Vikramjit Singh Sahney

Vikramjit Singh Sahney[1] (born 20 February 1962) also known as Vikram Sahney, is an Indian entrepreneur, educationist, philanthropist and social activist. Vikramjit Sahney[2] is the founder and chairman of Sun International - a leading conglomerate with varied business interests across the globe. Shri Sahney has been conferred with one of the highest civic honour of Padma Shri by the Hon'ble President of India Smt Pratibha Patil for his extraordinary contribution towards the welfare of society at large. He has also been conferred with International Peace Award by the former President of Mauritius Anerood Jugnauth in New Delhi.

Receiving Padma Shri award from Smt. Pratibha Devi Singh Patil, President of India

A true visionary, Vikramjit Sahney is a multifaceted personality, playing many roles with panache. He is a force to reckon with, not just because he is a self made person and having achieved success rising from grass root level by sheer hard work but also because of his charismatic personality that is a motivation for many. He is a passionate Sufi singer for social causes.

Vikramjit Sahney is the Chairman of the Sun Group with Sun International Pvt. Ltd.[3] (SIPL) as its flagship company and its overseas wholly owned subsidiaries and offices in UAE & South Africa.

Vikramjit Sahney's academic credentials include a Masters in Economics as well as in Business Administration. Always on the move, making an impact and excelling in whatever he does, he has scaled the ladder of entrepreneurial success especially in the fertilizer sector. Now he heads a successful business conglomerate focused on different areas including Fertilizers, Agro-commodities, Minerals and joint ventures spread across continents. The Group has an annual turnover of over USD 500 million (Rs. 3000 crores) and is still expanding its horizons.

A multi talented and role model for many, Vikramjit Sahney has found his soul's calling in Sufi Music, of which he is an eminent exponent. Gifted with a beautiful voice, he has lent his mesmerising voice to Sufi songs and has launched a few music albums that have received widespread popular applause as well as critical acclaim.

In December 1998, Sahney founded Sun Foundation[4] with an objective of empowering underprivileged sections of the society. Since then, the Foundation has been actively involved in fighting various social menaces such as female foeticide, drug abuse, illiteracy, etc.

Sun Foundation is a charitable institution established in December 1998 in New Delhi at the initiative of Padma Shri Vikramjit Singh Sahney, with the objective of helping and empowering the under privileged sections of society. Since its inception, the Foundation has been engaged in a number of social welfare activities. Primary focus has been to reach out to poor girls/women and disabled youth and empower them through skill development programmes to lead a life of dignity. All training and skill development programmes are extended to the beneficiaries absolutely free of cost.

The major initiatives launched by the Foundation are as follows:

Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Campaign: The campaign raises strong concern about exacerbating sex discrimination and female foeticide through awareness campaign and screening of educational films through the Foundation’s Mobile Unit. Public interest messages by Ms. Priyanka Chopra, Sun Foundation’s social ambassador and also by myself have been screened on television and multiplexes in the country.

Project Surya Kiran : Vocational and skill development training is imparted free of cost to underprivileged women and girls. At present 38 centres are being run in Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Delhi. The courses include fashion and textile Design, beauty culture, stuffed toys making, graphic designing, and computer application, english speaking and personality development, to name a few. These courses help them in seeking better job opportunities and to make them self employed. According to social impact analysis done by PricewaterhouseCoopers, Sun Foundation has empowered over 10,000 rural girls with skills.

These Skill Development Centres have been set up in various parts of Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and Delhi. Most of these centres are located in rural areas which are remote and not easily accessible and lack good road communication and public transport facilities. Surya Kiran centres have been able to make a mark in such a scenario with minimum support of govt. agencies and overwhelming support of the local villagers and gram panchayats.

Project Taare Zameen Par : Sun Foundation has been running skill development centres for the disabled youth. These programmes are also offered free of costs to the beneficiaries. Over 500 students have benefited at our centres in Delhi and are proudly contributing to their family income.

Project Angels of Sun: Sun Foundation promotes education among needy children who would have otherwise lived a life in shadows of illiteracy. The Foundation gives stipends to about 250 underprivileged children to cover school fees, cost of uniforms & books, etc.

Swachh Bharat Abhiyan : Jointly with Ms. Priyanka Chopra, Sun Foundation has adopted Shivkarwadi, a large slum in Versova, Mumbai, for cleaning up the place and also to rehabilitate it. The efforts included cleaning of the entire ground which had big mounds of garbage and carcass, cleaning up a well in the compound and covering it with net, gardening etc. The site is visited from time to time to urge the residents to inculcate cleanliness as way of life for healthy, clean and green India.

Baba Baghel Singh Sikh Heritage Multimedia Museum:[5] Established Sikh Heritage Multimedia Museum of par excellence at Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, New Delhi that was inaugurated by Shri Arun Jaitley, Hon’ble Finance Minister of India. The Museum highlights the key tenets of Sikhism and depicts lives and times of the Sikh Gurus in three languages. Equipped with a world class Auditorium, the Museum exhibits paintings, murals, translates and audio/video & running commentary in English, Hindi & Punjabi languages and has been visited by over 12 lac visitors within three years of its opening.

De-addiction and Rehab centres & Campaign Against Drug Abuse: Sun Foundation has been providing financial support to Aas Kiran Deaddiction cum Rehabilitation Centres in Ludhiana. Sun Foundation got over 10,000 youth together on a motivational platform in Amritsar on 3 October 2015 for campaign against drug abuse raising the slogan "Shake your legs…..keep away from Drugs". This was a positive message through dance performance and attempt into Guinness World Records for largest participation on single platform and presenting performance and taking pledge against drug or substance abuse. The event was spearheaded by the local administration through Shri Ravi Bhagat, the Deputy Commissioner. It was closely monitored and judged by 200 judges for 5 minutes synchronised performance and motivational message. On this occasion, Public Interest Message and song by Padma Shri Vikramjit S. Sahney, "Karo Iraada, Pakka Vada, Aaj Nasha Tum Chodoge" were also presented on drug abuse.

Adoption of Farmer-widows’ Cause : Mr. Vikramjit Sahney supported Cine Super Star Akshay Kumar by adopting 25 widows’ families of the farmers who committed suicide in Vidharbha region. The funds have gone directly to the needy widows. The donation is towards rehabilitating the widows of the late debt-ridden farmers in the region.

Khushwant Singh Literary Festival (KSLF): Supporting KSLF, an annual event of 3 days at panoramic surroundings of Kasauli since its inception regularly as its Patron. The objectives include preserving the pristine ecology of Kasauli, furthering education, particularly of the girl child, saluting the Indian soldier, promoting closer Indo-Pak ties, and, of course, the importance of bringing more laughter into our lives.

Some Other Projects:

  • Sun Foundation has set up a Mobile Diabetes Testing Unit in collaboration with Medanta Medicity.
  • The foundation has also adopted economically weak students of rural areas of Punjab for integrated engineering courses at Punjabi University.
  • The children of Late Col. Gurbir Singh Sarna (martyr in Kashmir insurgency) have also been adopted for first class education by Sun Foundation.
  • Sun Foundation has been instrumental in setting up of ‘Widows’ Child Fund’ with corpus fund of Rs. 1 crore for education of children of poor widows.
  • It had supported the launch of the movement of ‘Roko Cancer’ through integrated mobile medical services.
  • Helping riot victims by arranging the marriages of their daughters.
  • Providing aid to victims of Nepal Earthquake, Tsunami disaster and other calamities.

World Punjabi Organisation[6] (WPO) is an International body of Punjabis to bring about "Punjabi Renaissance". It is a Non-Political body of Prominent Punjabi Industrialists, Businessmen, Sportsmen, Journalists, Artists and achievers in other fields from all over the Globe. It was formally launched on 10thJanuary 1998 by Shri I.K. Gujral, the then Prime Minister of India. It is actively engaged in promoting Punjabi Brotherhood, folk & culture to foster social, economic and cultural bondage among Punjabis staying over hundred countries of the World and have undertaken many projects.

WPO has achieved various milestones by undertaking multifarious activities all over the world to provide an insight into the inherent dynamism and vitality of Punjabi culture and heritage.

The organization has its chapters all over the world, consisting of eminent personalities which give the requisite advice and guidance to the organization to achieve its aims and objectives.

Important activities organized by WPO over the years in various fields are highlighted:

  • Commemoration of important events like 300 years of birth of Khalsa and 350th year of birth anniversary of Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji at national levels by organizing various functions.
  • Produced and staged mega light & sound shows – “Bole So Nihal” on tercentenary of Khalsa, Sher-e-Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Guru Maneo Granth, Sarbansdani Guru Gobind Singh Ji. These shows travelled all over the globe to preach rich history, cultural heritage and message of peace and harmony of the great Gurus.
  • Organised Gurbani Kirtan Recitation in association with Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Govt. of India to celebrate 550th Birth anniversary of Shri Guru Nanak Dev ji, where Smt. Sushma Swaraj, Minister of External Affairs was the Chief Guest. Planning to celebrate in all major countries in collaboration with ICCR and Indian Missions.
  • Launched World Punjabi Parliamentarians Forum to strengthen and enhance cooperation among Punjabi parliamentarians in UK, Canada, Singapore, Malaysia, New Zealand.
  • Gurupurab celebrations as “Universal Brotherhood Day” at Prime Minister’s House and Rashtrapati Bhawan.
  • Installed an equestrian statue of Sher-e-Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh in the Parliament House.
  • Took many friendship-cum-business delegations to Pakistan since 1998 on the occasion of Basant to promote love and harmony in the region.
  • Organized Annual World Punjabi Conferences in Dubai, London, New York, Thailand and Singapore to unite NRI community to the mainstream of India.
  • Honoured accomplished Punjabis in various fields all over the globe through coffee-table book “Jewels of Punjab”.
  • Scholarships to economically weak meritorious students.
  • Marriage of girls of riot affected families.
  • “Aye Watan Tere Liye” – Mega show in aid of Army Central Welfare Fund for martyrs of Kargil War.
  • Organizing health and blood donation camps and sending relief materials to people affected by natural calamities in Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand and Nepal.
  • Celebration of cultural festivals like Baisakhi & Lohri to promote mutual bonding by promoting folk and Sufi music from Punjab.
  • Panj Darya – Fashion Show to promote rich Punjabi culture and heritage

References
  1. Sahney, Vikramjit. "Vikram Sahney".
  2. sahney, vikram. "vikram sahney".
  3. "Sun International Pvt. Ltd".
  4. "Sun Foundation".
  5. "Sikh Heritage Museum".
  6. "World Punjabi Organisation".
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