The UK’s Sikh community recently celebrated the first Sikh Games, an initiative aimed at fostering unity and inclusion among diverse groups. The event brought together participants of all ages from across the country, with most participation from the West Midlands, offering a unique blend of traditional Sikh sports like kabaddi and modern activities such as football, cricket, and running.
Organised with the spirit of seva (selfless service), the games emphasized community building, encouraging collaboration, and celebrating Sikh heritage. By showcasing Sikh values of equality and resilience, the games continue to grow as a powerful symbol of unity and cultural pride.
From Friday, August 16, to Sunday, August 18, at various venues, including Loughborough University, University of Nottingham, and Nottingham Trent University, there will be a series of sports competitions, as well as non-sporting competitions, like dastar tying.
Sikhs from across the UK will be competing in team sports, including football, cricket, hockey, and kabaddi, as well as individual sports like powerlifting and track.
“One aim of the Sikh Games is to normalise the importance of sport in the Sikh faith. Look at Baba Deep Singh Ji who went to battle in his 70s. We should be fit enough to go to battle at any age should the need arise,” Mandeep Kaur Moore, one of the organizers of the games, shares.
There has been lots of encouragement in recent years for Gurdwara football clubs and boxing, organizers say, noting that the Sikh Games will provide another opportunity to showcase this.
The Sikh Games sponsors includes the British Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, as well as sporting bodies like The Football Association, British Powerlifting, and British Judo.
The Sikh Games have gained support from several accomplished Sikh sportspeople as well, now acting as ambassadors, including International Boxing champions Sangeeta Birdi and Manjinder Nagra, who have represented the UK in Rugby internationally, up-and-coming footballer Karum Singh Malhi, and Meva Singh Dhesi, a para-badminton player.
“This new initiative is about bringing the community together, so our community can progress in sport,” Sikh Games ambassador Gian Singh Cheema, a former Olympic weightlifter and team GB coach for weightlifting, said.
“This is the first initiative of its kind and we must take such opportunities, because things of this scale are not easy to create. So I really hope our community makes the most of it,” he adds.
A plethora of notable Sikh athletes will be at the Sikh Games, holding over 20 talks, panels, and activator sessions. These sessions will cover various aspects of the sporting world, offering insights and inspiration for athletes, coaches, officials, and those interested in working within sporting governing bodies.
