The recent passing of Dr Manmohan Singh, India’s first Sikh Prime Minister, serves as a poignant reminder not only of his triumphs, but the overall resilience of the Sikh community. His journey from the devastating upheaval of partition to the pinnacle of political leadership—symbolises the indomitable spirit of a community that has consistently turned adversity into opportunity. Singh’s life is a reflection of a much larger narrative: the extraordinary ability of Sikhs to rebuild, persevere, and excel despite seemingly insurmountable odds.
The Partition of 1947 was a cataclysmic event that tore the Indian subcontinent apart. Among the worst affected were the Sikh and Muslim communities, uprooted from their ancestral homes and thrown into an abyss of uncertainty. Sikhs, in particular, were forced to abandon fertile lands in Punjab and flee to an unknown future in India, reduced to penury almost overnight. Yet, the community’s ability to rebuild its life and excel stands as one of modern history’s most inspiring tales of human endurance. They not only reclaimed stability but also achieved prominence in various fields, both within India and globally.
From turning Punjab into the "food bowl" of India to excelling in business, corporate sectors, and governance, their journey has been nothing short of extraordinary. Sikhs continue to dominate the transport and agriculture sector, not just in India but across several countries.
This minuscule community, making up just 1.7% of India’s population, scripted a story of resilience and prosperity that continues to inspire.
Sikhs have held some of the most prestigious positions in India, including Manmohan Singh, who became Prime Minister in 2004, albeit with the Congress Party's backing under Sonia Gandhi’s leadership.
Giani Zail Singh served as President of India, J.J. Singh as the Army Chief, present Air Force Chief, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, and Arjan Singh who went on to become India’s first and only Marshal of the Indian Air Force have all been decorated individuals from Sikh community.
In intelligence and security, the community made its mark through leaders like Nehchal Sandhu, the former Director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB), and Amarjit Singh Dulat, who headed the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).
Internationally, Sikhs have achieved remarkable success, especially in Canada, where they have risen to hold influential positions in politics and public service. The Canadian Parliament itself has 18 Sikh members.
Sikh contribution to India’s independence movement is also laudable. Of the 121 people hanged by the British during India’s freedom struggle, 93 were Sikhs, and of the 2626 awarded life imprisonment, the Sikhs number stood at 2147
The current president of the World Bank Ajay Banga is also a Sikh and very recently Jagdeep Singh, CEO of a company called Quantum Space, happened to become the highest-paid employee in the world. This list goes on.
Since the time Alexander invaded India in the fourth century BCE, Punjab has been on the direct route of the invading armies. Facing invasions in every century to being the largest contributor to the British Army, Punjab has always been the backbone of the defence setup.
Sikh contribution to India’s independence movement is also laudable. Of the 121 people hanged by the British during India’s freedom struggle, 93 were Sikhs, and of the 2626 awarded life imprisonment, the Sikhs number stood at 2147.
Sikhs have lived through annexations, partition, and struggle for Punjabi Suba, the green revolution in India, four major wars, the attack on the Golden Temple, and communal riots of 1984 which broke after the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Gandhi was shot at by her Sikh bodyguards, consequently, thousands of innocent Sikhs were butchered on the streets of New Delhi.
Such was the anger that even then-President Giana Zail Singh’s cavalcade was not spared by the mob. Zail Singh and his Press Secretary Trilochan Singh were among the first ones to be attacked. Journalist Kuldeep Nayar in his book Tragedy of Punjab, Operation Blue Star and After, has a detailed mention of Zail Singh’s cavalcade being
attacked on the way to the All India Institute of Medical Science from the airport, where Gandhi’s corpse was kept.
Even Manmohan Singh was not spared. Singh was the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India in Bombay at the time of Gandhi’s assassination. He had come down from Bombay to lay a wreath. But the mob was so enraged against Sikhs in Delhi, that he had to stay in hiding in his residence at Ashok Vihar. Sensing danger in the city, he called upon his daughter Kiki and son-in-law Vijay to visit him. Singh had to go back to Bombay without paying his last respects to Gandhi.
In Singh’s biography "Strictly Personal" penned by his daughter Daman Singh, Singh writes, “A gang came to burn our house in Ashok Vihar, but Vijay saved it. Some people said that actually, this house belonged to a Sikh, but Vijay told them that he had bought the house and he was the owner. Even Panditji [the priest at the temple opposite the house] joined those people.”
As retired bureaucrat Ramesh Inder Singh says, “These series of historical events have taught the community that entrepreneurship to live by the day.” Singh who has also authored the book, Turmoil in Punjab: Before and After Blue Star adds that the history of the Sikhs has made them willing to risk and exert themselves.
After the partition of 1947, East Punjab became a part of India and has been the homeland of Sikhs. Sikhs who had left their fertile lands back to reach Amritsar just had with them the fire in their belly, their self-respect, and the willingness to work hard and rebuild themselves.
In the 75 years of the post-partition era, Sikhs have given India food sovereignty and soldiers for four major wars fought with Pakistan and China.
“When India was going around with begging bowls seeking wheat for its people, it was the farmers of Punjab who took up the challenge and willingly participated in the experiment, what is today known as Green Revolution,” says political analyst Sarbjit Dhaliwal.
From Alexander to the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi to the recent protest against the farm laws brought by Narender Modi’s government, Sikhs have withstood it all
Much of the Sikhs' progress is attributed to the Sikh value system that has trickled down from the time of the Sikh Gurus. The foundation of the Sikh faith is laid on hard work, sharing, social justice, and gender equality.
Professor Charan Singh in his paper, published by the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, writes that in the Sikh religion caste system is condemned, women are assigned equal status as to men, family life is not considered a hindrance to spiritual enlightenment, literacy is encouraged and heaven and hell do not exist. The philosophy comes from the traditions set by the ten gurus during their lifetime and forms a basic code of ethics for the Sikhs.
Hardships and Dr Manmohan Singh went together a long way. From having lost his mother as an infant to being raised by grandparents. Loss of his grandfather, during partition, with whom he shared an intimate bond. His family moved to India with just a few hundred rupees in their pocket to make a fresh start. His early years and his political career came with its challenges. In the end, only to leave behind a long legacy, that would continue to make India proud.
In his biography, on partition and survival, Singh said, “I think Punjabis have the knack of not being obsessed with the present, they look to the future. In a very short period — two years — all refugees who were in camps in Punjab were able to find a place for themselves on their own. This speaks of the traits of the Punjabis — making a virtue of necessity, not allowing adversity to overwhelm you.’
It is the geography of the region and the teachings of the Sikh gurus that do not allow any adversity to overwhelm the Sikhs. “The whole territory of Punjab, till Afghanistan was traditionally a tribal region. In the case of Sikhs, the teachings of the Gurus transformed this tribal fraternity to a spiritual one,” said sociologist Harvinder Singh Bhatti.
It is this trait of the Sikhs that makes them fight against all kinds of oppression. From Alexander to the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi to the recent protest against the farm laws brought by Narender Modi’s government, Sikhs have withstood it all. Interestingly, of over 1.4 lakh people arrested during the Emergency, 43,000 were Sikhs.
As Professor Paramjit Kaur Gill, Head of the Political Science Department at Punjabi University, Patiala says, “Sikhs know how to look for opportunity in every adversity. This community never surrenders in front of any kind of injustice.”
Professor Gill adds that it is the rational, spiritual, and progressive life of Guru Nanak, that has taught the Sikhs the concept of community service (sewa), brotherhood, and fighting against all odds.
Sikhi tells its followers to never give up personal and social lives. It instructs Sikhs to gain the provision of food and shelter to live a healthy and happy life and to continue with their contribution towards social institutions. Probably, this is the reason that despite being just about 0.4 percent of the total world population, their presence and contribution are hard to miss.
Sikhs are often the subject of countless jokes in the subcontinent and are portrayed as lacking wit—an irony as rich as their culture. Yet, this remarkable community doesn’t waste time being offended. Instead, they laugh along, roll up their sleeves, and work tirelessly to script a brighter future, proving that the real joke is on those who underestimate them.