Sikh Origins and Key Organisations in the UK

• An exiled young Sikh prince called Maharaja Dalip Singh was one of the first Sikhs to live in Britain, acquiring the Elveden Estate, Norfolk.

• The majority of Sikhs arrived as migrants in the 1950s and 1960s. Many Sikhs came directly from the Punjab, although a significant minority also came from East Africa and other former British colonies. The vast majority of Sikhs are of Punjabi ethnic origin.

• Sikh religious teachings (see A Short Introduction to Sikhism) emphasise that there should be no distinctions between people and therefore reject the concept of caste or Jat as having no religious significance. However, social groups do continue to play a role in the life of the community.

• In recent years, the Network of Sikh Organisations has been founded to try to and support national networking and representation of the Sikh community.

Written by Professor Paul Weller