Sikh Raf War Hero To Get Statue..

[MokhamSingh]

St Andrew's Gardens in Gravesend likely to get statue of Sikh war hero Mahinder Singh Pujji

Comments | 2

by Thom Morris

• tmorris@thekmgroup.co.uk
• 
• 

Mahinder Singh Pujji in 1940

Heritage Quarter developers Edinburgh House has submitted new plans for a bronze statue on St Andrew’s Gardens, believed to be in memory of an Indian pilot.

Plans state the “Pujji statue”, believed to be of Squadron Leader Mahinder Singh Pujji, will be installed in May 2014, ahead of the refurbishment plans for the gardens.

A former squadron leader, Pujji was one of the first seven Sikhs accepted as a fighter pilot, and won the DFC for his actions in the Far East against the Japanese.

He also served across Kent in the days after the Battle of Britain, and was stationed in Gravesend.

He also made his home in The Grove, in the town.

The statue will stand on a 5ft stone plinth and be about eight foot high.

Mr Pujji died in 2010 at Darent Valley Hospital aged 92.

The first phase of the £120m Heritage Quarter plans will see three buildings, with 141 flats, restaurants, a 50-bedroom hotel and underground car parks built, due to start early next year.

Guest of honour Sqd Leader Mahinder Singh Pujji at North Kent Police Station, Northfleet in 2008.

Developers said after about a year once phase one starts, a detailed application for the redesigned grounds for St George’s Church and St Andrew’s Gardens, and an enlarged St George’s Shopping Centre will be submitted.

The father-of-three joined the RAF as a 22-year-old after spotting an advert in an Indian newspaper appealing for pilots in 1940.

He flew 25 different types of aircraft, including Spitfires, Hurricanes and Tomahawks, and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for saving 300 American soldiers from Japanese troops in the Burmese jungle.

Mr Pujji’s military achievements led him to meet Winston Churchill, Gandhi, King Farouk of Egypt, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II.

He won a gold medal for gliding, was a motor racing champion, a driving instructor and an air traffic controller at Heathrow.

See next week's Messenger for more information.

[Singhstah]

No doubt that Pujji was a war hero, but I don't agree with the Sikh community honouring him in particular as a Sikh war hero. To the contrary, Guru Sahib in Gurbani has clearly told us that no matter how brave someone may be or how many feats they have accomplished, without naam and without Guru Sahib it all counts as nothing. Now Pujji was a PATIT - he had a dastar and then cut his kes, stating he has changed his religious views. From a Gurmat angle he became a NIGURA (this term is found within gurbani). Guru Sahib says,

sathigur baajhahu gur nehee koee nigurae kaa hainaao buraa ||13||
Without the True Guru, there is no Guru at all; one who is without a Guru has a bad reputation. ||13||

In actual fact it is disrespectful to Guru Sahib for any Sikh to honour him.

[N30S1NGH]

Well he wasn't amritdhari to begin with, he was kesadhari who cut his kesh so he cannot be patit really as he was not a guru wala to begin with and even if he was its between him and guru sahib...just like how matter was between 40 mukhte and guru sahib when 40 singhs went apostasy. We shouldn't be jathedar or dharam raja on the matter between individual and guru sahib.

[MokhamSingh]

He fought bravely, serving in the RAF, defending democracy, and fighting against the Hitler regime. If Hitler had succeeded, he only considered the blue-eyed blonde-haired Aryan race to be superior than all others. Pujji fought bravely to defend Britain, democracy, and the right to freedom.

Britain gave my parents, along with many other immigrants, from the commonwealth in the 1950's and 60's, a new life of: economic prosperity, access to healthcare and education. Pujji was instrumental in achieving this. It does sadden me to see a Sikh with shorn hair, but I have no right to judge anyone, since Gurbani is a mirror, and a mirror is meant for self reflection, and not for showing others, unless they specifically want to see it.

Pujji was born into a Sikh family, and was a Sikh according to his ethnic background; the British have acknowledged this too. I feel proud that a Sikh served in the RAF, so that the people of Britain, myself included can benefit from democracy, and prosperous lifestyle...

Waheguru....

[N30S1NGH]

He may not be sikh according to reformist missionary protestant jevoh witness sikhs but according to traditional gurmat he was sikh in his own right as sikh is a learner- learning about vahiguroo ji at their own pace, own terms, own will (sponteonous spark within). Khalsa and Singh who is baptized.

[Singh559]

He isn't a Sikh now but he fought as a Sikh.

Either way I think it's okay for Sikhs to give awards even if person is non Sikh. He is getting it based off merit so labels in this case are irrelevant, even if he is patit.