Turbaned Sikh officer makes history at Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo

Vancouver police constable Sukhvinder ‘Suki’ Singh Sunger becomes the first turbaned Sikh Drum Major to lead a performance at the celebrated event in Scotland

Sukhvinder “Suki” Singh Sunger, a Sikh police officer from Canada, has marked a historic first at the 2026 Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, leading the Vancouver Police Pipe Band as its Drum Major at one of the world’s best-known military and cultural spectacles.

The Vancouver Police Department constable became the first turbaned Sikh Drum Major to command a performance at the prestigious Tattoo, held against the imposing backdrop of Edinburgh Castle in Scotland.

Sunger led the Vancouver Police Pipe Band during this year’s production, “A Call to Gather,” bringing together two traditions rarely seen represented in such a striking manner on the same stage — the Scottish heritage of pipes, drums and tartan and the distinct identity of the Sikh dastaar.

For the performance on the Edinburgh Castle Esplanade, Sunger wore the Vancouver Police Pipe Band’s traditional Royal Stewart tartan kilt, complemented by a specially designed ceremonial dastaar. The combination made his appearance as symbolic as it was ceremonial.

Police officer and Drum Major

Based in British Columbia, Sunger serves as a constable with the Vancouver Police Department while also playing a prominent role in its pipe band.

As Drum Major, he occupies one of the most visible positions in a traditional pipe-band formation, leading the musicians during ceremonial performances and public appearances.

His participation in Edinburgh therefore represents more than an individual achievement. It places a turbaned Sikh officer at the head of a Canadian police pipe band while participating in a tradition deeply associated with Scottish military and cultural history.

A milestone for Sikh representation

Sunger’s appearance has attracted particular attention because of what it represents for Sikh visibility in public institutions and on international ceremonial platforms.

Rather than setting one cultural tradition aside for another, his appearance demonstrated how both could be represented simultaneously. The Royal Stewart tartan reflected the established traditions of the pipe band, while his dastaar remained an unmistakable expression of his Sikh identity.

The milestone also reflects the increasingly visible role played by members of the Sikh community in policing and other areas of public service in Canada.

For Sikhs around the world, seeing a turbaned officer lead a pipe band on the Edinburgh Castle Esplanade carries an added resonance. The turban is an integral and highly visible part of Sikh identity, and its presence at such an internationally recognised event offers a powerful image of representation without requiring cultural assimilation.

Vancouver band on a global stage

The Vancouver Police Pipe Band has long represented the Canadian city through ceremonial appearances and major pipe-band events. Its participation in the 2026 Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo has now added another distinction to that history.

The Tattoo draws performers and audiences from around the world, combining military precision, music and cultural traditions in elaborate productions staged at Edinburgh Castle.

For Sunger, leading the Vancouver contingent at the event has created a milestone extending beyond policing or music alone.

At the head of the band, dressed in tartan and dastaar, the Canadian constable offered a memorable image of how centuries-old traditions can evolve while retaining their distinctive identities — and, in doing so, became part of the Tattoo’s history.