Author and filmmaker awarded Hofstra University’s 2022 Guru Nanak Interfaith Prize

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Amardeep Singh, author, researcher and filmmaker was awarded the 2022 Guru Nanak Interfaith Prize by Hofstra University at a special banquet November 14, 2022, at the Crest Hollow Country Club in Long Island.

Singh is the co-managing director and co-founder of Lost Heritage Productions in Singapore. The award was given for his 24-episode documentary series, ‘Alegory: A Tapestry of Guru Nanak’s Travels’ which retraces the travels of the founder of Sikh religion, Guru Nanak, in the 16^th century. Written and directed by Singh’s wife, Vininder Kaur, the docu-series has been filmed in more than 150 multi-faith sites in nine countries.

Singh was selected from among 18 nominees by a committee of faculty and administrators, according to a press release sent by ASB Media. It quoted Acting Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences Daniel Seabold saying the selection committee was impressed by Singh’s analytic portrayal of Guru Nanak’s interest in uniting people of diverse faiths.

The $50,000 Prize is bestowed bi-annually to individuals for their significant and outstanding work to increase interfaith understanding, said the press release. Guru Nanak Prize was established in 2006 by Sardar Ishar Singh Bindra and family who named it after Guru Nanak. It has been awarded to many since its establishment with the Dalai Lama getting the first Prize. The Bindra family has also endowed the Sardarni Kuljit Kaur Bindra Chair in Sikh Studies at Hofstra. Speaking at the award ceremony, Sardar Tejinder Singh Bindra said his parents established the Interfaith Prize to recognize and support the efforts of individuals and organizations working for religious and interfaith unity, all of which was in keeping with the work and teachings of Guru Nanak.

Beside the docu-series, Singh has also produced two documentaries based on his experiences of traveling in Pakistan, ‘Peering Warrior’ and ‘Peering Soul’. As an author, Singh has written many books, chief among which are ‘Lost Heritage: The Sikh Legacy In Pakistan’ and ‘The Quest Continues: Lost Heritage – The Sikh Legacy’.

Presenting the Prize to Singh, Hofstra President Susan Poser said, “As an author and independent filmmaker, Mr. Singh demonstrates a deep commitment to the values that Guru Nanak embodied and to the principles of religious understanding,” the press release said. Poser said the Prize was awarded to Singh for preserving Sikh heritage and culture. She said having the Guru Nanak Prize at Hofstra was an extraordinary opportunity as it aligned with its mission as an educational institution, according to the press release.