Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Sikh prayer books made available to British Sikh military personnel after 100 Years

The Nitnem Gutka Sahib, as the collection is known, is made of durable material with a camouflage design and was inspired by images of troops in the trenches of the First World War.

Sikh prayer books made available to British Sikh military personnel after 100 Years

A specially designed waterproof prayer book filled with “tactical” hymns and prayers has been launched in London for British Sikhs to carry with them on duty and to the battlefield.

The Nitnem Gutka Sahib, as the collection is known, is made of durable material with a camouflage design and was inspired by images of troops in the trenches of the First World War.


It was launched and handed over to military personnel recently at the Central Gurdwara Khalsa Jatha in Shepherds Bush in west London.

“This is not something new, but a reintroduction of a tradition last seen over 100 years ago, during World War I,” said the Defence Sikh Network UK, behind the project.

“Sikhs in UK Defence now have a tactical water/tearproof Gutka to use wherever they serve, in whatever conditions,” it said.

Major Daljinder Singh Virdee, Chair of the Defence Sikh Network, says that the idea for the prayer book project was inspired by an image of a Sikh soldier with a prayer book in the trenches of France in World War I, during which many many Sikh soldiers fought with the Allied Forces and later in the Second World War as well.

“The Army has been providing Christian religious texts for many years and I saw the opportunity there to open the door for the Sikh faith to provide Sikh texts,” Virdee told the BBC.

“For Sikhs, our scriptures are not just words, they are the living embodiment of our Guru. We draw moral strength and physical strength from reading the scriptures every day, it gives us discipline and it grows us spiritually,” he said.

The new multilingual prayer book is designed to keep Sikhs within the military close to their faith wherever they go and has been made available across all forces. While the British Army Gutka has a camouflage cover, the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force (RAF) Gutka have a navy blue cover.

“By providing a Nitnem Gutka for serving Sikhs across the UK MoD we hope to directly support Sikhs practice a key component of their faith wherever they travel and work in whatever conditions,” a UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) spokesperson said.

(PTI)

More For You

Voices of Faith - Day 2: A profound confluence of spirituality, music, and dialogue

Barnaby Rogerson in conversation with Anthony Sattin (L) on day 2 of Voices of Faith

Voices of Faith - Day 2: A profound confluence of spirituality, music, and dialogue

Mahesh Liloriya

The second day of Voices of Faith unfolded with an enchanting blend of music, philosophy, and intellectual exploration at the Barbican Centre, London. This inaugural festival, curated by Teamwork Arts—the force behind the Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) and JLF London—has been made possible by the Kamini and Vindi Banga Family Trust, with the support of Tech Mahindra. Eastern Eye and Garavi Gujarat serve as the official media partners, amplifying the festival’s reach and resonance.

Session 1- Echoes of eternity: The timeless notes of Kabir

Keep ReadingShow less
starmer-immigration

Speaking at the Organised Immigration Crime Summit, Starmer said the government is working to restore order to the immigration system.

UK returns 24,000 illegal migrants since July, highest in eight years

THE UK government has returned over 24,000 individuals with no legal right to remain in the country since July, marking the highest rate of removals in eight years, prime minister Keir Starmer said on Monday.

Speaking at the Organised Immigration Crime Summit, Starmer said the government is working to restore order to the immigration system.

Keep ReadingShow less
'Aga Khan dedicated his life to service, peace, and pluralism'

Baroness Patricia Scotland speaks at an Iftar dinner held at the Ismaili Centre in London (Photo: The Ismaili National Council for the United Kingdom)

'Aga Khan dedicated his life to service, peace, and pluralism'

THE outgoing head of the Commonwealth has paid tribute to the late Prince Karim Aga Khan, describing him as a visionary leader whose lifelong dedication to service, peace, and pluralism has left a lasting impact on the world.

Speaking at an Iftar dinner held at the Ismaili Centre in London last Wednesday (26), Baroness Patricia Scotland, who steps down as Commonwealth secretary general on 1 April, reflected on her personal connection with the Aga Khan, recalling their meetings during Commonwealth Day celebrations at Westminster Abbey.

Keep ReadingShow less
Starmer-Trump-Getty

Trump has suggested the possibility of a 'great' trade deal that could help the UK mitigate the impact of tariffs he has pledged to introduce. (Photo: Getty Images)

Starmer, Trump talk trade deal progress in 'productive' discussion

KEIR STARMER and Donald Trump spoke on Sunday about ongoing UK-US trade negotiations, with Downing Street describing the talks as "productive."

Since leaving the European Union, the UK has been working to secure a trade agreement with the United States. Successive British governments have pursued a deal, but it has remained elusive.

Keep ReadingShow less
Myanmar-quake-rescue-Reuters

Rescuers carry the body of a victim during search and rescue operations, following a strong earthquake, in Bangkok, Thailand, March 30. (Photo: Reuters)

Myanmar earthquake death toll rises to 1,700, UK pledges £10m in aid

RESCUE efforts continued in Myanmar as residents searched for survivors in collapsed buildings in Mandalay, two days after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck the country. The disaster has killed at least 1,700 people in Myanmar and 17 in neighbouring Thailand.

The quake hit near Mandalay on Friday afternoon, followed minutes later by a 6.7-magnitude aftershock. The tremors caused widespread destruction, damaging buildings, bridges, and roads in the city of more than 1.7 million people.

Keep ReadingShow less