Prof. Nirvikar Singh: Bridging Economics, Politics, and Sikh Studies
Dr. Devinder Pal Singh
Dr. Devinder Pal Singh
Prof. Nirvikar Singh is an economist with strong interests in political economy, the Indian economy, and Sikh Studies. In his work on the Sikh tradition, he seeks to
combine rigorous scholarship with a positionality that appreciates the community’s own understandings and its struggles for recognition. He is currently a Distinguished Professor of Economics at the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC), and also holds the Sarbjit Singh Aurora Chair of Sikh and Punjabi Studies, a role he previously held as the inaugural chairholder from 2010 to 2020. Raised in the Sikh tradition, Singh's work reflects a commitment to understanding global economic dynamics while amplifying the voices of marginalized individuals, including within the Sikh diaspora. His work in Sikh Studies seeks to challenge conventional narratives, with the goal of fostering inclusive dialogues on development, identity, and equity. He currently serves as Editor-in-Chief of The Journal of Economics, Management and Religion, which is an outlet for disciplinary and interdisciplinary work across those three fields.
Born in India, Singh's academic journey began at the London School of Economics, where he earned a BSc and an MSc, and was awarded the Allyn Young Prize, the Gonner Prize and the Ely Devons Prize. He later obtained his Ph.D. from UC Berkeley, honing his expertise in economic theory and policy. He began his teaching career at UCSC, where he has played a key role in building several research programs, including serving as founding Director of the Santa Cruz Center for International Economics, Co-Director of the Center for Global, International, and Regional Studies, and founding Director (now Co-Director) of the Center for Analytical Finance.
Singh's economic research includes economic theory, economic development, political economy, information technology, and various aspects of the Indian economy. He has authored over 100 papers and six co-authored/edited books. Key books include "Economic Transformation of a Developing Economy: The Experience of Punjab, India" (2016), which examines Punjab's post-Green Revolution stagnation amid agrarian distress and policy inertia, and "The Political Economy of Federalism in India" (2005), which analyzes the role of fiscal decentralization in promoting equitable growth. Other books include Joint Ventures, International Investment and Technology Transfer; Waiting to Connect: India's IT Revolution Bypasses the Domestic Industry; Handbook of the Economics of the Pacific Rim; and The Other One Percent: Indians in America. A co-edited, three-volume set titled "Economics, Religion, and Public Policy" is forthcoming early in 2026. For the case of the Punjab economy, Singh’s collaborations with Lakhwinder Singh highlight the state's economic constraints, including water scarcity, lagging diversification, and migration, and urge major structural reforms.
Beyond economics, Singh's tenure as Sarbjit Singh Aurora Chair marked the introduction of Sikh and Punjabi Studies at UCSC, including instruction in the Punjabi language and an online course, “Introduction to the Sikhs,” which has been completed by over 800 students across the 10 campuses of the University of California system. In 2023, Singh launched "Sikhs in the 21st Century: Remembering the Past, Engaging the Future" at The Humanities Institute at UCSC, a digital humanities project funded by the 5Rivers Foundation. This project has so far produced 10 videos on Sikh history and institutions, as well as Sikh diaspora experiences, helping to decolonize scholarship in this field by including the voices of younger Sikh scholars and those based in Punjab. As Singh notes, it pursues a "middle path", honouring the richness and complexity of the Sikh tradition without romanticization, while seeking to increase access to their own traditions for Sikhs navigating modernity and globalization.
In the past, Singh has advised India's Finance Ministry on G-20 matters and the government of Punjab on its post-COVID economic recovery. He has served as a consultant for Silicon Valley startups, bridging the gap between academia and practice. Singh's approach to his work often seeks synthesis: wielding economics to unpack cultural inequities, from Punjab's fields to California's campuses. By reframing Sikh Studies and presenting it through public digital media, he wants to empower scholars and the communities they serve to "see old things in new ways," ensuring heritage informs future resilience. During one of my recent meetings with him, I had the opportunity to learn more about his contributions and insights into Sikhism. I'm sharing a brief write-up of the interview for the benefit of the readers.
DPS: In what ways do Sikh teachings support or challenge the dominant paradigms of capitalist industrial organization?
NS: Sikh teachings, as articulated in the Guru Granth Sahib, emphasize hard work and individual responsibility, as well as sharing and social justice. All of these practices are potentially compatible with capitalism. However, those teachings are also clear regarding the moral limits of accumulating material wealth. Furthermore, Sikh teachings as to the equality and dignity of all human beings are antithetical to any form of labour exploitation. Therefore, there is a potential tension between participating in a modern capitalist economy, as many conceive it, and wholeheartedly practicing Sikhi. More specifically, the ethical message of the Guru Granth Sahib is that greed and attachment are inimical to achieving spiritual uplift, namely, union with the divine One.
DPS: How do the Sikh values of miri-piri (temporal and spiritual sovereignty) influence the Sikh understanding of political power and governance?
NS: The Sikh concept of miri-piri has its origins in the death of Guru Arjan at the hands of Mughal authorities. It was reinforced by the execution of Guru Tegh Bahadur on the orders of the Mughal emperor. The underlying driver of miri-piri is a refusal to accept unjust, tyrannical rule. When Guru Gobind Singh decreed the Granth Sahib to be the eternal Guru of the Sikhs, this created a challenge for the expression of miri. A strong tradition is that the Khalsa became the inheritors of this aspect of sovereignty, the Guru Panth, making the most important societal decisions collectively. This understanding formed the foundation of Khalsa rule in Punjab during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, when Mughal governance had collapsed entirely in that region.
Even under Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the difficulties of melding temporal and spiritual sovereignty in a sustained manner became apparent, and Sikh reform movements of the 19th century sought to restore the foundational role of Sikh ethical and spiritual teachings. This process has continued through British colonial rule and under India’s electoral democracy. One problem has been that contests for political power, even under universal suffrage, do not guarantee respect for ethical or moral principles. The yearning of some Sikhs for Khalistan can be seen as a desire to restore moral principles to governance in their homeland. However, this yearning overlooks the numerous difficulties of implementing ethically grounded governance in the current South Asian context, or indeed, in any contemporary context. In sum, while the Sikh values of miri-piri are well understood at an abstract, foundational level, they have not been translated into practical guidelines for the exercise of political power and the conduct of modern governance.
DPS: How have Sikh immigrants in the U.S. preserved economic ethics based on Sikh teachings such as seva (selfless service)? What role does the Gurdwara play? Is there a distinct Sikh economic diaspora model that sets it apart from other South Asian immigrant communities?
NS: It is difficult to empirically establish the extent to which Sikh immigrants in the U.S. have preserved economic ethics based on Sikh teachings. However, this lack of clarity should be viewed in the context of the scarcity of empirical evidence for Sikhs in India or elsewhere. Interviews with small samples of Sikhs in California suggest an awareness of Sikh ethical teachings and attempts to implement these teachings in practical situations. Institutions such as langar have been amenable to extension outside the Gurdwara in U.S. public settings: this was particularly apparent during the Covid pandemic lockdowns and economic disruptions. The Gurdwara, as a place that fosters both organizational capacity and community identity, plays a crucial role in enabling such efforts. It is less clear whether the Gurdwara successfully inculcates an understanding of Sikh ethical principles to young, second-generation Sikhs: there are too many other variables to account for. It does seem safe to conjecture that the practice of Sikhi at home plays the most important role in inculcating Sikh ethics in diaspora settings.
One factor that distinguishes Sikhs in the U.S. from many other South Asian (particularly Indian) immigrants is the salience of Sikhi, both as an ethical way of life and as expressed through a distinctive external appearance. Another factor is the difference in socioeconomic background, with many Sikhs in the U.S. coming from rural backgrounds through family-preference immigration channels. They have, on average, lower levels of wealth and education than Indian Americans who migrate through channels based on skill. This difference is also reflected in significant disparities in social capital – connections to others who are highly educated or well-off. These disparities in social capital affect second-generation Sikh Americans, even when they acquire comparable levels of education to other Indian Americans. For Sikhs who wish to maintain their externally visible articles of faith, these difficulties are compounded. The almost unique challenge for many Sikh Americans, as opposed to other South Asian immigrants, is preserving what they consider essential aspects of their Sikh identity while fully participating in the economy and American society. How this challenge and its responses evolve remain to be seen.
DPS: How should Sikh scholars and policymakers respond to the growing inequality produced by economic globalization?
NS: Sikhs have been one of many ethnic, religious or racial groups affected by global economic and political events. Sikhs have migrated for economic opportunity, as well as to flee political persecution. However, their situation has not been as vulnerable or precarious as that of many other minority groups. Regarding growing inequality, there are several dimensions to this phenomenon. For example, developing countries such as China and India have been catching up with richer economies in the West, which reduces global economic inequality. However, within countries, both developed and developing, inequality has been increasing. Within India, Punjab, which had become relatively well-off through government policies aimed at promoting national food security, is now on the brink of economic collapse, largely due to the overextension of those policies, the distortions created by that overextension, and shifting global economic structures.
Punjab is the only significant political entity with strong Sikh representation among its leaders. Sikh policymakers have been disappointingly ineffective, and in some cases, even counterproductive, in their choices. One might view this situation as an outcome of the political economy of India and of Punjab, but levels of systemic corruption in the state have clearly been completely out of step with Sikh ethics, even given the political constraints. Inequality in Punjab has worsened in ways that can be traced to incompetence and malfeasance by the state’s political leaders, including many who self-identify as Sikhs. Of course, ethical governance should not be dependent on, or restricted to, any particular religious group; however, there does seem to be a role for mainstream Sikh religious leaders to play a more visible and positive role, much as Pope Francis has attempted for the Catholic Church. Ultimately, however, it will take a broad coalition of policymakers to address the economic (and social) ills plaguing Punjab. Economic and social inequality, environmental destruction, and internalized violence, such as drug abuse and domestic abuse are all strong features of present-day Punjab – a far cry from Sikh ideals.
The potential role of Sikh scholars is somewhat more complicated. Many universities in Punjab have deteriorated in quality as a result of the same political phenomena that have damaged the state. While the U.S. has established several endowed chairs in Sikh and Punjabi Studies, they have not had a significant impact on broader scholarship. Some of the most cited works on the Sikhs or on Punjab are by academics whose understanding of the Sikh tradition is limited in crucial ways. Similarly, there is little detailed attention to the contemporary problems of the Sikh community, whether in India or in the diaspora. Much of the discourse on all these issues is shaped by perspectives in which Punjab and the Sikhs are incidental or anomalous. Work on Sikhs and the Punjab in the Western academy is often driven by these framings. On the other hand, attempts by Sikh scholars to challenge these frameworks often end up being ghettoized and marginalized. Some of these issues are simply structural, stemming from being a small minority: indeed, the minority status of Sikhs in society is exacerbated within academia. Beyond this factor, a lack of strategic vision and a tendency to operate in a fragmented manner reduce the impact of Sikh scholars on wider understandings of the Sikh tradition, let alone their influence on policymaking. Until these more local problems are solved, with respect to issues that most affect Sikhs and their homeland, responses to more general challenges of economic globalization, including inequality, may fall short.
DPS: In what ways can digital platforms help in preserving and disseminating Sikh teachings and culture globally?
NS: For a globally dispersed community like the Sikhs, digital platforms obviously provide an important new way of providing access to their own sacred texts, other Sikh writings, and a wide array of other literary and visual material. The availability of the Guru Granth Sahib and other sacred texts online has enabled Sikhs and others to read Gurbani in its original form or in translation, and to search for specific teachings. Several organizations have been digitizing other Sikh literature in downloadable formats. Some of this latter effort compensates for the limited holdings of Sikh materials in university libraries, especially in Western universities. Stories, commentaries, music and dance are all widely available. In addition to numerous Wikipedia entries on Sikhs and Sikhi, there is a specialized effort, SikhiWiki, which provides a more detailed and extensive treatment of Sikh-related topics.
However, several significant challenges are associated with the proliferation of digital materials. First, there is inadequate quality control or standard setting for materials that might be used for academic or other informational purposes. Second, there is a lack of translation of material from Punjabi (Gurmukhi) into English, which is the de facto language of global communication. Many digitized materials from Sikh history are image scans, which do not allow for direct application of translation software. Hence, the digitization process has been uneven. Partly, this reflects popular demand – the availability of shabad kirtan recordings online is remarkably deep. But there is little systematic information on the ragis, the shabads, styles of kirtan, or many other aspects of this very important aspect of Sikh life. Even more strikingly, there is no high-quality English translation of the Guru Granth Sahib, and digital platforms have merely increased the availability of one or two translations that are far from ideal. In another direction, the quality of Wikipedia articles on Sikhs and Sikhism – which serve as an accessible and influential source of basic information – is uneven. However, it is improving in some respects. In a nutshell, digital platforms require a stronger foundation of knowledge; otherwise, they do not serve the Sikh tradition effectively.
DPS: Are there ethical concerns rooted in Sikh teachings regarding the commodification of spiritual knowledge through online means?
NS: The issue of commodification of spiritual teachings is a very deep one, and not only for online platforms. One primary goal of the Sikh reform movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries was to reverse the commodification of Gurdwara sites, which had accompanied the deviation of their management from Sikh ideals rooted in the teachings of the Gurus. However, some degree of commodification has crept back in, largely due to the substantial revenue generated by donations from devotees who visit major Gurdwaras. The rise of deras is another example of the commodification of supposedly spiritual messages. The use of online platforms and digital media to raise money may be a symptom of deeper problems of a capitalist ethos unmoored from ethical foundations. This issue appears to be a widespread problem, not one peculiar to the Sikh case.
DPS: How do Sikh teachings address contemporary capitalist crises, such as climate change, rising inequality, and the erosion of community?
NS: At their core, Sikh teachings offer a profound message of oneness and equality for all of humanity, for wider creation, and for a path to realizing the unity of the Divine One, through reflection, through ethical actions (truthful living), and through the dissolving of Haumai – what can be exposited in English as an undue sense of importance of the self. From this core, it is easy to see that Sikhi places a very high value on equity in material wellbeing, special consideration for the weak and poor, communities of ethical practice, and collective action for social good, as well as the preservation of nature beyond narrow concepts of economic value. The challenge, of course, is how to translate these ideals into meaningful practice. Young Sikhs in the diaspora seem to be particularly attuned to that last question, and they may be the best respondents for building pathways that take us from foundational Sikh teachings to achieving meaningful, society-level impacts with respect to economic inequality, loss of community, and climate change. As I indicated in an answer to an earlier question, these pathways will have to include tackling more local and particular problems of the Sikh community itself, but the old adage, “think globally, act locally,” may be helpful to keep in mind in this case.
DPS: Thank you, Professor Nirvikar Singh, for taking the time to participate in this interaction. It was wonderful meeting you and hearing your views on various aspects of Sikh doctrines, Sikh history, Economics and Politics.
NS: Thank you very much, Dr. Devinder Pal Singh, for your intelligent and thought-provoking inquiry. I appreciate your input and efforts very much.
Born in India, Singh's academic journey began at the London School of Economics, where he earned a BSc and an MSc, and was awarded the Allyn Young Prize, the Gonner Prize and the Ely Devons Prize. He later obtained his Ph.D. from UC Berkeley, honing his expertise in economic theory and policy. He began his teaching career at UCSC, where he has played a key role in building several research programs, including serving as founding Director of the Santa Cruz Center for International Economics, Co-Director of the Center for Global, International, and Regional Studies, and founding Director (now Co-Director) of the Center for Analytical Finance.
Singh's economic research includes economic theory, economic development, political economy, information technology, and various aspects of the Indian economy. He has authored over 100 papers and six co-authored/edited books. Key books include "Economic Transformation of a Developing Economy: The Experience of Punjab, India" (2016), which examines Punjab's post-Green Revolution stagnation amid agrarian distress and policy inertia, and "The Political Economy of Federalism in India" (2005), which analyzes the role of fiscal decentralization in promoting equitable growth. Other books include Joint Ventures, International Investment and Technology Transfer; Waiting to Connect: India's IT Revolution Bypasses the Domestic Industry; Handbook of the Economics of the Pacific Rim; and The Other One Percent: Indians in America. A co-edited, three-volume set titled "Economics, Religion, and Public Policy" is forthcoming early in 2026. For the case of the Punjab economy, Singh’s collaborations with Lakhwinder Singh highlight the state's economic constraints, including water scarcity, lagging diversification, and migration, and urge major structural reforms.
Beyond economics, Singh's tenure as Sarbjit Singh Aurora Chair marked the introduction of Sikh and Punjabi Studies at UCSC, including instruction in the Punjabi language and an online course, “Introduction to the Sikhs,” which has been completed by over 800 students across the 10 campuses of the University of California system. In 2023, Singh launched "Sikhs in the 21st Century: Remembering the Past, Engaging the Future" at The Humanities Institute at UCSC, a digital humanities project funded by the 5Rivers Foundation. This project has so far produced 10 videos on Sikh history and institutions, as well as Sikh diaspora experiences, helping to decolonize scholarship in this field by including the voices of younger Sikh scholars and those based in Punjab. As Singh notes, it pursues a "middle path", honouring the richness and complexity of the Sikh tradition without romanticization, while seeking to increase access to their own traditions for Sikhs navigating modernity and globalization.
In the past, Singh has advised India's Finance Ministry on G-20 matters and the government of Punjab on its post-COVID economic recovery. He has served as a consultant for Silicon Valley startups, bridging the gap between academia and practice. Singh's approach to his work often seeks synthesis: wielding economics to unpack cultural inequities, from Punjab's fields to California's campuses. By reframing Sikh Studies and presenting it through public digital media, he wants to empower scholars and the communities they serve to "see old things in new ways," ensuring heritage informs future resilience. During one of my recent meetings with him, I had the opportunity to learn more about his contributions and insights into Sikhism. I'm sharing a brief write-up of the interview for the benefit of the readers.
DPS: In what ways do Sikh teachings support or challenge the dominant paradigms of capitalist industrial organization?
NS: Sikh teachings, as articulated in the Guru Granth Sahib, emphasize hard work and individual responsibility, as well as sharing and social justice. All of these practices are potentially compatible with capitalism. However, those teachings are also clear regarding the moral limits of accumulating material wealth. Furthermore, Sikh teachings as to the equality and dignity of all human beings are antithetical to any form of labour exploitation. Therefore, there is a potential tension between participating in a modern capitalist economy, as many conceive it, and wholeheartedly practicing Sikhi. More specifically, the ethical message of the Guru Granth Sahib is that greed and attachment are inimical to achieving spiritual uplift, namely, union with the divine One.
DPS: How do the Sikh values of miri-piri (temporal and spiritual sovereignty) influence the Sikh understanding of political power and governance?
NS: The Sikh concept of miri-piri has its origins in the death of Guru Arjan at the hands of Mughal authorities. It was reinforced by the execution of Guru Tegh Bahadur on the orders of the Mughal emperor. The underlying driver of miri-piri is a refusal to accept unjust, tyrannical rule. When Guru Gobind Singh decreed the Granth Sahib to be the eternal Guru of the Sikhs, this created a challenge for the expression of miri. A strong tradition is that the Khalsa became the inheritors of this aspect of sovereignty, the Guru Panth, making the most important societal decisions collectively. This understanding formed the foundation of Khalsa rule in Punjab during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, when Mughal governance had collapsed entirely in that region.
Even under Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the difficulties of melding temporal and spiritual sovereignty in a sustained manner became apparent, and Sikh reform movements of the 19th century sought to restore the foundational role of Sikh ethical and spiritual teachings. This process has continued through British colonial rule and under India’s electoral democracy. One problem has been that contests for political power, even under universal suffrage, do not guarantee respect for ethical or moral principles. The yearning of some Sikhs for Khalistan can be seen as a desire to restore moral principles to governance in their homeland. However, this yearning overlooks the numerous difficulties of implementing ethically grounded governance in the current South Asian context, or indeed, in any contemporary context. In sum, while the Sikh values of miri-piri are well understood at an abstract, foundational level, they have not been translated into practical guidelines for the exercise of political power and the conduct of modern governance.
DPS: How have Sikh immigrants in the U.S. preserved economic ethics based on Sikh teachings such as seva (selfless service)? What role does the Gurdwara play? Is there a distinct Sikh economic diaspora model that sets it apart from other South Asian immigrant communities?
NS: It is difficult to empirically establish the extent to which Sikh immigrants in the U.S. have preserved economic ethics based on Sikh teachings. However, this lack of clarity should be viewed in the context of the scarcity of empirical evidence for Sikhs in India or elsewhere. Interviews with small samples of Sikhs in California suggest an awareness of Sikh ethical teachings and attempts to implement these teachings in practical situations. Institutions such as langar have been amenable to extension outside the Gurdwara in U.S. public settings: this was particularly apparent during the Covid pandemic lockdowns and economic disruptions. The Gurdwara, as a place that fosters both organizational capacity and community identity, plays a crucial role in enabling such efforts. It is less clear whether the Gurdwara successfully inculcates an understanding of Sikh ethical principles to young, second-generation Sikhs: there are too many other variables to account for. It does seem safe to conjecture that the practice of Sikhi at home plays the most important role in inculcating Sikh ethics in diaspora settings.
One factor that distinguishes Sikhs in the U.S. from many other South Asian (particularly Indian) immigrants is the salience of Sikhi, both as an ethical way of life and as expressed through a distinctive external appearance. Another factor is the difference in socioeconomic background, with many Sikhs in the U.S. coming from rural backgrounds through family-preference immigration channels. They have, on average, lower levels of wealth and education than Indian Americans who migrate through channels based on skill. This difference is also reflected in significant disparities in social capital – connections to others who are highly educated or well-off. These disparities in social capital affect second-generation Sikh Americans, even when they acquire comparable levels of education to other Indian Americans. For Sikhs who wish to maintain their externally visible articles of faith, these difficulties are compounded. The almost unique challenge for many Sikh Americans, as opposed to other South Asian immigrants, is preserving what they consider essential aspects of their Sikh identity while fully participating in the economy and American society. How this challenge and its responses evolve remain to be seen.
DPS: How should Sikh scholars and policymakers respond to the growing inequality produced by economic globalization?
NS: Sikhs have been one of many ethnic, religious or racial groups affected by global economic and political events. Sikhs have migrated for economic opportunity, as well as to flee political persecution. However, their situation has not been as vulnerable or precarious as that of many other minority groups. Regarding growing inequality, there are several dimensions to this phenomenon. For example, developing countries such as China and India have been catching up with richer economies in the West, which reduces global economic inequality. However, within countries, both developed and developing, inequality has been increasing. Within India, Punjab, which had become relatively well-off through government policies aimed at promoting national food security, is now on the brink of economic collapse, largely due to the overextension of those policies, the distortions created by that overextension, and shifting global economic structures.
Punjab is the only significant political entity with strong Sikh representation among its leaders. Sikh policymakers have been disappointingly ineffective, and in some cases, even counterproductive, in their choices. One might view this situation as an outcome of the political economy of India and of Punjab, but levels of systemic corruption in the state have clearly been completely out of step with Sikh ethics, even given the political constraints. Inequality in Punjab has worsened in ways that can be traced to incompetence and malfeasance by the state’s political leaders, including many who self-identify as Sikhs. Of course, ethical governance should not be dependent on, or restricted to, any particular religious group; however, there does seem to be a role for mainstream Sikh religious leaders to play a more visible and positive role, much as Pope Francis has attempted for the Catholic Church. Ultimately, however, it will take a broad coalition of policymakers to address the economic (and social) ills plaguing Punjab. Economic and social inequality, environmental destruction, and internalized violence, such as drug abuse and domestic abuse are all strong features of present-day Punjab – a far cry from Sikh ideals.
The potential role of Sikh scholars is somewhat more complicated. Many universities in Punjab have deteriorated in quality as a result of the same political phenomena that have damaged the state. While the U.S. has established several endowed chairs in Sikh and Punjabi Studies, they have not had a significant impact on broader scholarship. Some of the most cited works on the Sikhs or on Punjab are by academics whose understanding of the Sikh tradition is limited in crucial ways. Similarly, there is little detailed attention to the contemporary problems of the Sikh community, whether in India or in the diaspora. Much of the discourse on all these issues is shaped by perspectives in which Punjab and the Sikhs are incidental or anomalous. Work on Sikhs and the Punjab in the Western academy is often driven by these framings. On the other hand, attempts by Sikh scholars to challenge these frameworks often end up being ghettoized and marginalized. Some of these issues are simply structural, stemming from being a small minority: indeed, the minority status of Sikhs in society is exacerbated within academia. Beyond this factor, a lack of strategic vision and a tendency to operate in a fragmented manner reduce the impact of Sikh scholars on wider understandings of the Sikh tradition, let alone their influence on policymaking. Until these more local problems are solved, with respect to issues that most affect Sikhs and their homeland, responses to more general challenges of economic globalization, including inequality, may fall short.
DPS: In what ways can digital platforms help in preserving and disseminating Sikh teachings and culture globally?
NS: For a globally dispersed community like the Sikhs, digital platforms obviously provide an important new way of providing access to their own sacred texts, other Sikh writings, and a wide array of other literary and visual material. The availability of the Guru Granth Sahib and other sacred texts online has enabled Sikhs and others to read Gurbani in its original form or in translation, and to search for specific teachings. Several organizations have been digitizing other Sikh literature in downloadable formats. Some of this latter effort compensates for the limited holdings of Sikh materials in university libraries, especially in Western universities. Stories, commentaries, music and dance are all widely available. In addition to numerous Wikipedia entries on Sikhs and Sikhi, there is a specialized effort, SikhiWiki, which provides a more detailed and extensive treatment of Sikh-related topics.
However, several significant challenges are associated with the proliferation of digital materials. First, there is inadequate quality control or standard setting for materials that might be used for academic or other informational purposes. Second, there is a lack of translation of material from Punjabi (Gurmukhi) into English, which is the de facto language of global communication. Many digitized materials from Sikh history are image scans, which do not allow for direct application of translation software. Hence, the digitization process has been uneven. Partly, this reflects popular demand – the availability of shabad kirtan recordings online is remarkably deep. But there is little systematic information on the ragis, the shabads, styles of kirtan, or many other aspects of this very important aspect of Sikh life. Even more strikingly, there is no high-quality English translation of the Guru Granth Sahib, and digital platforms have merely increased the availability of one or two translations that are far from ideal. In another direction, the quality of Wikipedia articles on Sikhs and Sikhism – which serve as an accessible and influential source of basic information – is uneven. However, it is improving in some respects. In a nutshell, digital platforms require a stronger foundation of knowledge; otherwise, they do not serve the Sikh tradition effectively.
DPS: Are there ethical concerns rooted in Sikh teachings regarding the commodification of spiritual knowledge through online means?
NS: The issue of commodification of spiritual teachings is a very deep one, and not only for online platforms. One primary goal of the Sikh reform movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries was to reverse the commodification of Gurdwara sites, which had accompanied the deviation of their management from Sikh ideals rooted in the teachings of the Gurus. However, some degree of commodification has crept back in, largely due to the substantial revenue generated by donations from devotees who visit major Gurdwaras. The rise of deras is another example of the commodification of supposedly spiritual messages. The use of online platforms and digital media to raise money may be a symptom of deeper problems of a capitalist ethos unmoored from ethical foundations. This issue appears to be a widespread problem, not one peculiar to the Sikh case.
DPS: How do Sikh teachings address contemporary capitalist crises, such as climate change, rising inequality, and the erosion of community?
NS: At their core, Sikh teachings offer a profound message of oneness and equality for all of humanity, for wider creation, and for a path to realizing the unity of the Divine One, through reflection, through ethical actions (truthful living), and through the dissolving of Haumai – what can be exposited in English as an undue sense of importance of the self. From this core, it is easy to see that Sikhi places a very high value on equity in material wellbeing, special consideration for the weak and poor, communities of ethical practice, and collective action for social good, as well as the preservation of nature beyond narrow concepts of economic value. The challenge, of course, is how to translate these ideals into meaningful practice. Young Sikhs in the diaspora seem to be particularly attuned to that last question, and they may be the best respondents for building pathways that take us from foundational Sikh teachings to achieving meaningful, society-level impacts with respect to economic inequality, loss of community, and climate change. As I indicated in an answer to an earlier question, these pathways will have to include tackling more local and particular problems of the Sikh community itself, but the old adage, “think globally, act locally,” may be helpful to keep in mind in this case.
DPS: Thank you, Professor Nirvikar Singh, for taking the time to participate in this interaction. It was wonderful meeting you and hearing your views on various aspects of Sikh doctrines, Sikh history, Economics and Politics.
NS: Thank you very much, Dr. Devinder Pal Singh, for your intelligent and thought-provoking inquiry. I appreciate your input and efforts very much.
Last edited:
