Punjabi Sikhs

The Sikh religion founder, Guru Nanak (1469–1539), was roughly a contemporary of the founder of Mughal Empire Babur in India. Guru Nanak Dev Ji was born in a Punjabi Hindu Khatri family, which was initially a community of scribes and traders.^[8] In un-divided Punjab region, the eldest son of every Punjabi Hindu families was nominated and was represented as Sardars and had protected their family and Indic communities from the tyrannies of Mughal rulers and their torture.^[9][10][11] A large number of peasants from Hindu and Muslim backgrounds in Punjab have converted to Sikhism for various motives (such as conviction, fear, or economic) since the starting of new faith.^[12]

Due to persecution in the Mughal Empire under Aurangzeb in the 17th century, the Khalsa was formed. The region of Punjab was invaded by Nader Shah and Ahmad Shah Abdali in the 18th century. A Sikh kingdom formed in the Punjab under Maharaja Ranjit Singh in 1799. After Ranjit Singh's death, the kingdom was annexed by the British Empire. After the Second World War, India gained its independence in 1947. The independence was marked by the partitioning of Punjab, which led many Sikhs in what would become Pakistan migrating eastward, leaving their properties behind. In the 1980s, an insurgency over the Khalistan issue arose in the Punjab. Punjabi Sikhs in Punjab have low fertility rates, are converting to other religions/cults, and are migrating overseas, leaving their future demographics in Punjab uncertain. A number of issues affect the Punjabi Sikh society today, such as drug addiction, alcoholism, female infanticide and other forms of misogyny, farmer suicides, and caste discrimination.^[13]

The militarization of Punjabi Sikhs began after the execution of Guru Arjan Dev (5th Guru in Sikhism). Following his execution, a conflict erupted between the Mughal Empire and Sikhs which led to the last guru, Gobind Singh, establishing a militarized order known as the Khalsa, in 1699.^[14] Punjabi Sikhs were regarded as one of the toughest and fiercest warriors by the British during their rule in the Indian subcontinent. Punjabi Sikh soldiers constituted a significant chunk of the British Indian Army due to their distinguished service in action.^[15][16] Despite being only around 2% of India's population, Punjabi Sikhs constitute around 20% of the Indian Armed Forces, with the Punjab province being the 2nd largest contributor for manpower after Uttar Pradesh.^[17][18]

Punjabi Sikhs speak the Punjabi language as their mother tongue. Various dialects of the Punjabi language such as Bagri, Bilaspuri, Bhateali, Majhi, Doabi, Malwai, and Puadhi are spoken by Punjabi Sikhs across India and abroad as their mother tongue. In Indian Punjab, Punjabi is written in Gurmukhi script. In Pakistani Punjab, Shahmukhi script is used.^[19] Gurmukhi is written from left to right, while Shahmukhi is written from right to left.^[20][21] The use of Gurmukhi script generally started and developed during the time of second Sikh guru, Guru Angad Dev (1504–1552) who standardized it.^[22] It is commonly regarded as a Sikh script. The Shahmukhi script has been used by Punjabi Muslims since the 12th century, when it was used by Punjabi Sufi poets. Shahmukhi is a Perso-Arabic alphabet script.^[23]

The demand for Khalistan as a separate homeland for Sikhs is championed by a segment of the Punjabi Sikh population, various advocacy groups, and certain Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) who demand secession of Indian Punjab from India. This movement, rooted in historical, political, and religious factors, emerged prominently in the 1970s and 1980s. Key advocates include local organizations in Punjab and Sikhs abroad, particularly in Canada, the UK, and the US. They seek to safeguard Sikh identity, achieve political autonomy, and address historical grievances such as Operation Blue Star and the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. However, not all Sikhs support this idea, with many preferring integration within India to address issues through democratic means. While the Khalistan movement does not dominate mainstream Sikh politics today, it remains a contentious issue with varying levels of support.^[25]