NEW YORK– A street in New York City’s Richmond Hill neighborhood has been renamed Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji Marg in tribute to the ninth Sikh Guru’s enduring legacy of sacrifice, compassion, and defense of religious freedom.
The renaming ceremony, held over the weekend on the eve of Deepavali, drew members of the Sikh community, city officials, and local residents to celebrate the historic recognition.
India’s Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri called the occasion a “proud moment for the Sikh Sangat,” noting on X that Guru Tegh Bahadur was “the epitome of religious freedom and protector of human rights.” Reflecting on his time in New York as India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Puri added, “This befitting honor highlights the significance of the Sikh community in Richmond Hill and recognizes the contribution of Sikh heritage to the cultural fabric of New York City.”
City Councilwoman Lynn Schulman, who sponsored the resolution, said the renaming honors “the 9th Sikh Guru’s legacy of sacrifice, compassion, and unwavering stand for justice.” She wrote on X, “In a historic first, a NYC street is named after Sikh Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji. 114th Street and 101st Avenue in Richmond Hill, home to Gurdwara Makhan Shah Lubana, will now be known as Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji Marg Way.”
Sukhjinder Singh Nijjar, an East Coast Sikh community leader and former official of the Sikh Cultural Society, welcomed the move as a sign of appreciation from the local government. “In following the Guru’s example of service to humanity, the Sikhs in New York immerse themselves in the community through service, and this is a recognition of it,” he told IANS.
The renamed stretch runs past Gurdwara Makhan Shah Lubana, one of the oldest and most prominent Sikh temples on the U.S. East Coast. Founded in 1972 in a former church building, the gurdwara was rebuilt after a devastating fire in 2002 and now stands as the largest Sikh place of worship in eastern America. (Source: IANS)
