US Senate passes resolution recognising Sikh contribution

Washington : The United States Senate has unanimously passed a resolution recognizing the historical, cultural and religious significance of the 550th birthday of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev, besides the Sikh's contributions in the US' growth.

Introduced by Republican Senator Todd Young from Indiana and Democratic Senator Ben Cardin from Maryland, the first of its kind resolution on Sikhism was passed by the US Senate on Thursday on the 550th birth anniversary of the first Sikh guru.

The resolution said Sikhs in the United States and around the world live as per the values and ideals of equality, service, and devotion to God, first preached by Guru Nanak.

The Senate resolution also mentioned four eminent Sikhs for their contribution to the US. The Sikhs figured in the resolution included Dalip Singh Saund, the first Asian-American Congressman, elected to the office in 1957; Dr Narinder Kapany, the inventor of fiber optics; Dinar Singh Bains, the largest peach grower in the United States; and Gurinder Singh Khalsa, the recipient of the prestigious Rosa Parks Trailblazer Award.

The resolution also recognized the contribution of Sikh women Grammy-winning artist Snatam Kaur; New York Police Department police officer Gursoach Kaur; and University of California, Berkeley professor Supreet Kaur.

Indiana-based Khalsa welcomed the passage of the resolution. "This is a historic moment for the global Sikh community.

We Sikhs of America are grateful to the United States Senate and Senator Young for introducing the resolution," he said.

A similar resolution introduced in the US House of Representatives too is likely to be passed soon.

The two different House resolutions said Sikhs have been living in the United States for more than 120 years, and during the early 20th century thousands of Sikh Americans worked on farms, in lumber mills and mines, and on the Oregon, Pacific, and Eastern Railroad.

Congressman Greg Pence from Indiana, elder brother of US Vice President Mike Pence, is one of the sponsors of the resolution on Sikh.