Dharm Singh Dosanjh Scholarship

The Dharm Singh Dosanjh Scholarship was founded in February 2001 for the Sikh Student Association (SSA) at San Jose State University by Sheranjit Singh “Dos” Dosanjh. The scholarship is awarded each semester to an active member of the SSA who is in good academic standing with the university. The Executive team of the SSA will decide who is worthy of the honor.

Unto the House of Jassu was born a son Dharm Singh Dosanjh. 1907 was the year, June 30^th the day in the village of Dosanjh Kalan, District Jallandar, Punjab state, India. He is the son of the late Bechint Singh Dosanjh who founded one of the first elementary schools for girls in the State of Punjab. Dharm Singh Dosanjh had a thirst for knowledge. At an early age, he would gather literature that was made available to him and start to postulate his own theories about religion, society, history, science, in fact any topic that was introduced to him. He overcame many obstacles in the search for knowledge. At the age of nine, Dharm Singh Dosanjh was placed in a school that was in a village, Marlpur, 25 miles away. In the mind of a young boy the foundation was laid about life, what was important in society and the value of an honest effort put forth.

The effort put forth was the foundation for the first integrated school for boys and girls in the State of Punjab. Funding was limited, so the villagers gave what they could to raise their children with the hope that a culture could be uplifted. Dharm Singh Dosanjh had many trials and tribulations. He has survived two world wars, traveled to foreign lands, educated his children, four sons, four daughters and sent them to the imaginary island as described in "Las Serges de Esplandian," modern day California. He worked the land as a farmer, and in 1969 became an English teacher in Modesto at the Central Catholic High School. In addition, he helped start the first Gurdwara in Livingston and to this day still teaches his life’s journey to those who have time to listen.

Dharm Singh Dosanjh has a younger brother, Balwant Singh Dosanjh, my grandfather. Generations after generation are now schooled in the halls of academia, even though the halls reside in a small farming village. From that small school, Ujjal Dosanjh was taught the lessons of life, society, history and religion. The lessons have served him well as the first Indo-Canadian Premier of British Columbia, Canada.

Accordingly, the Dharm Singh Dosanjh Scholarship is awarded to the individual who exemplifies the characteristics of a student striving to become the best in their chosen field of study.

Sohan Singh Sanghera

The Sohan Singh Sanghera Scholarship was founded in February 2001 for the Sikh Student Association (SSA) at San Jose State University by Sheranjit Singh “Dos” Dosanjh. The scholarship is awarded each semester to an active member of the SSA who is in good academic standing with the university. The Executive team of the SSA will decide who is worthy of the honor.

Sohan Singh Sanghera was born in the year 1921, the youngest of five boys. His father, Sher Singh Sanghera was a farmer near the city of Lahore, current day Pakistan. At a very early age, Sohan Singh Sanghera showed an aptitude for athletics and agriculture. He was very competitive as a young boy and was always ready to compete in the athletic tournaments of his day. Unfortunately, as was the case with many families of that time, he had to work the land and was not afforded the opportunity to attend school. Conditions became worse with the subsequent partition of India in 1947, which caused the State of Punjab to be torn in two. Western Punjab became Pakistan and Eastern Punjab remained a part of India. Sohan Singh Sanghera was uprooted from his place of birth and the exodus of the Sikh people from Western Punjab can only be described as “A Trail of Tears.”

The Sanghera family came to call the village of Chak Muglani home. It is located near the city of Nakodar, District of Jallandar. The Sanghera family had left everything behind and the new land provisioned for them could not support the numerous families that resided in the village. Sohan Singh Sanghera, being the youngest of his siblings, decided that he would have to change his fortune and seek a way to provide for his family. His decision led him to leave his family in the care of his older brothers and he began his journey.

His journey took him to Mumbai (Bombay) where he boarded a cargo ship and worked his fare in order to reach his chosen destination, London England. The journey took over four months, traveling through many a foreign land. Upon his arrival in England, he found employment in a factory in a suburb of London called Southall. The town had a handful of Sikh families and they collectively started the first Gurdwara on Havelock Road.

Over forty years had passed since his arrival in England. In that time Sohan Singh Sanghera, without the benefit of a formal education, was able to bring his family over from India, buy a home and raise his family of two sons and four daughters in a foreign land. Currently, he spends six months in Southall and six months in his village of Chak Muglani cultivating the land of his forefathers. His eldest daughter, Surinder Kaur, now resides in California and for her son…Sheranjit Singh “Dos” Dosanjh, the journey continues.

In his name, the Sohan Singh Sanghera Scholarship is awarded to the individual who exemplifies the characteristics of a student striving to overcome the burdens placed by modern day society. Balancing school, work, family, friends, athletics and other extra curricular activities.

For more information visit: Email: