Jagmohan Singh Malhi

Jagmohan Singh Malhi is proud to have fulfilled his late father's dreams and become the first New Zealand police officer to wear a turban on duty. Jagmohan had grown up wearing a turban, but he shaved "because of peer pressure" when he moved to Nelson, New Zealand eight years ago. Then, when he graduated from police training college three years ago, he also shaved his head. Jagmohan said that his father had wanted him to grow his hair again, but he was unsure then whether any police protocol existed in relation to wearing a turban. When his father died last year, he decided to fulfil his wishes and began researching what other policies were in place for police around the world. "It was his wish to see me in my turban as a police officer. So I thought I would make it happen." While his family were proud to see him in a turban again, he also had a good response from his colleagues, who had been eager to see the turban worn for the first time on the beat. Nelson Bays police area commander Inspector Brian McGurk said he was delighted that the police had been able to help Malhi nurture his religious and cultural beliefs.

Jasbir Singh Tatla

Lieutenant Jasbir Singh Tatla, 35, is the first turbaned Sikh to become a regular officer in the Canadian Air Force as Air Field Engineer. He was born in the Dhothar village in Ludhiana district of Punjab, India. Tatla earned his Bachelor of Engineering from G.N.E. Engineering College, Ludhiana, and Master of Technology from Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana. Jasbir emigrated to Canada in June, 1999. He completed a one-year Architectural Drafting certification from Kwantlen University College in Surrey and worked in different fields, including as an Engineering Technician in PMC Sierra in Burnaby. His great-grandfather, Inder Singh, took part in the First World War, his grandfather, Mall Singh, took part in the Burma War, and his father, Gurdarshan Singh, retired as an Honorary Flying Officer. An uncle of his, Sukhdev Singh, was also a brigadier in the Indian Army. With thais distinguished millitary background, Jasbir passed the Canadian Forces entrance examination in 2003 and waited four years for a security background check from India. He was detailed to undergo training at Venture Naval Officers Training Center Esquimalt, Victoria, in April. His graduation ceremony was held on July 12 2008. After a struggle of five years, Tatla not only achieved his goal, but has also brought honour to his community. Tatla gives all the credit to his mother Hardial Kaur and father Gurdarshan Singh Tatla for their dedication. He has two sisters, Jasvinder Kaur Mann and Kamaljit Kaur. He is married to Pawandeep and has two sons Sahib and Jugraj. Jasbir can speak five languages, that include English, Punjabi, Hindi, Sanskrit and Urdu. In addition to these Jasbir is also going to learn French, which he says will give him a greater chance for promotion.

Arpinder Kaur

Arpinder Kaur is the first turbaned Sikh pilot to fly a commercial airline in the United States. She was hired by the American Airlines Corporation (AMR) in March, 2008. Arpinder flies Embraer Jets for American Eagle, a regional airline that is part of AMR and she is based out of the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. On her feat she has said that, "Two of the reasons I did this were: first, my love of flying and, second, to set a precedent for the community so they know you can be in your Sikh appearance and do anything out there; so that my younger brothers and sisters [the rising generation] will pursue their passions while practicing their Sikh faith,”. She has said that she knew she wanted to be a pilot the very first time she was in an airplane. She was 14 and moving from the Panjab to the United States. The crew let her sit in the cockpit and see everything that they did. “That is the day I found in me this passion for flying,” Kaur said. She lived in Virginia after the move and attended George Mason University (VA) where she graduated with a degree in information systems, but she did not forget her dream of flying over the years, though her mother told her that girls should not be pilots because it was too dangerous. It was the love and support of her husband, Pritpal Singh that pushed her forward on the path toward becoming a pilot. From 2003 to 2005 Kaur was trained by Jesse Sherwood in Kansas. In 2005, Kaur moved to San Antonio and spent two more years as a flight instructor at Wright Flyers Aviation at the San Antonio International Airport. In January of 2008 she applied to be a pilot at American Airlines; her application was accepted in March and from 17 March through 7 June 2008, she underwent their pilot training program. She stated that just recently she had resolved the issue of her flying turbaned – the American Airlines manual allows “regulation approved hats” – by filling out an Accommodation Form. Kaur received help from The Sikh Coalition (SC), while she was planning the best way to secure an accommodation agreement about her turban. Harsimran Kaur, a staff attorney who consulted with Kaur said that, “the Sikh Coalition appreciates American Eagle’s willingness to accommodate Ms. Kaur’s religiously-mandated turban consistent with state and federal anti-discrimination law.” Harinder Singh, executive director of the Sikh Research Institute (SikhRI) in San Antonio, Texas said, “This is a great day for the Sikhs in America. Religious accommodation, not assimilation, is what the founders of this great nation envisioned and we are thrilled American Airlines celebrates the rich religious and cultural diversity of all American populations.”

This is a video by Raj Singh on Arpinder.

Dalip Singh Saund

Dalip Singh Saund (September 20, 1899–April 22, 1973 pictured shaking hands with President John F.Kennedy was a member of the United States House of Representatives. He served the 29th district of the state of California from January 3, 1957 to January 3, 1963. He was the first Asian American, Indian American and Sikh member of the United States Congress. Unbelievably he is to date the only Sikh to have served in Congress. Dalip was born in Chhajulwadi, Punjab, India and received his bachelor's degree in mathematics from the University of Punjab in 1919. He emigrated to the United States, originally to study agriculture at the University of California, Berkeley. While at the university, he obtained a master's degree (1922) and a Ph.D. (1924), both in mathematics. His stay was suppose to be for 3 years but, thereafter he decided to remain in the United States and became a successful farmer. Later, he campaigned to allow "Hindus," as all people of South Asian descent were identified at that time, to become naturalised citizens. After the Luce-Celler Act was passed in 1946, he applied for naturalization and became an American citizen in 1949. He ran for election in 1950 as a Justice of the Peace for Westmoreland township, California, and won the election, but his election was thrown out as he had been a citizen for less than a year. He later ran again for the same post and was elected again. In November 1955, he announced a campaign to run for the United States House of Representatives as a Democrat and won an election for an open seat against a famous Republican aviator, Jacqueline Cochran. He was re-elected twice, becoming the first member of a non-Abrahamic faith to be elected to Congress. In May 1962, he suffered a severe stroke which left him unable to speak at all, or walk without assistance, thus ending his congressional career.

Akaash Bhatia

Akaash Bhatia, born 1st May 1983 in Loughborough, England is a British featherweight professional boxer. He is the first ever professional British Sikh boxer and the current British Southern area featherweight champion. Bhatia turned professional on May 2006 in York Hall, Bethnal Green, London. In his debut Bhatia defeated Kristian Laight on points over four rounds. He went on to win his next 11 straight fights before he fought for his first title which was the vacant British Southern area featherweight title. This fight came in November 2008 against Marc Callaghan at the Robin Park Centre in Wigan and he won the fight with a second round knockout of Callaghan. To date he is undefeated in 13 fights. His nickname is "Kash the bash" and he has been the London featherweight champion 2 times. Bhatia has been training at the renowned Peacock's Gym, Canning Town, in east London, as well as Maloney's fight factory in Deptford, south London. He was awarded the Most Up and Coming Sports Personality at the Sony Entertainment Television Asia Sports Personality of the Year Awards on February 3, 2007. His promoter Frank Maloney who took Lennox Lewis to the Heavyweight titles has said "Bhatia has the potential to become something very special in this sport,".

Dr Ruby Kaur Dhalla

Dr Ruby Dhalla, born February 18 1974, is a Canadian politician. Ruby has represented the riding of Brampton—Springdale in the Canadian House of Commons since 2004 as a member of the Liberal Party and is the current Canadian Shadow Social Development Minister. Ruby alongside British Columbia Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) Nina Grewal are the first Asian and Sikh women to serve in the Canadian House of Commons. According to her website her experience in politics started at a very young age, beginning as a volunteer with her local MP, to knocking on doors in numerous liberal campaigns at the age of 12, to writing a letter advocating for peace to the late Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi, at the age of 10. Indira Gandhi mentioned the letter in a speech shortly before she died. Ruby was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba to an immigrant Sikh family from Punjab, India. Ruby has a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry from the University of Winnipeg and in 1999 she graduated with a Doctor of Chiropractic Medicine. In 2005 she was instrumental in organising the Canada for Asia concert which feature prominent Canadian artists and performers, it went on to raise over $4 million for the tsunami relief efforts. She was reported to be running for the leadership of the Liberal party but has since said that it is not the right time for her.

Rabinder Singh QC

Rabinder Singh QC, born 1964 in Britain, is the first Sikh to sit in the high court and wear a turban instead of a wig. He is also thought to have been the youngest person to sit as a judge in the high court. He was one of a group of barristers, along with Cherie Blair the former prime ministers' wife, who founded the Matrix chambers in 1999. He achieved a double first in law at from Trinity College, Cambridge in 1985. He has been a lecturer at the University of Nottingham and currently lectures part time at LSE. He is also one of Britain's leading experts in public and administrative law - the law relating to government departments and public authorities. Rabinder was named the Barrister of the Year by the Lawyer Magazine in 2001 and awarded Silk in 2002, this refers to court dress, which is awarded after a Barrister has served 10 years. In 2003 he was awarded the Legal Excellence Award at the Asian Jewel Awards and in 2004 he was given an honorary Doctorate of Laws by the London Metropolitan University. He has worked on a number of high profile cases and has worked on cases for the human rights organisation Liberty.