The United States is set to welcome its first public school named after a person of Sikh descent. The new elementary school, opening in August in New Fresno, will be named after Sikh human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra. The West Fresno school district’s board voted unanimously (6-0) to name the school, located at Shields and Brawley Avenues, in his honor.
You may have heard of Jaswant Singh Khalra, but here’s a quick refresher: he gained global recognition for exposing 25,000 illegal killings and cremations carried out by the Punjab Police.
Who Was Jaswant Singh Khalra?
Born in Punjab’s Tarn Taran district, Khalra worked as a bank director in Amritsar. In the early 1990s, he began noticing that some of his colleagues had mysteriously stopped coming to work. His investigation uncovered thousands of cases of illegal abductions, killings, and secret cremations conducted by the Punjab Police. His findings led to international condemnation of human rights violations in India.
However, his activism came at a great cost. In 1995, he was abducted by the Punjab Police and later killed, a tragic end to his courageous fight for justice.
The Fresno Connection
Khalra’s family has strong ties to Fresno. His daughter, Navkiran Kaur Khalra, is an alumna of Fresno State University and currently works in the Bay Area. Her husband’s family is from California’s Central Valley, home to a large Punjabi Sikh population, as reported by The Fresno Bee.
According to district estimates, Punjabi/Southeast Asian students make up around 10.55% of the current student population (roughly 1,700 students). At the new elementary school, Punjabi students are expected to comprise about 9% of total enrollment.
A Historic Milestone
Jaswant Singh Khalra Elementary will be the 15th elementary school in the Central Unified School District. It will accommodate more than 600 students, from preschool to sixth grade, as reported by The Fresno Bee.
This landmark decision recognizes Khalra’s legacy of justice and human rights while also celebrating the rich cultural contributions of the Sikh community in North America.
