Photos

A Sikh is an adherent of Sikhism. The term has its origin in the Sanskrit "shishya" where it means a disciple or follower. The sikh male can be easily recognized by his turban and beard, and steel bracelet on his right hand. The women also adorns long hair and steel bracelet on right hand. All sikh males have Singh in their name and women Kaur.

Most Sikhs come from the Punjab region, although there are significant communities all over the world.

Guru Nanak, the founder of the faith summed up the basis of sikh lifestyle in three requirments: Naam Japo, Kirat Karo and Wand ka Shako,which mean medidate on the holy name, Waheguru, work dilegently and honestly, and share ones fruits.

Despite their comparatively percentage in India (2%), Sikhs are highly represented in Indian politics and other walks of life. The prime minister of India Manmohan Singh is a sikh. They form a significant segment of India's military services and sports. They are especially well known for their world performance in field hockey, and cricket. They are outstanding engineer's and doctor's Professor Piara Singh Gill famous Nuclear scientist and worked on the American Manhattan project. In USA politics, the first Asian American elected to the United States Congress was Dalip Singh Saund. Some Sikh intellectuals, sportsmen and artists include Khushwant Singh,writer, Monty Panesar,England cricketer, Jaspal Bhatti, Milkha Singh,world record holder(400m olympic games 1960), and Bishen Singh Bedi(cricketer).

Sikh community also enjoys comparatively greater economic prosperity.. In India and across the world, Sikhs are an important mercantile class, as well as employed in skilled professions. They have close-knit community structure, and place emphasis on education. They are world class farmers, and the state of Punjab is known as the bread basket of India

Due to the turbans Sikhs wear, people in Western countries have sometimes confused Sikhs with Middle Eastern men or Muslims. This has affected Sikhs in times of conflict with elements of the Middle East. For example, during the Iranian hostage crisis when the government of Iran held Americans hostages in its own country, some people in Western countries misunderstood the Sikh turban as a turban worn by all Middle Eastern men, they did not understand it is also worn in India. After the September 11, 2001 attacks, some people associated Sikhs with terrorists or members of the Taliban.