AMRITSAR: BJP Punjab spokesperson and Sikh thinker Prof. Sarchand Singh Khiala has urged the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to give serious and immediate consideration to the proposal submitted by Dr. Rabindra Narayan, Founder and Managing Director of GTC Network, for establishing a dedicated 24-hour global satellite and digital channel for the Sikh community without imposing any financial burden on the SGPC.Prof. Sarchand Singh
Prof. Khiala stated that Sikhs across the world have long aspired for an independent media platform capable of presenting Gurbani, Gurmat philosophy, Sikh history, Panthic concerns, and the activities of Sikh institutions in an authentic, dignified and globally accessible manner. He noted that although the SGPC had made efforts in the past to launch its own satellite channel, those initiatives have yet to materialise.
He further pointed out that Sri Akal Takht Sahib has, on several occasions, advised the SGPC to take concrete steps in this direction. Therefore, if a practical and meaningful proposal comes from an experienced broadcasting professional, it deserves objective evaluation in the larger interest of the Panth rather than being dismissed on procedural grounds.
Prof. Khiala also observed that the SGPC had remained embroiled in controversy for years due to the authorisation granted to a private channel owned by a single family for the broadcast of Gurbani. A significant section of the Sikh community has consistently opposed any monopoly over Gurbani transmission, and the resentment arising from that episode has not entirely subsided. He stressed that any future decision must be guided by transparency, Panthic consensus and institutional accountability to avoid fresh controversies.
According to Prof. Khiala, in a detailed letter addressed to SGPC President S. Harjinder Singh Dhami on June 9, 2026, Dr. Rabindra Narayan outlined a comprehensive framework for the project. Under the proposal, GTC Network would fully fund and develop the entire broadcasting infrastructure, including satellite transmission, television distribution, OTT platform integration, and digital outreach across major Sikh diaspora regions such as the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Europe and Australia.
He said the most significant aspect of the proposal is that the SGPC would bear no financial liability at any stage of the project, while complete editorial control, content management, broadcasting policy, and adherence to Sikh Maryada would remain exclusively under the authority of the SGPC, functioning under the spiritual guidance of Sri Akal Takht Sahib.
Prof. Khiala noted that in today's digital age, information dissemination and ideological representation have become increasingly influential. Therefore, the Sikh community needs a credible, modern and independent media platform that can connect future generations with Gurmat values while conveying Sikhism's universal message of "Sarbat da Bhala" (welfare of all) to audiences worldwide.
He urged the SGPC to issue an official response to the proposal and, if required, constitute a high-level committee comprising broadcasting experts, religious scholars and Panthic representatives to examine all aspects of the initiative.
Prof. Sarchand Singh Khiala concluded that if implemented while fully safeguarding the dignity of Panthic institutions, the sanctity of Sikh principles and the institutional autonomy of the SGPC, this initiative could emerge as a historic milestone for the global Sikh community.
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