Bhai Vir Singh: His Fragrance Travels Through Centuries

SikhRI connects people with the teachings of Sikhi and strengthens the bonds of the Sikh community around the world by offering courses and seminars in a variety of mediums.

Inni Kaur is the Creative Director at the Sikh Research Institute (SikhRI). She has served SikhRI in several capacities since 2010, including Chair of the Board, and most recently as CEO. As an accomplished representative of the Sikh community, she is a dedicated advocate for raising awareness of key interfaith and women’s issues. Her list of achievements includes addressing the U.S. Office of the Pentagon Chaplin several times, speaking at Yale, Fairfield, Columbia, and other Universities, as well as presenting to the Connecticut Board of Education and local police departments to further the dialogue regarding the Sikh identity.
Inni Kaur is an esteemed and passionate author, poet, and painter. Recently, she broadened her creative artistry into publishing a children’s book series, Journey with the Gurus, that is inspired by the life and teachings of Guru Nanak Sahib. Her other children’s books are Sakhi-Time with Nani ji, Thank-You, Vahiguru, and Daddy’s Turban. She is passionately involved in trans-creating Sabad and the writings of Bhai Vir Singh. She is a prolific spiritual writer whose work is featured on Sikhchic.com and SikhRI.org.

Inni Kaur has been featured in documentaries related to the Sikh faith. She also worked on I See No Stranger: Early Sikh Art & Devotion exhibit with the Rubin Museum ofw Art, NY. In 2018 she worked on the exhibit Guru Gobind Sahib: Emperor-Prophet and in 2020 she co-curated the exhibit Guru Nanak Sahib: 1-Ness to 1-Identity.

Inni Kaur is an active member on the Board of the Interfaith Council of Southern Connecticut, an organization devoted to increasing interfaith understanding. She serves on the editorial board of Nishaan, a magazine celebrating Sikh heritage, and is also a board member for Munshi Bishan Singh Kochhar Foundation. In addition, she continues to extend her services and expertise on the Advisory Board of the Sikh Family Center and serves as a local Justice of the Peace.

Following a unique, transnational path, Inni Kaur was born in Kuwait, and lived in New Zealand, Australia, and Greece, before relocating to the United States. Today, she resides in Fairfield, Connecticut, USA, and continues to bring multifaceted perspectives to her work.

Nikky-Guninder Kaur Singh is the Crawford Professor and chair of the department of Religious Studies at Colby College in the USA. Dr. NGK Singh has published extensively in the field of Sikh studies. Her books include Cosmic Symphony: The Early and Later Poems of Bhai Vir Singh (published by the Sahitya Akademi — 2008; republished 2010). Some other titles: The First Sikh (Penguin, 2019), Hymns of the Sikh Gurus (Penguin, 2019), An Anthology of Lyrical Writings from the Punjab An Anthology of Lyrical Writings from the Punjab (IB Tauris, 2012), Sikhism: An Introduction (IB Tauris, 2011), Birth of the Khalsa (SUNY 2005), Feminine Principle in the Sikh Vision of the Transcendent (Cambridge University Press, 1993), Physics and Metaphysics of the Guru Granth (Sterling Publishers, 1981). She has served on the editorial board of several journals including the History of Religions, the Journal of the American Academy of Religion, and Sikh Formations. She came to America to attend a girls’ prep school in Virginia, got her BA from Wellesley College, MA from University of Pennsylvania, and PhD from Temple University. She is the Vice-President ΦBK, Beta Chapter of Maine.

Surinder Singh is an active member of the Sikh community in Southern California. Based in Los Angeles, he is an avid student of Gurbani and Gurmat literature. He has taught Gurbani courses for adults for the past 19 years at the local Gurdwara and has spoken at various other Sikh events and programs in the region. Surinder is also a committed student of Gurmat Sangeet and has been learning traditional Raag-based Kirtan for the past 11 years, while also teaching Gurmat Sangeet at the local Gurdwara as well. He is passionate about spreading the Guru's message to students of all ages and emphasizing the importance of building a strong emotional and spiritual connection with the Guru. Surinder believes that it is important to move beyond simply learning facts about Sikhi, and instead falling in love with the Guru and applying the Guru's message in our daily lives. Professionally, Surinder is a practicing CPA and has managed his own firm for the past 31 years.