The Consulate General of India, New York organized week long exhibition of photos of Sikh Art and Heritage “The Sikhs: A Heritage of Valour and Devotion” at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, New York from June 19 till June 23, 2013. The exhibition was organized in association with the Indian Council of Cultural Relations.

Consul General Ambassador Dnyaneshwar Mulay inaugurated the exhibition on June 19, 2013. During his address he mentioned that the Sikh tradition in India has contributed immensely to the Indian philosophy and to the Indian way of living making rich contribution to India’s unity in diversity. He also emphasized the fact that the Sikh religion and culture has created strong foot prints not only in India but now Sikh commuinty’s contribution has been recognized all over the world and particularly in the United states. He said the viewers of the exhibition would appreciate the rich Indian heritage of which the great Sikh heritage is the part.

The photo exhibition is by Sondeep Shankar, an eminent photographer from India, and provides a glimpse of rich Sikh heritage and traditions. For more than two decades, Mr. Shankar has roamed the length and breadth of India in an effort to photographically document the heritage of Sikhism, a religion whose teachings are founded in the philosophy of humanism, pluralism and universal brotherhood. It was deeply influenced by the devotional movement and synthesized liberal traditions of all religions prevalent in India at that time.

The exhibition was visited by large number of members of the Indian community particularly the Sikh community and also from various cultural organizations.