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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, For more than a century, members of the Sikh faith |
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have benefited the Lone Star State in countless ways, and their |
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achievements are indeed deserving of special recognition; and |
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WHEREAS, First arriving in the U.S. and Texas in the early |
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1900s, the initial Sikh immigrants often worked as farmers, |
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laborers, and entrepreneurs; though they often experienced |
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discrimination and other hardships, these industrious individuals |
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persevered; through the years, Sikhs have made notable |
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contributions in such fields as medicine, law enforcement, |
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business, and agriculture, and their efforts have helped advance |
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the economic well-being of the entire state; and |
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WHEREAS, Numerous Sikh Americans have emerged as prominent |
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figures; notable examples at the national level include civic |
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leader and philanthropist Dr. Amarjit Singh Marwah, U.S. |
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Representative Dalip Singh Saund, and scholar and author Simran |
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Jeet Singh; moreover, Harris County Deputy Sheriff Sandeep Dhaliwal |
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became the first officer in Texas to serve with traditional |
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articles of the Sikh faith, including a turban and beard, and he |
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distinguished himself in his work until he was tragically shot and |
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killed in the line of duty in 2019; and |
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WHEREAS, Today, there are an estimated 500,000 Sikhs in the |
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U.S., with thousands residing in Texas, and Sikh communities have |
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flourished in such cities as Houston, Dallas, and Austin; in |
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addition, the state is home to several prominent gurdwaras, or |
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places of worship, among them, the Gurdwara Sahib of Houston and the |
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Sikh Center of San Antonio; and |
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WHEREAS, Members of the Sikh community play a vital role in |
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myriad social and humanitarian initiatives, with Sikh |
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organizations proving especially valuable in providing disaster |
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relief to those affected by Hurricane Harvey in 2017; and |
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WHEREAS, Each year, the Sikh holiday of Vaisakhi takes place |
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on April 13 or 14; originally established to commemorate the |
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beginning of the spring harvest in the Indian state of Punjab, the |
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festival gained religious significance in 1699 when the last living |
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guru for Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh, chose the occasion to found the |
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Khalsa order of Sikhism; and |
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WHEREAS, The passage of this important observance provides a |
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welcome opportunity to recognize Texas' Sikh community, which has |
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become an integral part of the Lone Star State's vibrant and diverse |
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mix of cultures; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 89th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby designate April 14 as Sikh Day; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That, in accordance with the provisions of Section |
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391.004(d), Government Code, this designation remain in effect |
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until the 10th anniversary of the date this resolution is finally |
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passed by the legislature. |