A Journey of Transformative Faith Leadership: Africa, India, and Handsworth

The Bhai Sahib Ji Honorary Professorial Lecture

At a time when global power struggles and conflicts continue on a daily basis, the need for ethical leadership is essential. Bhai Sahib Professor Mohinder Singh Ji reflects on a journey of faith across three continents and beyond. He shares his experiences, learnings and insights on a remarkable life journey, with the common goal of aspiring us to living better lives, enable human flourishing, and building towards more just and peaceful societies.

Bhai Sahib Ji, leader of a multi-faceted faith based transnational organisation based in Handsworth Birmingham, is recognised for his international faith led leadership across multiple spheres including peacebuilding, international interfaith cooperation and leadership, education, and heritage conservation.

Biography

Bhai Sahib Professor Mohinder Singh Ji is the Spiritual Leader and Chairman of Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha, UK – a charitable organisation with its Headquarters in Birmingham. It has two sister organisations in Leeds and London with branches in India and Kenya. He is also Chairman of the Nishkam Centre which engages in a plethora of civic activities.

He is the first British Sikh to be awarded the official title of ‘Bhai Sahib’ by the Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee, SGPC, Amritsar, for his selfless service in propagating the Sikh faith, engagement in interfaith work and heritage conservation.

Within the interfaith context, Bhai Sahib is a founding member of the European Council of Religious Leaders. Whilst being Co-President, he is also a Trustee of Religions for Peace International and President of Religions for Peace UK. Bhai Sahib is Patron of the Divine Onkar Mission, Anon Care (UK), the Nishkam Healthcare Trust and the Nishkam School Trust which has pioneered a multifaith ethos in values-based education at its Nishkam Nursery, Primary, High School and Sixth Form.

Bhai Sahib has received three honorary doctorates: from the University of Central England in 2002, from the University of Birmingham in 2006, and another from Aston University in 2014 primarily for his services towards religious faith propagation, community service, education and science. Bhai Sahib received the Juliet Hollister Award from the Temple of Understanding in 2010 for intra and interfaith work internationally. He is the first ever Sikh to receive a Papal Knighthood of St Gregory the Great in 2012 and was awarded the Guru Nanak Interfaith Prize from Hofstra University in 2014 in recognition of his tireless efforts on behalf of interfaith dialogue and world peace.

Bhai Sahib is currently working on an international ‘Peace Charter for Forgiveness and Reconciliation,’ which was adopted by Religions for Peace delegates at the RfP 10^th World Assembly in August 2019, and an ambitious faith project to be located in Birmingham.

The lecture will be followed by a drinks reception in the foyer of the Alan Walters Building.