Sikhs Committee Organization – gardenstatecouncil.instawp.xyz

Sikhs and Scouting

A Natural Partnership

The values at the heart of Scouting and the values at the heart of Sikhism are deeply aligned. The Scout Oath and Scout Law reflect the Sikh commitment to selfless service, community, and moral living—what Sikh teachings describe as serving humanity through completely selfless service. For Sikh youth, Scouting is not just compatible with their faith; it is an extension of it. Sikh Scouts are welcome to participate in every aspect of the Scouting program, from hiking and camping to earning the Eagle Scout rank. Sikh Scouts may wear their traditional turban as part of the Scout uniform, honoring their faith while fully belonging to their troop.

Sikh Religious Awards

Sikh Scouts can earn the Sikh Religious Award at every grade level. Workbooks are available for each level:

Get Involved

Interested in bringing Scouting to your Sikh community, or looking for the right troop for your child? Reach out to Kavneet (Kavi) Pannu, President of the American Sikh Council and Assistant Scoutmaster for a Scouts BSA Troop in Berlin, NJ. Kavi is an advocate for Sikh participation in Scouting and happy to help connect families with local units.

Contact Kavi at sikhscoutsusa@gmail.com.

Resources

A Garden State Council volunteer and proud parent of two Sikh Eagle Scouts created the "Sikhs and Scouts" brochure that was later adopted by the National Council of the Boy Scouts of America. It is a great starting point for families and unit leaders alike.

Sikhs and Scouts Brochure

Why Sikhs Should Join Scouting

Sikhs in Scouting Initiative Brochure

Sikh Scouts in the Media

Baden-Powell’s Final Farewell – Historic Scout Funeral, 1941

A remarkable 1941 film clip captures the long history of Sikhs in Scouting: Sikh Scouts serve as the funeral escorts for Lord Baden-Powell during his burial in Nyeri, Kenya.

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Karanveer Singh Pannu, a Sikh-American student holding the book Bullying of Sikh American Children while wearing a white turban and striped tie.

Sikh-American Teen Writes Book to Raise Awareness About Bullying

Karanveer Singh Pannu, a Sikh-American high school student from New Jersey, has written a new book that looks at bullying from the point of view of the student.

“Sikh-American youth are largely unrepresented and do not seem to have a voice on the national stage or in the media, especially when it comes to bullying,” Pannu told NBC News. “I wanted to help in any way I could to alleviate this pain and suffering which children from my faith go through on a daily basis.”

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Two Sikh Scouts in uniform posing outdoors with an adult Scouting leader, all wearing turbans.

Eagle at 12, eco-hero at 14: Why N.J. teen isn't your average scout

Sherveer Pannu was just 10 years old when his Boy Scout leader Mike McCormick realized he wasn't your average scout.

In answering a simple question from McCormick about his favorite activity with the scouts so far, Sherveer cited a 13-mile hike the troop had completed in Gettysburg two years prior, when Sherveer was just 8 and tagged along with his older brother.

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Scouter Kavneet Pannu helps teach Scouts about Sikhism

Kavneet Pannu knows children learn better by example than by being lectured, so when his sons, Karanveer and Sherveer (photographed with their dad, above), joined Cub Scouting, he signed on as a den dad. He later followed them into Boy Scouting, serving as an assistant Scoutmaster and now as a troop committee member.

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Support Our Scouting Troops

Support can take many forms: Donate through Friends of Scouting, purchase popcorn or camp cards from a local Scout, attend our Women of Achievement dinner or regional Citizenship Awards dinners, and so much more. Your support of Scouting enables Garden State Council to support the experiences of nearly 5,000 youth throughout South Jersey!

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