The British Sikh Association celebrated Vaisakhi by hosting a dinner at the Rembrandt Hotel, Knightsbridge on Friday 11th May 2012.

The dinner was superbly organised by the women members of the committee under the leadership of its Patron, Mrs Jasbir Vohra, ably assisted by Mrs Beant K Vig, Mrs Valveer K Pandher, Mrs Indy Aujla and Mrs Ranie Johal. The Guest of Honour was Mr Sukhdev Singh Sidhu, Minister Co-ordination at the High Commission of India, London. The function was attended by a number of elite guests and dignitaries.

Mrs Indy Aujla welcomed the guests and introduced 11 year old Harleen Kaur who gave her thoughts on Vaisakhi and its importance to her as a young Sikh growing up in Britain.

Mrs Suman Walia, who works in the counter terrorism wing at the Metropolitan Police, spoke about her experience as an Asian Member of the force and how it had changed for the better from the days she joined as a young officer. She said it was difficult in the beginning as she had to prove herself every step of the way. She was proud to be a Sikh playing a vital role in fighting against terrorism and said she found her work rewarding.

Dr. Sukhbir S. Kapoor OBE, General Secretary of the British Sikh Association, gave a background on the festival of Vaisakhi. He said that we must live up to the ideals of our Gurus; a life of high morals to benefit mankind. He gave a vivid description of the supreme sacrifices our Gurus paid for our liberty.

Dr. Rami Ranger MBE, FRSA, Chairman of the British Sikh Association, praised Mrs Vohra and the members of her team for delivering a memorable event. He said that if people did not like Sikhs, then there could only be one of three reasons. 1st: Our faith had not been explained properly to the general public. Therefore, it was paramount for us to explain our faith to others and the rationale behind the turban, the most visible symbol of our faith. 2nd:  That a Sikh had committed an abominable act which had appalled the public. 3rd: That we had stopped following the teachings of our Gurus and instead, started following self-proclaimed leaders who had their own selfish agendas.

Mr Sukhdev Singh Sidhu, Minister Co-ordination at the High Commission of India said he was very proud to see how the Indian community in Britain was preserving its culture and links with mother India. He added that at times he felt that the people back home could learn a great deal about our culture from the people in the UK.

The vote of thanks was given by Mrs Jasbir K Vohra, Patron of the British Sikh Association. She thanked her team for their hard work in hosting such a magnificent event. She also thanked the Chairman and Executive Committee for their commitment in working tirelessly to educate the British public about Sikhism. She spoke of her appreciation for Mr Sukhdev Sidhu, Minister Co-ordination at the High Commission of India, London for sparing time out of his busy schedule  to grace the function with his presence. She also thanked the dancers from KSPARK for their performances, Ritzy for providing the music and The Rembrandt Hotel, Knightsbridge for the delicious food and superb arrangements. She ended by thanking the guests for attending and making it a memorable occasion.

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