Covid-19, Philanthropy, & Sikhi

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.

Dr. Harsohena Kaur is deeply grateful to be born a Sikh and for the endless treasure of Gurbani. She believes that while each of us struggles in our own journey of Sikhi, we can come together as a sangat to magnify our efforts towards the goal of treating each person and each situation with equanimity. She grew up in an army household and lived all over India, before emigrating to the US over 25 years ago. She received her medical degree from the Chirstian Medical College, Ludhiana, Punjab and completed her pediatric residency at the Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA. After spending 18 years in the midwest, she is currently working as a pediatric hospitalist in New Jersey. She is married with two children, a son in college, and a daughter who is a senior in high school. She has taught at the Gurdwara School in Minneapolis and has presented at interfaith meetings.

Dr. Amarpreet Singh Sawhney is the CEO of Instylla, a company focused on embolic therapies for hypervascular tumors and control of hemorrhage. He was previously the Founder and CEO of Ocular Therapeutix, Augmenix, Confluent Surgical, and the technology founder of Focal and Access Closure. Dr. Sawhney’s innovations are the subject of over 120 issued and pending patents in biomaterials and bio-surgery. His inventions include several “first of a kind” surgical sealants and spacers to be approved by the FDA including ReSure Sealant for ophthalmology, DuraSeal for neurosurgery, FocalSeal for Lung surgery, Mynx for femoral puncture sealing, and SpaceOAR for prostate cancer radiotherapy. Amar and his partner Fred Khosravi, have also created Incept LLC, which provides a platform to support other healthcare entrepreneurs.

Dr. Sawhney has been recognized by several awards including being named the “Champion of Change” by the Whitehouse and “Outstanding American by Choice” by the US Citizenship and Immigration Service, Dr. Sawhney’s companies and inventions have touched over 5 million patients and have created over 2000 jobs to date.

Dr. Sawhney holds an M.S. and a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin and a B. Tech. in Chemical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi

Dr. Kuldip Singh Kahlon was born in a small village in Punjab, India. At age 11, he moved to Canada. He used to attend Gurudwara on Sundays. One Sunday, Giani ji told a story about Bhai Gopala ji reading Japji sahib in the Court of Guru Hargobind ji. After the reading, Guru Ji told bhai Gopala ji the value of Japji sahib. This story would transform his life. He fell in love with Gurbani and Sikh history.
He obtained his BSc in biology from the University of British Columbia, medical degree from the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin, Ireland, and completed his internship in England.
He moved to the Prairies where he worked as Family practitioner in Brandon, Manitoba. He has continued with family practice in Abbotsford, BC for the past 18 years. He encourages his patients to eat a healthy diet, exercise, and practice spirituality as key components to a happy, healthy life.
He has a son and daughter studying in University and a younger daughter is in high school. His brothers are farmers and every summer, he enjoys helping out with raspberry and blueberry harvesting.
In 2017-18, Abbotsford became the epicenter of drug and gang violence, Kuldip, along with his wife and friends founded a society “WoMen rise” to bring about positive change in the community. This society is now playing a new role in COVID prevention and feeding the needy. This would not have been possible without their faith in Guru ji and Gurbani.