After US tour, author of book on Pakistan’s Sikh legacy to speak in London

BOSTON: “I am deeply grateful to the Pakistan government for giving me a visa,” said Amardeep Singh, author of the photo-illustrated travelogue “Lost Heritage – The Sikh Legacy In Pakistan”, published in January 2016 (Himalayan Books). 

He was addressing a gathering in downtown Boston organised by members of the South Asian community, the last event of his book tour of the USA. The Singapore-based former banker – he was head of revenue management at American Express credit cards in the Asia Pacific region -- has given over 40 presentations on his “labour of love” in various cities around India, besides Toronto, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Delhi, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Bradford.  He has further speaking engagements in London, Leicester and Birmingham between June 22-26th, 2016, before returning to Singapore.

Born in Gorakhpur, India in 1966, Singh has worked in Hong Kong, and has been based in Singapore for the past 16 years. He left the banking sector after 25 years following his Pakistan visit in in 2013 to complete the book project and to further pursue his creative passions.

His motivation in traveling to Pakistan for the first time was to explore his father’s ‘watan’ (homeland) and re-connect with his legacy b.  He said he had “nothing but love” in Pakistan. His journey would not have been possible without the Pakistan embassy in Singapore granting him a non-police reporting, 30-day, countrywide visa that enabled him to travel around the country with no restrictions.

He said he felt his month long journey across Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Pakistan-administered Kashmir was driven by “an invisible force” that led to the weighty, 504-page coffee-table volume. Singh said that audiences at all the venues he has spoken at have received his work with great enthusiasm. He is keen to return to Pakistan – this time, with his book.