke of why the project is so important. “I felt it needed to be made because I want more young Sikhs and the public to be aware of the great contributions the Sikhs made during both world wars in helping the allies fight the Nazis and fascists,” he said. “We just did not want these names to be forgotten and for nobody to put poppies down next to their names just because a particular poppy was not available. “I feel that a better understanding of the role of Sikhs and their contribution during the wars might also educate those that see the turban and the beard as a threat.”
“This campaign helps bring attention to their contribution and allows us all to pay respect to different communities whose war efforts were very substantial.”
APPEAL: (l-r) Rehal Balvir Singh, Byara Singh and Surjeet Singh Puee