NEW YORK CITY(TIP):  With a view to reaching out to the world the message of the Sikh Gurus, an ambitious international center being built in the heart of New Delhi, the Indian capital, aims to impart knowledge and awareness about the origin and values of the Sikh faith to students and other communities around the world.

The sprawling International Centre for Sikh Studies is being built at the Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib Complex, Opposite to Parliament of India at New Delhi and will be inaugurated on the occasion of Vaisakhi in April 2019. The Centre is an initiative of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee under the leadership of its President Manjit Singh GK, and for which Indian-American hotelier Sant Singh Chatwal has made a contribution of one million dollars.

Addressing reporters here on August 24, Chatwal said that amid an increase in hate crimes against Sikhs around the world, the Centre will play a pivotal role in explaining the Sikh religion and its universal message of humanity and equality.

Chatwal said the project is about the universal message of Guru Granth Sahib and the journey of the Sikhism. He said Sikhs around the world are facing hate crimes and are misidentified because of their articles of faith. The Centre, through its high-quality and easy to access digital content will take the message of the Sikh community around the world. He added that the Centre will also collaborate with research institutes and universities around the world to bring scholars and students to the Centre to facilitate their research and studies.

The Centre is expected to be inaugurated by global ambassadors and diplomats stationed in New Delhi, emphasizing the massage of unity in diversity.

The Center will house a hi-tech auditorium, art exhibits, digital research library and a museum that will have the Guru Granth Sahib that was handwritten 400 years ago. It will showcase the history of the Sikhs and the presence of essential core values in Sikhism’s sacred texts. This will be done by presenting stories from the history of Sikhism and other relevant sacred texts using state of the art communication technologies so that it is accessed by people anywhere in the world. The content will be in English and Punjabi as well as in other global languages to ensure it is reached a wider audience.

Describing the initiative as “unique,” Chatwal said the young generation of Sikhs living in India as well as abroad sometimes lacks better understanding of the Holy Scripture- The Guru Granth Sahib – and the project will help spread the message of Sikhism to both Sikhs and non-Sikhs.

“The Guru Granth Sahib is not just for Sikhs. The project will help convey the message of the Guru Granth Sahib to everybody,” Chatwal said.

DSGMC officials had visited the city in the summer of 2015 to spread the message about the project among diaspora living in the US and Canada.

Giving details about the project, DSGMC said the Centre aims to engage with young Sikhs all over the world and familiarize them with the core values and contemporary relevance of Sikhism.

“The message of Guru Granth Sahib is universal. The Sikh Holy Book provides answers to all the problems the world is facing today, including gender inequality, environment challenges, economic inequality and climate change,” Singh said adding that the project will help spread the Sikh message of “selfless service to humanity.”

He added that the project also aims to acquaint the international community with the history of Sikhism and will incorporate audio-visual communication technologies to spread the information in an engaging manner.

The work at the Center being built at a cost of INR 20 Crore is in full swing. Already Rs. 10 crore have been spent, GK said.

A video on the ongoing construction of the Center was shown. Several journalists and community members asked questions or made suggestions.

Present on the occasion, besides Indian American media, were representatives of various gurdwaras and Sikh organizations. There was a visible excitement among the Sikh community representatives about the Center.