Two Shining stars - Manmeet and Harmeet
Harmeet Singh, the first turbaned Sikh journalist of Pakistan, has become an elected member of the governing body of the National Press Club, Islamabad. Garnering 775 votes, he has achieved 7th rank becoming one of the total 15 member executives. Harmeet Singh had joined the field in 2018 accepting an offer from the Public news, a popular Urdu news channel to join as a News Anchor, after returning back from Malaysia.
National Press Club is known as Pakistan's largest and most prestigious Press Club. Previously it had members coming from Christian and Hindu minority communities but this is the first time when a Sikh is becoming one.
Harmeet holds an advanced degree in professional journalism from the Urdu University of Karachi. Before joining Public news, he was also active as a broadcaster for Radio Pakistan.
Harmeet Singh, a Sehajdhari Sikh, is a part of the once-thriving Sikh community of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan, Chakesar in Shangla district being his hometown.
Earlier in January this year, Harmeet was hit by news of enormous grief when his 25 years old brother Parwinder Singh was gruesomely murdered just a few days before his marriage.
Expressing his gratitude at this auspicious moment, Singh appreciated all the journalists who supported and voted for him and he said '' I will put the best of me to respect the authority I have been granted, to uphold the ethics and responsibilities of true journalism''.
Harmeet Singh also acknowledged the huge contribution of the journalist community from India, UK and Kashmir in generating strong support for his candidacy through phone calls and Public endorsements.
It is very vital here to also mention the achievement of young Sikh girl and Harmeet Singh's half namesake Manmeet Kaur who became the first in the Sikh community to join mainstream TV journalism as a professional.
In May 2018 just a few weeks before Singh's joining Sikh community rejoiced at the achievement of Manmeet Kaur, member of the ever-shrinking Sikh community of Peshawar.
Manmeet holds strong and mature views regarding the way to growth and empowerment of Sikh girls in Pakistan through education and guided upbringing.
She is also the recipient of honor from ''The Sikh group'' in the UK for her service towards highlighting the problems of Sikhs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Manifestations of Hope, Scope and Change
The induction of again both the meets Harmeet Singh and Manmeet Singh in a profession which is something more than what the public is, is an indication of changing scenario for the Sikh community in Pakistan.
Their service will also help in creating an intimate connection and increasing the acceptance of Sikh identity among the people of Pakistan.
These two achievers have become role models for many young Sikhs in Pakistan. The trajectory taken by both to be on these positions will help in guiding and inspiring the budding Sikh youth in reaching their inner potentials.
Gurjot Singh