Tributes paid to gurdwara and Punjab Times founder
By KULVEER SINGH RANGERMay 31, 2018
SARDAR Gurnam Singh Sahni was the only child of Sardar Jeet Singh and Sardarni Krishna Kaur, born in Rawalpindi on August 8, 1927.
His early years were spent under the British Raj, an era of political turbulence and rising passion for Indian nationalism. From a young age, Gurnam Singh followed his father into local politics.
At the age of 15, he became the general secretary of the Rawalpindi Student Congress, becoming president in 1944.
The partition of India in 1947 led to a seismic period of turbulence for millions of Indians and Gurnam Singh and his family fled to Delhi where he continued to develop the family business, producing and trading motor parts.
He married the love of his life, Sardarni Jaswant Kaur in 1951. They settled in the UK in 1961, keen to establish a new life for their young family – daughter Gurveen and sons Arvinder and Rajpal.
Gurnam Singh soon combined his passion for his community and his business skills. He helped finance businesses for his fellow immigrants and became increasingly committed to providing leadership for the growing Sikh and Indian community in the UK. This led to him taking numerous roles in support of the Central UK Gurdwara in Shepherd’s Bush, London, from 1970 till 2000, culminating in 10 years as its president.
He was also tireless in his determination to ensure the availability of relevant news and community information for the broader Punjabi diaspora, leading him to set up the first Asian newspaper in the UK, The Punjab Times, in 1965.
Gurnam Singh not only wanted to help his community maintain their roots and traditions, he was also passionate about ensuring there was a better understanding of Punjabi and Sikh culture in the UK. He played a leading role in establishing organisations such as the Puthohar and Khukhrain communities, that helped celebrate traditions and shared history. He also gave his time to other activities including political involvement, advising educational and media institutions; even serving as an advisor to the BBC Asian programme board. He was always keen to ensure there were bridges being established from the Indian community into broader British society.
His passion for his faith never diminished, demonstrated by his role in founding the Ealing Gurdwara and London Sikh Centre in 2007. He faced the political, economic and cultural challenges of his time with determination, diplomacy and humility and spent his life devoted to his family, his faith and his community.
Gurnam Singh passed away last Monday (21) at the age of 90.
Kulveer Singh Ranger is Sardar Gurnam Singh Sahni’s grandson
AN ASIAN writer has explained how his new book makes Britain’s imperial past “accessible, engaging and thought-provoking” for a younger audience.
Award-winning author and journalist Sathnam Sanghera’s new book, Journeys of Empire, explores empire through 10 journeys he described as being “extraordinary”. Sanghera said his book, published last month by Puffin UK, is “a way of helping children understand how Britain’s biggest story still shapes the world today.”
“We’re not taught this history very well,” he told Eastern Eye.
“The empire is morally complex – sometimes we were good, sometimes bad – so, how do you even begin talking about it? It’s also contentious. There are millions of us whose families were colonised, and millions whose families were the colonisers.”
Teachers cannot teach what they themselves were never taught, Sanghera pointed out.
“There are multiple layers to why British people are so bad at talking about this history. It touches on race, misogyny and geopolitics. It’s easier just not to talk about it.”
And , the cover of his book
Following the success of his bestselling children’s title Stolen History, Sanghera’s this latest work continues Sanghera’s mission to write for readers aged nine and above. With a focus on human experiences, Sanghera said he wanted show that history is not just a list of dates or conquests – it’s a tapestry of stories that connect people.
Born in Wolverhampton to Punjabi immigrant parents, he began school unable to speak English. Later he graduated with first-class honours in English language and literature from Christ’s College, Cambridge.
He has since built a career as a writer and journalist.
His memoir, The Boy with the Topknot, and his novel, Marriage Material, were both shortlisted for the Costa Book Awards. Empireland, Sanghera’s exploration of Britain’s colonial legacy, was longlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non- Fiction, named a Book of the Year at the 2022 National Book Awards, and inspired the Channel 4 documentary series Empire State of Mind.
His first children’s book, Stolen History, introduced young readers to the complex and often overlooked realities of empire. With Journeys of Empire, Sanghera aims to go further. “When I finally learned about the British empire, it changed how I saw myself, how I saw Britain, and how I saw India,” he said.
“It seemed obvious that you’d want to give this gift to young people – because your 40s is a bit late to be learning all this.”
Sanghera said the 10 journeys in the book take readers across continents and centuries, revealing both the ambition and the brutality of empire.
“The British empire covered a quarter of the world’s surface and a large portion of its population. It was seven times the size of the Roman empire,” he said.
Aiming to ensure diversity in both perspective and geography, Sanghera said he chose stories from various countries and different phases of the 400-year history.
Alongside India and Mahatma Gandhi, readers will learn about Guyana’s indentured labour system, Gertrude Bell’s adventures in Iraq, and the British invasion of Tibet led by Francis Younghusband.
“I wanted to highlight areas often left out of mainstream narratives,” the writer said. The stories are written with an accessible and honest tone, and with humour.
“Violence is a tricky area,” Sanghera said. “You can’t go into graphic detail, but you also shouldn’t whitewash it. The violence and racism of colonialism were intrinsic. “I tried to strike a balance - acknowledging the brutality without overwhelming young readers.”
Writing for children isn’t much different from writing for adults, Sanghera said.
“You still need engaging stories and to hold attention. The main thing is to avoid big words that might put them off.”
He pointed out how storytelling can counter the allure of digital screens.
“Kids are addicted to screens, and reading rates are falling globally. That’s disastrous for mental health, intellectual development, and politics,” he said.
“When you get news from screens, you’re in an echo chamber – you’re not being challenged or taught to think in a nuanced way.”
Sanghera’s hope is that stories of Journeys of Empire – from pirates to princes and explorers to rebels – will draw in young readers to a world of curiosity and reflection. He said, “The British empire is a complex story. Even the ‘good guys’ had flaws. That’s what makes it worth understanding.”
At the heart of his book is a message about complexity and contradiction. “The empire involved slavery and the abolition of slavery. It caused environmental destruction and inspired environmentalism. We live in a world that struggles with nuance, but that’s what makes us human,” Sanghera said.
“My hope is that readers – kids and adults – learn that opposite things can be true at the same time.”
After six years of writing about empire, Sanghera said he’s ready for a change. His next book will focus on the late pop star George Michael, due out in June next year.
“I thought George Michael would be a nice break from empire. But then I learned that his father came from Cyprus - which was under British rule. The reason he left Cyprus was because of the British. So, even George Michael’s story connects back to empire. You can’t escape it, wherever you go.”
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