Latest news with #DarshanSingh
Time of India
15 hours ago
- Health
- Time of India
Sikh charity president donates dialysis machines to Thai hospitals; also funds schools to improve education for underprivileged children
Following the Sikh principle of Dasvandh, Darshan Singh Sachdev, president of the Thai-Indian Peace and Happiness Charity, has facilitated the donation of funds to the Kidney Foundation of Thailand AMRITSAR: Following the Sikh tradition of Dasvandh—donating ten per cent of one's income—the Sikh president of the Thai-Indian Peace and Happiness Charity, based in Thailand, has been raising and donating funds to the Kidney Foundation of Thailand. This support has helped the Foundation acquire 30 dialysis machines, which have been installed in government hospitals across the country, offering free advanced dialysis treatment to underprivileged patients. Darshan Singh Sachdev, an Indian-origin, second-generation turban-wearing Sikh and president of the charity, said they recently donated 5 lakh Thai Baht (approximately ₹13 lakh) to the Foundation at a function in Bangkok for the purchase of one dialysis machine. He explained that the Foundation directly procures high-quality dialysis machines and installs them in government hospitals. So far, 30 machines have been provided through the charity's donations. Quoting Guru Nanak Dev's teachings of Vand Chhako (share with others) and Kirat Karo (earn through honest work), Sachdev said the charity encourages people to donate at least dasvandh — one-tenth of their income — towards humanitarian work that upholds the Sikh values of selfless service, equality, and generosity. He added that not only people of Indian origin but many Thais also contribute to the charity for various philanthropic initiatives across the country. Notably, Darshan Singh's grandfather, Daulat Singh, hailed from Ugoki town in the Sialkot district (now in Pakistan) and later migrated to Thailand. His father, Harinder Singh Sachdev, was born there, and Darshan Singh himself was born in Yala city, southern Thailand, in 1949. He further shared that the charity also funds the construction of school buildings to promote education, particularly among underprivileged communities. These schools are later taken over and managed by the government to ensure long-term support and quality education.
Hindustan Times
27-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Allot reserved plot in Transport Nagar to us: Truckers body to Ludhiana Improvement Trust
To discuss the allocation of a reserved plot in Transport Nagar under the 114-acre Truck Stand Scheme, delegation from the Ludhiana Goods Transport Association met with Ludhiana Improvement Trust (LIT) Chairman Tarsem Singh Bhinder on Tuesday. The delegation, led by president Darshan Singh, general secretary Ashok Pahwa and vice-president Ajit Pal Rinku, presented their claim over a 2000 square yard plot originally reserved for the Truck Union office. Earlier this month, the association had formally written to the LIT chairman, emphasising that within the 114-acre Truck Stand Scheme, various plots were allocated for different institutions, including religious sites, petrol pumps, telephone exchanges, said the press secretary of the association Jagdish Jassewal, Currently, approximately 550 square yards of this reserved plot is being used as a public toilet, while the remaining area is fenced and locked, with the key held by the Ludhiana Goods Transport Association. However, the plot has not yet been officially allocated. Jassewal underlined the urgent need for this space, citing plans to build a proper office and rest house for truck drivers, facilities that the area is currently lacking, to improve the working conditions of truckers here. Confirming the development, LIT Chairman Tarsem Singh Bhinder stated, 'The truckers had previously requested the allocation of this land. We will conduct a thorough inspection to verify their claim, and following the proper procedures, the land will be allocated accordingly.'
Time of India
24-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Century on, Panama Canal's forgotten hero Bagh Singh gets his due
Bathinda: Over a century after his contribution to the construction of the iconic Panama Canal and 57 years after his demise, Bhag Singh has received the honours. His picture has been placed in the office of the Indian embassy in Panama. On one of the walls of the embassy, the contribution of Bhag Singh and other Indians to the construction of the 82-kilometre-long canal, which connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and was completed in 1914, has been duly recognised. TOI highlighted Bhag Singh's contribution to the construction of the Panama Canal in its edition on Jan 6, 2025. Late Bhag Singh's grandson, Darshan Singh, handed over the framed picture of Bhag Singh along with the Panama Canal to India's ambassador to Panama, Dr Sumit Seth, in Panama, and the ambassador placed it on one of the walls on Friday. With this, the Indian connection from over 120 years ago was pronounced in the Latin American country of Panama, 16,000 km away. Like many others, Bhag Singh from Punjab landed in Panama, situated at the southern end of Central America, in 1904, and contributed to the construction of the canal. Bhag Singh, hailing from the village of Rumi near Jagraon sub-division of Ludhiana, worked even after the canal became functional, greatly reducing travel time for ships between the two oceans used for maritime trade. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo For working at Panama Canal-Panama Railroad Company, he received a pension of $11 until his death in 1968. When Bhag Singh desired to return to India, a British passport was handed to him, recalls Bhag Singh's grandson, Darshan Singh Deol, who is now 77 years old and lives in Stockholm, Sweden, with his family. Darshan made a second trip to Panama in the last five months and succeeded in recognising the contribution of Indians to the construction of the canal from 1904 to 1914. During his previous visit to gather details of his grandfather's stay there for 47 years, Darshan Singh collected a lot of information from the Central Library of Panama about how he and many others worked on the construction of the canal while facing numerous hardships, turning a tough terrain into a water body that became the lifeline of the small country. "Bhag Singh left his native village in 1904 at the age of 23, leaving behind his family. In Panama, he started working on the canal, and upon its completion, he was designated as a watchman at the canal and returned to India in 1951. Upon his return, he said that hundreds of workers died during the construction as the terrain was tough. Now, as the Indian embassy has placed his photo in recognition of his contribution along with other Indians, it is a big reward for us all," said Darshan Singh while speaking to TOI from Panama. The Panama Canal was recently in the news when US President Donald Trump urged Panama to lower the transit fee in the crucial ocean link, or the US would take back control of the canal. Constructed by the US in 1914, the canal was handed over to Panama under a deal.
