Daljinder Singh Virdee
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
[edit]Daljinder Singh Virdee was born March 1990. He acquired his Master of Pharmacy degree from the University of Reading in 2012.
Career
[edit]Virdee 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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