march again

festive touch to have a marching band as part of your presence in the parade,” Jagdev says. “I am disappointed at the lack of response because ultimately we are promoting India, and India’s efforts in the international arena.”

At the 2012 ANZAC Day parade, the Sikh participants’ turbans and attire distinguished them from the others, leading to encouraging remarks and overwhelming applause from the onlookers, who displayed an enthusiastic curiosity about the Regiments’ involvement in the parade.

But equally heartening has been the response from the Indian community at large, which supports the Sikh Regiments’ involvement in the parade.

“The community here is proud of our participation, and we always get a lot of cheers from those watching us march along,” says Bawa Singh Jagdev. “We would encourage more people to come and watch the ANZAC Day parade, to honour those who at the call of the duty, paid the ultimate sacrifice so that we could live as free human beings.”

The ANZAC Day march has a special significance for us Sikhs, because during the two World Wars, specially the first, many army units were made up of Sikhs from Punjab

Bawa Singh Jagdev