List of converts to Sikhism explained

The following is a list of people who converted to Sikhi. The religion of Sikhism emerged from 15th century South Asia. The first Sikhs came from Hindu and Muslim backgrounds from the Punjab region.^[1] Following 20th century, the growth of the Sikh diaspora enabled the spread of Sikhism, thus allowing for more people to similarly embrace the faith.

15th century

• Bhai Mardana, convert from Islam to Sikhism^[2]
• Bhai Bala – childhood friend and companion of Bhai Mardana and Guru Nanak. ^[3]
• Rai Bular Bhatti – Muslim Rajput noble of the Bhatti clan during the latter half of the 15th century who was inspired by the Sikh Guru Nanak and donated half of his land.

17th century

• Bhai Dayala – accompanied Guru Tegh Bahadur in martyrdom at Delhi.^[4]
• Bhai Mati Das – accompanied Guru Tegh Bahadur in martyrdom at Delhi.^[5]
• Bhai Sati Das – accompanied Guru Tegh Bahadur in martyrdom at Delhi. ^[6]

18th century

• Banda Singh Bahadur – Born into a Hindu family as Lachman Dev (later Madho Das Bairagi), after meeting with Guru Gobind Singh he became a Sikh warrior for the Khalsa Army.

19th century

• Alexander Gardner – American Sikh Soldier in Maharaja Ranjit Singh's army. Converted from Christianity.^{[7] [8]}
• Maharaja Duleep Singh – Converted from Christianity back to Sikhism in 1864.
• Max Arthur Macauliffe (1841–1913) – senior administrator of the British Raj who was posted in the Punjab; prolific scholar and author; converted to Sikhism in the 1860s^{[9] [10]}

20th century

• Bhagat Puran Singh (1904–1992) – great visionary; accomplished environmentalist; founder of the "All India Pingalwara Charitable Society; being deeply influenced by the teachings of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, he converted to Sikhism. ^[11]
• Sahib Singh – renowned Sikh academic who made a tremendous contribution to Sikh literature.

• Master Tara Singh – prominent Sikh political and religious leader in the first half of the 20th century^[12]
• Teja Singh – active member of the Singh Sabha movement^{[13] [14]}

21st century

• Babaji Singh – credited with translating Guru Granth Sahib, the holy text of the Sikhs, into Spanish.^{[15] [16]}
• Martin Singh – Nova Scotia pharmacist and businessman and candidate for the leadership of the New Democratic Party of Canada in 2012.^[17]
• Ryan Hurst – Hollywood actor who has chosen to be also known as Gobind Seva Singh. He has acted in Sons of Anarchy, We Were Soldiers and The Walking Dead as well as others.^[18]
• Vic Briggs – former blues musician, now Vikram Singh Khalsa; became the first non-subcontinental to perform kirtan at Harmandir Sahib^[19]
• Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa – yoga teacher; co-founder and director of the Golden Bridge Yoga Center in Los Angeles^{[20] [21]}
• Vikram Kaur Khalsa – former model and actress, starred in several horror movies^{[22] [23]}
• Tyler Atkins – Also known as Tera Singh, is an Australia film director and actor. Most recently known for his completed production on his debut feature film, Bosch & Rockit, which he wrote, directed, and produced.^[24]

See also

• List of converts to Buddhism
• List of converts to Islam
• List of converts to Hinduism
• List of converts to the Baháʼí Faith
• List of people by belief

Notes and References

1. Book: Singh . Pritam . Federalism, Nationalism and Development: India and the Punjab Economy . 2008 . . Abingdon-on-Thames, England . 9781134049455 . A large number of Hindu and Muslim peasants converted to Sikhism from conviction, fear, economic motives, or a combination of the three (Khushwant Singh 1999: 106; Ganda Singh 1935: 73)..
2. Web site: Pak delegation arrives to celebrate Bhai Mardana's 550 bith anniv - News - Webindia123.com. news.webindia123.com. 2019-08-04.
3. Book: McLeod, W. H. . Early Sikh tradition : a study of the janam-sākhīs . 1980 . Clarendon Press . 0-19-826532-8 . Oxford . 15 . 5100963.
4. Book: Gandhi . Surjit . History of Sikh Gurus Retold II: 1606-1708 C.E . 2007 . Atlantic Publishers & Dist . 978-81-269-0858-5 . New Delhi . 605.
5. Book: Singh . Bakhshish . Proceedings: Ed. Parm Bakhshish Singh, Volume 1 Punjab History Conference . 1998 . Punjabi University . 9788173804625 . Patiala . 113 . He was connected with Mati Das and Sati Das, the Mohyal brahmins who according to him had acted as the diwans of Guru Tegh Bahadur and suffered martyrdom..
6. Book: Singh . Bakhshish . Proceedings: Ed. Parm Bakhshish Singh, Volume 1 Punjab History Conference . 1998 . Publ. Bureau, Punjabi Univ. . 9788173804625 . Patiala . 113.
7. Web site: Dalrymple . William . 2017-05-11 . Ripping yarns . 2023-07-31 . The Spectator . en-US.
8. Web site: BBC Radio 4 - Great Lives, Sathnam Sanghera on Alexander Gardner . 2023-07-31 . BBC . en-GB.
9. Web site: sikhchic.com | The Art and Culture of the Diaspora | Max Arthur Macauliffe - He Introduced Sikhi to the English-Speaking West . sikhchic.com. 2015-01-03.
10. Web site: National University of Ireland . nuigalway.ie . 2015-01-03 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120207082413/http://www.nuigalway.ie/english/tadhg_foley.html . 2012-02-07 .
11. Web site: Bhagat Puran Singh . Pingalwara . He was born and brought up in a Hindu family of village Rajewal (Rahnon) in Ludhiana district.
12. http://www.allaboutsikhs.com/person/mastertarasingh.htm All About Sikhs
13. Book: Kāṅga . Kulabīra Siṅgha . Teja Singh . Singh . Teja . 1990 . 9788172010188.
14. Book: Singh . Harbans . The Encyclopaedia of Sikhism: S-Z . January 1998 . 9788173805301.
15. Web site: WSN-Tercentenary of Guruship to Guru Granth Sahib-Guru Granth Sahib now in Spanish. https://web.archive.org/web/20100104081915/http://worldsikhnews.com/29%20October%202008/Guru%20Granth%20Sahib%20now%20in%20Spanish.htm . 2010-01-04 . dead. 2015-01-03.
16. Web site: The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Main News. tribuneindia.com. 2015-01-03.
17. News: N.S. pharmacist Singh to seek NDP leadership. October 2, 2011. CBC News. September 29, 2011.
18. Web site: 10 Things You Didn't Know About Ryan Hurst on Sons of Anarchy. 16 September 2020.
19. http://www.sikhsangat.org/publish/article_1554.shtml Sikh Global News
20. Web site: Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa, Moving from Karma to Dharma | Totally Zen. totallyzen.com. 2015-01-03.
21. Web site: Gurmukh Kaur in Vanity Fair Magazine | MrSikhNet. mrsikhnet.com. 2015-01-03.
22. Web site: Yoga Technology - Kundalini Yoga Online Superstore. https://web.archive.org/web/20031210084501/http://www.yogatech.com/bios/elandrak.html. 2003-12-10. dead. 2015-01-03.
23. Web site: Kirsten Lindholm - The Private Life and Times of Kirsten Lindholm. Kirsten Lindholm Pictures.. glamourgirlsofthesilverscreen.com. 2015-01-03.
24. Web site: Tyler Atkins takes his Sikh faith to Hollywood in search of his big break . 2023-07-31.