UQ Sikh Society was established in early 2018 with the realisation that there was a need to develop a space where Sikh students could confidently and freely express themselves on campus and within the wider Australian community.
“We have been working to enrich the personal and Sikhi experiences of students at UQ and youth around Australia,” said its representative Gursahej Singh.
Mr Singh said that the Sikh students were and still are a micro-minority on campus, but despite this, they were nominated for two awards: Religious Club of the Year and Event Series of the Year (Online).
Gursehaj Singh (R) at the UQ award night. Source: Supplied by Mr Singh
“We were ecstatic and grateful to be nominated alongside societies which have a far larger member base and are way more established than us,” he said.
“Our team’s effort and members' support allowed us to win the Religious Club of the Year award. This award shows us that anything is possible if we try our hardest whilst having unwavering faith in Guru Sahib. This award will be an anchor for youth to get involved in Sikh activism and collectively make a difference.”
Mr Singh said that given Queensland has a relatively small Sikh population, their university is no different.
UQ Sikh Society members at Delta Force Petrie - Brisbane Paintball. Source: Supplied by Mr Singh
“We started with just two students and now we are almost 60 members strong. We are proud to be the first and only campus-based Sikh Society in Queensland and one of the very few in Australia," he said.
To listen to the full interview with Gursehaj Singh and Harmeet Kaur, click here or on the player at the top of the page.
