NRIs honoured at British Sikh Association function

Minister for Security and Counter-terrorism Tony McNulty presented the trophies to Teji Singh, NRI founder of Sterling Media, and Ravi Chand of the Home Office at a function organised by the British Sikh Association here last night.

McNulty praised Sikhism and other religions for spreading love and universal brotherhood and said, “Values that unite us is greater than those that divide us. We must not be tempted to look backward, but look forward. We can either perish in hate or prosper in love,” he said and acknowledged the massive contribution made by NRIs, particularly Sikhs, to the UK.

Rami Ranger, head of the British Sikh Association, described Teji Singh, as a “woman of great “substance” who broke through the “Asian-mould” and set up a leading communications group which now has high profile clients and corporate houses. He also lauded her contribution to promotion of Asian culture in Britain. Others honoured were 97-year-old Sardar Fauja Singh, marathon runner, Bobby Grewal, Chairman, India Association, who raised 1,00,000 pounds for cancer and HIV/AIDS research through his charity walk from Amritsar to Kanyakumari, and Ashraf Chohan, Secretary General of the Pakistan India and UK Friendship Forum.

Grewal plans to undertake another marathon walk from the Scottish Parliament to the British Parliament from June 4 to raise 1 million pounds for research to find a cure for bowel cancer in Britain.

Chohan, an orthopaedic surgeon here, recently contested the Assembly elections in Punjab in Pakistan and won. Ranger, MBE, who heads the Pakistan India and UK Friendship Forum, said the British Sikh Association, in line with the teachings of Guru Gobind Singh, has taken patrons from every faith to show that religion must unite and not divide.