Sikhs in Asia Pacific
(Travels among the Sikh Diaspora from Yangon to Kobe)

Reviewed by: Dr. Hardev Singh Virk, Visiting Professor,
SGGS World University, Fatehgarh Sahib, Punjab (India).
Book Title

Author: Swarn Singh Kahlon, Chandigarh
Publisher: Manohar Publisher, New Delhi
Year of Publication: 2016; Pages 352; Price. Rs. 1195/- (Hard Bound)

Swaran Singh Kahlon is an avid traveler with a mission to explore the Sikh diaspora all over the globe. His first book, "Sikhs in Latin America," was published in 2012. The book under review is divided into 13 chapters followed by 18 appendices. It explores Sikh diaspora in 11 countries of Asia Pacific in 11 chapters and has one chapter devoted to Sikh participation in the Ghadar and Indian National Army (INA), and one on the conclusions of the study. The author has followed the same style of writing as adopted in his first volume, i.e., tracing the history of Sikh migration followed by case histories recorded in India or abroad.

The author begins the text with a brilliant introduction to the region under study; his methodology and field visits concerning his project; history of Indian migration to Asia Pacific; and parameters of Sikh migration at a global level. This chapter has 8 tables summarizing highly useful data for social scientists and historians regarding global Sikh population, migration patterns, and the setting up of the first Sikh temples (Gurdwaras) by the Sikh diaspora in the Asia Pacific region.

Chapter 1 is focused on the theme: "Sikhs in Burma." The author starts this chapter with mention of two romantic poems about Burma: one by Rudyard Kipling and the other by Mughal king, Bahadur Shah Zafar, who immortalized his death in Burma by this epitaph written on the prison wall. Sikh migration to Burma started with the British Indian army in the 19th century when Burma became a province of India in 1856. The 1931 census listed a total of 10,761 Sikhs in Burma with many more coming until the Second World War. Sikh presence and enthusiasm can be gauged from the fact that in early 1950s there were 136 Sikh Gurdwaras, 11 Khalsa High Schools, 5 Libraries, 1 Girls School, 2 Ashrams and 1 independent Langar Hall. The Sikhs were well organized under Khalsa Diwan - Burma and spread throughout the country engaged in all professions, business, farming and dairying