SALDEF is pleased to announce the last two awardees for the 2010 SALDEF National Gala to be held in Washington D.C. on October 16, 2010. We will be recognizing Mr. Ravitej Singh Khalsa with the SALDEF Public Service Award and Mr. Ajeet Singh Matharu with the Youth Leadership Award for their leadership and sustained community service.
Ravitej Singh Khalsa - SALDEF Public Service Award
This award recognizes individuals for their achievements and contributions for the betterment of society through their direct leadership and efforts. This year we recognize Ravitej Singh Khalsa from Eugene, Oregon who had been involved with the Oregon Teacher Campaign since the 1980’s when a Sikh teacher was dismissed for wearing a dastaar (Sikh turban) in the classroom. For 25 years, Ravitej continued to approach politicians and candidates about repealing the law. Earlier this year the campaign was taken up by Dave Hunt (speaker of the Oregon House) and Ravitej played an instrumental role in ensuring the campaign's success. Ravitej states that the victory belongs to freedom-loving Americans of all faiths, colors and national origins.
Ravitej is a designer, artist and photographer who had worked in Los Angeles as a television and advertising art director before starting a marketing company in Eugene, Oregon.
Ajeet Singh Matharu - SALDEF Youth Leadership Award
This award recognizes the extraordinary achievements of young Sikh Americans who have been leaders in the community and are an inspiration to the younger generation of Sikh Americans. Award recipients serve as role models for young Sikhs and exemplify Sikh values in their chosen careers. Before his untimely passing earlier this year, Ajeet Singh Matharu had completed his first year as a PhD student in history at Columbia University, where he was a dedicated and disciplined scholar focusing on South Asian history. Ajeet was an activist committed to social justice for all, driven by his passion for education and to contribute to the Sikh community. Ajeet played a leadership role in the Jakara Movement, a Sikh youth organization, and provided inspiration to all those who worked with him by forming close bonds with participants through his calm, welcoming demeanor and infectious enthusiasm. Ajeet also provided testimony to state legislators to repeal a discriminatory Oregon law, coordinated surveys of teachers and students on bias-based harassment, gave presentations in schools about Sikhi in New York, and developed detailed lesson plans for the Sojhi curriculum for Gurmat and Punjabi schools.
Ajeet’s goal was to become a rigorous scholar of Sikh studies, with the aim of correcting misrepresentations written in books chronicling Sikh history. He presented his paper, “Punjab and Sikh Studies in Historiographical Moments” at the Sikholars Sikh graduate student conference in February 2010. Two of his book reviews were also recently published in the Journal of Punjab Studies.
Please join us in honoring these remarkable individuals through an evening of celebration, culture and achievement on October 16, 2010.
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| About SALDEF Founded in 1996, SALDEF is the oldest Sikh American civil rights and educational organization dedicated to protecting and promoting the civil rights of Sikh Americans through advocacy, education, and media relations. SALDEF's mission is to create a fostering environment in the United States for future generations of Sikh Americans. |
Contact SALDEF Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF) 1413 K St, NW, 5th floor Washington, DC 20005 Phone: 202-393-2700 Fax: 202-318-3344 Web: www.saldef.org Email: [email protected] |