MARYLAND (TIP): A determined community can achieve anything. The Sikh community in Baltimore decided to have a Punjabi school and they had it.
A long cherished dream of the Sikh committee of the area was realized when a Punjabi school was inaugurated in the premises of Gurudwara Sikh Association of Baltimore on Sunday, July 12. President of the DSGPC Manjit Singh GK and Gurudwara Sikh Association of Baltimore Trustee Dr. Kirpal Kaur cut the ribbon to inaugurate the school.
The gurdwara management appointed Dr. Surinder Singh Gill as Principal cum Coordinator of the school. Dr. Gill is an educationist who has a long experience in school management, having established three schools in India.
Once the management of the Gurdwara gave Dr. Gill the full authority to start a school, Dr. Gill, with the help of Paramjit Singh began wok to obtain equipment for the school.
Dr. Kirpal Kaur and Jesse Singh took the responsibility of the expenses on trailer which was to be used to house the school. Dr. Gill prepared curriculum and arranged for books, registration and the other allied material and equipment for the school in just two weeks and made it possible for inauguration ceremony to take place on July 12, 2015.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Kirpal Kaur said that the community felt the need of a Punjabi school. Without the knowledge of mother tongue, children will become orphans. They will get lost. They will lose touch with their religion and culture.
Manjit Singh GK congratulated the school management and Dr. Gill, in particular for realizing the need and setting up the school. He said Punjabi School was a need of the community and without Punjabi Sikhs cannot survive.
On this occasion, Avatar Singh Hit offered five thousand books for the school and advised the management to start the library from the ensuing session.
Speaking on the occasion, Gurdwara President Jeet Singh said the Gurdwara management appreciated all who supported the idea of the school and contributed generously for its set up. In particular, he thanked Kawaljit Singh Soni, KK Sidhu, Baljinder Singh Shami, Dr Sukhpal Singh, Jeet Singh president, Karam Singh, Kanta Sami and the teachers of the school for their cooperation.
Dr. Gill informed The Indian Panorama that in just 15 days thirty students were enrolled and the management provided free books, note books and bags to the students.. Dr. Gill said, “It is a great step for the Punjabi community and will go long way to mark a great start. The management expects more enrollments of students and looks forward to adding another Trailer very soon so that the State could designate it as a chartered school”.
Dr. Gill said he was confident of the support of the community and the State administration and hoped to see the school being recognized as a chartered school.