Meet The Nishaan 2019 Committee & Facilitators!
Committee
People responsible for putting Nishaan on and without them we wouldn't have Nishaan! Dedicated volunteers who have been working tirelessly for months ensuring everything goes smoothly during the conference. If you see them at Nishaan, be sure to say hello and ask them any questions you may have.
Sumrit Grewal
Sat Sri Akal! My name is Sumrit Kaur Grewal and I am a second year, Pre-Law student at the University of California, Berkeley studying Society and Environment. I am originally from Fresno, California and have been involved with the Jakara Movement since 2008. I started out as a Jakara Junior in second grade, co-founded Sikh Honors and Service Society at Clovis East High School, and am currently the President of the Jakara Movement Club at UC Berkeley. Jakara Movement has given me multiple opportunities to enhance my social, educational, and social activism skills through conferences like Nishaan, Lalkaar, and a fellowship opportunity working on mental health. In the past I have been both a Nishaan and Lalkaar facilitator and this year I am on the Nishaan 2019 Committee! Cannot wait to meet everyone at Nishaan 2019!
Joth Bhullar
I’m a 3rd year law student at UC Berkeley, and have been involved with Jakara for 4 years now. I served as a facilitator at Nishaan 2017, and was on the committee in 2018. I am looking forwards to meeting new faces and reconnecting with familiar ones, and I enjoy serving on the committee to shape a great conference for our high school students.
Nanaki Johal
Nanaki johal was born and raised in Fresno.goes to clovis community college majoring in nursing she officially started her role with Jakara Movement in 2017 senior year and started a shss club at buchanan. She is enthusiastic about the adolescent she works with and for, guaranteeing their prosperity and pushing them to their enormity. She appreciates investing energy with her loved ones, taking a shot at the family cultivate, hitting the fairway, having a decent giggle, yet above all she finds no more noteworthy satisfaction than helping other people.
Aman Grewal
Hi I’m Aman Grewal, I am currently a 6th Grade teacher at Roosevelt elementary in Central Unified. Born and raised in Fresno. I have been apart of Jakara since I was a kid, from participating in youth camps to facilitating Nishaan 2018. This year I am happy to have received the opportunity to be apart of the committee and facilitate Nishaan 2019! I’m really looking forward to this years topic and making new connections. I’m looking forward to a exciting weekend, I’ll see you soon!
Harleen Dhillon
Hello my name is Harleen Kaur and I just graduated from UC Berkeley this last year. I first got involved with Jakara in the early 2000s where I attended Jakara juniors as a kid myself. Over the years I’ve worked and volunteered with Jakara Juniors,Bhujangan, Lalkaar and Nishaan. At UC Berkeley I helped establish the JMC chapter. It is my privilege to help put on Nishaan for 4 years now. Nishaan is an incredible at bringing the youth. I look forward to seeing familiar faces and meeting new ones. I am grateful to help serve my community!
Simran Rakhra
Hi, my name is Simran Rakhra. I am a senior at San Jose State University. I am a Microbio major and minoring in art. I have been in jakara in the early 2000s and have been going to kids camp since I was a little kid as well. This will be my 4th nishaan and being able to provide a conference like this one has been such an incredible opportunity. Very glad to be part of such a great organization and can't wait to see what this years nishaan is going to be all about.
Balpreet Sidhu
Hi friends! My name is Balpreet (Bindu), I did my undergrad at UC Davis, masters at USC, and will be starting medical school this coming fall. Jakara has been an integral part of my life for the past 6 years and I am honored to be able to connect with all of you at Nishaan 2019. I love talking about health and wellness, academic uncertainty, and all parts of the college application process so please come find me and let’s have a conversation!
Nimrat Brar
Hi hello, my name is Nimrat Brar and I’m currently on the Nishaan committee for 2019! Currently a sophomore at UCLA, I’ve had some hard times trying to adjust and make LA my new home. Jakara has helped me immensely in creating an environment for not only me, but my friends to openly converse about topics relating to our identity and creating change in our community. I have thrived and grown so much as a leader through Jakara and am excited to see where this inspiring movement takes me next!
Facilitators:
Awesome facilitators who help facilitate conversations amongst their groups.
Anoop Sidhu:
Hi I am Anoop Sidhu, I am a 3rd year cognitive science major at UC Davis. I love being outside/ hiking. I am so excited for Nishaan as it serves to be a crucial platform for the punjabi/sikh youth to learn and broaden their perspectives. I learn so much from jakara and can’t wait for nishaan!
Manu Romana:
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh. My name is Manpreet Kaur Romana, I’m originally from Fresno and am currently based in Las Vegas where I’m a first year medical student. This will be my first experience as a Nishaan facilitator, I’m excited for the opportunity to work with and hear from the next generation of advocates, leaders, and teachers. What drew me to Jakara was that it creates the perfect platform to learn from today’s Sikh youth and also provide them with invaluable relationships and resources as they entire some of the most formative years of their lives. I remember attending Jakara workshops at the Singh Sabha Gurudwara growing up, which have always inspired me to incorporate Sikhi into my daily life. I’m honored to have the privilege to give back to an organization that has always reminded me of this.
Pritpal Bhullar:
My first ever Jakara event was Nishaan which I attended in 2017. I’ve had one year of facilitator experience which I’ve learned a lot from. I find joy in being able to share my stories and experiences in life and using them to help students avoid the obstacles that I once had to deal with. Jakara has acted as a safe haven for me and a platform for where I can feel comfortable sharing my thoughts and opinions with my Punjabi community. I’m a second year student at De Anza College studying Communications Studies, and I’m looking forward to being able to provide a helping hand for those who seek advice.
Simran Sarai:
My name is Simran Sarai and I am currently a third year Integrative Biology major at the University of California Berkeley. Two years ago I had the privilege of going to my first Nishaan conference, and since then I have been drawn back because it has been such a rewarding experience.
The first Nishaan I attended I had the role of a faciliator so I facilitated important conversations about higher education, other pathways after high school, and how a person can practice reflective listening. The content in itself is very useful for the participants and it what was even more fulfilling was seeing the high schoolers actually engage in productive discussions which is a very useful skill to have in professional and educational settings. Last year I had the opportunity to play more of a “behind-the-scenes” role on the Nishaan Planning Committee in which we made our vision for the conference into a reality.
As I entered my teen years I became distant with Sikhi but Jakara has encouraged me to learn more about Sikhi at my own pace and what I really love about this organization is that you could be anywhere on the “religious spectrum” and you are still welcomed with open arms. Through Jakara I have also become aware of the political issues that are happening in the world today and am also provided with a space to talk about the issues that are relevant to our community.
Snehpreet Kaur:
My name is Snehpreet Kaur, I am a junior at UC Berkeley majoring in Data Science. Last year was my first Nishaan as a facilitator. Jakara has really helped me become closer to my community and has helped me guide other participants in their career goals through my college experience.
Anmoldeep Singh:
My name is Anmol Deep Singh, I am a junior at Chabot College and I will be transferring this upcoming fall as a Computer Science major. I attended my first Nishaan as a participant and facilitated at last year’s Nishaan. Through Jakara I’ve been able to experience Nishaan as a participant which helped me explore different career paths in college and through my learning experience I’ve been able to assist others.
Gurjiv Kaur:
My name is Gurjiv and I’m a 2nd year Political Science and Sociology major at UC Irvine. I’ve been involved with Jakara since I was about 10 years old and have participated in Jakara Juniors, Bhujangan, Nishaan, and Lalkaar. One of my most memorable Jakara experiences was attending Nishaan where I had the opportunity to engage with other young Sikh Panjabi folks. I really appreciate the outlet Jakara provides for us to engage with and learn from our sangat.
Simarta Sidhu:
I attended Nishaan last year and it was a great experience. I have been a part of Jakara for the past two years and this organization has helped me come out of my shell and become more extroverted. I believe that I have changed for the better because of Jakara. I go to Fresno State and I am a third year.
Harman Sidhu:
Hey! My name is Harman and I am in my 2nd year Bio Major at UCSB. This is my first Nishaan but I have attended several other Jakara events and have been a dedicated volunteer who truly believes in the mission of this movement. I am currently the President of the JMC (Jakara Movment Chapter) at UCSB. Jakara has helped shape me into a better human being and the person i am today. It’s made me more aware of the social injustices the Sikh community faces in today’s time and helped me widen my social networking.
Gurlean Brar:
Hi! I’m Gurlean Brar! I’m a third year at San Jose State and Nishaan 2019 is going to be my third Nishaan conference at which I am so excited to facilitate for the first time! My first year attending Nishaan, I was coming from having no Punjabi friends or sense of connection to my roots. Nishaan gave me the community of hundreds of other Punjabis who I instantly connected to in a way I had never felt before. I immediately started to get involved locally in the Bay Area and helped organize, promote and participated in over a dozen events and formed friendships with those around me that will last a lifetime! I hope everyone else is able to have an experience with Jakara that’s as memorable and impactful as mine, I look forward to meeting you!
Jasmeet Rakhra:
Hi this is jasmeet I am a senior at SF state so I graduate in May woohhooo!! I am a child development major. I have been to all Nishaan conferences and I had a blast going to all of them. I like to take photos and going places with my friends. I forgot how Jakara has helped and that is by them helping me with my resume and cover letter and literally got all my jobs this way lol. They also helped me understand policies that we are going through and also how to be confident in speaking publicly. They have made me confident and brave in every which way when we have things going on
Avneet Uppal:
My name is Avneet Uppal and I am currently a third year at Sacramento State. Nishaan was the first Jakara event I ever participated in and how I got involved with the movement. I have participated as a student twice and facilitated once before as well. Jakara has helped me network, better understand my Punjabi community, and understand where a Sikh stands in today’s world. I’m currently president of JMC at Sac State and am always looking for events to do to bring our youth together.
Banjot Saini:
I'm Banjot Saini. I'm a freshman at Uc Berkeley and I'm from the Fresno area. My past nishaan experience includes being a participant at last year's nishaan. Jakara has helped me find a Punjabi community at my school
Ramndeep Authi:
My name is Ramandeep Authi. I’m a freshman at UC Davis and have been involved in Jakara since high school. I’ve attended Nishaan consecutively for three years and it has definitely helped me venture out of my comfort zone. This conference has taught me a lot of about our Sikh community and how to address certain issues.
Harina Singh:
Hello, my name is Harina Singh and I am a 1st year at Santa Monica Community College. I have been involved with Jakara Movement since I was 12 years old. Nishaan was the third Jakara event I had attended, and ended up being one of my favorite events. I have also attended Bhujangan, JMC retreat, and Jakara Juniors as well. I have been a participant at nishaan for three years and this year will be my first time as a facilitator. I am a part of Jakara because I love what they advocate for, and I love what sangat it has brought me. I want others to experience what I have learned and gained and be a part of this movement as well.
Navleen Dhillon:
Hello! My name is Navleen Dhillon and I am currently a freshmen at Fresno State University. I have been apart of Jakara for about 2 years now and it’s been a wonderful experience learning and gaining more knowledge about our Punjabi community. In high school, I was the president of SHSS and it was great connecting with the youth about the current social issues at the time and even the events. I am looking forward to facilitate at Nishaan to learn more and connect with the youth!
Gurpaul Singh:
Hi, My name is Gurpaul Singh and I am a freshman at UC Davis. I’ve been a part of Jakara for as long as I can remember and this year actually marks the tenth year since I’ve attended my first Jakara Juniors camp. I’ve participated in Nishaan twice as a student and this will be my first year as a facilitator. Jakara has provided me with a wonderful outlet to connect with fellow members of the Sikh Sangat from all across California, and even America, to further discuss and develop ideas on how to further our community as a whole. I am currently a part of the JMC Chapter at UC Davis and I’m excited to help plan and be a part of events that continue to inspire the Sikh Youth.
Harsimran Kaur:
hi, my name is harsimran kaur & i have been involved in jakara for about 4 years. Attending jakara juniors yearly since the age of 8, i have learned so much about myself. Being involved in SHSS & attending events such as Nishaan, Bhujagan, summer retreats, & many other volunteer events have also helped me gain the mindset I have today. After attending nishaan as an attendee for the past 3 years, I am very excited to be able to experience being a faciltator this year! I can’t wait to not only work with the youth & expand their knowledge but also learn from their ideas & experiences as well!
Sukhmani Maitle:
My name is Sukhmani Maitle, and I am from Livingston, CA. I am currently in my third year at CSU Stanislaus. The first time I attended Nishaan was as a junior in high school and had such a great time that I started to get involved in the organization. I am now involved in the college chapter known as JMC as well. I enjoy being apart of this organization because it allows me to make connections with people I would not have met otherwise.
Harleen Maitle:
My name is Harleen Maitla, and I’m from the Central Valley. I’m currently a freshman at UC Davis majoring in neurobiology. I’ve been to Nishaan for the past three years as a participant. Through Jakara, I’ve been able to create connections and be introduced to new experiences all while being exposed to new surroundings. Being apart of Jakara is just special to me because I’m able to help those in my community in a more personal way.
Gurleen Thandi:
My name is Gurleen Thandi and I am from Livingston, CA. I am currently a 2nd year at Sacramento State. I actually attended the very first Nishaan in 2015 when I was a sophomore in high school. It was such a great experience that I continued to stay involved in Jakara and decided to become an officer in the college chapter, JMC, at Sac State. My past experiences with Nishaan have been so positive that I built many social connections and friendships.
Jaskiran Kaur
My name is jaskiran kaur. I am currently enrolled at Yuba College and plan on spending my last year here, after that I intend on transferring to UC Davis. I will pursue a bachelor’s degree in Neurobiology, physiology and Behavior(NPB). Aside from school, I enjoy volunteering for different organizations. I have been a part of Jakara for about seven years now, and have been attending gurmat camps since I can remember. I have participated in Nishaan as a student twice, and as a facilitator once. Nishaan is a Sikh conference for high school students that discusses current issues through the lens of a Sikh student. This conference has really helped me grasp the idea that there are so many career options out there instead of the medical field. Nishaan has given me the opportunity to connect with other Sikhs who are just like me and by being a facilitator it has allowed me to share my experiences and advices with the participants. Most importantly, Jakara has helped me build strong connections within my community, develop my leadership skills, and has given me the opportunity to help others.
Deep Singh
Deep is a Bay Area native who graduated from UC Davis in 2014 with his bachelors in Mechanical Engineering. After completing his undergrad Deep worked as a Manufacturing Engineer while also completing his Masters in Engineering Management from Santa Clara University. Currently, Deep is working as a Program Manager at Tesla.
Musqan Kaur:
Hey kiddan my name is Musqan I am currently a sophomore at CSU Stanislaus in Turlock but I live in Lathrop. My major is psychology with a minor in education. I have attended nishaan before as well as facilitated and have looked forward to it every year.
Jaskeet Raika:
Hey everyone! My name is Jaskeet. I’m currently a fourth year student at Fresno State pursuing a degree in Business Administration, with a concentration in Computer Information Systems. I’ve been participating in Jakara events for a few years now, but this is going be my first year at Nishaan and I am beyond excited to be a part of the 2019 facilitator team! The knowledge I’ve gained, experiences I’ve had, and the amazing friendships I’ve made through this organization really helped me to feel a sense of community I never thought I’d have. Looking forward to meeting you all!!! (:
