London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Oct 20, 2025

Britain to have first ever Sikh statue honouring the Battle of Saragarhi

Britain to have first ever Sikh statue honouring the Battle of Saragarhi

A nine-foot-tall bronze statue of Havildar Ishar Singh, who led 20 Sikh troopers valiantly combating to their final breath whereas defending their sign put up throughout the Battle of Saragarhi in opposition to greater than 10,000 Afghan tribesmen in September 1897, is about to turn out to be the primary monument in Britain particularly honouring the fallen heroes.
The 21 troopers from the 36th (Sikh) Regiment of Bengal Infantry made a valiant final stand combating for greater than six hours to the bitter finish leaving round 180 to 200 Pathan tribesmen lifeless.

The memorial to the battle, the topic of 2019 Bollywood blockbuster ‘Kesari’ starring Akshay Kumar, shall be unveiled subsequent to the Guru Nanak Gurdwara in Wednesfield, Wolverhampton in September 2021. The gurdwara congregation has up to now raised £50,000 (Rs 48 lakh) of the £100,000 (Rs 97 lakh) whole prices.

Councillors at Wolverhampton Metropolis Council are anticipated to approve proposals at a gathering on November 11 to lease land to the gurdwara for putting in the statue.

The one different memorial to the battle within the UK is a plaque at Uppingham College honouring Colonel John Haughton, the Commandant of the 36th Sikhs who was killed in motion in 1898.

Councillor Bhupinder Gakhal, whose household hails from Jalandhar, is spearheading the mission. He stated his ardour started 40 years in the past aged 14 on a visit to India when, inside a State Financial institution of India department, he noticed a calendar with a picture of Sikhs standing on ruins and requested the financial institution supervisor what it was. The supervisor stated, “Son, that is your historical past, analysis it.”

“This can be a very proud second for the Sikh neighborhood as as soon as it’s erected will probably be there for generations to come back. These 21 Sikhs may have run away however they didn’t and fought to the final man. The British Empire recognised their sacrifice,” Gakhal stated.

No pictures have been discovered of the Havildar or any of the fallen heroes. “There’s a gentleman in New York who seemed on the surviving family of the 21 troopers and did portrait photos of them based mostly on that,” Gakhal stated.

For the sculptor Luke Perry, it is a “blessing” because it offers him extra freedom in his art work. He has already constructed many of the statue in clay. “He’s not immediately recognisable and so lot of persons are saying it seems like their grandfather so it’s simpler to interact with,” he stated. “This battle is an enormous a part of British historical past nevertheless it’s been forgotten as a result of the British Raj just isn’t taught in British faculties. I’m very glad to be a part of it,” he stated.

Saragarhi researcher, creator and movie producer Capt. Jay Singh-Sohal stated: “Saragarhi was distinctive not simply within the odds – 21 males vs 10,000; but in addition in that the British instantly recognised it as a gallant deed and took nice efforts to recognise it with a view of inspiring others to battle in comparable methods. It is vital we keep in mind this battle and people martyrs who fought for dharam (or righteousness).”
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
ScamBodia: The Chinese Fraud Empire Shielded by Cambodia’s Ruling Elite
French PM Suspends Macron’s Pension Reform Until After 2027 in Bid to Stabilize Government
Orange, Bouygues and Free Make €17 Billion Bid for Drahi’s Altice France Telecom Assets
Dutch Government Seizes Chipmaker After U.S. Presses for Removal of Chinese CEO
Bessent Accuses China of Dragging Down Global Economy Amid New Trade Curbs
U.S. Revokes Visas of Foreign Nationals Who ‘Celebrated’ Charlie Kirk’s Assassination
AI and Cybersecurity at Forefront as GITEX Global 2025 Kicks Off in Dubai
DJI Loses Appeal to Remove Pentagon’s ‘Chinese Military Company’ Label
EU Deploys New Biometric Entry/Exit System: What Non-EU Travelers Must Know
Australian Prime Minister’s Private Number Exposed Through AI Contact Scraper
Ex-Microsoft Engineer Confirms Famous Windows XP Key Was Leaked Corporate License, Not a Hack
China’s lesson for the US: it takes more than chips to win the AI race
Australia Faces Demographic Risk as Fertility Falls to Record Low
×