Punjab village celebrates its son Jagmeet Singh’s success in Canadian politics

Members of the local Evergreen Society organised a thanksgiving “ardaas” at the village gurdwara to celebrate Jagmeet Singh’s success.

It was celebration time at Thikriwal village of Punjab’s Barnala district on Monday after Jagmeet Singh, aka Jimmy Dhaliwal, having ancestral roots in this village, was elected the leader of Canada’s New Democratic Party, becoming the first non-white politician to head a major political party in the country.

Jagmeet Singh flanked by mother Harmeet Kaur and father Jagtaran Singh (left) and campaign manager Michal Hay (right) as it's announced he has won the first ballot in the contest for leader of the leftist New Democrat party in Toronto.(AP)

Members of the local Evergreen Society organised a thanksgiving “ardaas” at the village gurdwara to celebrate his success. The villagers will also join the Sukhmani Sahib paath on Tuesday at the gurdwara.

Gurtej Singh, a professor at Guru Kashi College of Sikh Studies, Talwandi Sabo, said: “Jagmeet is great grandson of Hira Singh, who was cousin of Sewa Singh Thikriwala, the founder of Praja Mandal movement in the Punjab.”

“Jagmeet had visited Punjabi University in 2013 to interact with students. These days, none of Jagmeet’s relatives live in Thikriwal,” said Gurtej.

A villager, Nardev Singh Aulakh, said: “We have never seen Jagmeet, but we feel elated that someone whose ancestors belonged to this village is leading a political party in Canada. We are proud of his success.”