ਦੇਗ ਤੇਗ ਫ਼ਤਿਹ
ਖ਼ਾਲ ਖ਼ਸਤਾਨ ਜਿੰਦਾਬਾਦ

The importance of education was not lost on the Stockton Gurdwara pioneers. On December 27, 1911, during Guru Gobind Singh’s gurpurab (birth anniversary), Jawala Singh announced the establishment of the “Guru Govind Singh Sahib Educational Scholarships.” The scholarship sought to bring students from British India to study at UC Berkeley so they can return back home in an effort to better the situation. The leadership at Stockton Gurdwara understood the financial burden many students faced. By providing financial support to students, the gurdwara allowed for students to focus on their studies without having to worry about how to cover their tuition or rent. Dalip Singh Saund, the first Asian member of Congress, was supported by Stockton Gurdwara and in his memoir he recalls:

[It was a] great help to me as it was to other students, because in those days no students from India received any government scholarships since the British Government of India was not interested in educating Indians in the United States. We had all come over on our own and we were all short of funds.335

 

To carry on the legacy of the Stockton Gurdwara pioneers, we are re-establishing the scholarship to support Sikh students pursuing higher education. Just as the "Guru Govind Singh Sahib Educational Scholarships" did a century ago, our hope is that the scholarship will uplift students who embody the spirit of sangat (community), seva (selfless service), sarbat da bhalla (welfare of all), and pursue academic excellence.