THE ASIAN INDEPENDENT UK-
The International Mother Language Day Celebrations organised by the Punjabi Listeners Club at Gurdwara Sri Guru HarKrishan Sahib Ji, 48 Kenilworth Drive, Oadby, Leicestershire LE2 5LG on Sunday 2nd March 2025 from 12.30 to 3.00 pm was very successful, well attended where prayers were said for full recovery to good health for His Majesty, King Charles and Her Royal Highness, Catherine, Princess of Wales; students from Ramgarhia Board Leicester Punjabi School and Oadby Punjabi School; poets and other special guests participated.
Jaspal Singh Kang of Sikh Federation UK said that Mr. Virk has been organising programmes to promote Punjabi Language in different Gurdwaras of Leicester, Libraries and Community Centres for decades. Kang read letter dated 13th February addressed to Tarlochan Singh Virk from Buckingham Palace signed by James Dawson, Private Secretary’s Office stating “His Majesty appreciated your thoughtfulness in writing as you did and values your continued support. In return, The King has asked me to send his warmest good wishes to all those who will be present for a most successful evening.”
He also read a letter from Kensington Palace dated 14th February signed by Head of Royal Correspondence “It was wonderful to hear of the celebration you will be holding this Sunday 2nd March, and Their Royal Highnesses would have me send their sincere hopes that the event is enjoyed by everyone in attendance. I am also to thank you for your generous words of support for both His Majesty The King and The Princess of Wales with regards to their health; your thoughtfulness is greatly appreciated.”
One of the Oadby Punjabi School students Gurshannjot Singh who is studying ‘A’ Level Punjabi spoke from the stage and said” I am going to speak about our rich history and culture which is written with the blood of Sikh martyrs. We belong to the land of five rivers known as Punjab. Our tenth Guru Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji have taught us always to be in good happy spirits due to which our history is full of brave men and women who have sacrificed their lives for the Sikh religion.
We should be proud of sweeter than honey Punjabi Mother Tongue Language. It is in this great Punjabi Language that the founder of Sikh faith Guru Nanak wrote the praises of Almighty God. And I want to mention the Sikh Turban which is given to us by Guru Gobind Singh Ji due to which a Sikh is recognisable among thousands of people. Dear Sadh Sangat Ji {Congregation}, regretfully we are forgetting the great value of the Sikh Turban. I am proud that I can speak my mother tongue language Punjabi and that I have passed my GCSE Punjabi and now studying ‘A’ Level Punjabi.”
The first citizen of Oadby and Wigston Councillor Clare Kozlowski, Mayor of Oadby and Wigston Borough Council sent her apologies that she or Deputy Mayor was unable to attend the event but sent a letter saying “ …….We continue to pray for Her Royal Highness, Catherine, Princess of Wales’s health, His Majesty King Charles, as well as their entire family and keep them in our thoughts. May others going through similar illness be prayed for also. Thank you and best wishes to all.”
Oadby Councillor Santokh Singh Atwal said that we are all very proud that Samia Haq was elected Leader of Oadby and Wigston about two years ago who has done good work since becoming Leader. He pointed out that she is originally from village Talwan near Jallandar in Punjab state of India. Councillor Atwal read message from Councillor Samia Haq, Leader Oadby and Wigston “Language is the very fabric of our culture. Speaking our mother tongue allows us to access our traditions, stories, and values passed down through generations, fostering a strong sense of belonging and identity.
It is well known fact that Children who are proficient in their native language have a distinct advantage when learning additional languages, as the cognitive skills developed transfer seamlessly.
Thank you to Mr. Virk and his team for your commitment to caring for our community and to Punjabi Listeners Club. Your dedication and skills are making a real difference in many people’s lives and shaping the future of many youngsters.”
Poets Pal Singh, Kehar Singh and Kulwinder Kaur sang or read out poems about Punjabi Language as did Environmentalist Ram Singh Dhesi. Children from Ramgarhia Punjabi School recited Shabad Kirtan on stage and total of ten students from Oadby Punjabi School participated in the celebrations. Headteacher of RBL Punjabi School Parminder Kaur said “I would like to congratulate Tarlochan Singh Ji Virk and team and management of guru HarKrishan Sahib Ji Gurdwara for organising such a successful event to celebrate International Mother Language Day. It is a good effort to keep our Maa Boli Punjabi live. It was great to see our youngsters taking part in different performances and activities. It was my pleasure to participate in the event and I am obliged to be part of the event.”
Gurjeet Singh Samra, General Secretary of the Oadby Gurdwara said we are pleased that the Panjabi Language event very well and we look forward even more youngster participating in future such programmes. Hopefully next Punjabi event will be held to celebrate Khalsa Sajna Divas in April. We would like to thank all the special guest poets and parents of the Children from both Punjabi Schools as well Punjabi Listeners Club. Giani Gursewak Singh Ji, Head Granthi Singh at Oadby Gurdwara Sahib gave an in-depth report on the history of Punjabi Language from year 1000 to present day for which he is to be congratulated. Giani Ji also managed the stage to very good standard and informed the congregation that a National Punjabi Language Seminar is taking place at this Gurdwara Sahib on Sunday 14th September 2025 and everyone is welcome.
Tarlochan Singh Virk, Co-Ordinator of Punjabi Listeners Club formed on the 3rd Anniversary of BBC Radio Leicester’s Punjabi Programme on 9th September 1995, said that every person in the world has a true love for their mother tongue language. Few years before Punjabi Language was the 2nd most spoken language of this country as it is not only spoken by Sikhs, but also by members of the Hindu, Muslim and Christian as well. Mother tongue language such as Punjabi can be taught in mainstream Schools if there are enough students for a class. This can only happen if the parents wish so.
Speaking from the stage Tarlochan Singh read his own written song about Vaisakhi Radio and shared with the congregation about telephone call from Tanmanjit Singh Dhesi MP who said that to promote Maa Boli Punjabi we should always speak in Punjabi at home and as much as possible everywhere else. Tan Dhesi MP also said that we should register our children in Punjabi Schools and that one of his children is currently studying GCSE Punjabi and his other child is studying ‘A’ |Level Punjabi. He also thanked Punjabi Listeners Club for promoting Punjabi Language for nearly 30 years and wished them good luck for future events.
The Poets were presented with trophies, children who participated were presented with a Certificate and Punjabi Goody bag; Headteacher of Oadby Punjabi School, Dr. Kiranjit Kaur, Parminder Kaur Headteacher RBL Punjabi School and Giani Gursewak Singh Ji were presented with A3 size laminated Punjabi Alphabet.
