I Could Have Been A Khalistani
It was June 4, 2024, a day like any other until a casual scroll through my phone stopped me in my tracks. My friend’s status read: “Amritpal Singh won the Lok Sabha seat.” Memories flooded back to the days when I was obsessed with understanding the tragic events surrounding Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and Operation Blue Star. I had spent countless hours watching YouTube videos, reading “The Last Battle of Indira Gandhi: Operation Blue Star” by Kuldip Brar, and devouring novels about militant Sikhs.
The historical injustices faced by Punjab weighed heavily on me. From the horrors of 1947 to the devastation of 1984, the state seemed perpetually scarred. Why was Punjab deprived of its own capital during the creation of the Punjabi Suba? Why were Sikhs, who had served their sentences, still languishing in prison? These questions haunted me as I witnessed the decline of a once-prosperous land.
Punjab’s struggles seemed endless: the deteriorating state of farming, depleting groundwater, drying and polluted rivers, widespread cancer, rampant unemployment, and rising drug abuse. The exodus of Punjabi youth to foreign countries, the decline of the Punjabi language, and the state’s mounting debt painted a grim picture. It felt like a deliberate conspiracy by the central government, and I believed Khalistan was the only solution.
Seeing the widespread joy over Amritpal’s victory, a known supporter of Khalistan who helped youths get off drugs and preached Sikhism, was understandable. Many saw him as Punjab’s savior. But unlike them, I felt no joy. Over the past decade, I had undergone a profound transformation.
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The catalyst for this change was joining Siddharth and ILH during the Covid-19 pandemic in October 2021. Siddharth’s teachings were revolutionary. He urged us to examine our backstories and uncover our true missions in life. This introspection was a breakthrough for me. Where I once saw business as fraudulent, Siddharth taught me that selling is a service.
I had learned about values during my IAS preparation, but at ILH, I found my true values. Siddharth’s expertise was mind-blowing, and his humble attitude and genuine love for others melted my heart. I accepted him as my mentor, stopped listening to naysayers, and followed him completely. I became a Freedom Finisher and later a Hall of Fame member because what he taught was yielding real results. He instilled in me the attitude of a lifelong learner.
As a Sikh, the concept of being a lifelong learner resonated deeply with me. It aligned perfectly with the teachings of our Great Gurus. This realization illuminated the true reason for Punjab’s decline: we had abandoned the ethos of lifelong learning. We worshiped the Gurus but failed to follow their teachings.
I came to understand that the solution to Punjab’s plight was not Khalistan but the right education and knowledge. The decline of Punjab was not solely due to external conspiracies but also because its people had strayed from the wisdom of the Gurus. Siddharth’s emphasis on lifelong learning helped me rediscover the essence of being a Sikh.
With newfound enlightenment, my mission became clear: to create the next breed of government officers capable of transforming Punjab. My vision is to help 100,000 Punjabi youngsters become government officers. This, I believe, is the true path to reviving Punjab and honoring the legacy of our Gurus.
So, while Amritpal Singh’s victory brought joy to many, my journey had taken me in a different direction. I had found my purpose, and it was rooted not in separatism but in education, knowledge, and the timeless wisdom of our Gurus.
