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Preserving Sikh Culture at Smithsonian

Som Chivukula

As an entrepreneur, Chirinjeev Kathuria has achieved success beyond his wildest dreams.

A Chicago-based physician turned telecom baron, he has founded companies such as MirCorp, which commercialised space, and HealthCite, a medical knowledge-based Web site. He has also revolutionised the concept of providing free Internet service in Europe.

But Kathuria readily admits that his Sikh heritage brings him more pride and comfort than his business achievements.

"Someone said, 'to kill a culture you have to kill its people, the language and the food and customs,'" Kathuria, whose parents brought him to America when he was eight months old, said.

"My Punjabi is not that good. But I still try to make an attempt at learning it!"

Though his Punjabi needs perfecting, Kathuria proudly showcases his turban and beard as a symbol of his heritage.

"It's easy for parents to tell their kids about the importance of being a Sikh when they see me because I have the turban and beard," Kathuria said.

Now, Kathuria will speak about the importance of second-generation Sikhs preserving their heritage and the importance of creating awareness about his community.

Along with luminaries such as Dr Narinder Kapany, director of the Washington DC-based Sikh Heritage Foundation, and Dr Alka Pande, former chairperson of the Department of Fine Arts at Punjab University, Kathuria will be one of the guests at the gala of the Sikh Heritage Foundation.

The event, featuring a dinner, lectures and entertainment, will be held at the Smithsonian Institution on August 11 in Washington DC.

"I find Sikh history fascinating," Kathuria said. "The idea of this event is to set up a permanent exhibition at the Smithsonian to preserve Sikh culture."

The Foundation, founded last year by Sikh Americans, seeks to showcase and preserve Sikh art and cultural artefacts.

"The issue of preserving Sikh heritage is extremely urgent and is probably the most important challenge facing the community right now," noted programme coordinator Jeevan Singh Deol. "Eighty per cent of the manuscripts of the Guru Granth Sahib are no longer in existence."

The exhibition will be held at Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History.

"This is a unique opportunity for Americans to understand something about the Sikh heritage and its relevance in the modern world," Deol observed. "Most non-Sikhs do not understand our religion, heritage and history."

Materials such as manuscripts from the 18th and 19th century royal courts, gilded arms and armour, paintings and jewellery will be showcased.

There is an added significance to the exhibition: It will serve as a model for other portions of the Indian community to follow, Kathuria said.

"This exhibition will be a good stepping stone for the entire Indian community, be it Jains, Hindus or Muslims," he said.

But lectures and discussions will not be taking up the bulk of the evening. The event will also feature a lot of entertainment, organisers said.

The University of Maryland's bhangra team, which won the coveted 2001 Bhangra Blowout bonanza, will perform traditional and modern dances. Lal Singh Bhatti, a legendary dhol performer, will also be performing.

A dance party featuring DJs from San Francisco, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and the Washington area will be held at the Relish Nightclub, 18th and M Streets, NW, at 10:30 pm.

The main event, beginning at 6:30 pm, will be held at the Smithsonian Institution's Baird Auditorium & Rotunda, 10th and Constitution Ave, NW. Tickets are $250 per person, $150 for those under 28.

For more information, call Vijay Singh Chattha at 202-786-2153 or visit www.sikhheritage.org.

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