WSN-Columns-Jatinder Pal Singh is Mr Singh pageant champion

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Jatinder Pal Singh is Mr Singh pageant champion
Bags Rs 3 lakh and a golden Sikh symbol
WSN Network

MUMBAI: A tall strapping Sikh at the Mr Singh contest put it succintly when, after struggling to find work as a television actor for a year, he found the going tough because he refused to cut his hair and give up the traditional symbols of the Sikh faith. “India’s filmmakers can make Akshay Kumar dress up as a Sikh, but refuse to entertain me unless I cut my hair and trim my beard,’’ he said.

He held on, but the community is worried about the many who it knows are succumbing to the pressures of modern living. ‘Sabat Soorat’ must be seen and perceived also as fashionable, likeable. It is, but there is so much pressure from the non-Sikh lobby that the Sikh children are caving in to peer criticism at school and college level. It is here that Mr Singh contest makes a wonderful intervention by ruling that it is open only to those who wear their hair long and refrain from trimming their beards. Should the winner disregard this condition anytime afterward, he could be stripped of his title.

The event was organised by Puran Singh Banga of the Guru Tegh Bahadur Kalgidhar Panchayati Sewak Jatha along with the Sri Guru Singh Sabha. Banga’s son Manpreet was awarded Sikh Gaurav for refusing to act in the movie 'Not Without My Turban' which required him to cut his hair and remove the turban for his role in the movie.

This year again, Sikh youths from across the country walked the ramp as they competed for the coveted 'Mr Singh' title at the pageant in Mumbai.

The conclusive round of this pageant was held at Shanmukhanad Hall on Friday. The main aim of the contest was to make modern Sikh youth realize the importance of traditions which have been passed down by the gurus since centuries and not do away with them. A total of twenty six participants were the part of the contest.

The pageant tested the contestants' confidence, grit, style, intelligence, panache, and more importantly, their courage.

Jatinder Pal Singh from Delhi won the Mr Singh Pageant and walked away with Rs 3 lakh and a golden symbol of Sikh religion. Deepinder Singh and Pavneet Singh Chawla also from Delhi were adjudged the First and second runner's up.

"Well you can see the silence but it's not silence but celebration here. There is fantastic zeal and enthusiasm and we thank the organizers especially Puran Singh, Jaspal Sir, Harpreet Ji and all our judges who have helped us to groom our self," said Jatinder Pal Singh.