Art Auction Raises £2500 For Sopw Charity

[SOPW]

A Glimmer Of Hope

An IminderArts.com auction for an art piece called ‘a Glimmer of Hope’ has helped to raise money forthe Sikh Organisation for Prisoner Welfare (SOPW).

The auction which was conducted on the SOPW website concluded on Sunday 9 November 2011.

Artisit Iminder Singh, of IminderArts.com, said: “This piece was being auctioned to raise funds for SOPW who are doing amazing work to help innocent Sikh and Non-Sikh prisoners in India and Pakistan.

“It coincided with Bandi Chorr Divas when Sree Guru Hargobind Sahib Jee helped release 52 Rajas from Gwalior Prison and returned to Amritsar from captivity. Guru Sahib provided the Rajas with hope and release, and offers us the same freedom from the realms of this world too, through Amrit, Naam and Gurbanee. All we have to do is take one step forward and grab hold of the Hem that Guru Sahib offers.

“So just like Guru Sahib provides us with a glimmer of hope, a generous bidder has provided a glimmer of hope for all those innocent prisoners by bidding generously for this piece and helping SOPW to continue doing great Sevaa for the Panth.”

Balbir Singh, Director of SOPW, said: “I would like to thank Iminder Singh for providing his art work for such a great cause. His art is truly inspiring and a great way for our organisation to raise money to help fund our projects.

“Art is a great avenue for us to take our message of welfare for Prisoners of Conscience forward. These victims have been held in prisons for many years, without trial and without any evidence in the majority of the cases.

“They suffer unimaginable difficulties everyday and we only pray that we can provide them with the basis human rights.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the winning bidder, who wishes to remain anonymous. They have provided us with the means to continue this Seva and we are grateful to them for this.”

About the artist

“I have always had the urge to create from a young age. My Mother tells me she too had the same passion whilst studying, so I guess it’s in the genes, and I can’t take all the credit for that.

“I studied Art at school, but completely lost touch with it during University, and after graduating I got caught up in the rut of life with work! By occupation, I’m an IT professional.

“In 2009, I felt the desire to pick up my brushes again, but found I kept making excuses and putting it off for some reason or another. However, after discussions with some close friends and family about this, I was hugely encouraged to create and share, so that is exactly what I did!

“What inspires me? Well, simply, that Mysterious that beholds us all. My work is mostly based around a journey inside, grasping those heart-searching thoughts/feelings that leave our senses Awe-inspired and Wonderstruck. Above all, I try to place the message of Love in Gurbani at the centre of my work.

“I don’t class myself as an Artist, simply because I don’t know anything about being one. I have no qualifications, my tools are rugged, and my knowledge about the ‘Art World’ is limited. But after much inspiration from those around me, I’m here to share in what I seek, understand and create, and hopefully inspire others to do the same.”

About SOPW

The Sikh Organisation for Prisoners Welfare(SOPW) is a Registered Charity (UK), run by volunteers, working to achieve justice for the thousands of Sikhs, who have been illegally imprisoned and tortured in India.

SOPW was founded in 2008 by Bhai Balbir Singh;who was arrested in 1999 by Delhi police who said they had found a consignment of RDX explosives. However due to International support for the UK national, the case was taken to the Supreme Court where the judge threw out the charges, calling them a “balloon of falsehoods” after it emerged the RDX in question had come from a police warehouse. Whilst in Tihar jail Balbir Singh met Prof Davinder Pal Singh Bhullar, who implored him to carry the plight of the Sikh Prisoners to the Sikh Diaspora.

SOPW is the only charity in the world whose mandate is solely to ensure the civil rights of political Sikh prisoners are ensured in India. Its success and progress is down to the support of the Sangat, we rely on your support to continue and develop this worthy project.