What an absolute pleasure and honor for NSM team to meet serving British Army Captain Makand Singh MBE along with members of their team while NSM team was exhibition at The Belgrade Theatre in Coventry Sat 17th Jan to highlight Sikh contribution in WW1 with BopaUK.org

National Sikh Museum was invited to exhibit and to do a presentation highlighting Sikh contribution into WW1/2 by BOPA who organised a conference to raise awareness about “Asian Contribution in World War 1” in Coventry at Belgrade Theatre on Saturday 17^th January, 2015 at 2 PM. This event was organised to support Mr Paul Sabapathy, HM Lord Lieutenant for West Midlands who wanted to highlight that history of British Asians in UK did not start with immigration in early sixties but goes far back to the days of World War 1. Col Bob Gamble and his team from Royal British Legion also supported BOPA with this event because it is one of their aims to ensure that British Asians also take part in Centenary Commemoration of World War 1 taking place in the country.

The day was a great learning experience for all those who attended the event. The Belgrade Theatre team was at its best in helping BOPA to stage this important event for Asian community that was represented by members from all communities, community leaders, faith leaders, political leaders from all parties, academics, representatives from local schools, civic dignitaries, HM Lord Lieutenants from West Midlands & Warwickshire, senior servicemen from Royal Navy, Air Force and Army.

Lord Bishop of Coventry Dr Christopher Cocksworth, Patron of BOPA, extended welcome to all the guests on behalf of BOPA and Lord Mayor of Coventry Councillor Hazel Noonan opened the event on behalf of City of Coventry. Various dignitaries included Baroness Flather (BOPA Patron), Acting Concullate General of India, Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Mayor of Rugby, Mayor of Solihull, Mayor of Walsall, Commodore Jamie Miller with two other Commanders from Royal Navy, Many senior ranking officers from Air Force, Army, cadets and officers from world famous Gurkhas.