UK Punjab Heritage Association

Many brave soldiers died in #WorldWar1 but haven’t been recognised; hence glad to support the #Punjab Registers event in #Slough, showcasing @UKPHA, @CWGC and Greenwich University research. Proud my great-grandfather, who lost a leg fighting in #WW1, is among those remembered.

Happy Bastille Day 🇲🇫 2nd Lancers (Gardener's Horse) lead Indian Cavalry regiments in Paris on Bastille Day 1916 2 weeks into the a #Somme offensive. #BastilleDay2026 #bastilleday #FêteNationale #le14juillet 🇲🇫

@UKPHA and @CWGC will be at 'The Curve' @SloughCouncil tomorrow! Come & meet us to hear about the Punjab WW1 Registers - maybe we can find your ancestors records! CWGC and UKPHA First World War Punjab Registers Event - Slough Date: 10 jul • 17:00 eventbrite.co.uk/e/cwgc-and-ukp…

It's not often that I can say "I reduced a rugby player to tears!" Manjinder Nagra made history as the first #Sikh woman to play rugby for England @EnglandRugby but discovered in the #PunjabRegisters that her GGF, Driver Jagat Singh shaped history after being killed during #WW1 in the 34th (Reserve) Mountain Battery in Mesopotamia. A chance encounter with @UKPHA at the Brighton Chattri Memorial led to a discovery that will forever impact Manjinder & her family.

It started in 2014 with 34 handwritten registers, found in the Lahore Museum by the UKPHA team. A decade of research later, working with the University of Greenwich and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, we've identified 9,909 Indian Army soldiers whose deaths in the First World War were never officially recorded. Today, all 9,909 names are being added to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's official casualty record — the largest single addition since the Second World War. Sikh, Hindu, Muslim and Christian soldiers, commemorated together for the first time. One of them is Jagat Singh, of the 34th (Reserve) Mountain Battery — the only man from his village of Lallian, Jalandhar, to lose his life in the war. His great-granddaughter, Manjinder Nagra, the first Sikh woman to play rugby for England, only knows his story today because of this work. Read the full story: bbc.co.uk/news/articles/… If your family history includes a WW1 soldier from Punjab, get in touch: amandeep@ukpha.org — share the soldier's name, their father's name, and their village. #SouthAsianHeritageMonth

It started in 2014 with 34 handwritten registers, found in the Lahore Museum by me & the @UKPHA team. A decade of research later, working with the University of Greenwich and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, we've identified 9,909 Indian Army soldiers whose deaths in the First World War were never officially recorded. Today, all 9,909 names are being added to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's official casualty record The largest single addition since the Second World War. Sikh, Hindu, Muslim and Christian soldiers, commemorated together for the first time bbc.co.uk/news/articles/… If your family history includes a WW1 soldier from Punjab, DM me , share the soldier's name, their father's name, and their village. #SouthAsianHeritageMonth

Last month I had the honour to lay a wreath at the Chattri Memorial on the Patcham Downs to commemorate #Indian soldiers who had succumbed to their injuries whilst recovering in the makeshift Brighton hospitals. The theme for South Asian Heritage Month 2026 @SAHM_UK is 'unity in diversity'. This unity and diversity was reflected in the casualties from the Indian subcontinent and in those @UKPHA who continue to honour their memory today on Chattri Memorial Day in Brighton. It was great to be joined by friends from the @NAM_London and @I_W_M. Well done to Davinder Dhillon and the volunteers at the Chattri Memorial Group. #commemoration #southasianheritagemonth #SAHM26 #indianarmy

@UKPHA graphics panel show an iconic photo taken in Paris on Bastille Day, 2 weeks into the Battle of #Somme 1916. A French lady pins a flower onto Risaldar-Major Ganga Dat 'Bahadur' O.B.I., who's marching alongside Risaldar Mukand* Singh M.C. 'Bahadur' O.B.I and Risaldar Mohammed Raza Khan - Officers from the 2nd Lancers (Gardner's Horse). Punjabi's who are Hindu, Sikh and Muslim - a microcosm of the diversity of Indian Forces At the rear is Risaldar-Major & Hon. Capt Amar Singh 'Bahadur' O.B.I. from 38th King George's Own Central India Horse. As we commemorate the 110th anniversary of the Battle of Somme and @SAHM_UK, it's important to remember the Indian Cavalry units who also participated in the Somme offensive in 1916. Later Risaldar-Major and Honorary Capt* #Somme110 #Somme #Somme1916 #Lestweforget #LestWeForgetIndia #thegreatwar #ww1 #indianarmy #southasianheritagemonth

On Armed Forces Day 2026 it is important to honour the service the courage and the sacrifice of all personnel past and present. Punjab was the Sword Arm of India and @UKPHA was at the @SikhLens Arts and Film Festival in Leicester to shine a light on the contribution made by Punjabi soldiers from the Indian Army in #WW1. Thank you to @monikaplaha from @bbcemt who gave me an opportunity to highlight how the #Punjab WW1 registers have helped many including those at the Sikhlens find service records of their forebears. This includes Hardeep Gahir (pictured) from Sunner Kalan in Jalandhar who learnt that his grandfather, 2228 Sepoy Bhagat Singh was a blacksmith in the 34th Sikh Pioneers during WW1. Congratulations to all those who showcased films including @GurinderC & @GSMANN_. #armedforcesday

It was wonderful to meet the mighty @SangitaMyska at the @AppgIndia dinner organised by @1928institute to celebrate the UK-India Free Trade Agreement. UK Punjab Heritage Association @UKPHA will again highlight the South Asian contribution in #WW1 in the next few weeks. Watch this space!

The Punjab Registers of World War One Punjabi soldiers records continue to provide real evidence of families wartime history. Look out for more news later this year punjabww1.com

"His wife gets Rs 50/- pension. She also got Rs 300/- as a reward". As with all wars, a solem reminder that it was the ordinary Punjabi wife/mother/sister who bore the true burden of war when over 74,000 Indians died during the #WW1 and over 89,000 in #WW2. #InternationalWomensDay #InternationalWomensDay2026 #India #IWD2026 #CommonwealthDay2026

Proud to represent the UK Punjab Heritage Association @UKPHA on #Commonwealth Day at the Memorial Gates. This represents all Punjabis who fought in the Indian Army in both World Wars.

Sorry to hear the news of the passing of a good friend, prolific author & lecturer Major Gordon Corrigan. View his talk at @UKPHA expo on the Indian Army on the Western Front: youtube.com/watch?v=1AW9IW…. instagram.com/p/DVRP4zYDPws/… #History #Military #WW1 #Sikh #Empire

Great to see a #Sikh soldier as King Charles III & President Trump @realDonaldTrump review the guard of honour formed of 3 regiments of the Household Division:- the @ColdstreamGds, @GrenadierGds & @scots_guards during the ceremonial welcome at Windsor Castle. Historically, Sikhs & other #Indian soldiers have formed part of Coronation Contingents or State visits since the early 20th century, as exemplified in the Indian Army exhibition at @HRP_palaces. Today, they proudly serve in the @BritishArmy, adding another chapter to our shared military history.

Each year the Chattri Memorial in Brighton hosts people of different faiths from across the UK to commemorate the contributions of the Indian Army who served in WWI. We are proud to support the service ensuring the sacrifices of those from the Commonwealth are never forgotten.

I will lay a wreath at the Chattri Memorial on the Patcham Downs to honour the sacrifice of the 23rd, 32nd, 34th Sikh Pioneers of the Indian Army during WW1.