List of converts to Sikhism

The following is a list of people who converted to Sikhi. The religion of Sikhism emerged from 15th century South Asia. The first Sikhs came from Hindu and Muslim backgrounds from the Punjab region.[1] Following 20th century, the growth of the Sikh diaspora enabled the spread of Sikhism, thus allowing for more people to similarly embrace the faith.

15th century

• Bhai Mardana, convert from Islam to Sikhism[2]
• Bhai Bala – childhood friend and companion of Bhai Mardana and Guru Nanak. [3]
• Rai Bular Bhatti – Muslim Rajput noble of the Bhatti clan during the latter half of the 15th century who was inspired by the Sikh Guru Nanak and donated half of his land.

17th century

• Bhai Dayala – accompanied Guru Tegh Bahadur in martyrdom at Delhi.[4]
• Bhai Mati Das – accompanied Guru Tegh Bahadur in martyrdom at Delhi.[5]
• Bhai Sati Das – accompanied Guru Tegh Bahadur in martyrdom at Delhi. [6]

18th century

• Banda Singh Bahadur – Born into a Hindu family as Lachman Dev (later Madho Das Bairagi), after meeting with Guru Gobind Singh he became a Sikh warrior for the Khalsa Army.

19th century

Colonel Alexander Gardner, American Sikh Soldier in Maharaja Ranjit Singh's Army

• Alexander Gardner – American Sikh Soldier in Maharaja Ranjit Singh's army. Converted from Christianity.[7][8]

• Maharaja Duleep Singh – Converted from Christianity back to Sikhism in 1864.
• Max Arthur Macauliffe (1841–1913) – senior administrator of the British Raj who was posted in the Punjab; prolific scholar and author; converted to Sikhism in the 1860s[9][10]

20th century

• Bhagat Puran Singh (1904–1992) – great visionary; accomplished environmentalist; founder of the "All India Pingalwara Charitable Society; being deeply influenced by the teachings of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, he converted to Sikhism. [11]
• Sahib Singh – renowned Sikh academic who made a tremendous contribution to Sikh literature.

Master Tara Singh, a prominent Sikh leader during Indian Independence and Akali Movement

• Master Tara Singh – prominent Sikh political and religious leader in the first half of the 20th century[12]
• Teja Singh – active member of the Singh Sabha movement[13][14]

21st century

• Babaji Singh – credited with translating Guru Granth Sahib, the holy text of the Sikhs, into Spanish.[15][16]
• Martin Singh – Nova Scotia pharmacist and businessman and candidate for the leadership of the New Democratic Party of Canada in 2012.[17]

• Ryan Hurst – Hollywood actor who has chosen to be also known as Gobind Seva Singh. He has acted in Sons of Anarchy, We Were Soldiers and The Walking Dead as well as others.[18]
• Vic Briggs – former blues musician, now Vikram Singh Khalsa; became the first non-subcontinental to perform kirtan at Harmandir Sahib[19]
• Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa – yoga teacher; co-founder and director of the Golden Bridge Yoga Center in Los Angeles[20][21]
• Vikram Kaur Khalsa – former model and actress, starred in several horror movies[22][23]
• Tyler Atkins – Also known as Tera Singh, is an Australia film director and actor. Most recently known for his completed production on his debut feature film, Bosch & Rockit, which he wrote, directed, and produced.[24]

See also

• List of converts to Buddhism
• List of converts to Islam
• List of converts to Hinduism
• List of converts to the Baháʼí Faith
• List of people by belief

References

1. Singh, Pritam (2008). Federalism, Nationalism and Development: India and the Punjab Economy. Abingdon-on-Thames, England: Routledge. ISBN 9781134049455. A large number of Hindu and Muslim peasants converted to Sikhism from conviction, fear, economic motives, or a combination of the three (Khushwant Singh 1999: 106; Ganda Singh 1935: 73).
2. "Pak delegation arrives to celebrate Bhai Mardana's 550 bith anniv - News - Webindia123.com". news.webindia123.com. Retrieved 2019-08-04.
3. McLeod, W. H. (1980). Early Sikh tradition : a study of the janam-sākhīs. Oxford: Clarendon Press. p. 15. ISBN 0-19-826532-8. OCLC 5100963.
4. Gandhi, Surjit (2007). History of Sikh Gurus Retold II: 1606-1708 C.E. New Delhi: Atlantic Publishers & Dist. p. 605. ISBN 978-81-269-0858-5.
5. Singh, Bakhshish (1998). Proceedings: Ed. Parm Bakhshish Singh, Volume 1 Punjab History Conference. Patiala: Punjabi University. p. 113. ISBN 9788173804625. He was connected with Mati Das and Sati Das , the Mohyal brahmins who according to him had acted as the diwans of Guru Tegh Bahadur and suffered martyrdom.
6. Singh, Bakhshish (1998). Proceedings: Ed. Parm Bakhshish Singh, Volume 1 Punjab History Conference. Patiala: Publ. Bureau, Punjabi Univ. p. 113. ISBN 9788173804625.
7. Dalrymple, William (2017-05-11). "Ripping yarns". The Spectator. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
8. "BBC Radio 4 - Great Lives, Sathnam Sanghera on Alexander Gardner". BBC. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
9. "sikhchic.com | The Art and Culture of the Diaspora | Max Arthur Macauliffe - He Introduced Sikhi to the English-Speaking West". sikhchic.com. Retrieved 2015-01-03.
10. "National University of Ireland". nuigalway.ie. Archived from the original on 2012-02-07. Retrieved 2015-01-03.
11. "Bhagat Puran Singh". Pingalwara. He was born and brought up in a Hindu family of village Rajewal (Rahnon) in Ludhiana district
12. All About Sikhs Archived 2008-06-14 at the Wayback Machine
13. Kāṅga, Kulabīra Siṅgha; Singh, Teja (1990). Teja Singh. ISBN 9788172010188.
14. Singh, Harbans (January 1998). The Encyclopaedia of Sikhism: S-Z. ISBN 9788173805301.
15. "WSN-Tercentenary of Guruship to Guru Granth Sahib-Guru Granth Sahib now in Spanish". Archived from the original on 2010-01-04. Retrieved 2015-01-03.
16. "The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Main News". tribuneindia.com. Retrieved 2015-01-03.
17. "N.S. pharmacist Singh to seek NDP leadership". CBC News. September 29, 2011. Retrieved October 2, 2011.
18. "10 Things You Didn't Know About Ryan Hurst on Sons of Anarchy". 16 September 2020.
19. Sikh Global News Archived 2007-06-23 at the Wayback Machine
20. "Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa, Moving from Karma to Dharma | Totally Zen". totallyzen.com. Retrieved 2015-01-03.
21. "Gurmukh Kaur in Vanity Fair Magazine | MrSikhNet". mrsikhnet.com. Retrieved 2015-01-03.
22. "Yoga Technology - Kundalini Yoga Online Superstore". Archived from the original on 2003-12-10. Retrieved 2015-01-03.
23. "Kirsten Lindholm - The Private Life and Times of Kirsten Lindholm. Kirsten Lindholm Pictures". glamourgirlsofthesilverscreen.com. Retrieved 2015-01-03.
24. "Tyler Atkins takes his Sikh faith to Hollywood in search of his big break". Retrieved 2023-07-31.