Indian War Memorial
725. Davinder Dhillon
Davinder Dhillon is the Chairman of the ‘Chattri Memorial Group’, which is dedicated to commemorating the Indian soldiers who died in the First World War.
As Chairman, Davinder, from Brighton, organises an interfaith memorial service, which takes place in June every year, bringing together 500 members of the community across Sikh, Hindu, Muslim and Christian religions. The Mayor, the Lord Lieutenant and different groups from around Brighton and Hove, such as the Scouts, lay wreaths in remembrance. Throughout the year, Davinder also raises awareness of the contribution the soldiers made, and his efforts have inspired Sikh, Hindu and Muslim people around the country to create their own memorials, such as ‘The Peace Garden’ in Woking.
In a personal letter to Davinder, Prime Minister Theresa May said:
“Your work with the ‘Chattri Memorial Group’ is invaluable in bringing together the community to commemorate the lives and work of the Indian soldiers who died in the First World War.”
Davinder said:
“I feel very privileged to receive the Points of Light award. The enormous Indian contribution to the First World War has not been fully recognised and I am honoured, with a small team of volunteers, to be part of the process of remembering those Indian combatants and non-combatants who made the ultimate sacrifice. I am very grateful that my role in this annual act of remembrance has been acknowledged.”