WASHINGTON: Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary was celebrated on Monday for the first time in the White House, with musicians from the Golden Temple holding a celestial performance attended by Sikh leaders from across the country. President Obama and head of the White House office of Public Engagement office, greeted a room full of Sikh men with all kinds of colorful turbans and ladies with traditional Punjabi dress, gathered to celebrate Guru Nanak’s birth-anniversary for the first time.

Senior officials at the White House greeted 125 Sikhs at the entrance to the White House complex on Nov 13 afternoon.The program, which began at 3:15 pm, started with a Sikh prayer by Sarabjit Singh, Granthi of NY Gurdwara in Glen Cove in Long Island.  Sarabjit Singh offered prayers for President Obama and his administration in addition to the prayers for the well-being of entire humanity.

Traditional Kirtan with harmonium and tabla was performed by Raagi Nirmal Singh Nagpuri, and Sukhjeevan Singh of the Golden Temple, India, and translation of hymns was provided. They were accompanied by talented Tabla player Sucha Singh of Jalandhar. In addition, Guru Sangat Singh and Gursangat Kaur, American Sikhs sang a song of Guru Nanak in English which was accompanied by Guitar.

Some of the other Sikhs who attended were: Dirdar Singh Bains from Yuba City, CA, Bibi Inderjit Kaur, wife of Late Harbhajan Singh Yogi, from Espanola, New Mexico, Tehel Singh, President of Sikh Cultural Society, the largest Gurdwara in New York, Satjiv Singh Chahil, a top official of computer giant company Hewlett-Packard, Baldev Singh Grewal, owner publisher and editor of large Punjabi newspaper, Sher-e-Punjab, Dr. Kanvarjit Singh Bedi from Cleveland,  Kartar Singh Khalsa from Virginia, Rana Singh Sodhi  from Phoenix, Arizona whose brother Balbir Singh Sodhi was killed after 9/11 in a hate crime, Surinder Singh Raheja from Virginia, Harpreet Singh Sandhu from California, Harpreet Singh Everest from Yuba City, California, Bhupinder Singh Bhurji, representative of Namdhari community in US, Dr.  Charn  S Nandra, Mohinder Singh Taneja, Darshan Singh Bajwa, Gurbhej Singh Waraich,  Madan Mohan Singh,  Bhupinder S. Boparai, Jatinder Singh Sabharwal from Texas, Gurcharan Singh from the World Bank, Paul Kandhari and Inderpal Singh Dhall, officials of Long Island Gurdwara in NY, Amandeep Singh Sidhu of Sikh Coalition and Harpreet Singh of the United Sikhs and Sarabjit Singh of Los Angeles.

There are close to half million Sikhs in the U.S and they have now established a thriving community in the United States and continue to make significant contributions to American society as physicians, high-tech professionals, academics, entrepreneurs, cab drivers and convenience store workers.

They are amongst the most hard-working, educated and prosperous groups of Americans. The first Asian American to be elected to U. S. Congress in 1962 was a Sikh from California.