Indirveer Singh participated in Wednesday's Anzac day parade near Seymour, Victoria.
14-year old turban wearing Indirveer is a cadet at Puckapunyal Army Base, which is an Australian Army training facility, based 10 km west of Seymour, in central Victoria.
Indirveer’s father Bachitar Singh Mavi who went to see his participation at the Anzac day parade at Seymour told SBS Punjabi that it’s a proud moment for their family.
“It was a great to see him in army dress. He marched past wearing a black turban among the other scouts,” said Mr Singh.
Indirveer is a year 9 student at the Kilmore International School in Kilmore, Victoria.
Singh family moved to Australia in 2004 from New Zealand. They grow seasonal farm fresh citrus in Mildura in north-west Victoria.
Inderveer Singh is a cadet at Puckapunyal Army Base (Photo Supplied by Bachitar Singh Mavi) Source: Supplied
“We have a passion for farming. But my elder son Indirveer has something else in his mind," said Mr Singh.
“He is trying to follow footsteps of his ancestors who served their respective nations as army servicemen.
“With dignity, our appearance as a Sikh also reminds us of the extra responsibilities that come our way. Historically, the Sikh soldiers have fought for noble causes with bravery and honesty.
“We stand tall on the Anzac day but our sacrifices at Gallipoli have often been overlooked. We need more research to highlight the vital contributions that were made by the Sikh soldiers during this military campaign.
Historically, many Sikhs were part of Australian Imperial Forces in the early 20th century, and almost 20 Sikh Anzacs fought WW1 as Australian soldiers. Their names are documented at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra.
But in recent times, many turban wearing Sikhs have shown a keenness to join the Australian Armed Forces.
Army reservist, Officer Cadet Satbir Singh Kahlon was recently featured as a ‘poster boy’ in videos showcasing diversity in the Australian Army and the AFL.
The Australian armed forces have special exemptions in their dress manual for the members of the Sikh community.
Related Article
Lest we forget: Remembering Sikh soldiers on Gallipoli
Anzac Day is commemorated every year on 25 April to mark the landing of Australian and New Zealand (Anzac) troops on Gallipoli in 1915, in the Turkish peninsula.
This military campaign during WWI lasted eight months and claimed at least 125,000 lives. Many Sikhs paid the ultimate sacrifice on Gallipoli too, including 80% of the soldiers of a single Sikh battalion.
