Chandigarh, May 8, 2025 — Manu Singh, a young community leader and Returned and Services League (RSL) member, is campaigning for formal recognition of Sikh and Punjab Regiment soldiers who fought beside ANZAC forces during World War I. Singh, who recently returned from Australia, is now planning to build a memorial in Punjab to commemorate their sacrifice.
Singh noted that while the ANZAC legacy is deeply embedded in Australia’s national consciousness, Sikh soldiers—many from the 14th Punjab Regiment—remain largely absent from the mainstream narrative.
“These men fought the same war, shared the same struggles, and deserve the same honour,” he said.
The 14th Sikh Regiment, which lost 379 men in a single day of fighting at Gallipoli on June 4, 1915, has been a focal point of Singh’s mission.
He described the regiment’s sacrifice as aligned with the ANZAC ethos of courage and endurance.
“Their story is our shared legacy. Let’s not forget,” Singh added.
Recent ANZAC Day commemorations in New Delhi showed signs of growing awareness. Australian High Commissioner Barry O’Farrell, New Zealand High Commissioner Patrick John Rata, Australian Army Chief of Defence Staff Damien Scully O’Shea, and RSL representatives attended the ceremony, which included tributes to Indian soldiers who fought alongside ANZAC forces.
Singh has participated in these commemorations for the past four years, wearing his great uncle’s British-Indian Army medals and representing the Sikh regiment.
“Hearing the applause for our soldiers was overwhelming,” he said.
“It was a moment where cultures converged—the Anzac ethos of mateship meeting the Sikh tradition of sewa (service) and sacrifice.”
The campaign has gained traction among both the Sikh diaspora and Australians. Singh mentioned that many RSL members and veterans have expressed support for his efforts. “True remembrance must be inclusive,” he added.
