On 22nd November, Dr Opinderjit Kaur Takhar, a University of Wolverhampton lecturer delivered a keynote speech in Parliament to mark the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, the first Guru of the Sikhs. Dr Opinderjit Kaur Takhar, Senior Lecturer in Religious Studies in the University's Faculty of Arts, is an internationally recognised researcher in Sikh Studies.
Dr Thakar visited the Parliament to mark the anniversary of the birth of Guru Nanak, born in 1469 CE. She said, “It was an honour for me to deliver the Keynote Speech on Guru Nanak, one of the most inspiring and influential thinkers of the fifteenth century. Guru Nanak's teachings were not simply confined to the metaphysical or spiritual realm, his message was one of practical efforts which reached out to the ordinary people of society. Guru Nanak was a pioneer in interfaith dialogue. He was also a feminist and believed in the total equality of all human beings.”
She adds, “I was delighted to have been invited to speak about the egalitarian teachings of Guru Nanak which very much emphasise female empowerment. The response to my keynote has been phenomenal, and I thank the All Party Parliamentary Group for British Sikhs for giving me this opportunity.”
