The verdict of 20th September, 2022 pronounced by the Supreme Court of India[1], upholding the constitutional validity of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwaras (Management) Act, 2014[2], is not only erroneous and patently unconstitutional but also undermines, to a very significant extent, the series of unparalleled sacrifices made by the Sikhs during…

How I wish someone had given these 16 tips to the 22-year old me: – A Comprehensive Guide to Building a Solid Financial Foundation for a Secure Future. — Why should I care? My retirement is decades away! Retirement may seem like a far-off event, but it’s never too early to start planning for it. In my previous article “Top Twelve Retirement Tips”, I had suggested several steps — both financial and non-financial — that a retiring professional can…

A superwoman may superannuate from her job but she can never retire. At best, she can re-attire or re-tyre herself for her next foray. Who knows where her free-flight may take her? — “Retirement is not the end of the road. It is the beginning of the open highway.” — Unknown Poonam Khaira Sidhu superannuated yesterday[1] from the Indian Revenue Service (IRS) after nearly 36 years of service. Her final posting was Principal Director General of Income Tax (Administration), New Delhi. …

Making the most of retirement: Tips for staying active, pursuing new passions, and maintaining meaningful connections in your golden years. — Retirement is a major milestone in a person’s life, marking the end of their professional journey and the beginning of a new chapter. For career civil servants in India, retirement often comes after a long and distinguished service in government, such as in the IAS, IPS or IRS (Income Tax)…

“Where there’s a will, there’s a fray”: A layman’s guide to estate planning with bank nominations and wills, helping you leave a lasting legacy, while minimizing the potential for family conflicts and disputes.” — Introduction When it comes to estate planning, two key tools that individuals can use to ensure that their assets are distributed according to their wishes are “bank nominations” and “wills”. A bank nomination allows individuals to specify who should receive the funds in their bank account or locker in the…

Enduring Faith, Resilient Community: Tracing the Evolution of Sikh History, Interwoven with Indian and Western Histories, and its Impact on the Cultural, Religious, and Political Landscape of India and the World” — Sikh Community The Sikh community has a rich and diverse cultural, religious, and political history that spans centuries. It is a community that has faced numerous challenges, yet has always remained resilient, adaptable, and steadfast in its faith and beliefs. Sikhism emerged in a historical context that was marked by…

When Jokes Land Like a Tonne of Bricks: Navigating the World of Punjabi Marriage and Hypersensitive Trolls — Here’s the story Ah, the joys of being trolled for a casual remark! It seems like there’s no escaping the ever-present eye of the internet. But fear not, dear reader, for I am here to provide a lighthearted take on the matter. My thoughtless remark? Let’s start with the remark…

Congress Party has been demanding a JPC to investigate the alleged financial irregularities in the Adani Group’s funding. So, what type of a bird is a JPC? — A highflying eagle 🦅 or caged parrot 🦜? The demand by the now disqualified MP and Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi for setting up of a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to probe into the funding of the Adani Group of Companies has once again brought to the fore the question of…

National Security Act, 1980 is often seen as a tool to detain persons without trial with no provision of bail, for an offence they have NOT committed. — Preventive Detention — the basic concept Preventive detention is a highly contested, if not a controversial legal provision, placed ironically in the Part III of the Constitution of India that deals with the Fundamental Rights. It allows the government to detain a person without a trial or formal charges, on…