The Kundan Kaur Kapany Chair of Sikh Studies
University of California, Santa Barbara
Chair: Dr. Gurinder Singh Mann
In 1998, The Sikh Foundation broke new ground in North America with the establishment of the First Chair in Sikh Studies. Dr. Narinder Singh Kapany, in the memory of his mother endowed The Kundan Kaur Kapany, Chair of Sikh Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). The first occupant of the chair is Dr. Gurinder Singh Mann. Dr. Mann is an eminent interdisciplinary scholar of Sikhism and interestingly holds a joint appointment in the Global and International Studies Program and Department of Religious Studies. Thus he brings in a global perspective to Sikh Studies.

Dr. Jasbir Singh Saini Endowed Chair in Sikh & Punjabi Language Studies

University of California, Riverside.
Chair: Dr. Pashaura Singh
With persistent efforts and the support of Mrs. Sharanjit Kaur Saini & the trustees of Late Dr. Jasbir Singh Saini Trust, a gursikh cardiologist of Phoenix, Arizona, this program was expanded into a multi-campus program, with the establishment of the Chair at UC Riverside.The local Sikh community also supports the program.
The first occupant of the Chair, is Dr. Pashaura Singh,is a leading scholar and teacher whose work in the field of Adi Granth studies is internationally acclaimed.

Sarabjit Singh Aurora Endowed Chair in Sikh and Punjabi Studies
University of California, Santa Cruz
The Sikh Foundation gratefully acknowledges the great visionary support of S. Hardit Singh, an eminent engineer and business entrepreneur in San Antonio, Texas. He has funded the Chair of “Sarabjit Singh Aurora Endowed Chair in Sikh & Punjabi Studies” in memory of his son S. Sarabjit Singh Aurora, an eminent Computer Scientist and a very successful young business entrepreneur.
The recruitment process for appointment to the Chair is currently on.

Dr. Ranjit Singh Sabharwal Chair in Sikh and Punjabi Studies
California State University, East Bay
Chair: Dr. Jaideep Singh
The first endowed chair in Sikh and Punjabi Studies in the California State University system has just been established at CSU East Bay, named in memory of Dr. Ranjit Singh Sabharwal, a leader in the East Bay Sikh community who taught mathematics at the university. The endowment is supported by the Sabharwal family, the Sikh Foundation and members of the local Sikh community.
Dr. Jaideep Singh has been appointed the first Chair. He is an expert in comparative ethnic studies and also the first American educated endowed chair holder in Sikh studies in the country.

Publications

The Sikh Foundation has published about a dozen books on Sikhs and Sikhism till date, including books for children. The following titles are included:

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• The Sikhs and their Religion 1968
• Guru Gobind Singh: Reflections & Offerings 1969
• Sikh Art & Literature 1999 **
• Warrior Saints 1999 **
• Bindhu’s Weddings 1999 **
• The Boy with Long Hair 1999 **
• Baba Ditta’s Turnip 1999 **
• Arts of the Sikh Kingdoms 1999 **
• The Name of my Beloved 2001
• I See No Stranger 2006 **

Apart from books the Foundation also published a journal “The Sikh Sansar” from 1972-1977, which was circulated in USA & Canada. A Sikh newspaper “The Sikh Times”- Echo of the Sikh World was also published from 1984-1985. Subsequently we have a regularly updated website.

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Library Book Sets

The Sikh Foundation has supported gifts of books on Sikhs & Sikhism to public and university libraries. This is an ongoing program which we conduct on a regular basis. In the past year some 20 libraries have benefited.

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Gurmat Teaching Program

The Sikh Foundation supports the Satnam Sarab Kalyan Trust, Chandigarh in its noble endeavour of imparting Gurmat/Kirtan education in the schools in Punjab. Over 300 schools and 100,000 students are covered under this program

Sikh School Project

We believe that we owe it to our posterity to give them finest education including thorough grounding in Sikh belief, to prepare them for their intended leadership role in various fields. To achieve this goal, we have to establish a private school for Sikh students. It will be an independent private high school teaching general studies, Sikhism and Punjabi language courses. This community-based school will also have boarding facilities. It will be egalitarian and pluralistic in approach aiming at producing future leaders.

This project is currently on the “drawing board” and its details are under development. Please visit us soon again to keep abreast of the developments on this project.

Endowed chairs provide a supplemental source of income to support the teaching, research and community outreach of a faculty member appointed by a university. Such endowments are important in attracting new faculty and students.

Punjabi Language Program at Universities

The Sikh Foundation had initiated and funded a Punjabi Teaching Program at University of California, Berkeley, Stanford University and Columbia University. A very pleasant outcome of these efforts has been that now a number of Universities in North America are offering Punjabi Language Programs and the local Sikh communities are financially supporting these programs. Some of the Universities include: San Jose State University, Cal State University – Sacramento, McGill University, Montreal and York University, Toronto.

Academic Conferences & Lectures

The Sikh Foundation continuously supports and organizes academic conferences & lecture tours of eminent Sikh scholars and authors. In the past such conferences have been organized at UC Berkeley, UC Santa Barbara and Asian Art Museum. Interactive meetings between Sikh authors and their readers are also organized.

Retreats

The Sikh Foundation has held 2 retreats at Asilomar, California. These were very well attended by sikh intelligentsia, professors and other community members, both young and old.