Founded in 1967 by Dr. Narinder S. Kapany and his wife, Mrs. Satinder Kaur Kapany, the Sikh Foundation is a non-profit, non-political charitable organization (EIN: 23-7035676) dedicated to promoting the heritage and future of Sikhism. For over five decades, we have championed Sikh art, thought, and values across academic, artistic, and community spaces.
Our Mission
Our mission is rooted in a deep love for Sikh heritage and a profound respect for the diverse communities we serve. We strive to share the stories, art, and wisdom of Sikhism across generations and cultures by creating inclusive and engaging programs guided by Sikh ideals.
We work to:
- Ensure the spirit of Sikhism continues to illuminate hearts and minds globally.
- Safeguard Sikh stories, art, and wisdom through exhibitions, scholarship, and community programs.
- Pass on the essence of Sikh heritage to the growing Sikh diaspora in the West, especially the youth.
- Provide intergenerational spaces where elders share insights and youth connect with their roots.
- Foster Sikh culture through critical and creative thinking—the same spirit that gave rise to the Sikh faith.
- Uphold Sikh values of equality, resilience, and seva (selfless service).
- Offer hands-on, welcoming experiences for people of all backgrounds.
- Contribute a Sikh perspective to shared human concerns and build bridges across communities.
Trustees & Staff
Meet our board of trustees, who represent decades of commitment and guidance that continues to drive our foundation’s global vision in promoting Sikh arts, culture, and heritage.
Late, Dr. Narinder Singh Kapany
“On the threshold of the twenty-first century, it is the destiny of the Sikh people to be a thriving and contributing international community. The teachings and exemplary lives of the ten Sikh Gurus from Nanak to Gobind Singh are our beacons. We inherit the martydoms of Guru Arjan, Guru Tegh Bahadur, his disciples and the four sons of Guru Gobind Singh. Guru Tegh Bahadur set the supreme secular example in human history when he laid down his life for the freedom of other religions.We are further inspired by five centuries of artistic and intellectual achievements and by our forefathers who came to the West as poor farm laborers, yet in the midst of their struggle for survival still found resources to lead the international movement for India’s independence. Today their descendants can be found at the top of professions from agriculture to medicine, from law to literature, from art to music and from design to hi-technology. We must learn to celebrate the success of our community members. We must give all the tools necessary to our children to be good Sikhs as well as successful and contributing members of their society. It lies with those of us in the elder generations to pass to them and their descendants the essence of our heritage—its most sophisticated expression—to serve as the basis of a modern global Sikh culture. We also need to ensure that our friends of other faiths, races and cultures understand who and what we are. We must present the beauty of our heritage without chauvism. The wisdom, philosophy and arts of the Sikh faith belong to the world and it is time now to bring them into the light.”
Board of Trustees
Currently being updated–complete list coming soon.
