The Sikh Diaspora: A Community that Transcends Borders with Interconnectivity, Solidarity and Kinship

This paper explores the complex identity of the Sikh diaspora, focusing on the Sikh nation as an ethno-religious group with shared cultural values, kinship, and a sense of collective destiny. While Sikhs have historically been considered a minority group in India, they are also a globally dispersed community with a presence in over 47 countries. The nuances of Sikh identity will be examined, arguing that it transcends traditional definitions of diaspora and nationalism. Sikhs are not merely defined by a desire to return to Punjab or by marginality in host countries; rather, they maintain a strong sense of solidarity, mutual assistance, and a transnational kinship that binds them together across borders. Early European encounters with Sikhs, often portraying them as a nation, sect or race, contributed to the cohesion and collective identity of Sikhs, considering them from the outset as unique. Sikhism perhaps was not a distinct sect in the fifteenth century, but by the seventeenth century it had already constructed key elements which would become the building-blocks of distinguishing features in an exclusive identity. Construction of that identity took place with a desire to bring about cohesive unity, and to ensure the continuity of the followers of Sikhism. Sikh identity was constructed in the pre-and the post-colonial periods, but also during colonialism, with, however, agency and positionality. Sikh nationalism is rooted in cultural solidarity and transnational interconnectedness, challenging traditional concepts of nationhood and statehood.