// Workers AI · dad joke modeWhy did Sikh Forum goer bring a ladder? To take discussion to a higher turban.
The Sikh Forum is an apolitical, non-profit body formed in 1985 in the aftermath of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.[1] It was founded under the leadership of Lt. Gen. Jagjit Singh Aurora, and the organisation was created to provide a platform for Sikh intellectuals, servicemen, professionals, civil servants, military officers, jurists and academics to address issues affecting the Sikh community.[1]
Since its establishment, the Forum has helped in establishing seminars, conferences, public speeches and more on various topics like religious issues, governance, public representation and justice for the victims of 1984 and afterwards.[1] It became to be one of the largest and most influential Sikh organisations in the late twentieth century.[1]
History
[edit]It was formed under the main leaders of Lt. Gen. Jagjit Singh Aurora, Dr. Mandeep Singh, Gian Singh Sandhu, Dr. Amrik Singh and Gurmukh Singh Jeet; many other prominent members were present during the start of the Forum.[1] The Forum for the duration of the committee was an advisory body to the Citizen’s Justice Committee. Raja Singh of Texla Television gave an office in Jangpura for The Sikh Forum.
They wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on 24 February 1985 about how to console the Sikhs in the aftermath of the last year wherein not only was the Sikh shrine in Amritsar bombed during Operation Blue Star but Sikhs were also killed en masse in Delhi.[2] The letter gained lots of media attention and Haryana Pradesh Congress Chief Sultan Singh along with ex-M.P. Amarjit Kaur had called the organisation extremist, which was shot down in a joint statement from the president, Jagjit Singh Aurora, and the Covernor, Capt. Amarinder Singh.[3][4]
The Sikh Forum did a 30-day hunger strike at Boat Club in which many Sikhs from Karnal and Kurukshetra also joined Delhi Sikhs to protest and bring attention to the issue of justice.[1] The Sikh Forum contributed articles to the Hindustan Times, The Tribune, Times of India, Indian Express, Statesman and launched its own fortnightly magazine, the Forum Gazette, which is now defunct due to lack of resources.[1][3]
The Forum played a helping and advisory part in the Citizen’s Justice Committee, the Jain Banerjee Committee, the Potti Rosha Committee, the Dhillon Committee, the Narula Committee and the Nanavati Commission.[1][3] The Sikh Forum also helped shed light on many people who participated in the anti-Sikh riots and helped get them imprisoned, they also donate to the families who were affected by the riots regularly.[1]
Maj. Gen. Mohindar Singh Chadha became the next president after the passing of Gen. Aurora.[5] Cooperating with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had allowed for a proper national apology from the Indian Government for the anti-Sikh riots along with the convictions of many rioters.
Under Pushpindar Singh (founder-editor of the Nishaan Nagaara); the Forum was one of the main advocates for a Truth and Justice Committee to console the wounds from 1984 to the end of the Punjab problem.[6] Under him the Forum had written many letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in which the government cooperated far more and had given back all the Sikh documents, books and relics stolen from the Golden Temple, along with prosecuting more than 70 individuals.[7]
They have two meeting per year, one on the anniversary of Operation Blue Star and one on the anniversary of the anti-Sikh riots; as well as on major festival anniversaries. They usually have their meetings in Delhi, but have historically had them in Kanpur, Chandigarh, Amritsar, Jalandhar and Patiala previously. Their website also has extensive information on the events of Operation Blue Star and 1984, some of which was unearthed by them.
Presidents and members
[edit]Presidents
[edit]| No. | Presidents | Time Period | Known For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Lt. Gen. Jagjit Singh Aurora | 1985-2003 | General during the Liberation of Bangladesh, M.P. in Parliament from the Shiromani Akali Dal. |
| 2. | Dr. Amrik Singh | 2003-2009 | Author, educationist, founder of Delhi University, South Campus. |
| 3. | Maj. Gen. Mohindar Singh Chadha | 2009-2014 | Soldier and General in the 1965, 1971 Indo-Pakistan Wars. |
| 4. | Pushpindar Singh | 2014-2021 | Founder of Vayu Aerospace and Defence Review, prominent aviator. |
| 5. | Ravinder Singh Ahuja | 2021-present | Chartered accountant and entrepreneur. |
Notable members
[edit]The organisation had a very broad and illustrious list of members; Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar, Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral, Capt. Amarinder Singh, Air Marshal Arjan Singh, Lt. Gen. Jagjit Singh Aurora, Khushwant Singh, H.S. Phoolka, Pushpindar Singh, Tarlochan Singh, Kuldip Nayar, Surinder Singh Kohli, Ajmer Singh, Lt. Gen. Arvinder Singh Lamba, Ambassador Krishan Chander Singh, Maj. Gen. Mohindar Singh Chadha, Brig. Sukhjit Singh, Justice Ranjit Singh Narula, CBI Director Joginder Singh, Ambassador M.P. Singh, Dr. Anup Singh, Ravinder Singh Ahuja, Air Marshal Paramjit Singh Bhangu, D.I.G. Partap Singh, Vice Admiral B.S. Randhawa, Lt. Gen. Dalbir Singh Sidhu, Capt. Lakhinder Singh Bahl, Dr. Amrik Singh, Prof. A.S. Narang and Wng. Cdr. Randhir Singh Chhatwal.
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "About Us - The Sikh Forum®". 2020-08-05. Retrieved 2026-07-23.
- ↑ "Panjab Digital Library". www.panjabdigilib.org. Retrieved 2026-07-23.
- 1 2 3 "Panjab Digital Library". www.panjabdigilib.org. Retrieved 2026-07-23.
- ↑ "Panjab Digital Library". www.panjabdigilib.org. Retrieved 2026-07-23.
- ↑ "Sikh Forum asks PM, HM for 'truth and reconciliation commission'". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 2026-07-23.
- ↑ THE SIKH FORUM (2022-08-17). 35th Anniversary of the anti-Sikh Carnage 1984 - Part 2. Retrieved 2026-07-23 – via YouTube.
- ↑ THE SIKH FORUM (2022-08-17). 34th Anniversary of the assault on Harmandar Sahib & 37 other Gurudwaras - Symposium - Pt 4. Retrieved 2026-07-23 – via YouTube.