IOSS being an organization of serious Sikh thinkers and scholars well-versed in Sikh tenets, Sikh ideology, Sikh history and committed defenders of original teachings of the venerable Sikh Gurus, it is a sort of Sikh think tank and enlightened watchdog for legitimate Sikh rights and concerns/ issues. It has been contributing considered inputs to the various Sikh projects from time to time. Given below are some of the important Sikh efforts in which the IOSS has contributed significant inputs.
Following the vociferous demand among the Sikhs from all over India for the constitution and enactment of an All India Gurdwaras Act by the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal in 1997-98 and the verbal assurance given by the then ruling Janta Party at the Centre to pass this Act in the Paliament, it was decided to prepare a draft of the proposed All India Gurdwaras Act by Chief Justice Harbans Singh and Justice R.S. Narula in consultation with the leading Sikh scholars and intellectuals. Dr Kharak Singh and Bhai Ashok Singh Bagrian from the IOSS offered significant suggestions and made valuable inputs to the drafting committee in this respect. It was the draft of this significant Act which was accepted by Shiromani Akali Dal for presentation to the Parliament. It is another matter that the Act could not be passed due to several constraints which crept in. It was the creation of the visionary efforts of Chief Justice Harbans Singh (retd), Justice R S Narula and Dr Kharak Singh, and some other members of IOSS that a draft of All India Gurdwara Act was prepared and its final version submitted to the SGPC and the Punjab Government. It is still relevant and can be taken up at a suitable moment.
The Institute of Sikh Studies had played a leading role in the introduction of the corrected version of historical Nanakshahi Calendar in 1999. Its final amended version was re-implemented in 2003. The Institute had organized a series of lectures by Sardar Pal Singh Purewal, the brain behind the preparation of the Nanakshahi Calendar and its main architect. Discussions were held with all concerned Sikh Organizations and Sikh masses were educated about the urgent need and importance of having an exclusive Sikh calendar. It was with the relentless efforts of the Institute of Sikh Studies, Sardar Pal Singh Purewal and the then SGPC Presidednt, S Gurcharan Singh Tohra that this real and correct version of Nanakshahi Calendar was accepted and implemented by the SGPC and Sri Akal Takht Sahib. Unfortunately, after its implementation for two three years, this once-in-a century prepared historical, most scientific, correct calendar fixing all the Sikh historical events and festival dates for all times to come has been badly mutilated under the pressure of Vedic-oriented so-called derawadi Sant Samaj clique and the vested political vote bank politics,. While many countries in the world follow the original version, SGPC and Punjab State continue to follow the distorted version.
Among the most reprehensive Acts committed by the Union Govt of India against Punjab among the reorganized Punjab States is the denial of the sole ownership of Punjab River Waters to the State of Punjab in violation of the universally accepted Riparian Principles and excessive allocation of this valuable natural resource to the adjoining States of Haryana and Rajasthan.
After holding brainstorming discussions on this illegitimate division at the IOSS and after consultation with the various legal experts on this issue, the IOSS proposed to the then Congress Govt lead by Capt Amrinder Singh to call a special session of Punjab Vidhan Sabha and pass a unanimous resolution and Act terminating all the unfavourable water agreements signed so far on this issue. It goes to the credit of the IOSS that this proposal was accepted immediately and the Termination of Punjab Waters Agreement Acts was passed which dented the adverse effects of all the earlier agreements.
The IOSS also published a comprehensive book "Scramble for Punjab Waters" written by our distinguished member and the then President S Gurdev Singh, analyzing all the facts of this ticklish issue. Since then this book has been widely circulated and read by a large number of people. Its Punjabi version is being published soon.
Although all the Sikh Gurus from beginning Guru Nanak's refusal to wear the HIndu sacred thread Janeu through the creation of the Khalsa Panth on the Baisakhi day of 1699 and installation of Sri Guru Granth Sahib in a distinctly built Gurdwara, Sikh religion and the Sikhs have always declared their religious independence from the century old Hinduism, the major Hindu community has always regarded Sikhs as part of Hinduism. Despite Sikh representative's opposition to the clubbing of Sikhs with the Hindus and registering their note of dissent during the process of finalizing the Constitution of India in the Constituent Assembly, the Sikhs, despite all there protests and dissent have been clubbed with the Hindus under Article 25 of the Indian constitution. The Sikhs have never reconciled to this arbitrary imposition of Hinduism on the Sikhs and denial of their distinct identity. Political protests, representations by the Shiromani Akali Dal inside and outside Parliament have been made from time to time. A book "Hum Hindu Nahin" written by the legendary Bhai Kahan Singh Nabha (Singh Brothers) was published as early as 1898 reiterating the distinct identity of the Sikhs. Carrying on this crusade, IOSS along with Kendri Sri Guru Singh Sabha and International Sikh Confederation, Chandigarh initiated a legal battle against this injustice. While its petition in the Punjab High Court was dismissed, a special Leave petition (SLP) Civil No 33436 of 2012 was admitted in the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India. It has now been turned into Civil Apeal No 4188 of 2016. Since then this petition is still pending in the Supreme Court. We are actively presuing it and all the details about this petition can be seen at the home page of www.drkharaksingh.org website.
The village Chhappar Jhiri in Mohali District has a special place in Sikh history. Here, Banda Singh Bahadur, one of the most gallant Sikh warriors, had won a decisive battle against Mughal Commander, Wazir Khan of Sirhind on whose orders the two Younger Sahibzadas of Guru Gobind Singh were martyred and bricked alive in 1711. The Institute held a special meeting regarding the need to raise a suitable memorial in commemoration of this monumental event and formed a committee under the leadership of our distinguished member Bibi Baljit Kaur to approach then Punjab Government regarding the same. The committee did a commendable job and the Punjab Government agreed to raise a memorial on an area spread over the vast expanse of 20 acres. The memorial now stands magnificently at the site as a great landmark.