Australian Sikhs number over 210,000 people and account for 0.8% of Australia's population as of 2021, forming the country's fastest-growing and fifth-largest religious group. The largest Sikh populations in Australia are found in Victoria, followed by

New South Wales New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...

and

Queensland Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...

History

Pre-Federation: 1830s–1901

Early migrants: indentured labourers and cameleers

It is difficult to separate the history of early Sikh arrival to Australia from that of the numerous other religious faiths that were represented the people of

British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance in South Asia. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one form or another ...

and more specifically the Punjab province. It appears that the first Sikhs arrived in the country somewhere in the late 1830s, when the penal transport of

convicts A convict is "a person found Guilt (law), guilty of a crime and Sentence (law), sentenced by a court" or "a person serving a sentence in prison". Convicts are often also known as "prisoners" or "inmates" or by the slang term "con", while a commo ...

(which at the time also consisted of

and Victoria) was slowing, before being abolished altogether in 1840. The lack of manual labourers from the convict assignment system led to an increase demand for foreign labour, which was partly filled by the arrival of Sikhs. The Sikhs came from an agrarian background in India, and thus fulfilled their tasks as farm labourers on cane fields and shepherds on sheep stations well. A record from 1836 records a man with the surname of McCoy recruiting 50 Sikh workers for his sugar plantation in Australia, with the group stopping in Batavia (modern-day

Jakarta Jakarta (; , Betawi language, Betawi: ''Jakartè''), officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta (; ''DKI Jakarta'') and formerly known as Batavia, Dutch East Indies, Batavia until 1949, is the capital and largest city of Indonesia and ...

) en-route to their destination. ''"Initially, the migrants from India were

indentured labourers Indentured servitude is a form of labor in which a person is contracted to work without salary for a specific number of years. The contract called an "indenture", may be entered voluntarily for a prepaid lump sum, as payment for some good or serv ...

, who worked on sheep stations and farms around Australia. Some adventurers followed during the

gold rush A gold rush or gold fever is a discovery of gold—sometimes accompanied by other precious metals and rare-earth minerals—that brings an onrush of miners seeking their fortune. Major gold rushes took place in the 19th century in Australia, ...

of the 1850s. A census from 1861 indicates that there were around 200 Indians in Victoria of whom 20 were in Ballarat, the town which was at the epicenter of the gold rush. Thereafter, many more came and worked as hawkers - going from house to house, town to town, traversing thousands of kilometers, making a living by selling a variety of products."'' From the 1860s onwards, cameleers, commonly called '

Ghans Afghan cameleers in Australia, also known as "Afghans" () or "Ghans" (), were camel train, camel drivers who worked in Outback Australia from the 1860s to the 1930s. Small groups of cameleers were shipped in and out of Australia at three-ye ...

' were brought to Australia to help explore and settle Australia's vast arid interior. While the Ghans consisted mainly of

Muslims Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...

from largely from

and some even from

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...

and

Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...

, a sizeable minority were Sikhs from Punjab. The Ghans set up camel-breeding stations and rest house outposts, known as

caravanserai A caravanserai (or caravansary; ) was an inn that provided lodging for travelers, merchants, and Caravan (travellers), caravans. They were present throughout much of the Islamic world. Depending on the region and period, they were called by a ...

, throughout inland Australia, creating a permanent link between the coastal cities and the remote cattle and sheep grazing stations until about the 1930s, when they were largely replaced by the

automobile A car, or an automobile, is a motor vehicle with wheels. Most definitions of cars state that they run primarily on roads, Car seat, seat one to eight people, have four wheels, and mainly transport private transport#Personal transport, peopl ...

Entrepreneurial migrants: travelling rural hawkers

Towards the end of the 19th century, Indian hawkers, many of whom were Sikh, became a common sight in the country regions throughout the country. Peddling was a common occupation in rural India and was readily transplanted to rural Australia, due to its widely dispersed population. Hawking required little capital to begin, with young men travelling on foot until they had enough money to purchase a horse and cart. The hawking system was based on credit, with warehouses selling goods to Indian wholesalers on credit, who provided the hawkers their stock on credit, who in turn sold their goods to the farmers and farmhands on credit. Credit was vital as money was often only available after the harvesting of the crops. The hawkers sold a wide variety of goods from work wear and farming goods for the men of the household, to fashionable clothing, trinkets and sewing needles for the wives and daughters. All hawkers required licenses issued by the state and from the 1890s licenses started to become restricted to

British subjects The term "British subject" has several different meanings depending on the time period. Before 1949, it referred to almost all subjects of the British Empire (including the United Kingdom, Dominions, and colonies, but excluding protectorates ...

. This denied

Afghans Afghans (; ) are the citizens and nationals of Afghanistan, as well as their descendants in the Afghan diaspora. The country is made up of various ethnic groups, of which Pashtuns, Tajiks, Hazaras, and Uzbeks are the largest. The three main lan ...

Assyrians Assyrians (, ) are an ethnic group indigenous to Mesopotamia, a geographical region in West Asia. Modern Assyrians share descent directly from the ancient Assyrians, one of the key civilizations of Mesopotamia. While they are distinct from ot ...

and Chinese from renewing their license, giving the Sikhs a monopoly on hawking which they held until the 1930s when new European migrants began to ply the trade. While the hawkers were usually well received by the people of the country, with many stories of the hawkers cooking curries with the wives and playing cricket with the men, their success worried some politicians. Sikh hawkers sent some of their profits back to their families in the villages of Punjab and invested the rest by building stores and buying land, especially in northern New South Wales, where their continued acquisition caused the minister for of lands, Niel Nielson, to speak out. Two of the most successful Sikh hawkers were Baba Ram Singh and Otim (Uttam) Singh who arrived in 1890 learnt the trade and prospered and in 1907 they established "The People Stores". Baba Ram Singh lived to be 106 and is thought to have brought the first

Guru Granth Sahib The Guru Granth Sahib (, ) is the central holy religious scripture of Sikhism, regarded by Sikhs as the final, sovereign and eternal Guru following the lineage of the ten human gurus of the religion. The Adi Granth (), its first rendition, w ...

to Australia in the early 1920s, while in his lifetime Otim Singh acquired £10,000 and developed a thriving business on

Kangaroo Island Kangaroo Island (, ) is Australia's third-largest island, after Tasmania and Melville Island, Northern Territory, Melville Island. It lies in the state of South Australia, southwest of Adelaide. Its closest point to the mainland is Snapper Poi ...

. As their families were not allowed to join these early pioneers many travelled back and forth finally returning to their original homeland to retire. Some of the earliest arrivals in Australia, whose families / offspring continue to live in Australia. They have reached their 4th/5th/6th generation now in Australia. * 1885 - Surjan Singh Johal (Jandiala, Jalandhar) * 1885 - Mahan Singh Grewal (Dhaliwal, Jalandhar) * 1889 - Baba Ram Singh Rai (Bhulla Rai, Jalandhar) * 1890 - Oudham Singh Arkan (Malpur Arkan, Nawanshahr) * 1890 - Gurbachan Singh Sanghera (Bilga, Jalandhar) * 1890 - Gharne (Gian) Singh Malhi (Chugha Kalan, Moga) * 1893 - Mangal Singh Bains (Bilga, Jalandhar) * 1893 - Prem Singh Majhel (Aujla) (Bhalojala, Amritsar) * 1894 - Khem Singh Bhatti (Sahlon, Nawanshahr) * 1895 - Beer Singh Johal (Jandiala, Jalandhar) * 1895 - Partap Singh Johal (Jandiala, Jalandhar) * 1895 - Bella Singh Bhangal (Amargarh, Nawanshahr) * 1895 - Inder Singh Arkan (Malpur Arkan, Nawanshahr) * 1896 - Jualla (Jolla) Singh Sohal (Atta, Jalandhar) * 1896 - Sham Singh Pangly (Jagatpur Jattan (Sran), Jalandhar) * 1896 - Santa Singh Atwal (Bara Pind, Jalandhar) * 1897 - Jawala Singh Lalli (Lallian, Hoshiarpur) * 1897 - Inder Singh Bagri (Chak Kalan, Jalandhar) * 1898 - Narain Singh Hayer (Heran, Jalandhar) * 1898 - Basanta Singh Sanghera (Bilga, Jalandhar) * 1898 - Waryam Singh Sidhu (Mansurpur, Jalandhar) * 1898 - Kishan Singh Chohan (Nagar (Phillaur), Jalandhar) * 1898 - Indar Singh Sondhu (Jalandhar) * 1899 - Genda Singh Atwal (Rasulpur, Nawanshahr) * 1899 - Karam Singh (Boparai Kalan, Jalandhar) * 1899 - Jowahar Singh (Pabwan, Jalandhar) * 1899 - Eshar (Esau) Singh Sanghera (Bilga, Jalandhar) * 1899 - Ram Singh Sangha (Kala Sanghian, Kapurthala) * 1900 - Sarna Singh Dhesi (Sang Dhesian, Jalandhar) * 1900 - Joallah Singh Dhadwal (Muthada Kalan, Jalandhar) * 1900 - Gunda Singh Bains (Bains, Jalandhar) * 1901 - Pal Singh Pooni (Muthada Kalan, Jalandhar) * 1901 - Basawa Singh Bassi (Bundala, Jalandhar) * 1901 - Thakur Singh More (Sadhpur, Nawanshahr) * 1901 - Inder Singh Dhadlie (Golewal, Nawanshahr) * 1901 - Inder Singh Thandi (Thandian, Nawanshahr) * 1902 - Moti Singh Benning (Kishanpura, Nawanshahr) * 1902 - Munsha Singh Toor (Dhaliwal, Jalandhar) * 1910 - Brahm Singh Samrai (Samrai, Jalandhar) * 1880~1901 - Sewa Singh Dhesi (Kahna Dhesian, Jalandhar) * 1880~1901 - Arjan Singh Sandhar (Nawan Pind, Jalandhar) * 1880~1901 - Bhulla Singh Sodhi (Mehmoodpur, Nawanshahr) * 1880~1901 - Ganga Singh Gosal (Ratainda, Nawanshahr) * 1880~1901 - Lachman Singh Sanghera (Bilga, Jalandhar) * 1880~1901 - Karam Chand (Bilga, Jalandhar) * 1880~1901 - Gurdit Singh (Bara Pind, Jalandhar) * 1880~1901 - Jewan Singh (Chak, Jalandhar) * 1880~1901 - Dalip Singh (Dhuleta, Jalandhar) * 1880~1901 - Ram Singh (Bilga, Jalandhar) * 1880~1901 - Booja Singh (Chak, Jalandhar) * 1880~1901 - Nanak Chand (Bilga, Jalandhar) * 1880~1901 - Bishan Das (Dhaliwal, Jalandhar)

CEDT - Certificate of Exemption from the Dictation Test

Many of the early Sikh pioneers obtained Certificates exempting them from a dictation test that non-whites had to undergo if they wanted to enter Australia after 1901. However, it is not known how the Sikhs that entered for the first time after 1901 continued to or were permitted to reside and work in Australia. The Dictation Test was a written test in any European language chosen at random by the Migration Officers. It was primarily designed to keep non-white people from entering Australia. However, any Indian or other non-white person who was resident in Australia before 1900 could, if they chose to leave Australia, leave after applying for the CEDT, which would ensure that they could return to Australia at a time of their choosing and not undergo a Dictation Test. Many people of all nationalities left Australia and later re-entered Australia with little difficulty.

During the White Australia Policy: 1901–1973

From federation in 1901 until 1973, immigration of non-whites, including Sikhs, into Australia was restricted due to the enactment of the White Australia policy. The laws made it impossible for Sikhs to enter the country unless they were merchants or students, who themselves were only allowed in for short periods of time; it also made it impossible for Sikhs who already lived in the country from returning to the motherland, as they would be barred re-entry. Historians place the number of Indians in Australia at federation in 1901 somewhere between 4700 and 7600. According to the 1911 census, there was only 3698 'Indians' (mostly Sikh) signifying a large decrease, with the trend continuing, with only approximately 2200 'Indians' in the country in 1921. Open discrimination of non-whites before the passing of the laws was also widespread. After the conclusion of

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, however, the stance of Australia on Sikhs shifted. Sikhs were classified as a martial race by the officials of the

British Empire The British Empire comprised the dominions, Crown colony, colonies, protectorates, League of Nations mandate, mandates, and other Dependent territory, territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It bega ...

, who believed they were brave, loyal and well-built for fighting. As such they were preferentially recruited to the British armed forces as part of the

Sikh Regiment The Sikh Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army. It is the most highly decorated regiment of the Indian Army and in 1979, the 1st battalion was the Commonwealth's most decorated battalion, with 245 pre-independence and 82 post-i ...

, which quickly became the most decorated regiment in the Empire. They fought side by side with the

ANZAC The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) was originally a First World War army corps of the British Empire under the command of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force. It was formed in Egypt in December 1914, and operated during the ...

battalions in the battle of Gallipoli and earned the respect of many Australians. This combined the need to strengthen links to counter the growing threat of an expansionist and industrialised

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

saw Indians of Australia given rights far greater than that of other Asian groups through a series of steps between 1925 and 1929, Indians in Australia were allowed limited property rights, were given the right to vote and allowed a pension. The Sikhs began to use their new-found rights in the 1930s when the early pioneers begun to bring their 'sons of working age' to Australia. Initially they had a strong presence in the

Atherton Tableland The Atherton Tableland is a fertile plateau, which is part of the Great Dividing Range in Queensland, Australia. It has very deep, rich basaltic soils and the main industry is agriculture. The principal river flowing across the plateau is the B ...

region of

and the

Northern Rivers Northern Rivers is the most northeasterly Regions of New South Wales, region of the Australian state of New South Wales, located between north of the state capital, Sydney, and encompasses the catchments and fertile valleys of the Clarence Ri ...

, especially Maclean, Harwood and Clarence, where they worked as manual labourers, mainly working on the sugar cane fields, but also finding work in other industries such as the construction of railways. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, Australia suffered from a dearth of labourers as the White population was recruited into the army and sent overseas, where they fought side by side with the Sikhs in the

Battle of Malaya The Malayan campaign, referred to by Japanese sources as the , was a military campaign fought by Allied and Axis forces in Malaya, from 8 December 1941 – 15 February 1942 during the Second World War. It was dominated by land battles between ...

Battle of Singapore The fall of Singapore, also known as the Battle of Singapore, took place in the South–East Asian theatre of the Pacific War. The Empire of Japan captured the British stronghold of Singapore, with fighting lasting from 8 to 15 February 1942. S ...

and numerous other hostilities. This allowed Indians to work in many agricultural sectors which they had previously been barred from working in due to protests by agricultural unions. One of the opened industries was the banana industry, leading to the Sikhs in Australia migrating from to the banana growing areas of Woolgoolga to fill the shortage, forming a Sikh community that still exists to this day. The

Partition of India The partition of India in 1947 was the division of British India into two independent dominion states, the Dominion of India, Union of India and Dominion of Pakistan. The Union of India is today the Republic of India, and the Dominion of Paki ...

occurred in 1947, with the state of

Punjab Punjab (; ; also romanised as Panjāb or Panj-Āb) is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia. It is located in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising areas of modern-day eastern Pakistan and no ...

, the home to the majority of the Sikh community in Australia, being divided between the

Islamic Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...

Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...

in the west, and the Secular Hindu, Sikh, Muslim India in the east. As a result of the upheaval, many of the Sikh father and sons returned to the Punjab to protect their family, assets and land from the turmoil, however many of them arrived back in Punjab to find that they had lost everything. Those young and fit enough to still work in Australia returned, mainly to work on the banana farms in Woolgoolga, although some ended up working in Northern Queensland. In the 1950s and 1960s the Sikhs worked hard and started to purchase land and start their own banana farms. With steady work and income, the Sikh men started to bring their wives from Punjab to Australia. In 1961 there were six Sikh women in Woolgoolga, creating Sikh households and Sikh children born in Australia. As Indians were allowed naturalisation, the first true Sikh Australians came into being. The pull of the Sikh community in Woolgoolga led to Sikhs from other areas of the country migrating to Woolgoolga in the hope they could follow their kinsmen to a banana led success. In 1968 the First Sikh Temple was opened in Woolgoolga, becoming the first

Gurdwara A gurdwara or gurudwara () is a place of assembly and place of worship, worship in Sikhism, but its normal meaning is "place of guru" or "home of guru". Sikhism, Sikhs also refer to gurdwaras as ''Gurdwara Sahib''. People from all faiths and rel ...

to be opened in the country.

Post White Australia Policy: 1973–Present

With the enactment of the Racial Discrimination Act by the Whitlam government, Sikh migration to Australia dramatically increased. While most Sikh immigrants can trace their heritage to Punjab, many come from countries other than

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

including

Malaysia Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...

, Singapore,

Fiji Fiji, officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists of an archipelago of more than 330 islands—of which about ...

Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...

Uganda Uganda, officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the ...

and the United Kingdom. Sikhs migrate to Australia because it is a free stable country with economic opportunities. In many cases Sikhs suffered injustices in their home country, and in the case of Uganda, open persecution. Whereas early immigration was mainly as labourers working in the country, new migrants are now mainly based around the major cities, working in a variety of fields from driving taxis to health professionals.

Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...

is now home to the largest Sikh population. Since 2000, there has been a great increase in the number of Sikh students studying in Australia, with many staying on in the country after the completion of their studies. In May and June 2009, a number of Sikhs fell victim to a spate of attacks on Indians studying in the country, leading to protests in Melbourne and Sydney.

Demographics

According to the , the Sikh population numbered 210,400 individuals, of the majority (91,745) live in

Victoria (state) Victoria, commonly abbreviated as Vic, is a States and territories of Australia, state in southeastern Australia. It is the second-smallest state (after Tasmania), with a land area of ; the second-most-populated state (after New South Wales), ...

followed by 47,165 in

. The lowest population is in

Northern Territory The Northern Territory (abbreviated as NT; known formally as the Northern Territory of Australia and informally as the Territory) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian internal territory in the central and central-northern regi ...

which is 1,401. According to the , the Sikh population numbered 125,909 individuals, of whom 39% live in Greater

, 21% in Greater

Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...

, and 10% in Greater

Brisbane Brisbane ( ; ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and largest city of the States and territories of Australia, state of Queensland and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia, with a ...

. The states and territories with the highest proportion of Sikhs are Victoria (0.89%) and the

Australian Capital Territory The Australian Capital Territory (ACT), known as the Federal Capital Territory until 1938, is an internal States and territories of Australia, territory of Australia. Canberra, the capital city of Australia, is situated within the territory, an ...

(0.54%), whereas those with the lowest are the

(0.28%) and

Tasmania Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...

(0.10%).

Place of Birth

Most Australian Sikhs are immigrants.

Fertility Rate

As of 2016, the reported

fertility rate The total fertility rate (TFR) of a population is the average number of children that are born to a woman over her lifetime, if they were to experience the exact current age-specific fertility rates (ASFRs) through their lifetime, and they were t ...

of Sikhs in Australia are 2.01. This is currently below replacement rate of 2.1.

Legacy and celebrations

Australian Sikh heritage

Australian Sikh Heritage Trail, a group of interconnected pathways in Adenia Park, Riverton, Western Australia, is a monument commemorating the history of Sikhs in Australia. The location, adjacent to the

Canning River The Canning River ( or ) is a major tributary of the Swan River in the South West Land Division of Western Australia. It is home to much wildlife including dolphins, pelicans, swans and many other bird species. Source and route With headwate ...

, is significant as the heritage-listed

Sikh Sikhs (singular Sikh: or ; , ) are an ethnoreligious group who adhere to Sikhism, a religion that originated in the late 15th century in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent, based on the revelation of Guru Nanak. The term ''Si ...

cremation site. The winding trail features interpretive signage, plaques, benches, a sheltered area, and a boardwalk by the river. Information on the signs is organised by theme, such as Sikh farmers, Sikh wrestlers, Sikh Anzacs, Sikh hawkers and Sikh entrepreneurs. Man Mohan Singh, a

pilot officer Pilot officer (Plt Off or P/O) is a junior officer rank used by some air forces, with origins from the Royal Air Force. The rank is used by air forces of many countries that have historical British influence. Pilot officer is the lowest ran ...

in the

Indian Air Force The Indian Air Force (IAF) (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the air force, air arm of the Indian Armed Forces. Its primary mission is to secure Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during armed conflicts. It was officially established on 8 Octob ...

Volunteer Reserve at the onset of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, consequently joined the

RAF Coastal Command RAF Coastal Command was a formation within the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was founded in 1936, when the RAF was restructured into Fighter, Bomber and Coastal commands and played an important role during the Second World War. Maritime Aviation ...

and took command of a

Sunderland Sunderland () is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. It is a port at the mouth of the River Wear on the North Sea, approximately south-east of Newcastle upon Tyne. It is the most p ...

flying boat during the

Battle of the Atlantic The Battle of the Atlantic, the longest continuous military campaign in World War II, ran from 1939 to the defeat of Nazi Germany in 1945, covering a major part of the naval history of World War II. At its core was the Allies of World War II, ...

. He later became a

flying officer Flying officer (Fg Offr or F/O) is a junior officer rank used by some air forces, with origins from the Royal Air Force. The rank is used by air forces of many countries that have historical British influence. Flying officer is immediately ...

with the British Indian Air Force. In 1942, he was with the

flying boats A flying boat is a type of seaplane with a hull (watercraft), hull, allowing it to land on water. It differs from a floatplane in having a fuselage that is purpose-designed for flotation, while floatplanes rely on fuselage-mounted floats for b ...

that arrived at

Broome, Western Australia Broome, also known as Rubibi by the Yawuru, Yawuru people, is a coastal Pearl hunting, pearling and tourist town in the Kimberley (Western Australia), Kimberley region of Western Australia, north of Perth. The town recorded a population of 14,6 ...

when a Japanese air attack destroyed them all. Singh survived the attack only to drown in the harbour. Singh is remembered on the Darwin Military Museum Memorial Wall and has a memorial in Singapore.

Australian Sikh Games

In 1988 the first annual Australian Sikh Games commenced, with Sikhs from South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales arriving in

Adelaide Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...

to compete in a

field hockey Field hockey (or simply referred to as hockey in some countries where ice hockey is not popular) is a team sport structured in standard hockey format, in which each team plays with 11 players in total, made up of 10 field players and a goalk ...

competition to celebrate the opening of the first

in the city. From there the competition grew and in 1989

netball Netball is a ball sport played on a rectangular court by two teams of seven players. The primary objective is to shoot a ball through the defender's goal ring while preventing the opposing team from shooting through their own. It is one of a ...

, Association football (soccer) and

kabaddi Kabaddi (, ) is a contact team sport played between two teams of seven players. It is one of the traditional games of South Asia. In this game, a raider enters the opposing half of the court to touch defenders and attempt to return within 30 ...

. Tug o' war, volleyball and

cricket Cricket is a Bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball game played between two Sports team, teams of eleven players on a cricket field, field, at the centre of which is a cricket pitch, pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two Bail (cr ...

are also included, while track and field and golf event have been previously competed but are currently non-competition events. Non-sports cultural events such as Bhangra and Giddha are also held simultaneously in the host city.

Punjabi language in Australia

Punjabi is the 13th most common language in Australia with over 130,000 speakers and it is the 3rd most common language spoken at home among recent migrants. 81% of Punjabi speakers are Sikhs, 13.3% are Hindus and 1.4% are Muslims.

Gurdwaras

The Gurdwaras is a building meant for Sikh worship. Gurdwaras are used for worship and for learning about Sikhism. Some etiquette around a Gurdwaras include taking off your shoes and covering your heads.

Attack on Sikh Community

In 2023, four Hindu extremists, linked to Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), attempted to vandalize the Sikh temple of

’s Miri Piri Gurdwara and the posters of Sikh leaders placed outside the temple with graffiti. All the four Hindu men were caught in the act, carrying cans of spray, sticks and paint, and apologized after confessing their attempt to vandalize the Sikh temple and the posters outside the Gurdwara. All the four Hindu men were arrested by the authorities.

References

External links

Sikhs in Australia

Sikh Council of Australia Inc

Sikh Youth Australia Inc

Australian National Sikh Sports And Cultural Council Inc

Australian Sikh Games
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sikhism In Australia