The Sikh War Memorial in Castle Park stands as proud today as it did when it was officially opened in 2019, when people came from as far away as India to show their respect for such an important part of our shared history.

The names of soldiers from Bristol who died fighting in both World Wars are permanently commemorated by a sculpture and plaque that tell the story of a brave group of people who fought, and gave their lives, for the freedom of Great Britain.

The garden itself provides a quiet place where all members of the community are invited to reflect and remember the soldiers from the Indian Army – Sikhs, Hindus and Muslims – who lost their lives defending Great Britain and fighting for world peace. In the First World War alone, 83,000 Sikh soldiers died and around 109,000 were seriously wounded.

Renowned for their bravery, the first Sikhs to arrive on the battlefield in France during World War One, were reluctant to climb into the trenches because they thought it was a cowardly way to fight.

Mohindra Chowdrey, founder and president of the Panjabi Forum International, was part of the project team who created the Sikh War Memorial in 2019, where a number of charitable donations, including from SMV, helped to fund the memorial. Now more than five years on, the memorial and surrounding area has benefitted from important restoration work, including carefully removing rust from the religious memorial and bringing it back to its original appearance, as well as refinishing the footpath, varnishing the benches and installing an information board at the entrance.

Mohindra once again played a central role in raising funds to support the restoration, and he generously invited SMV to visit the memorial in March.

Past Master, Patrick Despard, and CEO, Caroline Duckworth, were fascinated to learn about the significant role of the Indian Army in both World Wars, listening to real-life stories passed down through generations from Mohindra and his colleagues who hosted the visit.

Mohindra explained: “Throughout various wars in our history, Sikhs have fought bravely alongside the British, but this sacrifice isn’t always commemorated equally. In fact, the memorial in Bristol is one of only a handful in the country.”

Mohindra is hopeful that different communities and groups from all over the region will visit the Sikh War Memorial and find out for themselves about the long-held relationship between Great Britain and India.

“We have visitors who tell us that they have a colleague or school friend who is Sikh or Punjabi, and they are glad to have found out about their shared history. As well as commemorating the fallen, the memorial is also a starting point for new conversations that we hope will bring people from different communities and faiths closer together.”

The Sikh War Memorial is open to members of the public all year round, but if you would like to arrange an informative guided tour for your school or community group, please contact Mohindra on 07737 350630.

Main photo caption: Mohindra, second from the left, with Patrick, third from the left, in front of the Sikh War Memorial, with members of Mohindra’s project team.