Key Points
- Protective Services Officers from diverse backgrounds are guarding the Shrine of Victoria.
- The Shrine displays artefacts which trace participation of migrants fighting along Australian solders back to World War I
Manpinder Gill held reservations when pondering a future with the Victorian police force more than a decade ago.
"I thought to myself that I wear a turban, look drastically different from the majority population living here, have cultural barriers, who would hire me?"
But the migrant from the northern Indian state of Punjab was proven wrong.
Today, he is a senior Protective Services Officer (PSO) with the force.
Out of his 14 years of service, he has spent the past three as a guard at the Shrine of Remembrance.
Manpinder Gill is a guard at the shrine which honours the service and sacrifice of Australians in war and peacekeeping. Credit: SBS Punjabi/Puneet Dhingra
Alongside police training, the guards are also trained in military drills, while braving the elements to protect the shrine 24 hours per day, 365 days a year.
The Shrine was dedicated in 1934 as Victoria’s memorial to those who served and died in World War One.
While it could be seen as an honour for any Australian to become a shrine guard, it is a "privilege" for people of migrant communities, Gill told SBS Punjabi.
He said serving Australia comes naturally, as it may have for many before him.
"We (the Indian community) have been here for a long time. There is mention of the name Singh in Australian history, which can be traced back as early as the War of Gallipoli," he said.
"I always had an affinity for history, but working here at Shrine, I got to study deeply about the history of Indian and Sikh migrants in Australia."
Gill often fields questions about his culture and religion.
"Yet, even today, people do not know about the history of the turban and people wearing turbans.
"When visitors ask me, I tell them that we are a warrior clan. Our core values are about serving the community."
Mapinder Gill and Jogjinder Singh performing their duties at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne. Credit: SBS Punjabi/Puneet Dhingra
The guard service was limited to war veterans until the 1970s, when the Shrine enlisted from Victoria Police.
In the 1990s, the Shrine began hiring from the then newly established Victoria Police Protective Services Unit.
As the police force began to represent the diverse community in Victoria, a similar situation occurred among the shrine guards, according to Ryan Johnston, Director of Visitor Experience at the memorial.
The Shrine of Remembrance is a memorial for those who contributed to Australian war and peace-keeping efforts. Credit: SBS Punjabi
"Even at that time, Australians from many cultural and faith backgrounds had served — including First Nations peoples, Chinese and Indian Australians, Jewish Australians, and migrants who volunteered to defend their new homeland.
"In the decades after the Second World War, Greek, Italian, Polish, Turkish, and Vietnamese communities in particular brought their own experiences of war and resettlement to Victoria, and the Shrine became a focal point for their commemorations."
Today, the Shrine is host to community-led events and organisations, including the Greek Australian Commemorative Service, Czechoslovak Ex-Servicemen's League, the Gurkha/Nepalese Commemorative Service and Vietnam Veterans Day.
"By acknowledging the contributions of people from across cultures, faiths, and languages, the Shrine aspires that every Victorian can see themselves in Australia’s story of service," Mr Johnston said.
"Members of the guard come from many cultural and faith backgrounds. Their presence reflects the diversity of contemporary Australia and demonstrates that remembrance unites us all — beyond culture, language, or religion."
PSO Senior Jogjinder Singh is working as a Shrine Guard since September 2020 Credit: SBS Punjabi/Puneet Dhingra
Senior PSO Jogjinder Singh said he was the only person of Sikh faith when he commenced service at the Shrine in 2020.
"When I joined my job in Victoria Police, I was apprehensive about my appearance. I did not keep long hair and stopped wearing a turban. I thought it would help me assimilate better with everyone."
PSO Senior Manpinderpal Singh and PSO Senior Jogjinder Singh at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne. Credit: SBS Punjabi/Puneet Dhingra
"I feel like I am an Australian. I am not just a Sikh, I am an Australian Sikh, and I want to work for every Australian.
"My job allows me to work for people, live a life helping people. It is the biggest blessing of my life."
Taking part in the ANZAC Day parade was one of the “greatest honours” of his life.
“Every day when I wear a turban, my uniform, I feel like I am paying my respects to those who came before me."
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