Dear Friends,
recently Indian Express carried an article on Rana Preet Gill’s new book The Ghadar Movement. My quotes are inline:
Author and journalist Amandeep Sandhu explains that with the onset of the Boer War in the 1890s, the British sent a large number of men from Punjab to Africa as soldiers. “This was the beginning of migration from Punjab,” he says. Thereon, the inhabitants of Punjab soon realised that migration was the best way to escape the harsh conditions they were living in and earn for their families.
Sandhu further points to the influence of international socialism on the ideologies of the founders of the Ghadar Party. “A large number of its members would have been well acquainted with the Guru Granth Sahib, which speaks about working for the welfare of all. It stands for social justice and equality for all,” he says. Emancipation of the working class, he says, was the basic principle of socialism. The two thoughts fit together well. “The Ghadar Party was a beautiful synergy between Sikh thought and international socialism,” he suggests.
Yet, despite being entrenched in the historical consciousness and folklore of Punjab, the Ghadar movement is mentioned only in passing in the narratives of modern Indian history in school textbooks. Sandhu explains the reason for this: the left-oriented academic historians of India considered Ghadar more of a Punjab movement than an Indian one because of the large presence of Punjabis, or rather Sikhs, in it. Such an understanding often overlooked the fact that the movement consisted of several non-Sikh leaders. Har Dayal was Hindu, and so were Kanshi Ram and Rash Behari Bose. Muslim members of the movement consisted of Barkatullah and Rehmat Ali.
Please see the full story here …
Dear Friends,
On 20 Sep, Dr Mohinder Singh from Bhai Vir Singh Sadan, New Delhi asked me to join a panel discussion on Harleen Singh’s book ‘The Lost Heer: Women in Colonial Punjab’. It is a fascinating book and opens doors to more writers engaging with the women history of Panjab – a space which at present is wide open. The session was chaired by Dr Patricia Uberoi and Prof Gurpreet Mahajan was the main speaker.
I attend the Sadan’s book events and lectures regularly. They are very enriching. I had blurbed the book and had some questions of my own for the author who I had never met. I decided to briefly comment and then bring the author into the discussion.
My section, with Prof Uberoi’s intervention is from 52.45 mins – 1.29.25 hrs. English. Though to get a good sense of the book listen to Prof Mahajan’s commentary and buy the book.
Note: I like it that folks get confused about how to address me. Whether I am Sir, Sri, Prof, or Sardar. 
Please watch here …
Dear Friends,
Last four weeks, Panjab battled floods, people at various points of river Satluj strengthened embankments. Meanwhile people from Jammu, Uttrakhand, Haryana, West Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Mewat, Delhi brought in rations and essentials. Big thanks to them. Solidarity!
However, governments and their legalities have been postposing an easy decision on the control of the Bhakra Beas Management Board and control of Bhakra and Pong dams for the last 59 years! Here is an urge to Central government to resolve the issue. Thans to Rajat Ghai for inviting the piece.
Please see here …
Dear Friends,
The New India Fellowship news has appeared in the Deccan Herald today.
Please see here …
Dear Friends,
A writer I admire a lot, but had never met or spoken to – Lalita Iyer – called me a few days back because she was writing a piece on mental health and illness for Outlook magazine.
We spoke with great ease, as if we knew each other for long. Here is a slice from that conversation about my mother, father, me, life, choices, larger society.
Please read here…
Friends,
a few days back Prabhjit Singh from Story Talk called and asked me to speak on the recent ban on 25 books in Kashmir. A few minutes later Mohan Singh Aulakh called me and we spoke. 16.33 mins. Panjabi.
Please find link here …
Friends,
Recently BBC Panjabi asked me for my thoughts on the 40th Anniversary of the Dharam Yudh Morcha and its aftereffects.
Please see …
Friends,
I am happy to inform you that I have won the 12th Round of the New India Foundation for my book project: Keeping the Faith: Sikhs Who Live Outside Panjab, In India.
Please see …
Dear Friends,
Dhanya Rajendran from TheNewsMinute recently hosted a talk with Honey Trehan, maker of the movie Punjab ’95 based on the life of S. Jaswant Singh Khalra. Dhanya invited me to the discussion.
Please see. 8 min – 1.02.20 mins. English.
PS: The interview is part of TNM’s program South Central which earlier talks about headlines and later about Kerala’s Nilambur by-election.
Dear friends,
some of you know that I triggered the making of Panjab ’95. Here are director of film Honey Trehan’s words.
‘During the first wave of Covid [in 2020], I fell ill and was quarantined for 14 days. I started reading Amandeep Sandhu’s Panjab: Journeys Through Fault Lines, in which there is a chapter on the disappearances. Amandeep told me that I should make a film on the subject, especially since I am from Tarn Taran. He also knew Navkiran, Khalra’s daughter.
Coincidentally, this call took place on September 6 (2020), the day Khalra disappeared (in 1995). I called Amandeep back and said, I am going to make the film.’
Please read on …