Innovation & Arts

The Manmeet Singh Bhullar 'Sikhs in Public' Lecture is a new series at Mount Royal University. The Series aspires to accomplish three things:

First, the series is one way to mark Manmeet Bhullar's many contributions to public life. Many of us knew Mr. Bhullar as the PC MLA for Calgary-Greenway, a position he held for eight years. During this time, he served as Minister of Human Resources, Minister of Service Alberta, and Minister of Infrastructure. Manmeet Bhullar was instrumental in making possible a conference at MRU in October 2014. That event commemorated the centenary of the ill-fated voyage of the Komagata Maru. Mr. Bhullar often spoke about the role universities could play in creating greater public understanding of Sikhs. This points to the second aim of the series, to increase public knowledge of Sikhs and Sikhism. This new Series provides a place to discuss in an open, public, and inclusive way the many contributions Sikhs have made to public life in Canada. It also provides a place to talk about the challenges and opportunities facing Sikhs and Canadians as a whole. Third, the Series aims to build closer ties between the university, the sangat, and the wider Calgary community.

It is our intention to host a different speaker in the Series one once per year.

This naming of this Series has only been possible by the kindness and generosity of the Bhullar family.

Here is the first Speaker in the series, S/Sgt. Baltej Singh Dhillon, the first RCMP Officer to wear a turban on duty: