The University of British Columbia (UBC) has appointed Malaysian-born Inderjeet Singh as its first Canadian Sikh Chaplain. His appointment is the result of a collaborative effort by the Sikh community of British Columbia (BC) to place someone with an experience in higher education administration and student affairs in this position.
Role of a University Chaplain
The term "chaplain" is now widely used and approved to describe men and women who represent their faith or philosophical traditions. A university chaplain is a resource for students seeking guidance on campus. A chaplain can advise and support an individual through many different life changes, whether they wish to develop their faith, are at a crossroads, or want to begin investigating their spirituality and worldview.
Additionally, chaplains are trained to mentor members of the campus community in general matters of faith and during specific times of hardship. When a student is struggling with the transition from living at home to living on campus and suffering from homesickness and insomnia, or if a loved one has suddenly passed away back home, a chaplain can be of help.
The university chaplain can offer faith-based support and encouragement to students, faculty, and staff members.
Inderjeet Singh as the first Sikh Chaplain appointed by British Columbia
Inderjeet Singh holds a Master of Education degree and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Bowling Green University (BGSU - Ohio, USA). He has worked in Student Affairs, Residence Life, Greek Life, and International Admissions for six years.
He explained to Asia Samachar, “This is an interesting challenge. We need to connect the divide between today’s youth interests and traditionally-inspired spiritual practices.” As a practicing Sikh, Inderjeet—better known to his friends as Indy—had actively participated in the Sikh camps and activities organized by the Sikh Naujawan Sabha Malaysia (SNSM), a Sikh youth organization based in Kuala Lumpur. In the early 1990s, he coordinated and ran Sikh camps in Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, the United States, and Canada.
His initiatives as the first Sikh chaplain?
In his role as chaplain, he will also foster a culture of sharing through Langar, act as the advisor and resource to the UBC SSA, increase the organization's visibility in all university activities, act as an essential contact for the families of Sikh international students while they are studying at UBC, and serve as the conduit between UBC and the Sikh community of BC. Besides serving the needs of Sikh students, the chaplain is involved in international student orientations. Chaplains also participate in special programs, festivals, cultural exhibitions, and art displays.
As a member of the University Multi-Faith Chaplains Association, the Sikh Chaplain will contribute to the well-being of the UBC community. A few of the topics addressed by the association are faith and spirituality, meditation, emotional healing, friendship and community, citizenship and leadership, and multicultural cooperation and dialogue.
UBC's website notes that chaplains representing a variety of faiths provide opportunities for religious observance. The UBC Chaplaincy is an important spiritual resource for students, but they are not UBC employees and are completely independent of the university. Additionally, they are accountable to and supported by their religious constituencies, and they do not act under UBC's direction or authority.
Inderjeet has been developing and conducting his latest programs for 200 teenagers in New Westminster, BC (Sukh Sagar Gurdwara), according to the Sikhs On Campus website. Here, he educates and mentors young volunteers to lead camps, workshops, and events that emphasize social and communication skills, civic responsibility, and religious philosophy.
Additionally, Inderjeet coordinates Guru Nanak's Free Kitchen, which provides nearly 50,000 meals per year to the homeless in Vancouver's Eastside.
His goal as a Chaplain is to bridge the gap between traditionally-inspired spiritual practices and the interests of today's youth. To give pupils a comprehensive, pertinent, and engaging learning experience, Mr. Singh is all set to blend modern-western with conventional-eastern pedagogic methods.
The appointment of Inderjeet Singh as the first Sikh chaplain in one of the top universities will open up new vistas, helping the Sikh student community to grow religiously, culturally, socially, and ethically.