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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Sardar Kalyan Singh: The first Pakistani Sikh to get a PhD degree

Sardar Kalyan Singh Kalyan, the 42-year-old Sikh from Punjab has been awarded a doctorate for the first time in Pakistan’s history. He continued his higher studies and obtained Doctorate and Masters's from the University of Punjab in 2017 and 2007 respectively.

With his exceptional success in the field of education, a member of the Sikh community in Pakistan has made history. Sardar Kalyan Singh Kalyan, 42, has received his doctorate (Ph.D.), making him the first Pakistani Sikh to achieve so in the country’s history.

Kalyan, who is also known as Pakistan’s first Sikh assistant professor, presented a 600-page dissertation titled “The Philosophy of Humanity in Guru Nanak’s Teachings after His Mother” and was awarded a Ph.D. from the University of Punjab after successfully defending his thesis.

Read more: The unfairness of ‘over-qualified’ PhDs in Balochistan

Early life of Sardar Kalyan Singh Kalyan

According to local media reports, he completed his study work under the guidance of renowned Punjabi language researcher Prof Dr. Naveed Shehzad. Kalyan was born in 1979 and obtained his early education in Nankana Sahib, Punjab. He earned his MPhil from Punjab University in 2016 and afterward became an assistant professor at Government College University Lahore.

Kalyan, who is the father of three daughters and a son, has received acclaim from a number of social media users for his accomplishment.

Sardar Kalyan Singh studied computer technology with a certificate in Internet Tools from Quaid-e-Azam Institute of Computer Sciences in June 2003 and later obtained DCA and WPD from the same institute. This additional feature helped him in his research work on Punjabi script.

Read more: HEC formally allows PhD after 16 years education; academics term the policy ‘flawed’

Sardar Kalyan is an activist too

Sardar Kalyan is an activist who was instrumental in getting the provincial assembly to enact the family laws bill. In one of his appearances with Urdu Point, Kalyan revealed that in Pakistan, no marriage certificates were granted to minorities. It was difficult to identify the legal descendants due to a lack of it. His efforts, which began in 2007, are now bearing fruit. Pakistan is leading the fight to pass the Sikh Marriage Act. In India, there are separate family laws for Hindus and Muslims, but Sikhs, who number over two crores, are treated under Hindu law, which is unjust.

Abroad everybody is treated under the same family laws. Sardar Kalyan Singh Kalyan graciously invites all the Sikhs living abroad and desirous of getting married to come to Pakistan for their marriages such that their registration is done. Kalyan, being bread and born in Nankana Saheb has his brothers, nephews and cousins all working for Army, Rangers, Health, Police and for other sectors. He stated that Sikhs are well merged in the Muslim culture.