Major Daljinder Singh Virdee (born March 1990) is a pharmacist, British Army officer, and chairman of the Defence Sikh Network (DSN), who campaigned for the re-introduction of Nitnem Gutkas, Sikh daily prayer books, into the British military.
Early life
editDaljinder Singh Virdee was born March 1990. He acquired his Master of Pharmacy degree from the University of Reading in 2012.
Career
editVirdee worked as technical services pharmacist at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital in London, before embarking on a four-week intensive course for professionally qualified officers (PQO) at the British Army's Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst. He passed-out as a Lieutenant in 2015.[1] Chairman of the Defence Sikh Network (DSN),[2][3] Virdee has campaigned for the re-introduction of a Nitnem Gutkas, a Sikh daily prayer book, into the British military, which was last issued over a century ago. On 28 October 2022, the book was handed out at the Central Gurdwara temple in London.[4] In November 2022, Virdee presented a copy of the new prayer book and other Sikh literature in a ceremony at the Golden Temple as part of a delegation of British military personnel to Amritsar to participate in an event in memory of the Battle of Saragarhi.[5] The DSN has also advised on the different colours used for turbans in the three branches of the British military.[5] In October 2022, Virdee represented the Defence Sikh Network at a ceremony in Thetford to honour Duleep Singh at St. Andrew and St. Patrick Church, Elveden, Suffolk.[6]
References
edit- ^ Wilkins, Andy (21 December 2015). "Medic aims to 'carry on a legacy' after passing out from prestigious military academy". Slough Observer. Archived from the original on 11 November 2022. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
- ^ "Saragarhi Day 2021 commemorated in Wolverhampton". www.army.mod.uk. 12 September 2021. Archived from the original on 11 November 2022. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
- ^ "Maharajah Duleep Singh". Sikh Museum Initiative. 23 October 2021. Archived from the original on 11 November 2022. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
- ^ Jones, Claire (10 November 2022). "Sikh prayer books return to military after 100 years". BBC News. Archived from the original on 11 November 2022. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
- ^ a b Service, Tribune News. "UK army delegation visits Golden Temple". Tribuneindia News Service. Archived from the original on 11 November 2022. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
- ^ Masters, Charlie (24 October 2022). "Memorial service for exiled Sikh ruler". Suffolk News. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
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