HOSHIARPUR, March 25, 2005
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
: Next time you spot the Prime Minister sporting
a bright, colourful turban in place of his trademark
blue, don't start speculating about any change in
his taste. Its roots are simple: a gift from a fellow
Sikh on the other side of the Pacific.
Meet Sikh NRI Bicky Singh, commissioner on California
1-Commission of Lt Governor of California, who has
a passion for collecting and wearing bright-coloured
and patterned turbans.
You may think why Manmohan would have a turban from
Bicky when enough of them are available at Ghaffar
Market? Well, Bicky has a collection that will turn
many a shopkeepers green - more than 500 of them,
all designed differently by him or his people at the
IT Company he founded. And to stock them, the "Sardar"
has a 10 feet by 6 feet extra shelf in his walk-in
closet.
Talking to this correspondent from California, Bicky
said he had met Manmohan Singh at his residence and
found the Prime Minister staring at his turban. "I
told the Prime minister that I shall get him a bright
coloured turban next time I visited India," he
recalled
"I developed a fascination for turbans when I
was studying in Southern California where I was the
only turbaned guy," said Bicky. "Wearing
bright coloured turbans was the easiest way to break
the ice as people would come and ask about the turban.
It gave me an opportunity to talk about my faith and
spread the message of Sikhism," he added.
"My people design turbans using graphics and
I order the design via e-mail to India, though I buy
my turbans from Malaysia and the US at times."
Post 9/11, Bicky designed a turban with an American
flag and he also has a turban for Halloween and St.
Patrick's Day. In fact, he chooses his turbans by
the mood he finds himself in.
Lt governor California Cruz M Bustamante, through
an e-quote, said the unique thing about Bicky's turbans
was that they were representative of the many colours
and diversity of California state. With Bicky's collection
also including bright colours and designs of Rajasthan
and other Indian states, the world is one large family
as far as the Sardar is concerned.
Bicky Singh, 39, of Orange, is president and
chairman of the board of trustees for the Sikh Center.
He also mentions the benefits of prayer. "It
brings everyone together and lets everyone think about
some positive things," he says. "It is the
rightful thinking" that is needed in society
today.
Singh cite several projects the center supports,
including providing food for the homeless. "By
this we are achieving two things. First of all we
are fulfilling our commitment to our guru of serving
the needy. Secondly, it is increasing our visibility
in the society.
