User:Hari singh: Difference between revisions

E.A.P.L. & Co Ltd building at Ruiru, Kenya. Click to enlarge and see my dad in the doorway

I am based in the UK at a place called Ilford, Essex that is just outside London to the East. We have 5 Gurdwaras within 30 minutes drive of here. We have a strong Sikh community who cover a broad spectrum of backgrounds and professions. The nearest Gurdwara is Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Seven Kings, Essex which is about 10 minutes walking distance from our home.

I am married with 2 children who are in their early 20’s. I have been a Sikh from birth and took Amrit in about 1973 at Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Barking. My original training was in IT but I find that a little taxing now.

Apart from SGGS guidance, I have had the good fortune to share the Gurmat blessings from Pujay Baba Puran Singh, Kericho wala. Baba ji was the most gifted puran Sikh that I have met so far in my life.

He was an inspiration to thousand of Sikhs in East Africa and in UK.

Wiki Experience

I started contributing to Wikipedia on 11th March 2004. My Contributions to Wikipedia are primarily in connection with my religion, which is Sikhism. I was born as a Sikh and have been ‘practising’ my faith for at least the last 30 years. Sikhism is the fifth largest religion in the world but the youngest of all the present faith systems. I believe that my religion is unique in that it encompasses and embraces all recognised world religions. A Sikh does not have monopoly on God – Good people of all faith can achieve salvation and unity with God. This I believe is a wonderful ideal and a basic for achieving a continuous state of peace in the world.

Guru Nanak was the founder of this faith and was in instigator of the primary principles of the religion. A Sikh believes in One God for all beings; this leads to the belief in the equality of all people; to live a life in humility and service to the needy; to live is a continuous state of optimism Chardi kala and trust in the Almighty. To stay detached from the world but yet perform with dedication all the duties expected of a householder; to accept the will of God; to work honestly and consistently while at all times accepting that this gift of life is due to the blessings of the one Lord.

Background

You can just about see the Hydro-Electric plant at Wanji (near Fort Hall) Kenya. Person with back to camera is my brother Jasbir Click to enlarge

I was born in Kenya and my early childhood was spent in East Africa. However, my parents are both originally from Nawanshahr district in India. Part of my family relocated to the UK in the late 1960's soon after Kenya became independent in 1963. As a infant, my family lived in a small town 14 miles from Nairobi called Ruiru. Nairobi is the capital of Kenya. From the age of about 9 years to about 12 years, we moved to a small provincial town which was then called Fort Hall - the name of the town has now changed to Murang'a.

My father was employed by East African Power & Lighting Co Ltd. Due to his employment, the family moved to various different locations in Kenya. Ruiru, Wanji (near Fort Hall) and Nairobi South were location where the company had power generation plants. The Ruiru Plant used to be a wood burning power generation plant which was upgraded to a diesel plant probably during the 1950's. Wanji had a large hydro electric generator and diesel and turbine generation was used at Nairobi South.

From about 1968 I have been based in the UK and took Amrit at Vaisakhi in about 1973 at the Gurdwara, Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Barking, Essex. I am a graduate from University of London and have since 1975 been working in various profession in and around London.

Most of my working life has been spent in the field of IT (Information Technology]]. I have visited India, various locations in Europe, USA, Canada, West Indies, Turkey, East Africa, etc as part of my business, charity work or for personal reasons.

I have taken part in various Sikh activities globally and that has been the most satisfying undertaking in my life. In about 2005, I began contributing to SikhiWiki. For my sins, I was made an "administrator" (or Sysop) soon afterward. It has been a pleasure to be involved in this exercise. I hope that one day, SikhiWiki will become the standard reference for Sikh Information.