Plans for Sikh memorial statue in Southall submitted by Lord Ranger

LONDON: Tory peer Rami Ranger’s British Sikh Association has submitted a planning application to Ealing Council for a Sikh Soldier memorial statue, the first in west London, to be erected within a public park in Southall.

The purpose of the memorial, earmarked for Manor House Grounds, is to commemorate Sikh soldiers and to recognise their historic contribution and sacrifice while serving alongside British forces, in particular at the Battle of Saragarhi. It will also educate people in Britain about the historical contribution and sacrifices of Sikh servicemen and create a space for reflection and annual commemorations.

Chairman of the British Sikh Association Lord Ranger told TOI: “The British Sikh Association is funding the statue. We will raise the money from the community. We have already raised a few hundred thousand pounds. We chose Southall as it has a large Punjabi community which has a strong connection with the British Indian Army community who stayed here after the war. They mostly came to Southall as it was the first town near the airport and had lots of factories at that time.”

“Virtually all of the Punjabis in Southall have a relative who served in the British Indian Army .This monument will inspire the next generation to join the British Army and keep up the tradition their forefathers started as well as help alleviate racism when people see that Sikhs fought with British armed forces for King and Empire,” he added.

The plans state the statue would cost up to £2 million (about Rs 24.9 crore). Architectural drawings show a 1.8-metre-tall bronze statue of a turbaned Sikh soldier on a pad stone made from shiny beige granite stone with the inscription “Deh Shiva Bar Mohe Ehay”, one of the most celebrated hymns by Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th Sikh Guru.

“Dedicated to the memory of the Sikh soldiers of the British Indian army who fought in the two world wars. They performed their duty with honour while keeping their faith in God and Khalsa principles,” the proposed inscription says.

If permission is granted, work is expected to commence in July and be completed in Aug. The plans are currently subject to a public consultation period which will end April 30.