The All India Pingalwara Charitable Society proudly recognized the outstanding efforts of Amardeep Singh and Vininder Kaur, the visionary creators behind the revered Guru Nanak docuseries, by presenting them with the esteemed ‘2023 Manavta Sanman Award’ (Respect for Humanity Award 2023) on August 5th, 2023. This 24-episode documentary series delves into the life and profound teachings of Guru Nanak and is now available in four languages—English, Gurmukhi, Hindi, and Shahmukhi—through the website TheGuruNanak.com. Excitingly, the Urdu version of the series will be released on October 18th, 2024, to cater to the spiritual yearnings of the Urdu-speaking Nanakpanthi community residing in the Sindh and Balochistan regions of Pakistan.
Acknowledging their dedication, Satninder Singh Bodal, the lead vocalist, Mahabeer Singh, the Rabab instrumentalist, and Datti Kaur, the artistic creator of the docuseries’ theme artwork, were also feted by the All India Pingalwara Charitable Society.
In the heart of northern India’s Punjab state, the All India Pingalwara Charitable Society serves as a sanctuary for the destitute, its foundations laid in 1924 by the visionary 19-year-old Ramji Das, renowned as Bhagat Puran Singh. Today, this institution is under the guidance of Dr. Inderjit Kaur, a recipient of the esteemed Padma Bhushan award, conferred by the Republic of India to individuals who demonstrate exceptional service transcending boundaries of race, occupation, position, or gender.
Earlier, on November 14th, 2022, Hofstra University in the USA had bestowed Amardeep Singh with the ‘2022 Guru Nanak Interfaith Prize’, an accolade presented biennially to honor significant contributions in promoting interfaith understanding. Amardeep Singh was selected from a pool of 18 nominees by a committee of faculty and administrators at Hofstra University. Daniel Seabold, the acting dean of Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, remarked, “While other organizations were considered, Mr. Singh’s work stood out for its profound impact.” The inaugural recipient of the Guru Nanak Interfaith Prize was His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet, Tenzin Gyatso, in 2008.
Currently, Amardeep Singh and Vininder Kaur are embarking on a five-year journey dedicated to the ‘Guru Nanak Projects Phase 2’, an endeavor focused on deepening the comprehension of Guru Nanak’s mission of ‘Oneness in Diversity’. This comprehensive project, available in English, Punjabi, Hindi, and Urdu, comprises three pillars: two documentaries and a wealth of video-based educational content that sheds light on Guru Nanak’s philosophy and the 15 diverse Indic Saints (Bhagats) enshrined in the Guru Granth Sahib.
- Documentary: ‘Elixir of Guru Nanak & the Indic Saints’: This thought-provoking 120-minute documentary explores the harmonious connections between Guru Nanak and the 15 Indic Saints from Bhakti and Sufi traditions, all enshrined in the Guru Granth Sahib.
- Documentary: ‘Guru Nanak – An Introduction’: A concise 45-minute documentary that introduces two fundamental aspects of Guru Nanak’s legacy—”Who Was Guru Nanak” and “What Guru Nanak Stands For”.
- Self-Actualization Video-based Educational Content: This comprehensive content features 931 verses of Guru Nanak and 771 verses of the Indic Saints (Bhagats), meticulously recorded and presented in both audio and video formats, accompanied by interpretations. This treasure trove of knowledge will be made accessible through the web-based educational platform OnenessInDiversity.com.
Remarkably, all content developed under the ‘Guru Nanak Projects Phase 2′ will be available free of charge, reflecting the creators’ altruistic commitment to spreading wisdom and understanding without any monetary motive.
