World Sikh Council – America Region (WSC-AR)

Sikhs came to this country over one hundred years ago and have contributed significantly to American
society in the last century. Sikhs have had significant presence in California and New York after first
coming to this country, and today are represented in every state. Currently there are about half a million
Sikhs living in the US. The first such American to serve in the US Congress, Dalip Singh Saund, was a
member of the Sikh faith. Many new names keep emerging for service year after year. Prominent holidays
and anniversaries have been celebrated and acknowledged in messages from many Presidents and
Governors in the past. The 300th anniversary of birth of the Khalsa (formal initiation of the first 5 Sikhs)
in 1999 was one such event celebrated at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC. Sikhs continue to
participate in all aspects of American culture and society just like all other proud citizens. The Sikh faith
is the fifth largest religion in the world and has values of equality, freedom of choice of religion, and
justice. There are established Gurdwaras (Sikh places of worship) all over the United States, as well as
professional and trade organizations specific to Sikhs. We are also proud to be an active part of the multifaith
national community. Since 9/11, the Sikh community has been preferentially victimized and is
working actively with national and local religious, cultural, and social organizations to address issues of
stereotyping, profiling and bigotry.
American Sikhs have a forthcoming celebration in 2008 with the 300th anniversary of the dedication of
the Siri Guru Granth Sahib (the Sikh scripture). We would also like to request this as a special issue
stamp.
Thank you for your time and consideration for these requests. If you need additional information, please
feel free to contact me. Regards and best wishes,
Sincerely,
Dr. Tarunjit Singh
Secretary General
World Sikh Council – America Region
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