On the revered occasion of the 350th centenary of the martyrdom of Sahib Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji, a grand Sarv Dharam Sammelan was held at Gurudwara Sri Dashmesh Darbar, Kolmar Road, Papatoetoe, Auckland, on Wednesday, 26 November 2025. The event was organised under the stewardship of Prithi Pal Singh Basra, Chairperson of the New Zealand Central Sikh Association, and brought together leaders from diverse faiths, communities, and organisations in a remarkable display of unity, respect, and shared values.
The Sammelan commemorated the unparalleled sacrifice of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji, the ninth Sikh Guru, whose martyrdom in 1675 stands as a timeless symbol of courage, religious freedom, and protection of human rights. Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji gave his life to uphold the right of individuals to practice their faith without fear or oppression—an act that earned him the title Hind di Chadar, the Shield of India.
The event featured an esteemed lineup of speakers, including Ravi Singh Virk, Madan Mohan Sethi (Consul General of India), Daljit Singh, Veer Khar (President, NZICA), Shivani Arora, Venkat Raman, Pt. Ajay Tiwari, Pt. Ashwani, philanthropist and community leader Roshan Nauhria, Dr. Anil Channa, Mahesh Bindra, and Sunil Dass, President of the Hindu Foundation NZ.
Each speaker paid heartfelt homage to Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji and the other martyrs, emphasising the relevance of the Guru’s message in today’s world. They also assured that they would share this message within their respective organisations, promoting awareness of Guru Sahib’s legacy of sacrifice and universal brotherhood.
A distinguished gathering of community leaders also graced the ceremony, including Swagatika Mohanty, Dame Ranjana Patel, Kantilal Patel, Harnam Singh Golian, Resham Singh, Karandeep Singh, Karamjit Singh, Anurag Rasela, Kulwant Singh Minhas, Parminder Singh (Papatoetoe), Rajesh Goel (President, Papatoetoe Market), Kushma Nair (Chairman, Papatoetoe Local Board), Paramjit Singh (Deputy Chair), Sandeep Saini, and Kunal Bhalla.
The event was hosted by Navtej Singh Randhawa, Ravi Virk, Surjeet Singh Sachdeva.
A significant highlight of the evening was the presence of representatives from nearly all major Hindu and community organisations, including NZICA, IAMNZ, Baba Bageshwar Dham, Chinmaya Mission, Bihar Jharkhand Sabha, Hindu Foundation, Hindu Elders Foundation, Hindu Council, Hindu RSS, Bharatiya Mandir, Balmoral, Shirdi Sai Baba Mandir, Laxmi Narain Temple, Bhartiya Samaj, Disha Charitable Trust, Seva Charitable Trust, Swaminarayan Hari Parbodham, Telangana Association, Rama Rama Temple, Papatoetoe–Ōtara Local Board, and repres
entatives from Gurudwara Kalgidhar Sahib Takanini, Gurudwara New Lynn, and Gurudwara Sahib Northshore.
Media support was extended by Radio Spice, The Indian News, Indian Newslink, and NZ Tasveer, ensuring wide outreach and coverage of this historic event. In his concluding address, Prithi Pal Singh Basra shared a brief yet inspiring history of Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji, capturing the essence
of his spiritual strength, compassion, and sacrifice. He also delivered the vote of thanks, expressing gratitude to all participating organisations, dignitaries, and volunteers who contributed to the success of the Sammelan.
The event stood as a powerful reminder of Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Ji’s universal message—one that transcends faiths and continues to guide humanity toward justice, unity, and peace.-TIN Bureau